WHL Alumnus and Rising Country Star Zach McPhee to Perform at 2025 CHL USA Prospects Challenge in Lethbridge

Live country music meets top NHL Draft prospects — see WHL alumnus Zach McPhee perform live during intermission and post-game at the 2025 CHL USA Prospects Challenge in Lethbridge – tickets available now at chl.ca/prospectschallenge.

The Canadian Hockey League (CHL), in partnership with MRG Live, is proud to announce that country music artist and WHL alumnus Zach McPhee will perform during the second intermission and post-game at Game 2 of the 2025 CHL USA Prospects Challenge, hosted by the Lethbridge Hurricanes on Wednesday, November 26 at VisitLethbridge.com Arena.

Fans attending the game will have full access to both performances as part of their ticket — including a special post-game performance live from the lounge inside VisitLethbridge.com Arena, immediately following the final buzzer.

McPhee – who played four seasons in the Western Hockey League (WHL) with the Everett Silvertips, Tri-City Americans, and Kootenay ICE, recording 35 points in 174 career games before continuing his hockey journey at the University of Regina – has since emerged as one of Canada’s most exciting new voices in country music. Since releasing his debut EP Feels Country to Me in 2023, he has earned over 30 million streams, won the 2024 SiriusXM Top of the Country competition, and captured two BCCMA Awards in 2025 (Album of the Year and Emerging Artist of the Year), along with his first CCMA nomination for Breakthrough Artist of the Year. He has also performed at major events, including Canadian Country Music Week, LASSO Music Festival, and Denim on the Diamond Festival. His breakout singles Who Knew and Smoke have helped fuel a rapidly growing national fanbase.

“Zach’s journey reflects the heart of the CHL and our Member Leagues,” said Dan MacKenzie, President of the CHL. “From the WHL to the OHL and the QMJHL, our leagues play a key role in shaping not only tomorrow’s hockey stars, but also future teammates, role models, and community leaders. It’s inspiring to see Zach carry the lessons of his WHL days into this next chapter of his life, and we’re proud to welcome him back in a way that connects his hockey roots with his musical career.”

“My time in the WHL was life-changing in so many great ways. Getting the opportunity to play at the highest level of junior hockey in Canada was always a dream of mine, and using the WHL Scholarship to further my hockey career and complete university studies at the University of Regina was very beneficial,” stated Zach McPhee. “The WHL also gave me a platform to share my early music through partnerships with Shaw TV and local radio stations. This was my initial introduction into music publicly, and I’m grateful to have been given the opportunity to promote that part of my life during that time.”

The 2025 CHL USA Prospects Challenge will feature top 2026 NHL Draft-eligible players from the Western Hockey League (WHL), Ontario Hockey League (OHL), and Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) facing off against the U.S. National Under-18 Team in a two-game series — with Game 1 set for Tuesday, November 25 at Calgary’s Scotiabank Saddledome, and Game 2 on Wednesday, November 26 at Lethbridge’s VisitLethbridge.com Arena. Both games will air live across Canada on TSN and RDS at 6:00 p.m. MT / 8:00 p.m. ET. Tickets for both games are on sale now at chl.ca/prospectschallenge.

About the CHL USA Prospects Challenge
First introduced in 2024, the CHL USA Prospects Challenge is a best-on-best, two-game series spotlighting the top NHL Draft-eligible players from the WHL, OHL, and QMJHL facing off against the U.S. National Under-18 Team. The inaugural edition, held last November in London and Oshawa, proved a major success — 16 of 22 players on Team CHL were selected in the first round of the 2025 NHL Draft. 

The 2025 edition, hosted by the Calgary Hitmen and Lethbridge Hurricanes, will once again spotlight elite NHL prospects projected to headline the 2026 NHL Draft — including JP Hurlbert (Kamloops Blazers / WHL), Adam Novotný (Peterborough Petes / OHL), and Xavier Villeneuve (Blainville-Boisbriand Armada / QMJHL) among the 15 CHL players who earned an “A” rating (first-round candidate) on NHL Central Scouting’s Preliminary Players to Watch List.

Fans can catch both games live in Canada on TSN and RDS on November 25 (Calgary) and November 26 (Lethbridge). Puck drop is set for 6:00 p.m. MT / 8:00 p.m. ET. Tickets for both games are available now at chl.ca/prospectschallenge.

About Zach McPhee

Hailing from British Columbia’s Okanagan Valley, Zach McPhee is one of country music’s most exciting new voices. Since his 2023 debut, he’s gained recognition for his raw storytelling, powerful vocals, and undeniable authenticity. He was crowned the 2024 SiriusXM Top of the Country winner and won two trophies at the 2025 BCCMA Awards for Album of the Year and Emerging Artist of the Year. McPhee received his first-ever CCMA nomination for Breakthrough Artist of the Year in 2025. His debut EP, Feels Country to Me, and its 2024 Deluxe Edition — featuring breakout single Who Knew and Top 10 radio hit Smoke — have helped him amass over 30 million streams. McPhee’s music is resonating far beyond his roots, drawing in a fast-growing fan base eager for more.