Wolves’ Villeneuve added to 2024 Kubota CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game
The Canadian Hockey League (CHL) announced today that Eriks Mateiko of the Saint John Sea Dogs and Nathan Villeneuve of the Sudbury Wolves have been added to the 2024 Kubota CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game, which will take place this Wednesday at the Avenir Centre in Moncton, N.B., at 7:30 p.m. AT (see final rosters below). Mateiko and Villeneuve are replacing Cayden Lindstrom of the Medicine Hat Tigers and Ryder Ritchie of the Prince Albert Raiders, who are both unable to participate in Wednesday’s game due to injuries.
Mateiko was the third-highest rated QMJHL skater at No. 36 on the NHL Central Scouting’s Midterm Rankings, behind only Maxim Massé of the Chicoutimi Saguenéens and Raoul Boilard of the Baie-Comeau Drakkar, who will play alongside Mateiko on Team Red. With 31 points in 33 games this season, Mateiko is averaging just shy of a point-per-game. He also recently represented Latvia at the 2024 IIHF World Junior Championship, where he had one goal in five contests.
Meanwhile, ranked No. 51 on NHL Central Scouting’s Midterm Rankings, Villeneuve is also being added to Team Red’s roster. The 17-year-old from Ottawa, Ont., has tallied 31 points in 39 games during the 2023-24 campaign. He’s been especially productive as of late, having collected 24 points (8G-16A) over his last 21 contests since November 19.
Last Friday, it was also announced that Team Red will be captained by London Knights defenceman Sam Dickinson, while Spokane Chiefs centreman Berkly Catton will captain Team White. Joining Dickinson in the leadership group for Team Red are alternate captains Ollie Josephson (Red Deer Rebels) and Maxim Massé (Chicoutimi Saguenéens), while serving as alternate captains with Team White under Catton are Spencer Gill (Rimouski Océanic) and Henry Mews (Ottawa 67’s).
The 2024 Kubota CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game airs live in Canada from the Avenir Centre on TSN, TSN.ca, the TSN App, RDS and RDS.ca on Wednesday, January 24 starting at 6:30 p.m. ET / 3:30 p.m. PT. Meanwhile, in the United States, the game will air live on NHL Network, while viewers outside of Canada can catch all the action on CHL TV.
Fans interested in attending Wednesday’s game can still do so by heading to Ticketmaster.ca to secure their tickets to the 2024 Kubota CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game in Moncton.
TEAM RED ROSTER
POS | # | NAME | TEAM |
G | 31 | Ryerson Leenders | Mississauga Steelheads (OHL) |
G | 30 | Lukas Matecha | Tri-City Americans (WHL) |
D | 18 | Harrison Brunicke | Kamloops Blazers (WHL) |
D | 77 | Ben Danford | Oshawa Generals (OHL) |
D | 3 | Sam Dickinson “C” | London Knights (OHL) |
D | 71 | Charlie Elick | Brandon Wheat Kings (WHL) |
D | 19 | Zayne Parekh | Saginaw Spirit (OHL) |
D | 6 | Colton Roberts | Vancouver Giants (WHL) |
F | 34 | Andrew Basha | Medicine Hat Tigers (WHL) |
F | 29 | Cole Beaudoin | Barrie Colts (OHL) |
F | 27 | Raoul Boilard | Baie-Comeau Drakkar (QMJHL) |
F | 43 | Tanner Howe | Regina Pats (WHL) |
F | 8 | Adam Jecho | Edmonton Oil Kings (WHL) |
F | 16 | Ollie Josephson “A” | Red Deer Rebels (WHL) |
F | 2 | Eriks Mateiko | Saint John Sea Dogs |
F | 7 | Maxim Massé “A” | Chicoutimi Saguenéens (QMJHL) |
F | 17 | Julius Miettinen | Everett Silvertips (WHL) |
F | 21 | Ethan Procyszyn | North Bay Battalion (OHL) |
F | 24 | Nathan Villeneuve | Sudbury Wolves (OHL) |
F | 78 | Marek Vanacker | Brantford Bulldogs (OHL) |
TEAM WHITE ROSTER
POS | # | NAME | TEAM |
G | 35 | Dawson Cowan | Spokane Chiefs (WHL) |
G | 32 | Carter George | Owen Sound Attack (OHL) |
D | 13 | Lukas Fischer | Sarnia Sting (OHL) |
D | 15 | Spencer Gill “A” | Rimouski Océanic (QMJHL) |
D | 3 | Tomas Lavoie | Cape Breton Eagles (QMJHL) |
D | 19 | Luca Marrelli | Oshawa Generals (OHL) |
D | 11 | Henry Mews “A” | Ottawa 67’s (OHL) |
D | 26 | Carter Yakemchuk | Calgary Hitmen (WHL) |
F | 27 | Berkly Catton “C” | Spokane Chiefs (WHL) |
F | 25 | Maxmilian Curran | Tri-City Americans (WHL) |
F | 18 | Gabriel Frasca | Kingston Frontenacs (OHL) |
F | 66 | Liam Greentree | Windsor Spitfires (OHL) |
F | 17 | Tij Iginla | Kelowna Rockets (WHL) |
F | 7 | Jett Luchanko | Guelph Storm (OHL) |
F | 33 | Luke Misa | Mississauga Steelheads (OHL) |
F | 23 | Sam O’Reilly | London Knights (OHL) |
F | 20 | Terik Parascak | Prince George Cougars (WHL) |
F | 45 | Beckett Sennecke | Oshawa Generals (OHL) |
F | 22 | Kieron Walton | Sudbury Wolves (OHL) |
F | 16 | Carson Wetsch | Calgary Hitmen (WHL) |