402 CHL alumni named to NHL Opening Night rosters ahead of 2025-26 season

Nearly half of all NHL players developed in the CHL, as WHL, OHL, and QMJHL graduates headline Opening Night rosters league-wide

As the National Hockey League (NHL) drops the puck on its 2025-26 season tonight, 402 Canadian Hockey League (CHL) graduates from the Western Hockey League (WHL), Ontario Hockey League (OHL), and Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) are featured on NHL Opening Night rosters — accounting for nearly 50% of all players in the league, once again the highest representation of any development league in the world.

By league, the group includes 187 OHL, 145 WHL, and 71 QMJHL alumni (see complete list below), reinforcing the CHL’s position as the premier pipeline to the NHL. This season, 59 of the CHL’s 61 member clubs have at least one graduate on an NHL roster, led by 20 players who competed in the CHL just last year — a group highlighted by Islanders defenceman Matthew Schaefer (Erie Otters / OHL), Sharks forward Michael Misa (Saginaw Spirit / OHL), Predators forward Brady Martin (Soo Greyhounds / OHL), Penguins forward Ben Kindel (Calgary Hitmen / WHL), and Canucks forward Braeden Cootes (Seattle Thunderbirds / WHL). These five were among 21 CHL players selected in the first round of the 2025 NHL Draft, and each competed in the inaugural 2024 CHL USA Prospects Challenge, held less than a year ago in London and Oshawa, Ont.

All 32 NHL clubs feature at least one CHL graduate on their Opening Night roster. The Washington Capitals lead all teams with 17, followed by the New York Islanders, Seattle Kraken, and Vegas Golden Knights with 16 each, while the Edmonton Oilers, Pittsburgh Penguins, and Winnipeg Jets each boast 15.

With over 390 CHL alumni in the NHL for a sixth consecutive season, the CHL continues to be the top source of talent for the National Hockey League.

Stories To Follow:

• Heading into this new NHL season, 24 CHL alumni are looking to make their NHL debuts, including Penguins defenceman Harrison Brunicke (Kamloops Blazers / WHL), Sharks defenceman Sam Dickinson (London Knights / OHL), Flames forward Matvei Gridin (Shawinigan Cataractes / QMJHL), Kraken forward Berkly Catton (Spokane Chiefs / WHL), Red Wings forward Emmitt Finnie (Kamloops Blazers / WHL), Ducks forward Beckett Sennecke (Oshawa Generals / OHL), and Wild forward Hunter Haight (Saginaw Spirit / OHL)
• 11 CHL graduates are chasing their 1,000th NHL career game, including Oilers forward Adam Henrique (Windsor Spitfires / OHL), Stars forward Tyler Seguin (Plymouth Whalers / OHL), Flames forward Nazem Kadri (Kitchener Rangers / OHL), Devils defenceman Brenden Dillon (Seattle Thunderbirds / WHL), Jets forward Nino Niederreiter (Portland Winterhawks / WHL), Oilers forward Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (Red Deer Rebels / WHL), Blue Jackets forward Charlie Coyle (Saint John Sea Dogs / QMJHL), Golden Knights forward Brandon Saad (Saginaw Spirit / OHL), Wild defenceman Jared Spurgeon (Spokane Chiefs / WHL), Canucks forward Evander Kane (Vancouver Giants / WHL), and Minnesota Wild defenceman Zach Bogosian (Peterborough Petes / OHL).
• All four active NHL players who are within 50 points of reaching 1,000 career points are from the CHL: Lightning forward Nikita Kucherov (Rouyn-Noranda Huskies / QMJHL), Panthers forward Brad Marchand (Moncton Wildcats / QMJHL), Stars forward Jamie Benn (Kelowna Rockets / WHL), and Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl (Prince Albert Raiders / WHL).
• Nine of the 11 active NHL players who are within 50 goals of reaching 400 career goals are from the CHL: Stars forward Jamie Benn (Kelowna Rockets / WHL), Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl (Prince Albert Raiders / WHL), Sharks forward Jeff Skinner (Kitchener Rangers / OHL), Stars forward Matt Duchene (Brampton Battalion / OHL), Avalanche forward Nathan MacKinnon (Halifax Mooseheads / QMJHL), Senators forward Claude Giroux (Gatineau Olympiques / QMJHL), Oilers forward Connor McDavid (Erie Otters / OHL), Stars forward Tyler Seguin (Plymouth Whalers / OHL), and Lightning forward Nikita Kucherov (Rouyn-Noranda Huskies / QMJHL).
• Entering the 2025-26 season with 925 consecutive NHL games, Colorado Avalanche defenceman Brent Burns (Brampton Battalion / OHL) could become only the second player in NHL history to appear in 1,000 straight games.
• Oilers forward Connor McDavid (Erie Otters / OHL) enters the 2025-26 season on the cusp of several historic milestones — needing just 18 points in 12 games to become the third-fastest player in NHL history to reach 1,100 career points, while also aiming to become only the third player ever with nine 100-point seasons and the eighth to record six in a row.
• Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl (Prince Albert Raiders / WHL) enters the season closing in on a major milestone — he can become the fourth-fastest active player to reach 400 career goals, and one of the 10 fastest players born outside North America to achieve the feat in NHL history.
• Needing just 38 assists to become the eighth player in NHL history to reach 1,100 career assists, Penguins forward Sidney Crosby (Rimouski Océanic / QMJHL) could achieve the milestone in the third-fewest games ever if he does so within the next 80 contests.
• Two-time reigning Art Ross winner Nikita Kucherov (Rouyn-Noranda Huskies / QMJHL) enters 2025-26 just six points from 1,000. Another 80-assist campaign – his fourth in a row – would see Tampa Bay’s all-time assists leader join CHL alumnus Wayne Gretzky (Soo Greyhounds / OHL) as the only players ever to hit that mark in four consecutive seasons.
• The Florida Panthers begin their quest for a third straight Stanley Cup and a fourth consecutive Final appearance – a feat achieved by only three franchises in NHL history (most recently the Islanders from 1979–83). With 10 CHL alumni on their roster, the 2024-25 champions extended a dominant trend – the seventh straight season in which the Stanley Cup winner featured at least 10 CHL graduates.

News and Notes:

• Ben Kindel (Calgary Hitmen / WHL) and Harrison Brunicke (Kamloops Blazers / WHL) are poised to become just the third pair of teenagers in Pittsburgh Penguins history to debut in the same game — and the first since CHL alumni Kris Letang (Val-d’Or Foreurs / QMJHL) and Jordan Staal (Peterborough Petes / OHL) did so 19 years ago.
• Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog (Kitchener Rangers / OHL) is set to play his first regular-season game in more than 1,300 days when Colorado faces Los Angeles, marking another major step in his comeback after returning to the lineup during the 2025 NHL Playoffs.
• Entering his 19th season as captain of the Pittsburgh Penguins, Sidney Crosby (Rimouski Océanic / QMJHL) matches CHL alumnus Steve Yzerman (Peterborough Petes, OHL / Detroit Red Wings) for the longest captaincy in NHL history, with both serving as team captain for 19 consecutive seasons.
• 22 of the NHL’s 32 head coaches either previously coached and/or played in the CHL, including five CHL alumni who have new coaching roles to start the 2025-26 season: Joel Quenneville (Anaheim Ducks), Glen Gulutzan (Dallas Stars), Rick Tocchet (Philadelphia Flyers), Lane Lambert (Seattle Kraken), and Adam Foote (Vancouver Canucks).
• Behind the bench and beyond: Over 200 CHL alumni are serving in coaching, hockey operations, or support staff roles across the NHL this season — with at least one CHL graduate represented on every one of the league’s 32 teams.
• Entering the 2025-26 season, 18 CHL alumni will wear the “C” for their NHL clubs — including Rangers forward J.T. Miller (Plymouth Whalers / OHL), the only newly named captain in the League heading into opening night.

Complete list of CHL Alumni on NHL Opening Night rosters 
Players are listed alongside the CHL club they’ve played the most games with 
* denotes player who is injured and/or non-roster 

Anaheim Ducks (10) 
Radko Gudas (Everett), Jansen Harkins (Prince George)*, Ross Johnston (Moncton), Mason McTavish (Peterborough), Pavel Mintyukov (Saginaw), Petr Mrazek (Ottawa), Coulson Pitre (Flint)*, Beckett Sennecke (Oshawa), Ryan Strome (Niagara), Olen Zellweger (Kamloops). 

Boston Bruins (8) 
Morgan Geekie (Tri-City), Tanner Jeannot (Moose Jaw), Hreni Jokiharju (Portland), Mark Kastelic (Calgary), Fraser Minten (Kamloops), Jeffrey Viel (Acadie-Bathurst), Pavel Zacha (Sarnia), Nikita Zadorov (London).

Buffalo Sabres (11) 
Zach Benson (Winnipeg), Bowen Byram (Vancouver), Colton Ellis (Rimouski), Peyton Krebs (Kootenay), Mason Geertsen (Vancouver), Tyson Kozak (Portland), Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen (Sudbury)*, Beck Malenstyn (Calgary), Ryan McLeod (Mississauga), Jack Quinn (Ottawa), Conor Timmins (Soo). 

Calgary Flames (16)
Rasmus Andersson (Barrie), Mikael Backlund (Kelowna), Kevin Bahl (Ottawa), Jake Bean (Tri-City), Morgan Frost (Soo), Matvei Gridin (Shawinigan), Samuel Honzek (Vancouver), Jonathan Huberdeau (Saint John)*, Nazem Kadri (Kitchener), Justin Kirkland (Kelowna), Daniil Miromanov (Acadie-Bathurst), Brayden Pachal (Prince Albert), Zayne Parekh (Saginaw), MacKenzie Weegar (Halifax), Dustin Wolf (Everett), Connor Zary (Kamloops).  

Carolina Hurricanes (9)  
William Carrier (Cape Breton), Jalen Chatfield (Windsor), Nikolaj Ehlers (Halifax), Taylor Hall (Windsor), Seth Jarvis (Portland), Jordan Martinook (Vancouver), Jordan Staal (Peterborough), Logan Stankoven (Kamloops), Andrei Svechnikov (Barrie). 

Chicago Blackhawks (11) 
Connor Bedard (Regina), Tyler Bertuzzi (Guelph), Laurent Brossoit (Edmonton)*, Andre Burakovsky (Erie), Louis Crevier (Chicoutimi), Colton Dach (Saskatoon), Ethan Del Mastro (Mississauga) Jason Dickinson (Guelph), Nick Foligno (Sudbury), Connor Murphy (Sarnia), Shea Weber (Kelowna)*.  

Colorado Avalanche (10)  
Mackenzie Blackwood (Barrie), Brent Burns (Brampton), Samuel Girard (Shawinigan), Parker Kelly (Prince Albert), Gabriel Landeskog (Kitchener), Nathan MacKinnon (Halifax), Trent Miner (Vancouver), Nikita Prishchepov (Victoriaville)*, Ilya Solovyov (Saginaw)*, Scott Wedgewood (Plymouth). 

Columbus Blue Jackets (13) 
Jake Christiansen (Everett), Charlie Coyle (Saint John), Jordan Dumais (Halifax)*, Jet Greaves (Barrie), Erik Gudbranson (Kingston), Boone Jenner (Oshawa), Luca Marrelli (Oshawa)*, Denton Mateychuk (Moose Jaw), Sean Monahan (Ottawa), Mathieu Olivier (Shawinigan), Ivan Provorov (Brandon), Damon Severson (Kelowna), Cole Sillinger (Medicine Hat). 

Dallas Stars (13)
Nathan Bastian (Mississauga), Jamie Benn (Kelowna)*, Mavrik Bourque (Shawinigan), Matt Duchene (Brampton), Radek Faksa (Kitchener), Thomas Harley (Mississauga), Wyatt Johnston (Windsor), Kyle McDonald (Windsor)*, Alexander Petrovic (Red Deer), Jason Robertson (Kingston), Tyler Seguin (Plymouth), Sam Steel (Regina), Chase Wheatcroft (Lethbridge)*. 

Detroit Red Wings (8)  
Ben Chiarot (Guelph), Alex DeBrincat (Erie), Nate Danielson (Brandon)*, Emmitt Finnie (Kamloops), John Gibson (Kitchener), Travis Hamonic (Moose Jaw), Patrick Kane (London), Michael Rasmussen (Tri-City).  

Edmonton Oilers (15)
Evan Bouchard (London), Leon Draisaitl (Prince Albert), James Hamblin (Medicine Hat), Adam Henrique (Windsor), Brett Kulak (Vancouver), Curtis Lazar (Edmonton), Andrew Mangiapane (Barrie), Connor McDavid (Erie), Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (Red Deer), Darnell Nurse (Soo), Noah Philp (Kootenay), Calvin Pickard (Seattle), Alec Regula (London), Matthew Savoie (Winnipeg), Stuart Skinner (Lethbridge). 

Florida Panthers (12) 
Sam Bennett (Kingston), Aaron Ekblad (Barrie), Jonah Gadjovich (Owen Sound), A.J. Greer (Rouyn-Noranda), Noah Gregor (Moose Jaw)*, Seth Jones (Portland), Dmitry Kulikov (Drummondville), Brad Marchand (Moncton), Sam Reinhart (Kootenay), Cole Schwindt (Mississauga), Matthew Tkachuk (London), Carter Verhaeghe (Niagara).  

Los Angeles Kings (12)  
Angus Booth (Shawinigan)*, Kyle Burroughs (Regina)*, Quinton Byfield (Sudbury), Cody Ceci (Ottawa), Brandt Clarke (Barrie), Phillip Danault (Victoriaville), Drew Doughty (Guelph), Joel Edmundson (Moose Jaw), Warren Foegele (Kingston), Darcy Kuemper (Red Deer), Jacob Moverare (Mississauga), Corey Perry (London). 

Minnesota Wild (12)  
Zach Bogosian (Peterborough), Cameron Butler (Oshawa), Marcus Foligno (Sudbury), Hunter Haight (Saginaw), Ryan Hartman (Plymouth), Daemon Hunt (Moose Jaw), Stevie Leskovar (Mississauga), Jacob Middleton (Ottawa), Michael Milne (Kootenay), Marco Rossi (Ottawa), Jared Spurgeon (Spokane), Yakov Trenin (Gatineau). 

Montreal Canadiens (13)  
Josh Anderson (London), Zachary Bolduc (Québec), Alexandre Carrier (Gatineau), Kirby Dach (Saskatoon), Noah Dobson (Acadie-Bathurst), Brendan Gallagher (Vancouver), Kaiden Guhle (Prince Albert), Gannon Laroque (Victoria)*, Sam Montembeault (Blainville-Boisbriand), Nick Suzuki (Owen Sound), William Trudeau (Charlottetown)*, Joe Veleno (Saint John), Arber Xhekaj (Kitchener). 

Nashville Predators (10)  
Justin Barron (Halifax), Michael Bunting (Soo), Luke Evangelista (London)*, Nicolas Hague (Mississauga)*, Jonathan Marchessault (Québec), Brady Martin (Soo), Michael McCarron (London), Ryan O’Reilly (Erie), Steven Stamkos (Sarnia), Ozzy Wiesblatt (Prince Albert). 

New Jersey Devils (13) 
Jake Allen (Montreal), Connor Brown (Erie), Dennis Cholowski (Prince George), Paul Cotter (London), Brenden Dillon (Seattle), Cody Glass (Portland), Dougie Hamilton (Niagara), Nico Hischier (Halifax), Juho Lammikko (Kingston), Timo Meier (Halifax), Dawson Mercer (Drummondville), Stefan Noesen (Plymouth)*, Ondrej Palat (Drummondville). 

New York Islanders (16)  
Mathew Barzal (Seattle), Ethan Bear (Seattle)*, Adam Boqvist (London), Casey Cizikas (Mississauga), Tony DeAngelo (Sarnia), Jonathan Drouin (Halifax), Anthony Duclair (Québec), Bo Horvat (London), Daylan Kuefler (Kamloops)*, Kyle MacLean (Oshawa), Jesse Nurmi (London)*, Jean-Gabriel Pageau (Gatineau), Adam Pelech (Erie), Ryan Pulock (Brandon), Calum Ritchie (Oshawa)*, Matthew Schaefer (Erie). 

New York Rangers (9)
Sam Carrick (Brampton), Will Cuylle (Windsor), Alexis Lafrenière (Rimouski), J.T. Miller (Plymouth), Taylor Raddysh (Erie), Matt Rempe (Seattle), Matthew Robertson (Edmonton), Braden Schneider (Brandon), Vincent Trocheck (Saginaw). 

Ottawa Senators (12)
Michael Amadio (North Bay), Drake Batherson (Cape Breton)*, Thomas Chabot (Saint John), Nick Cousins (Soo), Dylan Cozens (Lethbridge), Claude Giroux (Gatineau), Ridly Greig (Brandon), Kurtis MacDermid (Owen Sound), Leevi Meriläinen (Kingston), David Perron (Lewiston), Donovan Sebrango (Kitchener), Jordan Spence (Moncton). 

Philadelphia Flyers (14) 
Rodrigo Abols (Portland / Acadie-Bathurst), Oliver Bonk (London)*, Sean Couturier (Drummondville), Nicolas Deslauriers (Rouyn-Noranda), Jamie Drysdale (Erie), Christian Dvorak (London), Tyson Foerster (Barrie), Noah Juulsen (Everett), Travis Konecny (Ottawa), Jett Luchanko (Guelph), Ethan Samson (Prince George)*, Travis Sanheim (Calgary), Owen Tippett (Mississauga), Egor Zamula (Calgary). 

Pittsburgh Penguins (15)
Justin Brazeau (North Bay), Harrison Brunicke (Kamloops), Sidney Crosby (Rimouski), Connor Dewar (Everett), Matt Dumba (Red Deer), Tanner Howe (Regina)*, Tristan Jarry (Edmonton), Caleb Jones (Portland), Benjamin Kindel (Calgary), Kris Letang (Val-d’Or), Anthony Mantha (Val-d’Or), Rickard Rakell (Plymouth), Arturs Silovs (Barrie), Philip Tomasino (Niagara), Parker Wotherspoon (Tri-City). 

San Jose Sharks (14)
Egor Afanasyev (Windsor)*, Logan Couture (Ottawa)*, Ty Dellandrea (Flint), Sam Dickinson (London), Ryan Ellis (Windsor)*, Barclay Goodrow (Brampton), Philipp Kurashev (Québec), Michael Misa (Saginaw), Alex Nedeljkovic (Plymouth)*, Carey Price (Tri-City)*, Ryan Reaves (Brandon), Jeff Skinner (Kitchener), Jack Thompson (Sudbury)*, Tyler Toffoli (Ottawa).  

Seattle Kraken (16)
Berkly Catton (Spokane), Vince Dunn (Niagara), Jordan Eberle (Regina), Ryker Evans (Regina)*, Cale Fleury (Kootenay), Frederick Gaudreau (Shawinigan), Philipp Grubauer (Belleville), Tye Kartye (Soo), Josh Mahura (Regina), Mason Marchment (Erie), Jared McCann (Soo), Matt Murray (Soo), Jamie Oleksiak (Niagara), Chandler Stephenson (Regina), Ryan Winterton (Hamilton), Shane Wright (Kingston). 

St. Louis Blues (13)
Jordan Binnington (Owen Sound), Zach Dean (Gatineau)*, Cam Fowler (Windsor), Joel Hofer (Portland), Mathieu Joseph (Saint John), Jordan Kyrou (Sarnia), Logan Mailloux (London), Jake Neighbours (Edmonton), Brayden Schenn (Brandon), Pius Suter (Guelph), Robert Thomas (London), Alexei Toropchenko (Guelph), Tyler Tucker (Barrie).   

Tampa Bay Lightning (14)
Oliver Bjorkstrand (Portland), Erik Cernak (Erie), Anthony Cirelli (Oshawa), Curtis Douglas (Windsor), Jack Finley (Spokane), Conor Geekie (Winnipeg), Gage Goncalves (Everett), Yanni Gourde (Victoriaville), Brandon Hagel (Red Deer), Niko Huuhtanen (Everett)*, Nikita Kucherov (Rouyn-Noranda), Nicholas Paul (North Bay)*, Brayden Point (Moose Jaw), Darren Raddysh (Erie). 

Toronto Maple Leafs (12)
Simon Benoit (Shawinigan), Samuel Blais (Victoriaville), Brandon Carlo (Tri-City), Max Domi (London), Scott Laughton (Oshawa), Steven Lorentz (Peterborough), Philippe Myers (Rouyn-Noranda), Morgan Rielly (Moose Jaw), Nicholas Robertson (Peterborough), Nicolas Roy (Chicoutimi), Anthony Stolarz (London), John Tavares (Oshawa). 

Utah Mammoth (13)
Andrew Agozzino (Niagara), Michael Carcone (Drummondville), Lawson Crouse (Kingston), Sean Durzi (Owen Sound), Terrell Goldsmith (Prince Albert)*, Dylan Guenther (Edmonton), Barrett Hayton (Soo), Olli Maatta (London), Liam O’Brien (Rouyn-Noranda)*, Mikhail Sergachev (Windsor), Anson Thornton (Barrie)*, Juuso Valimaki (Tri-City)*, Kailer Yamamoto (Spokane). 

Vancouver Canucks (10) 
Arshdeep Bains (Red Deer), Guillaume Brisebois (Acadie-Bathurst)*, Braeden Cootes (Seattle), Jake DeBrusk (Swift Current), Conor Garland (Moncton), Filip Hronek (Saginaw), Pierre-Olivier Joseph (Charlottetown), Evander Kane (Vancouver), Tyler Myers (Kelowna), Jett Woo (Moose Jaw)*. 

Vegas Golden Knights (16)
Ivan Barbashev (Moncton), Jakub Demek (Edmonton)*, Jordan Gustafson (Seattle)*, Adin Hill (Portland), Brett Howden (Moose Jaw), Keegan Kolesar (Seattle), Kaedan Korczak (Kelowna), Jeremy Lauzon (Rouyn-Noranda), Mitchell Marner (London), Brayden McNabb (Kootenay), Alex Pietrangelo (Niagara)*, Cole Reinhardt (Brandon), Brandon Saad (Saginaw), Colton Sissons (Kelowna), Mark Stone (Brandon), Shea Theodore (Seattle). 

Washington Capitals (17)
Anthony Beauvillier (Shawinigan), John Carlson (London), Declan Chisholm (Peterborough), Jakob Chychrun (Sarnia), Pierre-Luc Dubois (Cape Breton), Zac Funk (Calgary)*, Vincent Iorio (Brandon), Hendrix Lapierre (Chicoutimi), Dylan McIlrath (Moose Jaw)*, Connor McMichael (London), Sonny Milano (Plymouth), Aliaksei Protas (Prince Albert), Rasmus Sandin (Soo), Justin Sourdif (Vancouver), Dylan Strome (Erie), Logan Thompson (Brandon), Tom Wilson (Plymouth).

Winnipeg Jets (15) 
Eric Comrie (Tri-City), Dylan DeMelo (Mississauga), Haydn Fleury (Red Deer), Brad Lambert (Seattle), Adam Lowry (Swift Current)*, Colin Miller (Soo), Josh Morrissey (Prince Albert), Vladislav Namestnikov (London), Nino Niederreiter (Portland), Tanner Pearson (Barrie), Cole Perfetti (Saginaw)*, Mark Scheifele (Barrie), Luke Schenn (Kelowna), Logan Stanley (Windsor), Gabriel Vilardi (Windsor).