Team CHL Five to Watch: Flo Hockey’s Chris Peters
The 2025 CHL USA Prospects Challenge is less than a week away as the top NHL Draft prospects for 2026 descend upon Calgary.
On this occasion, Flo Hockey’s Chris Peters takes a look at five players he 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).
Alessandro Di Iorio Sarnia/OHL) After missing the beginning of the season with injury, Di Iorio came back firing on all cylinders. He’s been a solid overall two-way center with good skill. His return should help spark a Sarnia team that has struggled otherwise. Getting a chance to showcase himself at this event after returning from injury will be a good measuring stick between him and his peers to see how up to speed he really is at this point.
Nikita Klepov (Saginaw/OHL) With skill for days, Klepov has been mystifying defenders and goalies alike all season. That he is producing is not a surprise, but him being one of the top scorers in the OHL did strike me this season. He has great hands, can make plays in tight and is tenacious enough to get to the higher-danger scoring areas. He is almost already past his scoring total from last season and we’re not even a quarter through the season. Klepov is taking his game to another level.
Egor Shilov (Victoriaville/QMJHL) Shilov has outrageous offensive sense and great touch to finish the plays he’s cooking up in his brain. Shilov is relentlessly patient with the puck, finding the right play for the right moment. He has good enough size and strength, but I would like to see him get to the interior more. Having played in the QMJHL Prospects Game already, he knows how to showcase himself, but he can really wow scouts with more plays from the interior as they already know he can absolutely pick defenses apart.
Charlie Morrison (Quebec/QMJHL) After being injured for a bit, it’s awesome to see Morrison back with the Remparts and playing well. He’s got a ton of raw ability and is just starting to put it all together. He has the size and has shown more interest in making plays with the puck this season. Having missed a significant chunk of the start of the season, this showcase gives Morrison a great chance to show where his game is at relative to his draft-eligible peers.
Chase Reid (Soo/OHL) Reid has shown in very short order that he can be a reliable player at both ends of the ice thanks to good smarts, an expert ability to move pucks and mobility to go along with size. Right-shot defensemen are always in demand, especially if they prove to be versatile pieces who can both produce and take care of their own end. He’s among the better defensemen in this draft.
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 |
| Brooks Rogowski | Oshawa Generals | OHL | Brighton, MI (USA) | A |
| 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)
