2026-27 CHL Top-10 Rankings: Week 1
The Canadian Hockey League (CHL) announced today the Week 1 edition of its CHL Top-10 Rankings for the 2026-27 season.
The Victoria Royals (WHL) climb two spots to No. 1 after a 4-2 win in Kamloops, backed by Cole Prelusky’s 34-save WHL debut. The London Knights (OHL) also rise two positions to No. 2 after sweeping Windsor, with Evan Van Gorp recording five points across the two games. The Cape Breton Eagles (QMJHL) complete the top three after collecting points in consecutive shootout losses despite missing four NHL-drafted players.
New to the rankings at No. 10, the Moncton Wildcats opened with back-to-back comeback victories on the road. Their 2-0 start was capped by a 6-5 overtime win in Halifax, featuring a Niko Tournas hat trick and Rian Chudzinski’s winner.
Fans can watch OHL and QMJHL games on FloHockey, while WHL regular-season games are streaming free on YouTube.
2026-27 CHL Top-10 Rankings – Week 1
1. Victoria Royals (WHL): Victoria needed just one game to move into the top spot, opening with a 4-2 victory over the Kamloops Blazers. After a six-point preseason, Caleb Matthews continued his productive September with two points, while Cole Prelusky earned first-star honours by stopping 34 of 36 shots in his WHL debut. Marek Peroutka also made an immediate impression in his first WHL regular-season game, scoring on the power play and dropping the gloves to finish an assist shy of a Gordie Howe hat trick. Hayden Moore and Cruz Waltze added goals, while offseason acquisition Savin Virk recorded his first assist as a Royal. Victoria did it without NHL draft picks Cameron Schmidt, Filip Novák and Vladimir Proskurin, whose returns would further strengthen the lineup.
Games this week: vs. Vancouver (Sept. 26)
2. London Knights (OHL): A pair of wins over Windsor lifted London two spots, with veterans and newcomers sharing the scoring. Evan Van Gorp opened with five points (2G-3A), putting him in a tie for the OHL scoring lead. Newcomer Jonathan Kapageridis contributed four points (1G-3A), while Thomas Zocco (1G-2A) and 2027 NHL Draft prospect Cooper McAslan (2G-1A) added three apiece. Kapageridis, McAslan and Caleb Mitchell (2A) supplied offence from the blue line in the absence of Maksim Sokolovskii and Henry Brzustewicz. Carson Harmer, and Kane Barch each added two assists, while Eloan Le Gallic and Jake Ritson each scored their first OHL goal and added an assist. The returns of Sokolovskii and Marcus Nordmark provide further support as London awaits Ryan Brown, Jaxon Cover and a possible return by Brzustewicz.
Games this week: vs. Owen Sound (Sept. 25)
3. Cape Breton Eagles (QMJHL): Two shootout losses left Cape Breton searching for its first win, but the Eagles collected a point in each game despite missing four NHL-drafted players. They outshot their opponents 87-62 across the weekend, including a 59-shot effort against Charlottetown. Reece Peitzsche scored twice and added an assist, joining Cole Chandler, Eliot L’Italien and Brayden Reynolds with three points apiece. The power play converted at 30 per cent, while 2028 NHL Draft prospect Sam Berthiaume handled the goaltending duties with Lucas Beckman at Ottawa Senators camp. Beckman’s return, along with those of Liam Lefebvre and Maxim Schäfer from NHL camps and captain Will Murphy once he’s recovered from injury, would give Cape Breton a significant boost. The Eagles visit Charlottetown and No. 7 Saint John this weekend.
Games this week: @ Charlottetown (Sept. 25), @ Saint John (Sept. 26)
4. Guelph Storm (OHL): The preseason No. 1 Storm slipped to fourth after an 0-2 start, with NHL camp absences leaving them well short of their projected lineup. There were encouraging firsts: Finley Butler, selected 29th overall in the 2026 OHL Priority Selection, scored in his OHL debut, while Cambridge native Matthew Miller recorded his first league point. Tyler Hopkins remains at NHL camp, but the returning group includes Columbus Blue Jackets prospect Owen Griffin, Tampa Bay Lightning prospects Ethan Czata and Grant Spada, Chicago Blackhawks prospect Ryan Roobroeck, defencemen Rylan Singh, Vladimir Dravecky and Rowan Topp, and goaltenders Ben Hrebik and Zach Jovanovski. Those additions should give Guelph a much different look as it hosts an Oshawa team coming off a 2-0 opening weekend before visiting Owen Sound.
Games this week: vs. Oshawa (Sept. 25), @ Owen Sound (Sept. 26)
5. Medicine Hat Tigers (WHL): Medicine Hat climbed one spot after sweeping Lethbridge by a combined score of 10-3. Luke Cozens led the way with a hat trick in Saturday’s home opener, while newcomer Josh Evaschesen (2G-1A), Gavin Kor (1G-2A) and Tyson Moss each finished the weekend with three points. In all, 14 Tigers recorded at least one point. That production came without Pittsburgh Penguins prospects Liam Ruck and Markus Ruck, Columbus Blue Jackets prospect Yaroslav Bryzgalov and injured 2027 NHL Draft prospect Noah Davidson. Fellow draft prospect Shaeffer Gordon-Carroll was also held off the scoresheet, leaving room for more from an already productive attack. Carter Casey provided a strong foundation in goal, stopping 55 of 58 shots for a .948 save percentage after attending Pittsburgh’s development and rookie camps.
Games this week: @ Red Deer (Sept. 26), @ Edmonton (Sept. 27)
6. Saginaw Spirit (OHL): Saginaw dropped one spot after a pair of 5-4 losses to the Soo Greyhounds and Flint Firebirds produced one point, but its young core delivered offensively. Dima Zhilkin earned Cogeco OHL Player of the Week honours with three goals and two assists, while fellow 2027 NHL Draft prospect Levi Harper recorded four assists across the two games. Braidy Wassilyn (2G-2A) and Toronto Maple Leafs prospect Brody Pepoy (1G-2A) also contributed. Jacob Cloutier is returning from Winnipeg Jets camp, while Stepan Shurygin‘s return from Tampa Bay and Brady Knowling’s from San Jose should provide help in goal. Up front, a return by Anaheim Ducks first-rounder Nikita Klepov would add another major scoring threat to a group that has already shown it can generate offence.
Games this week: vs. Niagara (Sept. 25), vs. Windsor (Sept. 26)
7. Saint John Sea Dogs (QMJHL): Saint John split a pair of 4-2 decisions against the Newfoundland Regiment in St. John’s, led by three goals from Dylan Rozzi. Rozzi scored the Sea Dogs’ opening goal in both games, providing an early spark for his club. Alexander Donovan (1G-1A), Jamie Glance (2A) and Alexis Joseph (2A) each recorded two points, while draft-eligible defenceman Thomas Charbonneau scored his first goal as a Sea Dog. Buffalo Sabres prospect Samuel Meloche stopped 25 of 27 shots in his Saint John debut. The Sea Dogs now return home for an early test against two other ranked clubs, hosting No. 10 Moncton and No. 3 Cape Breton on consecutive nights.
Games this week: vs. Moncton (Sept. 25), vs. Cape Breton (Sept. 26)
8. Québec Remparts (QMJHL): Québec rebounded from an opening-night loss in Sherbrooke with a 5-2 victory over the defending QMJHL champion Chicoutimi Saguenéens. Special teams helped drive the turnaround: after allowing two power-play goals against the Phoenix, the Remparts went 3-for-6 on the power play and were perfect on the penalty kill Sunday. Top 2027 NHL Draft prospect Carter Meyer led Québec with four points (1G-3A) over the weekend. James Scantlebury scored twice in his second QMJHL game, while Nathan Quinn and Alexandre Taillefer made their season debuts Sunday with three and two points, respectively. Patrick Déniger stopped 50 of 55 shots across the two games for a .909 save percentage. The return of St. Louis Blues first-rounder Maddox Dagenais should add another offensive threat as Québec prepares to host Shawinigan and Rimouski.
Games this week: vs. Shawinigan (Sept. 25), vs. Rimouski (Sept. 27)
9. Brandon Wheat Kings (WHL): Ilari Kapanen made an immediate impact in Brandon’s 5-4 opening-night win over Saskatoon, scoring twice, including the winner, and adding two assists. The 2026 CHL Import Draft second-rounder helped the Wheat Kings build a 4-1 lead through two periods before they held off a late push from the Blades. With newly named captain Jaxon Jacobson and Joby Baumuller held off the scoresheet, Brandon received its other goals from 2027 NHL Draft prospects Prabh Bhathal, Colin Grubb and Chase Surkan. Following the offseason departures of defencemen Giorgos Pantelas and Grayson Burzynski, assists from Nigel Boehm and Josh McGregor were also encouraging signs from the blue line. Ryley Budd stopped 42 of 46 shots for a .913 save percentage. Minnesota Wild fifth-round pick Filip Ruzicka, who posted a .906 save percentage in 42 games last season, would provide another significant boost upon his return from NHL camp.
Games this week: vs. Regina (Sept. 25), vs. Moose Jaw (Sept. 26)
10. Moncton Wildcats (QMJHL): Moncton earned its place in the top 10 with two comeback road wins. Four unanswered goals in 12:03 overturned an early deficit in a 4-3 victory in Charlottetown. The following night, Niko Tournas scored a hat trick, including the tying goal with 1:52 remaining, before Rian Chudzinski netted the overtime winner to complete a 6-5 victory in Halifax. Liam Kilfoil led the Wildcats with five points (2G-3A) across the two games, while Chudzinski added four (2G-2A). Los Angeles Kings prospect Yegor Rybkin stopped 34 of 37 shots in his QMJHL debut on Prince Edward Island. The return of Max Vilen should bolster the blue line as a group with just eight returning players continues to come together. Moncton visits No. 7 Saint John before welcoming Charlottetown for its home opener.
Games this week: @ Saint John (Sept. 25), vs. Charlottetown (Sept. 26)
