Thunderbirds star England named to Team CHL for 2026 CHL USA Prospects Challenge presented by Primaris

Forwards Brock England (Seattle Thunderbirds / WHL), Dima Zhilkin (Saginaw Spirit / OHL), Alexis Joseph (Saint John Sea Dogs / QMJHL) and Carter Meyer (Québec Remparts / QMJHL) are the first four players confirmed for the December 1–2 series, as Primaris joins the event as presenting partner

The Canadian Hockey League (CHL) announced today that forwards Brock England of the Seattle Thunderbirds (WHL), Dima Zhilkin of the Saginaw Spirit (OHL), Alexis Joseph of the Saint John Sea Dogs (QMJHL), and Carter Meyer of the Québec Remparts (QMJHL) are the first four players named to Team CHL for the 2026 CHL USA Prospects Challenge presented by Primaris.

The group features one player from each Member League—England from the Western Hockey League (WHL), Zhilkin from the Ontario Hockey League (OHL), and Joseph from the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL)—along with Meyer, who adds a second QMJHL selection and a host-market connection in Québec City. All four are considered top prospects eligible for the 2027 NHL Draft.

The CHL also announced today that Primaris will serve as the presenting partner of this year’s two-game series in Chicoutimi and Québec City.

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PLAYER NOTES (PLAYER BIOGRAPHIES, STATISTICS & BACKGROUND INFORMATION)

The third annual event will bring together many of the top players eligible for the 2027 NHL Draft as Team CHL faces the U.S. National Under-18 Team. Across its first two editions, 42 of the 44 players who represented Team CHL were subsequently selected in the NHL Draft, including 27 in the first round.

This year’s series opens Tuesday, December 1, at the Georges-Vézina Centre in Chicoutimi before moving to the Vidéotron Centre in Québec City on Wednesday, December 2. The Chicoutimi Saguenéens and Québec Remparts will serve as host clubs.

Tickets for both games are on sale now at CHL.ca/ProspectsChallenge.

“Brock, Dima, Alexis and Carter have distinguished themselves through their performances for their clubs and on the international stage, and they provide an exciting first look at the talent that will represent Team CHL this December,” said Dan MacKenzie, President of the CHL. “Each adds to a proud history for Seattle, Saginaw, Saint John and Québec at the CHL’s premier prospect events. Fans in Chicoutimi and Québec City will have a special opportunity to see the next generation of NHL talent compete head-to-head.”

“We are also proud to welcome Primaris as presenting partner of this year’s event,” added MacKenzie. “Their support will help us spotlight these exceptional young players and deliver a memorable experience for fans in Chicoutimi and Québec City.”

“Primaris is proud to partner with the CHL to celebrate the next generation of Canadian hockey talent and support an event that brings people and communities together,” stated Alex Avery, Chief Executive Officer of Primaris. “Our shopping centres are gathering places in communities across Canada, and this partnership is a natural extension of that role. We’re excited to help create a memorable experience for players and fans in Chicoutimi and Québec City this December.”

“Brock England and Dima Zhilkin are two dynamic, skilled forwards who generate offence,” said Karl Stewart, Vice President and Director of NHL Central Scouting. “England is poised to have a breakout season after winning gold at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup, while Zhilkin is poised to be a top scorer in the OHL. Alexis Joseph is that big, playmaking centre capable of being the difference-maker that all NHL teams covet, and Carter Meyer is a speedy centre with elite skills who is off to a great start in his first year in the CHL.”

Meet the first four players named to Team CHL

Brock England (C) — Seattle Thunderbirds (WHL)
A 5-foot-11, 175-pound centre from Red Deer, Alta., England led all 2009-born WHL skaters in both goals and points, recording 21 goals and 51 points in 64 games during his first full season. His 21 goals were the most by a 16-year-old Thunderbirds rookie since Patrick Marleau scored 32 in 1995–96. Internationally, England won gold at both the 2025 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge, where he collected seven points in five games, and the 2026 Hlinka Gretzky Cup, where he recorded four goals and five points in five games—including two goals in Canada’s 8–1 gold-medal victory over the United States.

England is set to become the 27th Thunderbird to participate in either the CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game or the CHL USA Prospects Challenge. Seattle’s 26 previous representatives include Marleau, Thomas Hickey, Shea Theodore and Kevin Korchinski. Most recently, Braeden Cootes represented Seattle as a member of Team CHL at the inaugural CHL USA Prospects Challenge in 2024.

Dima Zhilkin (LW) — Saginaw Spirit (OHL)
A 5-foot-11, 195-pound left winger from Windsor, Ont., Zhilkin served as Saginaw’s 27th captain while setting career highs with 36 goals, 39 assists and 75 points in 59 games during a breakout 2025–26 season. He added three goals and an assist in four playoff games. Internationally, Zhilkin led Canada with five goals and seven points in five games at the 2026 IIHF U18 Men’s World Championship after scoring three goals in five games during Canada’s bronze-medal run at the 2025 Hlinka Gretzky Cup. Most recently, he recorded three goals and an assist in two games at the 2026 World Junior Summer Showcase in Windsor, highlighted by a two-goal, three-point performance against Finland.

Zhilkin is set to become the 16th Spirit player to participate in either the CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game or the CHL USA Prospects Challenge. Saginaw’s 15 previous representatives include Brandon Saad, Vincent Trocheck, Cole Perfetti and Zayne Parekh. Zhilkin follows Michael Misa (2024) and Nikita Klepov (2025), making Saginaw the only CHL club currently represented in each of the first three editions of the CHL USA Prospects Challenge.

Alexis Joseph (C) — Saint John Sea Dogs (QMJHL)
A 6-foot-4, 210-pound centre from Lachenaie, Que., Joseph led all QMJHL 16-year-olds in scoring with 24 goals and 60 points in 54 games after Saint John selected him first overall in the 2025 QMJHL Draft. He finished second on the Sea Dogs in scoring and earned QMJHL Rookie All-Star Team honours. Internationally, Joseph captained Canada Red to gold at the 2025 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge, leading the tournament with 13 points in five games and earning All-Star Team honours. After representing Canada at the 2026 IIHF U18 Men’s World Championship, he recorded one goal and two assists in five games while helping his country capture gold at the 2026 Hlinka Gretzky Cup. Joseph was also one of the first six players recently selected by NHL Central Scouting for the QMJHL Prospects Game, presented by BFL Canada, on October 28 in Gatineau.

Joseph is set to become the 16th Sea Dog player to participate in either the CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game or the CHL USA Prospects Challenge. Saint John’s 15 previous representatives include Jonathan Huberdeau, Nathan Beaulieu and Thomas Chabot. Most recently, Eriks Mateiko represented the club at the 2024 CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game.

Carter Meyer (C) — Québec Remparts (QMJHL)
A 6-foot-1, 178-pound centre from Winchester, Mass., Meyer was selected 17th overall by Québec in the 2025 QMJHL Draft and joined the Remparts for the 2026–27 season after spending the previous campaign with USA Hockey’s National Team Development Program. He recorded 15 goals and 37 points in 42 USHL games and represented the United States at the 2025 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge, collecting 10 points in four games, and the 2026 IIHF U18 Men’s World Championship, adding five points in five contests. Meyer was also among NHL Central Scouting’s first six selections for the QMJHL Prospects Game, presented by BFL Canada, set for October 28 in Gatineau.

Meyer is set to become the 22nd Rempart player to participate in either the CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game or the CHL USA Prospects Challenge. Québec’s 21 previous representatives include Simon Gagné, Anthony Duclair and Nathan Gaucher. Most recently, Maddox Dagenais and Charlie Morrison represented the club at the 2025 CHL USA Prospects Challenge.

The CHL USA Prospects Challenge presented by Primaris: A proven showcase for NHL Draft talent

Across the first two editions of the CHL USA Prospects Challenge, 42 of the 44 Team CHL players were subsequently selected in the NHL Draft—21 from each roster. That group included 27 first-round selections: 16 from the inaugural 2024 event and another 11 from the 2025 edition.

“The two-game CHL USA Prospects Challenge format is a priority scouting event for NHL scouts and general managers, as it brings together some of the top talent available for the 2027 NHL Draft,” said Stewart. “This event is always highly competitive and entertaining in showcasing the speed, skills, and elite talent in the CHL and USA.”

The inaugural roster featured 2025 first-round selections Matthew Schaefer (Erie Otters / OHL, first overall), Caleb Desnoyers (Moncton Wildcats / QMJHL, fourth overall) and Braeden Cootes (Seattle Thunderbirds / WHL, 15th overall). One year later, Caleb Malhotra (Brantford Bulldogs / OHL, third overall), Daxon Rudolph (Prince Albert Raiders / WHL, fourth overall) and Maddox Dagenais (Québec Remparts / QMJHL, 16th overall) were among the 2025 event participants chosen in the opening round of the 2026 NHL Draft.

That success reflects the CHL’s broader position as the leading supplier of talent to the NHL. A 17-year high of 197 CHL-developed players appeared on NHL Central Scouting’s Final Rankings in 2026, while 106 were ultimately selected at the 2026 NHL Draft—the most of any development league and the CHL’s highest total since 2010. It marked the CHL’s first 100-pick draft since 2013 and its fourth-highest total of the seven-round era.

The remaining members of Team CHL’s roster for the 2026 CHL USA Prospects Challenge presented by Primaris will be announced in October.

About the Canadian Hockey League (CHL)

The Canadian Hockey League (CHL) is the world’s largest development hockey league, featuring 52 Canadian and nine American teams across the Western Hockey League (WHL), Ontario Hockey League (OHL), and Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL). The CHL supplies more players to the National Hockey League (NHL) than any other league and supports student-athletes through significant investment in education and scholarship programs. Each year, nearly 1,000 CHL graduates receive support through WHL, OHL, and QMJHL scholarship programs, with CHL clubs investing nearly $10 million annually in player education and scholarship support. During the 2025-26 NHL season, more than 475 CHL alumni were among the 1,033-plus players to appear in at least one game. At the 2026 NHL Draft, 106 CHL-developed players were selected — the most of any development league worldwide and the CHL’s highest total since 2010 — including 16 first-round picks. For more information, please visit chl.ca.

About Primaris Real Estate Investment Trust

Primaris is Canada’s only enclosed shopping centre focused REIT, with ownership interests in leading enclosed shopping centres located in growing Canadian markets. The current portfolio totals 14.6 million square feet, valued at approximately $5.2 billion at Primaris’ share. Economies of scale are achieved through its fully internal, vertically integrated, full-service national management platform. Primaris is very well-capitalized and is exceptionally well positioned to take advantage of market opportunities at an extraordinary moment in the evolution of the Canadian retail property landscape.