The hockey scouting world will descend on Calgary and Lethbridge, Alberta, for the CHL-USA Prospects Challenge on Tuesday and Wednesday, and the buzz around the event is palpable.
Editor’s Picks
1 Related
With a wide range of opinions on various players, this is a significant chance to make a lasting impression on scouts and NHL executives. For some players, it will be one of the only times an NHL GM or assistant GM sees them play live. While teams tend to depend on their scouting staff, making a lasting impression on the team executives can tip the scales when the first round clock is ticking in June.
Some players are off to fantastic starts and scouts are eager to see how they compete against their counterparts. Some scouts want others to prove they can make an impact when each team is stacked with talent. For every player involved, it is an opportunity to dispel negative narratives or turbo charge positive ones.
Notably, this is the first season where prospects have made the jump to the NCAA from the CHL, which means Gavin McKenna and Keaton Verhoeff will not take the ice in a much-anticipated matchup between North America’s best draft-eligible players.
With that in mind, there are quite a few players who should stand out in the two-game series. Players are alphabetized by country.
Ethan Belchetz, F, Windsor Spitfires (OHL)
The top draft prospect out of the OHL, Belchetz has the opportunity to be the talk of the rink this week. Scouts already love his 6-5 frame that some say more resembles a rhinoceros on skates than it does a hockey player. He scores goals with ease, and many of those goals are quite timely.
In what is expected to be a tighter game than the style of play in the OHL, Belchetz has the chance to showcase himself as one of the top offensive players in the draft class, if he were to break through over the next two days. This is an opportunity to take advantage of his physical prowess and skill to make a statement to scouts and NHL executives. A standout performance would certainly go a long way to fuel the belief that Belchetz can be an impactful power forward in the NHL.
Alessandro Di Iorio, F, Sarnia Sting (OHL)
All of ESPN. All in one place.
Watch your favorite events in the newly enhanced ESPN App. Learn more about what plan is right for you. Sign Up Now
Di Iorio has not played much this season due to injury, and it will almost certainly be the first time many scouts and executives see him play in 2025-26.
Having played only six games, Di Iorio is the only point-per-game player on Sarnia’s roster. He’s a play-driving center who pushes the pace, facilitates offense, plays a reliable defensive game and has a developing physical game. His ability to finish plays has taken a notable step forward, and it will be interesting to see how he can impact the pace of play when playing elevated competition.
Di Iorio has the talent to be a top-20 selection and given that he’s a right-handed center, many scouts and executives will be playing close attention to his ability to impact the game on both sides of the puck.
JP Hurlbert, F, Kamloops Blazers (WHL)
The WHL’s leading scorer is averaging nearly two points per game, and should play a major role in the Prospects Challenge. He’s dominating the WHL, relying on his instincts, shot and playmaking abilities.
Scouts want to see improved speed and willingness to make tougher plays, as opposed to relying on teammates to get him the puck to finish scoring chances. Hurlbert will need to be able to play in tougher areas, make connective plays and improve his pace of play. Playing with a play driver will showcase his ability to play off teammates and finish scoring chances.
Ultimately, Hurlbert’s ability to create and finish chances is well known, being able to execute at higher pace will be most important over the next few days.
Ryan Lin, D, Vancouver Giants (WHL)
A lot of eyes will be on Lin, the undersized right-handed defender from Richmond, British Columbia, who is a one-man breakout machine. Offensively, Lin is a brilliant puck mover and driver of offense, notching 28 points in 24 games with Vancouver. His ability to read the play in transition and get the puck to his teammates in the tightest of passing lanes is impressive. Given the need to be a strong puck mover to succeed in the NHL, Lin is on everyone’s radar.
His defensive game has taken a major step this season, something many scouts were monitoring. Lin is likely to play a major role in the two-game set. Showing he can defend against his top counterparts, play in the hard areas and win battles will go a long way to cementing himself in the top-10 conversation.
Mathis Preston, F, Spokane Chiefs (WHL)
Preston possesses dynamic, get-you-out-of-your-seat type of skill. If he’s at his best over the next few days, this event could serve as the moment he cemented himself in the conversation to be a top-15 pick in June.
His skill is undeniable, with excellent skating and puck-handling ability. For an undersized forward, he plays through contact well. He can dazzle off the rush or in tight with his hands, but he can also leave you wanting more when he tries to force plays or makes blind passes. His improved physical involvement has been noted by scouts, who are hoping to see a well-rounded performance from Preston, one that includes his impressive offensive skills as well as physical competitiveness and strong off-puck play.
Daxon Rudolph, D, Prince Albert Raiders (WHL)
Rudolph already ranks in my top-10 draft prospects this season, and many NHL teams love his simple, effective playstyle.
ESPN Draft Coverage
Stay up to date with the latest intel from ESPN’s experts.MLB: McDaniel’s 2025 MLB draft recap »NBA: 2025 draft value picks, risky moves »NFL: Early 2026 first-round predictions »NHL: 2026 draft class watch list »WNBA: Top 15 prospects for 2026 draft »
He’s not going to bring you out of your seat with scintillating offense or bone-crushing physicality, but his ability to shut down the opponent’s best players on a nightly basis has his value skyrocketing.
He’s 6-3, right-handed, and more than likely to be a minute-munching, matchup defender in the NHL. There isn’t a single team that doesn’t need someone like Rudolph on their roster.
Rudolph is going to play against the USHL’s top offensive players and if you don’t see him on the highlights, it’s because the USHL couldn’t score while he was on the ice. If he keeps the USHL forwards quiet, he’s going to be someone who is talked about in the top 10 for the rest of the season.
Xavier Villeneuve, D, Blainville-Boisbriand Armada (QMJHL)
A high-flying blueliner who is one of the most dynamic defenders in the draft class, Villeneuve is going to be impossible to miss. There is more skill, creativity and confidence in Villeneuve than most players, and his play reflects that. He’s going to facilitate offense, join the rush and be an offensive weapon from the back end.
How Villeneuve defends will more than likely be the key takeaway for scouts, because he’s got the offensive ability to be a top-10 pick. If Villeneuve can tilt the ice in the CHL’s favor while avoiding costly turnovers, he’s more likely to quell some of the doubters.
There are legitimate questions about his ability to defend and minimize errors. Showing that he can defend capably against his peers will elevate his stock given the amount of development runway he has left. The raw talent is there, and he is certainly one of the most exciting defenders in the draft class.
Mikey Berchild, F, USNTDP Juniors
He’s not an imposing player by any means, but Berchild has one of the best releases in the draft class. Goaltenders have talked about how difficult it is to read the puck when it comes off his stick; he catches them by surprise, and that translates to the NHL.
He’s a speedster with an excellent release and it would surprise no one to see him score off the rush in full stride, similar to Phil Kessel in his heyday. Adding to that, Berchild’s puck skill is high-end, allowing him to play through defenders and create advantageous positions for himself.
Berchild’s well-rounded offensive package, led by his speed and elite shot, will surely draw the attention of scouts as a player looking to move into first-round consideration. A standout performance against the CHL’s best draft-eligibles would help that case.
Victor Plante, F, USNTDP Juniors
Breaking News from Emily Kaplan
Download the ESPN app and enable Emily Kaplan’s news alerts to receive push notifications for the latest updates first. Opt in by tapping the alerts bell in the top right corner. For more information, click here.
The NTDP’s leading scorer has quite a few traits that will be familiar to scouts who watched his older brothers (Zam and Max) play in their draft-eligible seasons.
He is an excellent playmaker with elite hockey sense. Those two traits made him one of the better players when facing more mature competition, and should enable him to be a standout creator in the Prospects Challenge. He’s on the smaller end, but that doesn’t stop him from tenaciously forechecking and forcing turnovers.
It is likely Plante will play the best shutdown defenders on the CHL squad, which will present a challenge, as their stick work and physical play will test Plante’s skill set. If he’s going to be a middle-six NHL player, he needs to show the ability to stand out against his peers, particularly as it pertains to driving offense.
Luke Schairer, D, USNTDP Juniors
Schairer could be one of the select few from the NTDP team selected in the first round of the draft, and certainly feels like he is the closest thing to a first-rounder for the program this season.
A big, right-handed defender, Schairer has good mobility and rarely gets caught off balance. His poise with the puck stands out and there is room for him to develop an offensive game, particularly with rush activation. There is potential for Schairer to become a middle-pairing defender at the NHL level if he can continue to drive play in transition and facilitate positive possession.
He’s bound to play major shutdown minutes against the CHL’s top offensive forwards, and keeping them at bay should increase his draft stock heading into the back half of the season.
Blake Zielinski, F, USNTDP Juniors
A standout at the Hlinka-Gretzky Cup, Zielinski is a well-rounded player with good offensive instincts. He lacks a standout, high-end skill, but working in his favor is the fact that most of his skills are above-average.
He’s versatile, playing both wing and center, wins battles, moves well and makes simple but effective plays. Scouts like his consistent work rate, willingness to go to the hard areas and make plays in traffic. Zielinski has a solid release that can catch goalies off balance if he can get the puck in an opportunistic spot.
He’s less a play driver and more of a complementary piece. To elevate his draft status, Zielinski needs to improve his physical play and offensive play-driving capability. Making an impact and driving a line in this matchup would be a good step in improving his draft stock.
What to expect this week
In what can only be considered a down year for the program, the American-based team will not have some of the top prospects like Tynan Lawrence or Jack Hextall at their disposal because they are not part of the NTDP program.
The feeling among scouts is that the CHL has the advantage on paper with their high-end skill, but a lack of chemistry among a team who has not played together should keep the games competitive.
Every player will be looking to make a lasting impression in these two games, and the way to do that isn’t with selfish play — it’s with strong details and connective play. We will wrap up the two-game set with standouts and takeaways publishing on Friday.
