46 CHL stars who are 2000-born signed NHL prospects
46 Canadian Hockey League players born in 2000 who competed in the league during the 2019-20 season have signed National Hockey League entry-level contracts and could graduate to the pro ranks ahead of their overage season when hockey returns.
That group consists of 36 players chosen in the 2018 NHL Draft, eight who were selected in 2019, and two free agents. Of note, the deadline for NHL teams to sign 2018 picks from the CHL passed on July 1.
The 46 players come from 24 CHL teams and by position consist of 23 forwards, 17 defencemen, and six goaltenders. 23 of the players represent 11 different Ontario Hockey League teams, 14 are from seven Quebec Major Junior Hockey League clubs, and the nine Western Hockey League players are from six different teams.
Among the stars are three former first overall picks in regional league drafts including Ty Smith, also one of 10 captains in the group, who was the first 2000-born player selected into the CHL when the Spokane Chiefs made him the top pick in the 2015 WHL Bantam Draft. London Knights defenceman Ryan Merkley was the first overall pick by the Guelph Storm in the 2016 OHL Priority Selection and leads all 2000-born defenceman with 269 career points. Bo Groulx was made the first pick in the 2016 QMJHL Entry Draft by the Halifax Mooseheads and is one of a CHL high six drafted and signed 2000’s on the Moncton Wildcats.
Smith and Merkley are also among the five first-round NHL picks in the group along with Ty Dellandrea of the Flint Firebirds who is the highest pick at 13th overall to the Dallas Stars, plus the Knights’ Liam Foudy, and Nolan Foote of the Kelowna Rockets.
Akil Thomas of the Peterborough Petes is the top scoring 2000-born player finishing his career with 315 points, while Moncton’s Alexander Khovanov finishes with the highest points-per-game average (1.39) of players over 100 games.
Goaltender Zachary Emond of the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies is the lone Memorial Cup champion in the group, however between-the-pipes it’s Moncton’s Olivier Rodrigue who has won the most career games with 111.
25 of the NHL’s 31 clubs have at least one signed 2000-born CHL player with the Minnesota Wild, New Jersey Devils, San Jose Sharks, and St. Louis Blues all leading the way with four, followed by the Dallas Stars, Los Angeles Kings, and New York Islanders with three each, and the Edmonton Oilers, Florida Panthers, and Ottawa Senators each with two.
2000-born signed players by CHL team:
* indicates team captain or co-captain
Draft Round/Draft Position followed by Team
No draft details indicates Free Agent signings or CHL waiver additions
{NHL Draft Round/Draft Position followed by Team}
[Career Games/Career Points] for Skaters
[Career Games/Career Wins] for Goalies
Calgary Hitmen:
Jett Woo D 1/4 MJ {2/37 VAN 2018} [242/160]
Egor Zamula D 1/60 REG Import {PHI FA 2018} [158/102]
Cape Breton Eagles:
Mathias Laferrière C 1/7 BLB {6/169 STL 2018} [208/175]
Kevin Mandolese G 1/13 CAP {6/157 OTT 2018} [151/86]
Charlottetown Islanders:
Nikita Alexandrov C 1/17 CHA Import {2/62 STL 2019} [172/146]
Chicoutimi Sagueneens:
Vladislav Kotkov RW 1/32 CHI Import {SJS FA 2018} [177/156]
Raphaël Lavoie RW 2/29 HAL {2/38 EDM 2019} [217/227]
Flint Firebirds:
*Ty Dellandrea C 1/5 FLNT {1/13 DAL 2018} [ 231/216]
Tyler Tucker D 1/14 BAR {7/200 STL 2018} [244/152]
Guelph Storm:
*Cam Hillis C 2/29 GUE {3/66 MTL 2018} [155/164]
Hamilton Bulldogs:
Jan Jenik C 1/6 FLNT Import {3/65 ARI 2018} [54/86]
Kelowna Rockets:
Dillon Hamaliuk LW 6/111 SEA {2/55 SJS 2019} [176/97]
*Nolan Foote LW 2/42 KEL {1/27 TBL 2019 traded to NJD} [196/171]
Kitchener Rangers:
*Riley Damiani C 2/29 KIT {5/137 DAL 2018} [245/222]
Jacob Ingham G 2/26 MISS {6/175 LAK 2018} [177/93]
Serron Noel RW 2/25 OSH {2/34 FLA 2018} [241/202]
Lethbridge Hurricanes:
Calen Addison D 1/2 LET {2/53 PIT 2018 traded to MIN} [252/215]
London Knights:
*Liam Foudy LW 1/18 LDN {1/18 CBJ 2018} [230/191]
Jonathan Gruden LW 5/100 LDN {4/95 OTT 2018} [59/66]
Ryan Merkley D 1/1 GUE {1/21 SJS 2018} [248/269]
*Alec Regula D 4/74 LDN {3/67 DET 2018 traded to CHI} [189/124]
Moncton Wildcats:
Axel Andersson D 1/29 MON Import {2/57 BOS 2018} [43/24]
Gabriel Fortier LW 1/4 BAC {2/59 TBL 2018} [223/222]
Benoit-Olivier Groulx C 1/1 HAL {2/54 ANA 2018} [250/244]
Alexander Khovanov C 1/2 MON Import {3/86 MIN 2018} [144/201]
Jared McIsaac D 1/2 HAL {2/36 DET 2018} [205/160]
Olivier Rodrigue G 1/3 DRU {2/62 EDM 2018} [181/111]
Ottawa 67’s:
Kevin Bahl D 2/31 OTT {2/55 ARZ 2018 traded to NJD} [237/87]
Nikita Okhotyuk D 1/16 OTT Import {2/61 NJD 2019} [148/47]
Owen Sound Attack:
*Aidan Dudas C 1/10 OS {4/113 LAK 2018} [240/201]
Peterborough Petes:
Declan Chisholm D 2/24 PBO {5/150 WPG 2018} [214/142]
Semyon Der-Arguchintsev C 2/27 PBO {3/76 TOR 2018} [248/201]
Hunter Jones G 5/89 PBO {2/59 MIN 2019} [121/62]
Akil Thomas C 1/12 NIAG {2/51 LAK 2018} [241/315]
Portland Winterhawks:
Joel Hofer G FA POR {4/107 STL 2018} [115/57]
*Johnny Ludvig D FA POR {3/69 FLA 2019} [169/87]
Rimouski Oceanic:
Dmitry Zavgorodniy RW 1/8 RIM Import {7/198 CGY 2018} [169/178]
Rouyn-Noranda Huskies:
Zachary Emond G 3/55 ROU {6/176 SJS 2018} [106/60]
Saginaw Spirit:
*Damien Giroux LW 3/44 SAG {5/155 MIN 2018} [249/194]
Blade Jenkins C 1/4 SAG {5/134 NYI 2018} [182/143]
Bode Wilde D 2/35 SAG {2/41 NYI 2018} [73/81]
Sherbrooke Phoenix:
Samuel Bolduc D 4/60 BLB {2/57 NYI 2019} [189/94]
Spokane Chiefs:
*Ty Smith D 1/1 SPO {1/17 NJD 2018} [240/235]
Sudbury Wolves:
Matej Pekar LW 2/108 BAR Import {4/94 BUF 2018} [84/99]
Windsor Spitfires:
Connor Corcoran D 2/21 WSR {5/154 VGK 2018} [252/120]
Winnipeg ICE:
Dawson Barteaux D 1/14 REG {6/168 DAL 2018} [236/112]