Prospects from the CHL descend on Las Vegas for the 2024 NHL Draft

With the first round of the 2024 NHL Draft set to take place tonight, countless draft-eligible prospects from the Canadian Hockey League (CHL) are set to head to the Sphere in Las Vegas, Nevada, for the two-day event. With 149 CHL players listed in NHL Central Scouting’s Final Rankings, the CHL is once again poised to have the greatest number of players drafted to the NHL of any other development league in the world.

19 of the top-30 ranked North American skaters in NHL Central Scouting’s Final Rankings are from the CHL, led by Cayden Lindstrom (Medicine Hat Tigers / WHL), who sits third and is the second-highest-ranked forward on the list. In terms of defencemen, four of the six blueliners ranked in the top 30 are from the Canadian Hockey League, highlighted by Zayne Parekh (Saginaw Spirit / OHL) who ranks fifth.

Moreover, 17 of the 32 North American goalies ranked by NHL Central Scouting hail from the CHL. Carter George (Owen Sound Attack / OHL) and Lukas Matecha (Tri-City Americans / WHL) lead that group as they sit at No. 2 and No. 3 respectively. At No. 8, Zach Pelletier (Gatineau Olympiques / QMJHL) is the top-ranked goalie from the QMJHL.

Last year at the 2023 NHL Draft, 80 CHL players were selected between rounds one through seven (accounting for about 36% of all draft picks), including 11 in the first round. The 80 selections, along with the 11 CHL players chosen among the first 32 picks, were the most of any league.

In addition to highlighting below stats and some storylines to follow ahead of the 2024 NHL Draft, you’ll find links to media archives for draft-eligible prospects from the CHL’s three-member leagues: the Western Hockey League (WHL), Ontario Hockey League (OHL), and Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL). Media are permitted to access these links for editorial use only.

WHL Prospects Video & Photo Assets
OHL Prospects Video & Photo Assets
QMJHL Prospects Video & Photo Assets

Storylines to follow

• Given that the CHL has seen 10 or more of its players taken in the first round of every NHL Draft since 1969, the CHL hopes to extend the streak to 56 consecutive drafts in Vegas.
• If five or more CHL skaters were to be selected in the top 10, it would mark the highest number of CHL players taken within the first 10 picks since six were chosen in 2020: Alexis Lafrenière (Rimouski Océanic / QMJHL), Quinton Byfield (Sudbury Wolves / OHL), Jamie Drysdale (Erie Otters / OHL), Jack Quinn (Ottawa 67’s / OHL) Marco Rossi (Ottawa 67’s / OHL) & Cole Perfetti (Saginaw Spirit / OHL).
• If three defencemen from the CHL were to be selected in the top 10, it would mark the first time since 2012 that the feat was achieved. Back in 2012, six CHL blueliners were drafted in the top 10: Ryan Murray (Everett Silvertips / WHL), Griffin Reinhart (Edmonton Oil Kings / WHL), Morgan Rielly (Moose Jaw Warriors / WHL), Matt Dumba (Red Deer Rebels / WHL), Derrick Pouliot (Portland Winterhawks / WHL) & Slater Koekkoek (Peterborough Petes / OHL)
• Ranked No. 3 by NHL Central Scouting, Cayden Lindstrom aims to become the first player from the Medicine Hat Tigers to be selected in the top 10 since Cam Barker was chosen third overall in 2004 by the Chicago Blackhawks.
• Ranked No. 5 by NHL Central Scouting, Zayne Parekh has a chance to become just the third Saginaw Spirit player to be selected in the top 10. He would follow in the footsteps of Pavel Mintyukov (selected 10th overall in 2022 by the Anaheim Ducks) and Cole Perfetti (selected 10th overall in 2020 by the Winnipeg Jets).
• With both Sam Dickinson (No. 7-ranked North American skater) and Sam O’Reilly (No. 24-ranked North American skater) ranked among the top 25 by NHL Central Scouting, the London Knights appear set to extend their CHL-record streak to 55 consecutive years of having a player selected in the NHL Draft.
• If Tij Iginla (Kelowna Rockets / WHL) is selected within the first 15 picks, it would mark the sixth time in NHL history that a father-son duo has been drafted within the top 15. Tij’s father is WHL alumnus and Hockey Hall of Fame member Jarome Iginla, who was selected 11th overall by the Stars in 1995. The other father-son duo to be selected among the top 15 picks include CHL alumni Dave (12th in 1983) & Sam Gagner (6th in 2007); Paul (12th in 1979) & Griffin Reinhart (4th in 2012); Paul (12th in 1979) & Sam Reinhart (2nd in 2014); and Mike (11th in 1989) & Cole Sillinger (12th in 2021).
• Carter George (No.2-ranked North American goalie) is looking to be the first goalie from the Owen Sound Attack to be drafted to the NHL since Jordan Binnington was taken 88th overall by the St. Louis Blues in 2011.
• Harrison Brunicke (Kamloops Blazers / WHL), the No. 52-ranked North American skater, can become the first South African-born skater selected in an NHL Draft and the second player born in the country to be drafted following goaltender & WHL alumnus Olie Kolzig.
• Kevin He (Niagara IceDogs / OHL), the No. 78-ranked North American skater, aims to become the second Chinese-born player to be selected in an NHL Draft. If chosen ahead of the 172nd pick, He would become the highest-drafted player born in China in NHL history.
• Identical twins Corbin (No. 155-ranked North American skater) and Jaxsin Vaughan (No. 150-ranked North American skater) from the Regina Pats (WHL) are hoping to be the first set of twins selected in the same draft since 2018. They also hope to join a select group of twin brothers chosen in the same draft, a list that includes CHL alumni Ron & Rich Sutter in 1982; and Kris & Ryan Russell in 2005.
• Justin Poirier (Baie-Comeau Drakkar / QMJHL) and Spencer Gill (Rimouski Océanic / QMJHL) are poised to follow in the footsteps of their older brothers as NHL Draft picks. Poirier’s brother Jérémie was a third-round pick of the Calgary Flames in 2020, while Gill’s brother Dyllan was chosen in the seventh round by the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2022.

Stats & Facts

• Recipient of the CHL Top Prospect Award in 2024, Cayden Lindstrom scored a goal in nearly 60% of his games (19 of 32) and registered eight multi-goal outings this season. His 1.44 points-per-game rate was the highest by a draft-eligible skater from the Medicine Hat Tigers in 22 years (Joffrey Lupul: 1.47 P/GP in 2001-02).
• Winner of the CHL Defenceman of the Year Award in 2024, Zayne Parekh registered 96 points (33G-63A) this season, which was the most by a CHL defenceman since Ryan Ellis tallied 100 points as a member of the Windsor Spitfires in 2010-11. Alongside Ellis, Parekh is one of just two CHL blueliners over the last 20 years to top 95 points in a single season. A 2024 Memorial Cup champion and a CHL First-Team All-Star, Parekh is one of just eight draft-eligible blueliners to have broken the 30-goal plateau in CHL history.
• Sam Dickinson’s 70 points are the third-most by any draft-eligible defenseman from the London Knights, trailing only Evan Bouchard (87 in 2017-18) and Rob Ramage (73 in 1976-77). Dickinson helped the Knights to an OHL Championship in 2024 and his +56 plus/minus rating was the second-highest mark by an OHL blueliner this season.
• Berkly Catton’s (Spokane Chiefs / WHL) 56 goals and 116 points were the most of any draft-eligible skater in the CHL during the 2023-24 campaign. Alongside Baie-Comeau’s Justin Poirier, Catton was one of just two first-time draft-eligible skaters from the CHL to top 50 goals this season. Named to the CHL’s Second All-Star Team, Catton is just the third draft-eligible skater from the WHL since 2000 to top 115 points (Connor Bedard – 143 points in 2022-23; Nic Petan – 120 points in 2012-13).
• Tij Iginla’s 47 goals this season were the third-most by a Rockets player over the past 20 years. Iginla scored eight goals in the first round of the 2024 WHL Playoffs, tying a Kelowna franchise record for most goals in a playoff series since 1996.
• Tij Iginla and Ollie Josephson (Red Deer Rebels / WHL) share a connection that goes back 30 years, as their fathers Jarome Iginla and Mike Josephson won a Memorial Cup together in 1994 playing for the Kamloops Blazers.
• Carter Yakemchuk (Calgary Hitmen / WHL) is the first draft-eligible defenceman from the WHL to score 30 goals in a season since Ian White (Swift Current Broncos) achieved the feat 22 years ago. Named to the CHL’s Second All-Star Team, Yakemchuk set a new Hitmen franchise record for goals in a single season by a blueliner with 30, breaking Jake Bean’s previous record (24) from 2015-16. Alongside Parekh (33G-63A), Yakemchuk helped mark the first time in CHL history that two draft-eligible defencemen scored 30-plus goals in the same season.
• Beckett Sennecke (Oshawa Generals / OHL) collected a point in 13 of his 16 postseason games during the 2024 OHL Playoffs and posted a multi-point outing in half of those playoff contests. He also tallied 68 points (27G-41A) to finish third on his team in scoring during the regular season.
• Liam Greentree’s (Windsor Spitfires / OHL) 90 points (36G-54A) were the second-most of any first-time draft-eligible skater in the OHL this season, trailing only Saginaw’s Zayne Parekh.  His 90 points were also the most by a draft-eligible skater from the Windsor Spitfires since Josh Bailey recorded 96 points during the 2007-08 campaign.
• Terik Parascak’s (Prince George Cougars / WHL) 43 goals and 105 points led all CHL rookies during the 2023-24 season. Named to the CHL’s All-Rookie Team, Parascak’s 105 points were the most by a rookie in the CHL since Patrick Kane of the London Knights tallied 145 points in 2006-07 along with Sam Gagner of the London Knights who posted 118 points that same season. His 105 points were also the seventh-most of any rookie in the CHL over the last 25 years.
• Marek Vanacker (Brantford Bulldogs / OHL) led his team in goals (36) and scoring (82 points) this season, the latter of which marked a 66-point increase over his rookie campaign. His 36 goals were also tied for the most of any first-time draft-eligible skater in the OHL, alongside Windsor’s Liam Greentree (36G-54A).
• Spencer Gill established new personal bests in goals (12), assists (34), and points (46) in 65 games this season. 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. 
• Maxim Massé’s (Chicoutimi Saguenéens / QMJHL) 36 goals were the second-most of any draft-eligible skater from the QMJHL, trailing only Baie-Comeau’s Justin Poirier. His 75 points (36G-39A) during the 2023-24 campaign ranked fourth among draft-eligible skaters in the QMJHL, trailing only Rouyn-Noranda’s Antonin Verreault (107), Rimouski’s Alexandre Blais (84) and Poirier (82).
  
• Justin Poirier became the first 17-year-old in the QMJHL to hit the 50-goal plateau since Sidney Crosby achieved the feat in 2004-05. By leading the QMJHL with 18 goals during the playoffs, Poirier became just the 11th skater in QMJHL history to lead the league in goals in the regular season and playoffs in the same year. His 18 goals during the postseason were also the most by a 17-year-old QMJHL skater in 44 years (Dale Hawerchuk – Cornwall Royals – 20 goals in 1980).
• Carter George led the CHL in saves (1744) and shots faced (1923) during the 2023-24 regular season. Named to the CHL’s All-Rookie Team, George’s four shutouts were tied for the most of any goalie in the OHL, while his .907 save percentage was the second-best mark in the OHL (min. 1600 minutes). George’s 23 wins this season were the most by a rookie goaltender in Attack franchise history.
• Lukas Matecha (Tri-City Americans / WHL) posted a 13-19-1-1 record, a 3.42 goals-against average, and a .901 save percentage in his rookie season in 2023-24. Matecha was the only goaltender at the 2024 CHL/NHL Top Prospects to post a perfect performance, stopping all 19 shots he faced.
• Since 1969, 5,937 CHL players have been selected at the NHL Draft.
• There have been 880 players from the CHL selected in the first round of an NHL Draft since 1969 — accounting for nearly two-thirds of all first-rounders chosen over that time.
• Throughout the 2023-24 season, of the 1,000-plus players who played a game in the NHL, over 430 came through the CHL.