88 CHL players are selected at the 2024 NHL Draft
The 88 selections were the largest from the CHL since 2017 and represented the most of any development league in the world at the 2024 NHL Draft
The Canadian Hockey League (CHL) is proud to announce that a total of 88 CHL players were selected during the seven rounds of the 2024 NHL Draft, which was held over the last two days at the Sphere in Las Vegas, Nevada. The 88 selections, which accounted for 39% of the 225 picks made by the NHL’s 32 clubs, were the largest from the CHL since 2017 and represented the most of any development league in the world at the 2024 NHL Draft.
According to the NHL, the 88 selections from the CHL were more than the combined 38 players chosen out of the United States Hockey League (USHL) and USA Hockey’s National Team Development Program (NTDP). The CHL also exceeded 80 draft picks for the fourth year in a row, marking the 17th time in the last 20 years that it has achieved this feat.
The first two rounds proved to be among the most successful for CHL prospects as 26 players were chosen within the first 64 selections of the draft. By going third overall to the Anaheim Ducks, Beckett Sennecke (Oshawa Generals / OHL, RW) was the first CHL player to be drafted in 2024, representing one of six CHL skaters to be selected in the top 10, the most by the CHL since 2020. Among Saturday’s selections in the second round was Spencer Gill (Rimouski Océanic, D / QMJHL). By being chosen 59th overall by the Philadelphia Flyers, Gill was the first player from the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) to have his name called at this year’s draft. This season, the Océanic defenceman established new personal bests in goals (12), assists (34), and points (46) in 65 games. Gill, who is set to participate in the 2025 Memorial Cup as a member of the Océanic, saw a 42-point improvement from his rookie campaign a year ago.
Following that, 27 CHL players were selected between both the third and fourth rounds, before 26 were taken in both the fifth and sixth rounds, while nine CHL skaters were chosen in the seventh round to cap off the event’s two-day run. By position, the 2024 NHL Draft saw a total of 124 forwards selected of which 53 were from the CHL. There were also 77 defencemen chosen including 28 from the CHL, and 24 goaltenders highlighted by seven from the CHL.
Of the players chosen, the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) led the way with 39 drafted players, followed by the Western Hockey League (WHL) with 34 and the QMJHL with 15. In total, 47 CHL clubs had a player picked in this draft led by the Brampton Steelheads of the OHL, who had five of their players selected between both Friday and Saturday. Right behind them were the Medicine Hat Tigers of the WHL, London Knights of the OHL, and Baie-Comeau Drakkar of the QMJHL, who each had four players drafted in the 2024 NHL Draft.
29 of the NHL’s 32 clubs drafted at least one CHL player with the Seattle Kraken and Calgary Flames leading the way with seven. Following just behind them were the St. Louis Blues, Anaheim Ducks, and Utah Hockey Club who each made five CHL selections, while the San Jose Sharks, Edmonton Oilers, and Columbus Blue Jackets each drafted four CHL players to their squads.
Among some of the notable storylines on the second day of the draft was Harrison Brunicke (Kamloops Blazers, D / WHL), who became the first South African-born skater drafted in NHL history after his selection at No. 44 by the Pittsburgh Penguins. Brunicke is also the second player born in South Africa to be drafted following goaltender and WHL alumnus Olaf Kolzig. Additionally, Kevin He (Niagara IceDogs, LW / OHL) became the highest-drafted Chinese-born player in NHL history with his selection to the Winnipeg Jets at No. 109, while Justin Poirier (Baie-Comeau Drakkar, RW / QMJHL) had the distinction of becoming the 6000th player to be drafted out of the CHL since 1969. Drafted in the fifth round by the Carolina Hurricanes, Poirier scored 51 goals this season to become the first 17-year-old in the QMJHL to hit the 50-goal plateau since Sidney Crosby achieved the feat in 2004-05.
37 of the 40 CHL players selected in this year’s draft competed in the 2024 Kubota CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game that took place back on January 24 in Moncton, N.B. Cayden Lindstrom, Ryder Ritchie, and Maxmilian Curran, who were unable to play in this game due to injury, were among the 40 CHL players originally chosen for this event. This upcoming season, a new series called the CHL USA Prospects Challenge presented by Kubota Canada will serve as a showcase event for the top draft-eligible talent from across the CHL. Specifically, in November 2024, the top first-year NHL Draft-eligible prospects from the CHL’s three-member leagues (WHL, OHL, and Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League) will face off against those from USA Hockey’s National Team Development Program (NTDP) in a two-game series. Specific details on the date, location, and event format for the 2024 CHL USA Prospects Challenge will be announced at a later date.
Following the 2024 NHL Draft, a total of 6,025 CHL players have been selected since 1969.
88 CHL Players selected in the 2024 NHL Draft
Players with hyperlinked team names have video profiles from the #MeetTheFuture series presented by Kubota Canada.
*denotes players who competed in the 2024 Kubota CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game
FIRST ROUND (14)
3. Beckett Sennecke (Oshawa Generals, RW / OHL)* – Anaheim Ducks
4. Cayden Lindstrom (Medicine Hat Tigers, C / WHL) – Columbus Blue Jackets
6. Tij Iginla (Kelowna Rockets, C / WHL)* – Utah Hockey Club
7. Carter Yakemchuk (Calgary Hitmen, D / WHL)* – Ottawa Senators
8. Berkly Catton (Spokane Chiefs, C / WHL)* – Seattle Kraken
9. Zayne Parekh (Saginaw Spirit, D / OHL)* – Calgary Flames
11. Sam Dickinson (London Knights, D / OHL)* – San Jose Sharks
13. Jett Luchanko (Guelph Storm, C / OHL)* – Philadelphia Flyers
17. Terik Parascak (Prince George Cougars, RW / WHL)* – Washington Capitals
24. Cole Beaudoin (Barrie Colts, C / OHL)* – Utah Hockey Club
26. Liam Greentree (Windsor Spitfires, RW / OHL)* – Los Angeles Kings
27. Marek Vanacker (Brantford Bulldogs, LW / OHL)* – Chicago Blackhawks
31. Ben Danford (Oshawa Generals, D / OHL)* – Toronto Maple Leafs
32. Sam O’Reilly (London Knights, C / OHL)* – Edmonton Oilers
SECOND ROUND (12)
36. Charlie Elick (Brandon Wheat Kings / WHL, D)* – Columbus Blue Jackets
40. Julius Miettinen (Everett Silvertips / WHL, C)* – Seattle Kraken
41. Andrew Basha (Medicine Hat Tigers, LW / WHL)* – Calgary Flames
44. Harrison Brunicke (Kamloops Blazers, D / WHL)* – Pittsburgh Penguins
45. Ryder Ritchie (Prince Albert Raiders, RW / WHL) – Minnesota Wild
46. Tanner Howe (Regina Pats, LW / WHL)* – Pittsburgh Penguins
56. Lukas Fischer (Sarnia Sting, D / OHL)* – St. Louis Blues
57. Carter George (Owen Sound Attack, G / OHL)* – Los Angeles Kings
59. Spencer Gill (Rimouski Océanic, D / QMJHL)* – Philadelphia Flyers
60. Evan Gardner (Saskatoon Blades, G / WHL) – Columbus Blue Jackets
62. Jacob Battaglia (Kingston Frontenacs, RW / OHL) – Calgary Flames
63. Nathan Villeneuve (Sudbury Wolves, C / OHL)* – Seattle Kraken
THIRD ROUND (14)
66. Maxim Massé (Chicoutimi Saguenéens, RW / QMJHL)* – Anaheim Ducks
68. Ethan Procyszyn (North Bay Battalion, C / OHL)* – Anaheim Ducks
72. AJ Spellacy (Windsor Spitfires, RW / OHL) – Chicago Blackhawks
73. Alexis Bernier (Baie-Comeau Drakkar, D / QMJHL) – Seattle Kraken
74. Henry Mews (Ottawa 67’s, D / OHL)* – Calgary Flames
79. Tarin Smith (Everett Silvertips, D / WHL) – Anaheim Ducks
80. Ondrej Becher (Prince George Cougars, C / WHL) – Detroit Red Wings
82. Carson Wetsch (Calgary Hitmen, RW / WHL)* – San Jose Sharks
86. Luca Marrelli (Oshawa Generals, D / OHL)* – Columbus Blue Jackets
87. Miguel Marques (Lethbridge Hurricanes, RW / WHL) – Nashville Predators
89. Tomas Lavoie (Cape Breton Eagles, D / QMJHL)* – Utah Hockey Club
90. Eriks Mateiko (Saint John Sea Dogs, LW / QMJHL)* – Washington Capitals
94. Hiroki Gojsic (Kelowna Rockets, RW / WHL) – Nashville Predators
95. Adam Jecho (Edmonton Oil Kings, C / WHL)* – St. Louis Blues
FOURTH ROUND (13)
99. Jakub Milota (Cape Breton Eagles, G / QMJHL) – Nashville Predators
100. Alexandre Blais (Rimouski Océanic, C / QMJHL)* – Anaheim Ducks
102. Owen Protz (Brantford Bulldogs, D / OHL) – Montréal Canadiens
103. Gabe Smith (Moncton Wildcats, C / QMJHL) – Utah Hockey Club
104. Lucas Ellinas (Kitchener Rangers, LW / OHL) – Ottawa Senators
105. Ollie Josephson (Red Deer Rebels, C / WHL)* – Seattle Kraken
109. Kevin He (Niagara IceDogs, LW / OHL) – Winnipeg Jets
113. Tomas Mrsic (Medicine Hat Tigers, C / WHL) – St. Louis Blues
118. Jan Golicic (Gatineau Olympiques, D / QMJHL) – Tampa Bay Lightning
119. Raoul Boilard (Baie-Comeau Drakkar, C / QMJHL)* – New York Rangers
123. Simon-Pier Brunet (Drummondville Voltigeurs, D / QMJHL) – Buffalo Sabres
125. Riley Patterson (Barrie Colts, C / OHL) – Vancouver Canucks
126. Landon Miller (Soo Greyhounds, G / OHL) – Detroit Red Wings
FIFTH ROUND (13)
130. Tyler Thorpe (Vancouver Giants, RW / WHL) – Montréal Canadiens
131. Colton Roberts (Vancouver Giants, D / WHL)* – San Jose Sharks
135. Owen Allard (Soo Greyhounds, C / OHL) – Utah Hockey Club
139. Max Graham (Kelowna Rockets, C / WHL) – New Jersey Devils
141. Clarke Caswell (Swift Current Broncos, LW / WHL) – Seattle Kraken
142. Chase Wutzke (Red Deer Rebels, G / WHL) – Minnesota Wild
143. Nate Misskey (Victoria Royals, D / WHL) – San Jose Sharks
145. William McIsaac (Spokane Chiefs, D / WHL) – St. Louis Blues
150. Luke Misa (Brampton Steelheads, C / OHL)* – Calgary Flames
156. Justin Poirier (Baie-Comeau Drakkar, RW / QMJHL) – Carolina Hurricanes
159. Nathan Aspinall (Flint Firebirds, LW / OHL) – New York Rangers
160. Connor Clattenburg (Flint Firebirds, LW / OHL) – Edmonton Oilers
161. Maximilian Curran (Tri-City Americans, C / WHL) – Colorado Avalanche
SIXTH ROUND (13)
162. Anthony Romani (North Bay Battalion, RW / OHL) – Vancouver Canucks
163. Ty Henry (Erie Otters, D / OHL) – Chicago Blackhawks
164. Jared Woolley (London Knights, D / OHL) – Los Angeles Kings
170. Hunter Laing (Prince George Cougars, C / WHL) – Calgary Flames
171. Matyas Melovsky (Baie-Comeau Drakkar, C / QMJHL) – New Jersey Devils
174. Stevie Leskovar (Brampton Steelheads, D / OHL) – Minnesota Wild
177. Eric Jamieson (Everett Silvertips, D / WHL) – Calgary Flames
180. Trent Swick (Kitchener Rangers, LW / OHL) – Vegas Golden Knights
181. Kaden Pitre (Flint Firebirds, C / OHL) – Tampa Bay Lightning
187 Kieron Walton (Sudbury Wolves, D / OHL)* – Winnipeg Jets
189. Parker Alcos (Edmonton Oil Kings, D / WHL) – Vancouver Canucks
192. Dalyn Wakely (North Bay Battalion, C / OHL) – Edmonton Oilers
193. Hunter St. Martin (Medicine Hat Tigers, LW / WHL) – Florida Panthers
SEVENTH ROUND (9)
196. William Nicholl (London Knights, C / OHL) – Edmonton Oilers
202. Jakub Fibigr (Brampton Steelheads, D / OHL) – Seattle Kraken
206. Harrison Meneghin (Lethbridge Hurricanes, G / WHL) – Tampa Bay Lightning
209. Antoine Dorion (Québec Remparts, C / QMJHL) – St. Louis Blues
216. Sam McCue (Owen Sound Attack, LW / OHL) – Toronto Maple Leafs
217. Nikita Prishchepov (Victoriaville Tigres, C / QMJHL) – Colorado Avalanche
219. Ryerson Leenders (Brampton Steelheads, G / OHL)* – Buffalo Sabres
223. Finn Harding (Brampton Steelheads, D / OHL) – Pittsburgh Penguins
225. Nathan Mayes (Spokane Chiefs, D / WHL) – Toronto Maple Leafs
