Team CHL Five to Watch: ESPN’s Rachel Kryshak (Doerrie)
With the CHL USA Prospects Challenge only days away, all eyes will be 2026 NHL Draft eligibles.
In our final instalment of the ‘Five to Watch’ series, ESPN’s Rachel Kryshak (Doerrie) lists who she is excited to watch at this year’s event against the U.S. National Team Development Program (NTDP) on Nov. 25 (Calgary) and Nov. 26 (Lethbridge).
Beckham Edwards (Sarnia/OHL) Projected as a middle six play driving centre in the NHL, Beckham Edwards is off to a great start in Sarnia. He protects pucks, drives to the net and reads the play very well. He’s not big, but he’s strong and is difficult to win battles or push off the puck. He’s a refined two-way player with good defensive details combined with good patience and puck skill to create for his line mates. As Edwards refines his play driving ability and two-way details, they will only add to his value as a middle-six player driver who can score.
Alessandro Di Iorio (Sarnia/OHL) Di Iorio hasn’t played much this season, but looked really good in his return from injury. He’s loaded with skill, in-tight handles and ability to make quick plays through defenders. A cerebral player who attacks space, Di Iorio has a wrist shot that beats goalies from the outside and is lethal in the high danger areas. His ability to play off teammates will shine because of his hockey sense and it will allow him to take advantage of his shot.
Mathis Preston (Spokane/WHL) On raw talent, Mathis Preston is near the top. He’s a brilliant offensive creator and is lethal in space. He’s shown an ability to play in traffic with a quick release and ability to maneuver with the puck in tight areas. A dual threat offensive creator, he is the primary play driver for Spokane and should thrive in opportunities to play with elite talent. The combination of skating, skill and shooting talent makes him one of the most offensively gifted wingers in the draft class.
Nikita Klepov (Saginaw/OHL) Klepov is off to a flying start with Saginaw, with elite playmaking and puck handling ability. Every night he is the offensive catalyst, and he’s one of the best dual threat players in the OHL. Between his scoring and ability to create high danger chances for teammates, Klepov keeps defenders and goaltenders honest, particularly off the rush. Klepov’s ability to create with other top players in the draft class will be exciting to watch. One his current development path, he projects to be a second line scoring winger at the NHL level.
Daxon Rudolph (Prince Albert/WHL) Rudolph is a player that stands out as someone who should have a long NHL career as a top-four defender. His offensive game has taken a step this year which has only increased the value of his projection, and his quick shot will be a plus attribute at the NHL level. He defends the rush very well, with good edge work and smooth skating. He may not blow you away with dynamism, but his game is as effective as they come and should develop into a minute-eating shutdown defender in high leverage matchups at the NHL level.
Building off of one of hockey’s greatest rivalries between Canada and the United States, the CHL USA Prospects Challenge will see players from the CHL and NTDP’s U18 team compete before hundreds of NHL scouts and thousands of fans in an effort to improve their draft stock ahead of next year’s NHL Draft.
The 2025 CHL USA Prospects Challenge will be broadcast live across Canada on TSN and RDS. Puck drop is set for 6:00 p.m. MT / 8:00 p.m. ET both nights.
Tickets are available now at chl.ca/prospectschallenge.
TEAM CHL ROSTER — 2025 CHL USA PROSPECTS CHALLENGE
| Name | Team | League | Hometown | NHL CS Grade |
| Forwards (13) | ||||
| Ethan Belchetz | Windsor Spitfires | OHL | Oakville, ON | A |
| Maddox Dagenais | Québec Remparts | QMJHL | Saint-Lazare, QC | B |
| Alessandro Di Iorio | Sarnia Sting | OHL | Vaughan, ON | A |
| Beckham Edwards | Sarnia Sting | OHL | Komoka, ON | B |
| Chase Harrington | Spokane Chiefs | WHL | Prince George, BC | B |
| JP Hurlbert | Kamloops Blazers | WHL | Allen, TX (USA) | A |
| Nikita Klepov | Saginaw Spirit | OHL | Deerfield Beach, FL (USA) | A |
| Caleb Malhotra | Brantford Bulldogs | OHL | Toronto, ON | A |
| Adam Novotný | Peterborough Petes | OHL | Kobylice, CZE | A |
| Mathis Preston | Spokane Chiefs | WHL | Penticton, BC | A |
| Liam Ruck | Medicine Hat Tigers | WHL | Osoyoos, BC | B |
| Ryan Roobroeck | Niagara IceDogs | OHL | London, ON | A |
| Egor Shilov | Victoriaville Tigres | QMJHL | Tyumen, RUS | A |
| Defencemen (7) | ||||
| Carson Carels | Prince George Cougars | WHL | Cypress River, MB | A |
| Ryan Lin | Vancouver Giants | WHL | Richmond, BC | A |
| Charlie Morrison | Québec Remparts | QMJHL | Miramichi, NB | B |
| Giorgos Pantelas | Brandon Wheat Kings | WHL | Victoria, BC | B |
| Chase Reid | Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds | OHL | Chesterfield, MI (USA) | A |
| Daxon Rudolph | Prince Albert Raiders | WHL | Lacombe, AB | A |
| Xavier Villeneuve | Blainville-Boisbriand Armada | QMJHL | Les Cèdres, QC | A |
| Goaltenders (2) | ||||
| Harrison Boettiger | Kelowna Rockets | WHL | Wheat Rudge, CO (USA) | B |
| Zachary Jovanovski | Guelph Storm | OHL | Tecumseh, ON | B |
Coaching & Support Staff
General Manager – Yanick Lemay (Drummondville Voltigeurs / QMJHL)
Head Coach – Willie Desjardins (Medicine Hat Tigers / WHL)
Assistant Coach – Jay McKee (Brantford Bulldogs / OHL)
Assistant Coach – Sylvain Favreau (Drummondville Voltigeurs / QMJHL)
Third Assistant Coach – Mike Johnston (Portland Winterhawks / WHL)
Video Coach – Jayce Desjardins (Medicine Hat Tigers / WHL)
Head Athletic Therapist (Both Games) – Mikki Lanuk (Medicine Hat Tigers / WHL)
Athletic Therapist (Calgary Game Only) – Adam Leckie (Calgary Hitmen / WHL)
Equipment Manager (Calgary Game Only) – Robin McDonald (Calgary Hitmen / WHL)
Athletic Therapist (Lethbridge Game Only) – Marty Palechuk (Lethbridge Hurricanes / WHL)
Equipment Manager (Lethbridge Game Only) – Rhett White (Lethbridge Hurricanes / WHL)
