200 CHL players listed in NHL Central Scouting’s Midterm Rankings ahead of 2026 NHL Draft

200 CHL players listed in NHL Central Scouting’s Midterm Rankings ahead of 2026 NHL Draft

Midterm rankings include a record 200 CHL players — the league’s highest total in at least 17 years — up 14.9% from 2025 and representing 75.9% of North American players

The Canadian Hockey League (CHL) announced today that a total of 200 current players from across the Western Hockey League (WHL), Ontario Hockey League (OHL), and Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) have been listed in NHL Central Scouting’s Midterm Rankings ahead of the 2026 NHL Draft (see the full list below). Having 200 current CHL players ranked marks the league’s highest total in either the midterm or final NHL Central Scouting rankings in at least the past 17 years—if not longer.

The CHL’s 200 players listed by NHL Central Scouting this year (up from 174 in 2025 — a 14.9% increase) lead all development leagues worldwide, outpacing the combined 38 players from the USHL and U.S. National Team Development Program (NTDP). In total, CHL players account for 75.9% of the 262 North American players ranked on Monday — up roughly nine percentage points from last year.

Of the active CHL players ranked, the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) had the most with 80 players, including 66 skaters and 13 goaltenders, along with one skater (Adam Nemec) among the listed international players by NHL Central Scouting. They were followed by a total of 76 players from the Western Hockey League (WHL), who counted 67 skaters and nine netminders from North America. Meanwhile, the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) rounded out the CHL contingent with 44 players ranked, including 35 skaters and nine goalies.

Specifically, the rankings list a total of 225 North American skaters, including 168 that currently compete in the CHL, representing roughly three-quarters of the skaters listed. Similarly, NHL Central Scouting identified 37 North American goaltenders, highlighted by 31 from the CHL.

Leading the way among current CHL skaters is Prince George Cougars (WHL) defenceman Carson Carels (9G-25A in 32 GP), who was ranked No. 3 for the 2026 NHL Draft among North American skaters by NHL Central Scouting. Having recently become the sixth-youngest defenceman to appear for Canada at the 2026 IIHF World Junior Championship, Carels is averaging more than a point per game in 2025–26. His 34 points rank among the WHL’s top 10 scoring defencemen, even after missing games with Prince George while helping Team Canada capture bronze at the World Juniors. Carels was also one of seven CHL defencemen — and just four from the WHL — selected to represent Team CHL at the 2025 CHL USA Prospects Challenge in Calgary and Lethbridge, Alta., in late November.

On defence, seven other CHL blueliners join Carels in the top 30 among North American skaters: Chase Reid (Soo Greyhounds / OHL, 4th), Daxon Rudolph (Prince Albert Raiders / WHL, 6th), Ryan Lin (Vancouver Giants / WHL, 13th), Xavier Villeneuve (Blainville-Boisbriand Armada / QMJHL, 15th), Ben MacBeath (Calgary Hitmen / WHL, 20th), Jakub Vanecek (Tri-City Americans / WHL, 21st), and Charlie Morrison (Québec Remparts / QMJHL, 29th). Also featured near the very top of the list is Victoria Royals (WHL) product Keaton Verhoeff, who ranks No. 2 overall among North American skaters.

Among forwards, 12 CHL players are ranked in the top 25 among North American skaters, led by Brantford Bulldogs (OHL) forward Caleb Malhotra (20G-33A in 39 GP), who sits No. 5 on the list and is tied for second in OHL scoring in 2025–26. The other CHL forwards featured in the top 25 are Ethan Belchetz (Windsor Spitfires / OHL, 9th), JP Hurlbert (Kamloops Blazers / WHL, 10th), Adam Novotny (Peterborough Petes / OHL, 12th), Brooks Rogowski (Oshawa Generals / OHL, 14th), Nikita Klepov (Saginaw Spirit / OHL, 16th), Egor Shilov (Victoriaville Tigres / QMJHL, 17th), Maddox Dagenais (Québec Remparts / QMJHL, 18th), Alessandro Di Iorio (Sarnia Sting / OHL, 19th), Ryder Cali (North Bay Battalion / OHL, 22nd), Mathis Preston (Vancouver Giants / WHL, 24th), and Thomas Vandenberg (Ottawa 67’s / OHL, 25th). At the top of the rankings, the No. 1 North American skater is Medicine Hat Tigers (WHL) product and reigning CHL and WHL Player of the Year Gavin McKenna.

Additionally, among the 31 CHL goaltenders included in NHL Central Scouting’s Midterm Rankings, Prince Albert Raiders (WHL) netminder Michal Orsulak (10-4-3-0, 2.45 GAA, .903 SV%, 2 SO in 17 GP) is ranked No. 2 among North American goalies. Orsulak recently backstopped Czechia to silver at the 2026 IIHF World Junior Championship and currently ranks third in the WHL in goals-against average (2.45) while sitting tied for first in shutouts (2). Rounding out the top five behind Orsulak are Jan Larys (Drummondville Voltigeurs / QMJHL, 4th) and Tobias Tvrznik (Wenatchee Wild / WHL, 5th).

57 of the CHL’s 61 clubs are represented on the list. Both the Saint John Sea Dogs (QMJHL) and the Prince Albert Raiders (WHL) led all CHL teams with seven players included in the rankings, while the Medicine Hat Tigers (WHL), Edmonton Oil Kings (WHL), Prince George Cougars (WHL), Ottawa 67’s (OHL), London Knights (OHL), Guelph Storm (OHL), Owen Sound Attack (OHL), and Oshawa Generals (OHL) trail close behind with six players each.

The CHL is the top supplier of talent to the NHL. Last year, 174 CHL players appeared in NHL Central Scouting’s Midterm Rankings before 90 were ultimately selected at the 2025 NHL Draft in Los Angeles — accounting for more than 40% of all draft picks. That total included 21 first-round selections from CHL clubs, marking only the fifth time since 1969 — and the first in over a decade — that the CHL reached that milestone in Round 1. Dating back to 1969, the CHL has produced 10 or more first-round picks in 57 consecutive NHL Drafts.

At the beginning of the 2025-26 season, a total of 402 CHL graduates from its member leagues (WHL, OHL & QMJHL) were among those named to the NHL’s Opening Night rosters, representing nearly 50% of the players on the NHL’s 32 teams.

North American Skaters from the CHL – NHL Central Scouting Midterm Rankings (January 2026)

Rank	Last Name	First Name	Birthdate	Team	League
1	MCKENNA	GAVIN	20-Dec-07	PENN STATE / MEDICINE HAT	BIG10 / WHL
2	VERHOEFF	KEATON	19-Jun-08	NORTH DAKOTA / VICTORIA	NCHC / WHL
3	CARELS	CARSON	23-Jun-08	PRINCE GEORGE	WHL
4	REID	CHASE	30-Dec-07	SAULT STE. MARIE	OHL
5	MALHOTRA	CALEB	2-Jun-08	BRANTFORD	OHL
6	RUDOLPH	DAXON	6-Mar-08	PRINCE ALBERT	WHL
9	BELCHETZ	ETHAN	30-Mar-08	WINDSOR	OHL
10	HURLBERT	JP	11-Apr-08	KAMLOOPS	WHL
12	NOVOTNY	ADAM	13-Nov-07	PETERBOROUGH	OHL
13	LIN	RYAN	18-Apr-08	VANCOUVER	WHL
14	ROGOWSKI	BROOKS	24-Jun-08	OSHAWA	OHL
15	VILLENEUVE	XAVIER	29-Sep-07	BLAINVILLE-BOISBRIAND	QMJHL
16	KLEPOV	NIKITA	27-Jun-08	SAGINAW	OHL
17	SHILOV	EGOR	30-Apr-08	VICTORIAVILLE	QMJHL
18	DAGENAIS	MADDOX	27-Mar-08	QUEBEC	QMJHL
19	DI IORIO	ALESSANDRO	17-Mar-08	SARNIA	OHL
20	MACBEATH	BEN	4-Mar-08	CALGARY	WHL
21	VANECEK	JAKUB	25-Feb-08	TRI-CITY	WHL
22	CALI	RYDER	6-Sep-08	NORTH BAY	OHL
24	PRESTON	MATHIS	21-Jul-08	VANCOUVER	WHL
25	VANDENBERG	THOMAS	8-Sep-08	OTTAWA	OHL
26	RUCK	LIAM	21-Feb-08	MEDICINE HAT	WHL
27	ROOBROECK	RYAN	25-Sep-07	NIAGARA	OHL
29	MORRISON	CHARLIE	12-Oct-07	QUEBEC	QMJHL
31	RUCK	MARKUS	21-Feb-08	MEDICINE HAT	WHL
32	HARRINGTON	CHASE	30-Oct-07	SPOKANE	WHL
34	LISKE	BREK	9-Jan-08	EVERETT	WHL
35	BLEYL	TOMMY	1-Dec-07	MONCTON	QMJHL
38	BILECKI	ALEXANDER	9-May-08	KITCHENER	OHL
39	BARABANOV	EGOR	16-May-06	SAGINAW	OHL
40	DRAVECKY	VLADIMIR	19-Dec-07	BRANTFORD	OHL
41	FITZGERALD	COLIN	1-Apr-08	SAULT STE. MARIE	OHL
42	WILLIAMS	COOPER	18-Feb-08	SASKATOON	WHL
43	OLSEN	ZACH	16-Mar-08	SASKATOON	WHL
44	MBUYI	PIERCE	17-Apr-08	OWEN SOUND	OHL
45	COVER	JAXON	13-Feb-08	LONDON	OHL
46	EDWARDS	BECKHAM	6-Jan-08	SARNIA	OHL
47	ZURAWSKI	COLE	6-Feb-08	OWEN SOUND	OHL
50	WASSILYN	BRAIDY	28-May-08	LONDON	OHL
51	ROYSTON	WESLEY	22-Nov-07	OWEN SOUND	OHL
52	GUSTAFSON	JAKE	3-Apr-08	PORTLAND	WHL
53	RUNTSO	TIMOFEI	6-Jul-07	VICTORIA	WHL
54	STEVENS	CARTER	11-Jan-08	GUELPH	OHL
55	KOSICK	NOAH	18-Aug-08	SEATTLE	WHL
58	PANTELAS	GIORGOS	24-Apr-08	BRANDON	WHL
59	CROSKERY	CALLUM	29-Jan-08	SAULT STE. MARIE	OHL
61	STEINER	LARS	12-Nov-07	ROUYN-NORANDA	QMJHL
62	GALLACHER	LAYNE	16-Feb-08	GUELPH	OHL
63	SPARKS	TYUS	4-Jan-08	SPOKANE	WHL
64	LEMIRE	KAYDEN	27-Jan-08	PRINCE GEORGE	WHL
66	DOYLE	EDDY	8-Nov-07	HALIFAX	QMJHL
67	HEGER	KYLE	21-Sep-07	LETHBRIDGE	WHL
68	KULEBIAKIN	OLEG	11-Jan-08	HALIFAX	QMJHL
70	LEFEBVRE	LIAM	15-May-07	CHICOUTIMI	QMJHL
71	MURNIEKS	OLIVERS	31-Jul-08	SAINT JOHN	QMJHL
72	LANSARD	ZACHARY	29-Jul-08	REGINA	WHL
73	DUGUAY	JORDAN	16-Feb-08	PORTLAND	WHL
74	MACKENZIE	ETHAN	2-Sep-06	EDMONTON	WHL
75	HAMILTON	BECKETT	28-Mar-08	RED DEER	WHL
76	VANHANEN	MATIAS	11-Sep-07	EVERETT	WHL
79	KLIMPKE	BRAYDEN	8-Oct-07	SASKATOON	WHL
81	TOURNAS	NIKO	17-Feb-06	MONCTON	QMJHL
82	AMBROSIO	LUCAS	6-Jan-08	ERIE	OHL
84	O’DONNELL	AIDEN	3-Jan-08	OSHAWA	OHL
85	AMRHEIN	LANDON	6-Apr-08	CALGARY	WHL
87	AMIDOVSKI	NATHAN	6-Apr-08	BRAMPTON	OHL
88	SIVERTSON	JONAH	27-Aug-08	PRINCE ALBERT	WHL
89	LEVAC	ADAM	27-Jun-08	PETERBOROUGH	OHL
90	CHUDZINSKI	RIAN	30-Dec-07	MONCTON	QMJHL
91	MCLAUGHLIN	WILL	10-Mar-08	PORTLAND	WHL
92	TAILLEFER	ALEXANDRE	1-Jan-08	QUEBEC	QMJHL
93	KUHTA	JASPER	28-Oct-06	OTTAWA	OHL
94	TA’AMU	ALOFA TUNOA	28-May-08	EDMONTON	WHL
95	CHARTRAND	CAMERON	3-Mar-08	SAINT JOHN	QMJHL
96	DEAN	DYLAN	14-May-08	EDMONTON	WHL
97	ROUSSEAU	THOMAS	12-Feb-08	SHERBROOKE	QMJHL
99	BRYZGALOV	YAROSLAV	23-Mar-07	MEDICINE HAT	WHL
100	DINGMAN	SAWYER	11-Sep-08	SWIFT CURRENT	WHL
101	JOUDREY	CAELAN	17-Jan-08	WENATCHEE	WHL
102	OVCHAROV	NIKITA	17-Feb-08	QUEBEC	QMJHL
105	RUML	ONDREJ	25-Mar-08	OTTAWA	OHL
108	VLASOV	ALEKSEI	2-Feb-08	VICTORIAVILLE	QMJHL
110	PEPOY	BRODY	16-May-08	SAGINAW	OHL
112	XU	JACOB	13-Mar-08	LONDON	OHL
113	DUMONT	DYLAN	19-Aug-08	DRUMMONDVILLE	QMJHL
116	COSSETTE AYOTTE	BENJAMIN	3-Jan-08	VAL-D’OR	QMJHL
117	KOSTOV	ALEX	3-Jun-06	FLINT	OHL
119	BURICK	SEAN	9-Jan-08	PENTICTON	WHL
122	LITALIEN	ROMAIN	7-Apr-08	CAPE BRETON	QMJHL
123	BOURQUE	LOUIS FELIX	15-Jul-08	DRUMMONDVILLE	QMJHL
124	IGINLA	JOE	13-Aug-08	VANCOUVER	WHL
125	BIDGOOD	COHEN	11-Jan-07	LONDON	OHL
126	O’NEILL	ANDREW	7-Feb-07	EDMONTON	WHL
127	ARNETT	ELLIOT	12-Mar-08	OWEN SOUND	OHL
128	KAMAS	JIRI	4-Mar-08	RED DEER	WHL
129	VOIAGA	NIKITA	16-Oct-07	CHARLOTTETOWN	QMJHL
130	REISNECKER	BEN	21-Feb-08	NIAGARA	OHL
131	MYLOSERDNYY	MICHEL	15-Feb-08	GATINEAU	QMJHL
132	SOKOLOVSKII	MAKSIM	12-Jul-08	LONDON	OHL
134	MONDOUX	ANDRE	16-Mar-07	KINGSTON	OHL
135	MURNANE	BRADY	23-Apr-08	OSHAWA	OHL
137	OLSON	BRETT	24-Feb-08	VANCOUVER	WHL
138	GILLESPIE	BRODY	16-Feb-08	SPOKANE	WHL
140	LEGOSTAEV	PETER	2-Oct-07	GATINEAU	QMJHL
141	VAUGHAN	PARKER	6-Mar-08	NORTH BAY	OHL
142	KLASSEN	COHEN	8-Sep-08	REGINA	WHL
143	KELLY	BENETT	4-Feb-08	PRINCE ALBERT	WHL
144	SINGH	RYLAN	4-Oct-07	GUELPH	OHL
145	HOULE	FLORENT	4-Aug-07	SHERBROOKE	QMJHL
147	WALTERS	DANIEL	28-Mar-08	HALIFAX	QMJHL
148	YAKUTSENAK	DMITRI	12-Mar-07	PRINCE GEORGE	WHL
151	FROSSARD	ERIC	12-Jan-08	GUELPH	OHL
152	PANGRETITSCH	HARRIS	29-Mar-08	SAULT STE. MARIE	OHL
153	FORTIN	ALEXIS	4-Oct-07	VAL-D’OR	QMJHL
154	TOMIK	TOBIAS	18-Dec-07	VANCOUVER	WHL
156	FEELEY	COLIN	7-Mar-08	OSHAWA	OHL
157	LASCHON	LEO	19-Mar-08	OSHAWA	OHL
158	ROLSING	DARIAN	14-Feb-08	WENATCHEE	WHL
159	BOYCHUK	RILEY	31-Jan-08	PRINCE ALBERT	WHL
160	SALANDRA	JOSEPH	15-Feb-08	BARRIE	OHL
161	ROZZI	DYLAN	8-Mar-08	SAINT JOHN	QMJHL
162	KOLARIK	LEON	23-Sep-07	PETERBOROUGH	OHL
163	YARED	WILLIAM	21-Jan-08	SAINT JOHN	QMJHL
164	VARGA	KALDER	24-Jun-08	RED DEER	WHL
165	WILMOTT	BENJAMIN	30-Aug-06	BARRIE	OHL
166	SOUCH	BROCK	11-Oct-06	PRINCE GEORGE	WHL
167	BROWN	REED	22-Feb-08	PORTLAND	WHL
168	SAWCHYN	LUKAS	27-Feb-07	EDMONTON	WHL
169	BAUMULLER	JOBY	20-Jul-07	BRANDON	WHL
170	KINGWELL	SHAAN	7-Feb-07	OTTAWA	OHL
171	LANGLOIS	TRISTAN	14-Jul-07	ROUYN-NORANDA	QMJHL
172	STANKOVEN	MATEJ	28-Feb-08	BRAMPTON	OHL
173	RICARD	EMILE	18-Nov-07	CHICOUTIMI	QMJHL
174	KORNEYEV	KORNEY	16-Oct-07	VICTORIAVILLE	QMJHL
175	SARKENOV	ALISHER	15-Dec-07	PRINCE ALBERT	WHL
177	LESIUK	GAVIN	14-Jan-08	LETHBRIDGE	WHL
178	HARVEY	CADEN	13-Feb-08	WINDSOR	OHL
179	WOOD	CODY	13-Jun-08	LONDON / LONDON	GOHL / OHL
180	MAN	MATYAS	31-May-06	PRINCE ALBERT	WHL
181	MAGNUSSON	CARL-OTTO	11-Jan-06	SAINT JOHN	QMJHL
184	LEMIEUX	JEAN-CRISTOPH	19-Jun-08	SUDBURY	OHL
185	SHYBINSKYI	ILLIA	14-May-07	GUELPH	OHL
186	CYR	SIMON-XAVIER	11-Mar-08	GATINEAU	QMJHL
187	MCLEAN	ALEX	8-Aug-08	KINGSTON	OHL
188	STEEN	RILEY	7-Sep-08	MEDICINE HAT	WHL
189	ALLEN	DRYDEN	9-Aug-07	FLINT	OHL
190	ALLARD	CAMERON	11-Jan-08	BRANDON	WHL
191	HENDERSON	ROWAN	10-Dec-07	SUDBURY	OHL
192	CAHILL	PHOENIX	7-Jul-08	PRINCE GEORGE	WHL
193	YOUNG	AIDEN	18-Apr-07	PETERBOROUGH	OHL
194	KARMANOV	ALEXANDER	22-Mar-08	NORTH BAY	OHL
195	DILLARD	CAMERON	15-May-08	RED DEER	WHL
197	BROWN	JULIAN	10-Apr-06	OWEN SOUND	OHL
198	ANISIMOV	ARSENII	25-Nov-07	PRINCE GEORGE	WHL
199	MOLGACHEV	ANDREI	1-Mar-08	CALGARY	WHL
200	STEWART	NOLAN	12-Jan-08	VICTORIA	WHL
202	DENNIS	COOPER	7-May-07	BRANTFORD	OHL
203	HANDSOR	JUSTIN	24-Sep-07	BARRIE	OHL
204	DAMPHOUSSE	BO	21-Oct-07	SAINT JOHN	QMJHL
208	KAMZIK	KASE	15-Apr-08	ERIE	OHL
209	PAVAO	CRUZ	24-Aug-08	TRI-CITY	WHL
210	KURYACHENKOV	STEPAN	16-Jul-08	SWIFT CURRENT	WHL
211	KUZMA	CAMERON	17-Jul-08	RED DEER	WHL
212	CAREY	RYDER	2-Aug-08	NORTH BAY	OHL
214	PRONIN	ARSENY	16-May-07	NORTH BAY	OHL
215	MCCANN	KADON	25-Mar-07	MEDICINE HAT	WHL
216	RUDOLPH	BRENDAN	8-Mar-08	SWIFT CURRENT	WHL
217	WOODALL	CARSON	25-May-06	WINDSOR	OHL
220	MALONEY	NATHAN	16-Sep-06	LETHBRIDGE	WHL
221	SYKORA	NICHOLAS	24-May-07	OWEN SOUND	OHL

 

International Skaters from the CHL – NHL Central Scouting Midterm Rankings (January 2026)

Rank	Last Name	First Name	Birthdate	Team	League
29	NEMEC	ADAM	18-Oct-07	NITRA / SUBURY	SLOVAKIA / OHL

 

North American Goalies from the CHL – NHL Central Scouting Midterm Rankings (January 2026)

Rank	Last Name	First Name	Birthdate	Team	League
2	ORSULAK	MICHAL	26-Aug-07	PRINCE ALBERT	WHL
4	LARYS	JAN	14-Feb-08	DRUMMONDVILLE	QMJHL
5	TVRZNIK	TOBIAS	29-Jul-07	WENATCHEE	WHL
6	LACELLE	WILLIAM	26-Dec-07	BLAINVILLE-BOISBRIAND	QMJHL
7	BOETTIGER	HARRISON	11-Dec-07	KELOWNA	WHL
8	SKLENICKA	MAREK	27-Aug-08	SEATTLE	WHL
9	SHAIIKOV	DANAI	13-Apr-07	GATINEAU	QMJHL
10	JOVANOVSKI	ZACHARY	7-Oct-07	GUELPH	OHL
11	MINCHAK	MATTHEW	23-May-07	KINGSTON	OHL
12	CASEY	CARTER	3-Dec-07	MEDICINE HAT	WHL
13	RUZICKA	FILIP	24-Mar-08	BRANDON	WHL
14	YERMOLENKO	VLADISLAV	16-Dec-07	NIAGARA	OHL
15	WENDT	XAVIER	24-Jan-08	TRI-CITY	WHL
16	FETTEROLF	RYDER	5-Jan-08	OTTAWA	OHL
17	SHURYGIN	STEPAN	26-Aug-07	SAGINAW	OHL
18	KITCHENER	DAYTON	2-Oct-07	RIMOUSKI	QMJHL
19	HREBIK	BEN	4-Apr-06	BARRIE	OHL
20	GILLHAM-CIRKA	NICOLAS	24-Mar-08	HALIFAX	QMJHL
21	SNELL	PARKER	21-Apr-08	EDMONTON	WHL
22	STEBETAK	ONDREJ	19-Jul-07	PORTLAND	WHL
23	JASWAL	ARVIN	29-Mar-08	BARRIE	OHL
24	COROVIC	MAKSIM	20-May-08	COLLINGWOOD / BRANTFORD	OJHL / OHL
26	BETTS	GAVIN	3-Apr-08	KINGSTON	OHL
27	COURCHESNE	RAFAEL	21-Aug-08	SAINT JOHN	QMJHL
29	SCHAUBEL	JASON	30-Aug-08	KITCHENER	OHL
30	RAYMOND	ALEXANDRE	13-Nov-07	ROUYN-NORANDA	QMJHL
31	CATANZARITI	ANTHONY	23-Jan-08	VICTORIAVILLE	QMJHL
32	NEWLOVE	MICHAEL	14-Jan-07	WINDSOR	OHL
34	HUMPHRIES	MATTHEW	28-Jul-08	OSHAWA	OHL
35	NELSON	JAEDEN	11-Apr-07	OTTAWA	OHL
37	WEINER	JACOBY	19-Jun-08	MONCTON	QMJHL