149 CHL players listed in NHL Central Scouting’s Final Rankings ahead of the 2024 NHL Draft
The 149 CHL players listed were the most of any development hockey league in the world, ahead of the combined 57 players from the USHL and U.S. National Team Development Program (NTDP)
The Canadian Hockey League (CHL) announced today that 149 CHL players have been listed in the NHL Central Scouting’s Final Rankings ahead of the 2024 NHL Draft (see the full list below), which is scheduled to take place in Las Vegas, Nevada from June 28-29.
The 149 CHL players listed were the most of any development hockey league in the world, ahead of the combined 57 players from the USHL and U.S. National Team Development Program (NTDP). Among the CHL’s three member leagues, the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) and Western Hockey League (WHL) led the way with 57 players each. Specifically, the OHL had 50 skaters and seven goaltenders, while the WHL had 51 skaters and six goalies. Meanwhile, the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) rounded out the CHL contingent with 35 players ranked including 31 skaters and four goaltenders.
In total, the rankings list 224 North American skaters, including 132 who compete in the CHL. NHL Central Scouting also ranks 32 North American goaltenders highlighted by 17 netminders from the CHL.
19 of the top-30 ranked North American skaters are from the CHL led by Medicine Hat Tigers forward Cayden Lindstrom, who sits third and was the second-highest-ranked forward on the list. Lindstrom’s 1.44 points per game this season was the highest average by a draft-eligible skater from the Medicine Hat Tigers since Joffrey Lupul recorded 1.47 points per game in 2001-02. The other 14 forwards joining Lindstrom in the top-30 include Berkly Catton of the Spokane Chiefs (8th), Tij Iginla of the Kelowna Rockets (9th), Beckett Sennecke of the Oshawa Generals (13th), Liam Greentree of the Windsor Spitfires (14th), Terik Parascak of the Prince George Cougars (15th), Marek Vanacker of the Brantford Bulldogs (17th), Julius Miettinen of the Everett Silvertips (18th), Ryder Ritchie of the Prince Albert Raiders (19th), Jett Luchanko of the Guelph Storm (20th), Adam Jecho of the Edmonton Oil Kings (22nd), Sam O’Reilly of the London Knights (24th), Cole Beaudoin of the Barrie Colts (25th), Andrew Basha of the Medicine Hat Tigers (26th), along with Maxim Massé of the Chicoutimi Saguenéens (30th).
20 of the top 32 North American skaters in @NHLCentralScout's final rankings for the 2024 #NHLDraft play in the CHL! 🤩 pic.twitter.com/cp7ba30l0Q
— Canadian Hockey League (@CHLHockey) April 16, 2024
In terms of defencemen, four of the six blueliners ranked in the top-30 are from the CHL, led by Zayne Parekh of the Saginaw Spirit (5th), who led all CHL and OHL defencemen with 33 goals and 96 points this season. The other CHL blueliners joining him among the top-30 skaters were Sam Dickinson of the London Knights (7th), Carter Yakemchuk of the Calgary Hitmen (11th), and Spencer Gill of the Rimouski Océanic (29th), who was the top-ranked skater from the QMJHL on NHL Central Scouting’s list. Having both scored 30 goals this season, Parekh and Yakemchuk helped mark the first time in CHL history that two draft-eligible defencemen registered 30-plus goals in the same season.
Moreover, of the 17 North American goalies from the CHL ranked by NHL Central Scouting, Carter George of the Owen Sound Attack and Lukas Matecha of the Tri-City Americans were ranked second and third respectively on the list. Ranked at No. 8, Zach Pelletier of the Gatineau Olympiques was the top-ranked goalie from the QMJHL.
In all, 58 CHL clubs are represented on the list. The Mississauga Steelheads lead all CHL teams with seven players included in the rankings, while the Oshawa Generals and Calgary Hitmen trail close behind with five each. Teams with four ranked players include the Everett Silvertips, Medicine Hat Tigers, Spokane Chiefs, Edmonton Oil Kings, London Knights, Brantford Bulldogs, Barrie Colts, Windsor Spitfires, Moncton Wildcats, Baie-Comeau Drakkar and Rimouski Océanic.
All 40 CHL players who participated in January’s 2024 Kubota CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game are found in the NHL Central Scouting’s Final Rankings, including 23 of the top 40 North American skaters and three of the top-five ranked netminders.
The CHL is the top supplier of talent to the NHL. Last year, 141 CHL players appeared in NHL Central Scouting’s Final Rankings before 80 CHL players were selected (accounting for nearly 36% of all draft picks) at the 2023 NHL Draft in Nashville. The latter included 11 first-round selections from the CHL, the most of any development hockey league in the world. Dating back to 1969, the CHL has seen 10 or more of its players taken in the first round of the NHL Draft – a streak now running at 55 consecutive drafts.
At the beginning of the 2023-24 season, a total of 398 CHL graduates from its three member leagues (WHL, OHL & QMJHL) were among those named to the NHL’s Opening Night rosters, representing just over 50% of the players on the NHL’s 32 teams.
North American Skaters – NHL Central Scouting Final Rankings (April 2024)
Players in bold competed in 2024 Kubota CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game
Rank | Last Name | First Name | Birthdate | Team | League |
3 | LINDSTROM | CAYDEN | 3-Feb-06 | MEDICINE HAT | WHL |
5 | PAREKH | ZAYNE | 15-Feb-06 | SAGINAW | OHL |
7 | DICKINSON | SAM | 7-Jun-06 | LONDON | OHL |
8 | CATTON | BERKLY | 14-Jan-06 | SPOKANE | WHL |
9 | IGINLA | TIJ | 4-Aug-06 | KELOWNA | WHL |
11 | YAKEMCHUK | CARTER | 29-Sep-05 | CALGARY | WHL |
13 | SENNECKE | BECKETT | 28-Jan-06 | OSHAWA | OHL |
14 | GREENTREE | LIAM | 1-Jan-06 | WINDSOR | OHL |
15 | PARASCAK | TERIK | 28-May-06 | PRINCE GEORGE | WHL |
17 | VANACKER | MAREK | 12-Apr-06 | BRANTFORD | OHL |
18 | MIETTINEN | JULIUS | 20-Jan-06 | EVERETT | WHL |
19 | RITCHIE | RYDER | 3-Aug-06 | PRINCE ALBERT | WHL |
20 | LUCHANKO | JETT | 21-Aug-06 | GUELPH | OHL |
22 | JECHO | ADAM | 24-Mar-06 | EDMONTON | WHL |
24 | O’REILLY | SAM | 30-Mar-06 | LONDON | OHL |
25 | BEAUDOIN | COLE | 24-Apr-06 | BARRIE | OHL |
26 | BASHA | ANDREW | 8-Nov-05 | MEDICINE HAT | WHL |
29 | GILL | SPENCER | 17-Aug-06 | RIMOUSKI | QMJHL |
30 | MASSÉ | MAXIM | 7-Apr-06 | CHICOUTIMI | QMJHL |
31 | ELICK | CHARLIE | 17-Jan-06 | BRANDON | WHL |
33 | MATEIKO | ERIKS | 18-Nov-05 | SAINT JOHN | QMJHL |
35 | DANFORD | BEN | 6-Feb-06 | OSHAWA | OHL |
36 | ROBERTS | COLTON | 8-Jun-06 | VANCOUVER | WHL |
37 | MEWS | HENRY | 9-Mar-06 | OTTAWA | OHL |
38 | SMITH | TARIN | 24-Mar-06 | EVERETT | WHL |
40 | JOSEPHSON | OLIVER | 22-Jul-06 | RED DEER | WHL |
41 | HOWE | TANNER | 28-Nov-05 | REGINA | WHL |
42 | BATTAGLIA | JACOB | 17-Mar-06 | KINGSTON | OHL |
45 | FISCHER | LUKAS | 9-Sep-06 | SARNIA | OHL |
46 | MARRELLI | LUCA | 4-Oct-05 | OSHAWA | OHL |
48 | PROCYSZYN | ETHAN | 11-Jul-06 | NORTH BAY | OHL |
50 | WETSCH | CARSON | 4-May-06 | CALGARY | WHL |
51 | BOILARD | RAOUL | 7-Jan-06 | BAIE-COMEAU | QMJHL |
52 | BRUNICKE | HARRISON | 8-May-06 | KAMLOOPS | WHL |
53 | MARQUES | MIGUEL | 8-Mar-06 | LETHBRIDGE | WHL |
57 | LAVOIE | TOMAS | 31-Mar-06 | CAPE BRETON | QMJHL |
58 | CURRAN | MAXMILIAN | 27-Aug-06 | TRI-CITY | WHL |
60 | VILLENEUVE | NATHAN | 13-Apr-06 | SUDBURY | OHL |
61 | PATTERSON | RILEY | 22-Mar-06 | BARRIE | OHL |
62 | BERNIER | ALEXIS | 21-Jun-06 | BAIE-COMEAU | QMJHL |
63 | GOJSIC | HIROKI | 1-May-06 | KELOWNA | WHL |
64 | MRSIC | TOMAS | 26-Feb-06 | MEDICINE HAT | WHL |
67 | FIBIGR | JAKUB | 22-Jul-06 | MISSISSAUGA | OHL |
69 | BECHER | ONDREJ | 22-Feb-04 | PRINCE GEORGE | WHL |
70 | ROMANI | ANTHONY | 12-Jul-05 | NORTH BAY | OHL |
72 | SPELLACY | ANTHONY (AJ) | 24-Feb-06 | WINDSOR | OHL |
73 | WOOLLEY | JARED | 27-Feb-06 | LONDON | OHL |
76 | MISA | LUKE | 25-Nov-05 | MISSISSAUGA | OHL |
77 | CASWELL | CLARKE | 2-Feb-06 | SWIFT CURRENT | WHL |
78 | HE | KEVIN | 30-Apr-06 | NIAGARA | OHL |
80 | MELOVSKY | MATYAS | 25-May-04 | BAIE-COMEAU | QMJHL |
81 | BLAIS | ALEXANDRE | 14-Nov-05 | RIMOUSKI | QMJHL |
82 | POIRIER | JUSTIN | 4-Sep-06 | BAIE-COMEAU | QMJHL |
84 | JAMIESON | ERIC | 15-Jul-05 | EVERETT | WHL |
85 | FRASCA | GABRIEL | 18-Feb-06 | KINGSTON | OHL |
86 | LAING | HUNTER | 16-May-06 | PRINCE GEORGE | WHL |
88 | ELLINAS | LUCAS | 12-Mar-06 | KITCHENER | OHL |
89 | MISSKEY | NATE | 12-Jan-05 | VICTORIA | WHL |
93 | MCISAAC | WILLIAM | 26-May-06 | SPOKANE | WHL |
94 | SMITH | GABE | 3-Aug-06 | MONCTON | QMJHL |
96 | DESRUISSEAUX | THOMAS | 10-Mar-06 | CHICOUTIMI | QMJHL |
100 | PROTZ | OWEN | 7-Feb-06 | BRANTFORD | OHL |
102 | ASPINALL | NATHAN | 30-Mar-06 | FLINT | OHL |
103 | ZEBESKI | MASON | 4-Oct-05 | MISSISSAUGA | OHL |
105 | DESJARDINS | VINCENT | 8-Sep-06 | BLAINVILLE-BOISBRIAND | QMJHL |
106 | GOLICIC | JAN | 30-Jun-06 | GATINEAU | QMJHL |
107 | MAYES | NATHAN | 10-Jun-06 | SPOKANE | WHL |
109 | SWICK | TRENT | 25-Apr-04 | KITCHENER | OHL |
111 | THORPE | TYLER | 11-Aug-05 | VANCOUVER | WHL |
112 | ALCOS | PARKER | 20-Jul-06 | EDMONTON | WHL |
116 | WAKELY | DALYN | 5-Mar-04 | NORTH BAY | OHL |
117 | WALTON | KIERON | 22-Apr-06 | SUDBURY | OHL |
119 | MISTELBACHER | LUKE | 2-Nov-05 | SWIFT CURRENT | WHL |
125 | BRUNELLE | BENJAMIN | 7-Jun-05 | ROUYN-NORANDA | QMJHL |
126 | STEWART | BODE | 9-Feb-06 | BARRIE | OHL |
128 | LITALIEN | ELIOT | 23-Mar-06 | BLAINVILLE-BOISBRIAND | QMJHL |
129 | HENRY | TY | 19-Jul-06 | ERIE | OHL |
130 | HARDING | FINN | 2-Mar-05 | MISSISSAUGA | OHL |
131 | KENNEDY | QUINN | 6-Feb-06 | RIMOUSKI | QMJHL |
133 | LACERTE | FELIX | 14-Jun-06 | SHAWINIGAN | QMJHL |
134 | BUTTAZZONI | DIEGO | 13-Jan-06 | PORTLAND | WHL |
135 | MARRELLI | FRANKIE | 16-Feb-06 | OTTAWA | OHL |
136 | HESLOP | JESSE | 18-Apr-06 | EVERETT | WHL |
137 | DAVIS | COLE | 22-Jun-06 | WINDSOR | OHL |
138 | FAWCETT | KEETS | 23-Feb-06 | CALGARY | WHL |
141 | COOPER | MILES | 4-Aug-06 | WENATCHEE | WHL |
142 | KLIMA | JIRI | 17-Mar-06 | SHAWINIGAN | QMJHL |
143 | TESTA | LUCA | 10-Apr-06 | BRANTFORD | OHL |
144 | PITRE | KADEN | 8-Feb-06 | FLINT | OHL |
146 | PEDERSON | RHYS | 8-Sep-06 | EDMONTON | WHL |
149 | ROMEO | LUCAS | 24-Mar-05 | CAPE BRETON | QMJHL |
150 | VAUGHAN | JAXSIN | 10-Jan-06 | REGINA | WHL |
151 | THIBODEAU | CHRISTOPHER | 13-Oct-05 | KINGSTON | OHL |
155 | VAUGHAN | CORBIN | 10-Jan-06 | REGINA | WHL |
157 | ZAKRESKI | JOSH | 17-Dec-05 | PORTLAND | WHL |
160 | LOVSIN | SIMON | 22-Jan-06 | SEATTLE | WHL |
161 | SMITH | SHANE | 14-Jan-05 | MEDICINE HAT | WHL |
162 | LAFOND | MAXIME | 28-Mar-06 | DRUMMONDVILLE | QMJHL |
163 | PILOTE | DOMINIC | 14-Feb-06 | RIMOUSKI | QMJHL |
164 | VAN VOLSEN | JACK | 12-Jan-06 | MISSISSAUGA | OHL |
169 | CROSBY | LOGAN | 14-Dec-05 | HALIFAX | QMJHL |
170 | EDWARDS | BRAYDEN | 23-Dec-04 | LETHBRIDGE | WHL |
174 | ALLARD | OWEN | 13-Jan-04 | SAULT STE. MARIE | OHL |
176 | MCKENZIE | PAVEL | 8-Oct-05 | MOOSE JAW | WHL |
178 | MCCUE | SAM | 3-Oct-05 | OWEN SOUND | OHL |
179 | VALLIANT | CHASE | 18-May-06 | CALGARY | WHL |
180 | KEARSEY | MARCUS | 17-Mar-06 | CHARLOTTETOWN | QMJHL |
184 | VON RICHTER | PARKER | 17-May-06 | MISSISSAUGA | OHL |
185 | BRUNET | SIMON-PIER | 24-Oct-05 | DRUMMONDVILLE | QMJHL |
187 | DRANCAK | SAMUEL | 4-Feb-06 | RED DEER | WHL |
188 | PRISHCHEPOV | NIKITA | 20-Feb-04 | VICTORIAVILLE | QMJHL |
189 | GENDRON | JUSTIN | 30-Sep-05 | VICTORIAVILLE | QMJHL |
191 | REPCIK | PETER | 9-Jan-04 | DRUMMONDVILLE | QMJHL |
192 | GAZIZOV | RUSLAN | 21-Jan-04 | LONDON | OHL |
194 | CRISTOFORO | ANTHONY | 23-Feb-06 | WINDSOR | OHL |
200 | SUMPF | JULIUS | 11-Jan-05 | MONCTON | QMJHL |
202 | PICKFORD | BRYCE | 2-Apr-06 | SEATTLE | WHL |
203 | YOUNG | MITCHELL | 29-Apr-05 | SARNIA | OHL |
204 | WILLIAMS | DAX | 28-Sep-05 | CALGARY | WHL |
205 | CLOUTIER | PIER-ETIENNE | 23-Nov-05 | QUEBEC | QMJHL |
206 | FRYER | SETH | 23-Jun-06 | VICTORIA | WHL |
208 | MCCALLUM | BRAYDON | 3-May-06 | PETERBOROUGH | OHL |
210 | MUELLER | MILES | 19-Dec-04 | MONCTON | QMJHL |
212 | HADLAND | CALEB | 6-Mar-06 | BRANDON | WHL |
216 | FLUKER | JOSH | 3-Jan-06 | WENATCHEE | WHL |
217 | PAQUETTE | CHARLIE | 6-Dec-05 | GUELPH | OHL |
218 | HENNEBERRY | JOSEPH | 20-Dec-04 | VICTORIAVILLE | QMJHL |
219 | JELSMA | BEAU | 28-Apr-04 | BARRIE | OHL |
220 | DIRRACOLO | MAX | 29-Jun-06 | KITCHENER | OHL |
222 | JENKEN | MATTHEW | 12-Oct-05 | FLINT | OHL |
223 | HODNETT | GAVIN | 9-Apr-06 | EDMONTON | WHL |
224 | WARD | LANDEN | 19-Apr-06 | LETHBRIDGE | WHL |
North American Goaltenders – NHL Central Scouting Midterm Rankings (April 2024)
Players in bold competed in 2024 Kubota CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game
Rank | Last Name | First Name | Birthdate | Team | League |
2 | GEORGE | CARTER | 20-May-06 | OWEN SOUND | OHL |
3 | MATECHA | LUKAS | 21-Mar-05 | TRI-CITY | WHL |
5 | COWAN | DAWSON | 28-Sep-05 | SPOKANE | WHL |
6 | MILLER | LANDON | 3-Jan-06 | SAULT STE. MARIE | OHL |
7 | GARDNER | EVAN | 25-Jan-06 | SASKATOON | WHL |
8 | PELLETIER | ZACH | 2-Jul-06 | GATINEAU | QMJHL |
9 | WUTZKE | CHASE | 26-Jul-06 | RED DEER | WHL |
10 | LEENDERS | RYERSON | 1-Jun-06 | MISSISSAUGA | OHL |
11 | ST-HILAIRE | SAMUEL | 11-May-04 | SHERBROOKE | QMJHL |
12 | WARREN | KEEGAN | 6-Oct-05 | MONCTON | QMJHL |
18 | MILOTA | JAKUB | 14-Apr-06 | CAPE BRETON | QMJHL |
19 | BENDER | NOAH | 30-Jun-06 | OSHAWA | OHL |
24 | OSTER | JACOB | 26-Mar-04 | OSHAWA | OHL |
26 | EGOROV | DAVID | 18-May-06 | BRANTFORD | OHL |
27 | UNGER | JACKSON | 13-Jan-05 | MOOSE JAW | WHL |
29 | TAMELIN | RYAN | 30-May-06 | VICTORIA | WHL |
30 | CHARTIER | KARSEN | 1-Jan-06 | SARNIA | OHL |