Oulahen named CHL coach
NORTH BAY, Ont. — Coach Ryan Oulahen of the North Bay Battalion will serve as head coach of the Canadian Hockey League team in the 2026 CHL USA Prospects Challenge, it was announced Thursday.
The two-game series, bringing together top 2027 National Hockey League Draft prospects from the Ontario Hockey League, Western Hockey League and Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League, will be played Dec. 1-2 at Chicoutimi and Quebec City against the U.S. National Under-18 Team.
The Team CHL staff is made up of those who led Canada to gold in the Hlinka Gretzky Cup tournament at Edmonton in August. Assistant coaches are Ryan McDonald of the WHL’s Prince Albert Raiders, Brad MacKenzie of the QMJHL’s Halifax Mooseheads and Kyle Chipchura of the WHL’s Edmonton Oil Kings. Matthew Smith of the QMJHL’s Newfoundland Regiment is the video coach, while Yanick Lemay of the QMJHL’s Drummondville Voltigeurs is general manager.
In the Hlinka Gretzky tourney, the Canadian summer under-18 team won its five games, culminating in an 8–1 victory Aug. 8 over the U.S. in the final. All five coaches held the same roles with Canada, while Lemay was assistant general manager.
Oulahen returns to the CHL USA Prospects Challenge after serving as an assistant coach at the inaugural edition in 2024, helping Team CHL earn wins at London and Oshawa.
“I am extremely honoured to represent the CHL in this year’s CHL USA Prospects Challenge,” said Oulahen. “This is an event that allows us to showcase the very best talent the CHL has for the upcoming NHL draft.
“Having another opportunity to work with the coaching staff from the Hlinka Gretzky Cup is very special as well. We built a lot of trust and chemistry together, which will be a big advantage as we start our preparations.
“I look forward to this event and representing North Bay proud.”
CHL president Dan McKenzie said the staff’s history together will be helpful.
“Their success reflects the strength of coaching and player development across the WHL, OHL and QMJHL,” McKenzie said in a news release. “In a two-game series, building chemistry quickly is essential, and their experience working together will be a valuable asset for our players.”
Oulahen, the Battalion’s assistant general manager for the last two years, previously coached the Flint Firebirds for two-plus seasons after serving as a Battalion assistant for six seasons. An assistant coach with the Canadian summer under-18 team when it won gold in 2018 and 2024, he also served as an assistant coach at the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge with Canada Red in 2014 and Canada Black in 2015 and as head coach of Canada White in 2017.
Oulahen has been the Battalion’s head coach since Dec. 10, 2019. Entering a game Thursday night against the host Windsor Spitfires, he had a won-lost-extended record of 210-135-33 with the Troops and an OHL record of 262-206-46, including the Firebirds.
The Newmarket, Ont., native guided North Bay to three consecutive Central Division titles and Eastern Conference Championship Series appearances from 2022–24 and was the OHL’s Third All-Star Team coach in 2022–23 and 2023–24.
The Battalion captain in 2004-05 when the club was based in Brampton, Oulahen played three years with the Troops before four seasons with the Grand Rapids Griffins, the American Hockey League affiliate of the Detroit Red Wings, who selected him in the fifth round of the 2003 NHL Entry Draft.
