2024 CHL Import Draft set to take place tomorrow at 8:00 a.m. PST

Scheduled to start at 8:00 a.m. PST tomorrow (July 3), the 2024 CHL Import Draft will see the Val-d’Or Foreurs of the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) kick things off by making the first overall selection. The Spokane Chiefs hold the 20th overall pick (first round) as well as the 80th overall pick (second round).

Following the Foreurs, who have the top pick of the CHL Import Draft for the first time since 2000, the Kamloops Blazers of the Western Hockey League (WHL) will choose second for the first time in franchise history, while the Windsor Spitfires of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) will select third for the first time in 31 years (see the complete draft order below).

The CHL Import Draft is an annual event in which every club in the Canadian Hockey League (CHL) can draft players from outside of North America. The two-round CHL Import Draft will take place online with the order of selection rotating between the clubs of each of the CHL’s three-member leagues. Each CHL team is permitted to dress a maximum of two import players each season who are selected annually through the CHL Import Draft. Those interested in following the draft tomorrow as each draft pick comes in can do so at chl.ca/draft/chl/2024/.

Over the years, the CHL Import Draft has seen dozens of players chosen at this event who have gone on to have successful careers in the CHL’s three-member leagues (WHL, OHL, and QMJHL) before later hearing their names called at the NHL Draft. Just last week, at the 2024 NHL Draft in Las Vegas, Nevada, 10 CHL players who came through the CHL Import Draft were selected by NHL clubs, including Finnish forward Julius Miettinen (Everett Silvertips, WHL / Seattle Kraken), Latvian forward Eriks Mateiko (Saint John Sea Dogs, QMJHL / Washington Capitals), and Czech defenceman Jakub Fibigr (Brampton Steelheads, OHL / Seattle Kraken).

Additionally, players from outside of North America who are recently drafted to the NHL will often come through the CHL Import Draft to make the most of an opportunity to play in the CHL to further develop their game and prepare themselves for the jump to the NHL. Notably, at last year’s 2023 CHL Import Draft, 12 players selected at the 2023 NHL Draft were chosen by CHL clubs the following week, including Slovakian forward Martin Misiak (Erie Otters, OHL / Chicago Blackhawks), Finnish defenceman Arttu Karki (Soo Greyhounds, OHL / Vegas Golden Knights), and German defenceman Norwin Panocha (Chicoutimi Saguenéens, QMJHL / Buffalo Sabres) who all played a role in their team’s success last season.

Among some of the other notable import players to have come through the CHL before having successful NHL careers include Andrei Svechnikov (Barrie Colts / OHL), Leon Draisaitl (Prince Albert Raiders / WHL), Nikita Kucherov (Rouyn-Noranda Huskies / QMJHL), Nico Hischier (Halifax Mooseheads / QMJHL), Nikita Zadorov (London Knights / OHL), Nikolaj Ehlers (Halifax Mooseheads / QMJHL), Olli Määttä (London Knights / OHL) and Oliver Bjorkstrand (Portland Winterhawks / WHL).

Since the first CHL Import Draft was held in 1992, over 2,090 players from outside of Canada and the United States have been selected at this annual event. 

Quick Facts

• This year’s 2024 CHL Import Draft will mark the 33rd edition of this event.
• 10 CHL players who previously came through the CHL Import Draft were selected by NHL clubs at the 2024 NHL Draft last week: Julius Miettinen (Everett Silvertips, WHL / Seattle Kraken), Ondrej Becher (Prince George Cougars, WHL / Detroit Red Wings), Eriks Mateiko (Saint John Sea Dogs, QMJHL / Washington Capitals), Adam Jecho (Edmonton Oil Kings, WHL / St. Louis Blues), Jakub Milota (Cape Breton Eagles, QMJHL / Nashville Predators), Jan Golicic (Gatineau Olympiques, QMJHL / Tampa Bay Lightning), Maximilian Curran (Tri-City Americans, WHL / Colorado Avalanche), Matyas Melovsky (Baie-Comeau Drakkar, QMJHL / New Jersey Devils), Jakub Fibigr (Brampton Steelheads, OHL / Seattle Kraken), and Nikita Prishchepov (Victoriaville Tigres, QMJHL / Colorado Avalanche).
• Over the last three years, a total of 29 players who came through the CHL Import Draft later heard their name called at an NHL Draft, including Pavel Mintyukov (Saginaw Spirit, OHL / Anaheim Ducks), Samuel Honzek (Vancouver Giants, WHL / Calgary Flames), and Matyas Sapovaliv (Saginaw Spirit, OHL, Vegas Golden Knights).
• Among some of the notable players who came through the CHL Import Draft and had success during the 2023-24 season in the CHL include: Anaheim Ducks prospect Egor Sidorov (50G-38A in 66 GP with the Saskatoon Blades), goaltender Jan Špunar (25-6-2-1 record, 2.12 GAA & .913 SV% in 35 GP with the Portland Winterhawks), St. Louis Blues prospect Dalibor Dvorský (45G-43A in 52 GP with the Sudbury Wolves), Anaheim Ducks prospect Rodwin Dionicio (25G-48A in 60 GP with the Windsor Spitfires & 2024 Memorial Cup champion Saginaw Spirit), Seattle Kraken prospect Andrei Loshko (28G-389A in 64 GP with the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies), and Buffalo Sabres Vsevolod Komarov (14G-55A with the Québec Remparts & the 2024 QMJHL Champion Drummondville Voltigeurs).
• In total, 75 players were drafted during the 2023 CHL Import Draft, including 12 players who were selected the week before at the 2023 NHL Draft, in addition to players from France (Antoine Keller / Acadie-Bathurst Titan), Japan (Kenta Isogai / Wenatchee Wild), and Poland (Krzysztof Macias / Prince Albert Raiders).

Order of Selections for the 2024 CHL Import Draft