With the CHL-Russia series having been abandoned and with the Top Prospect’s Game having been played for the final time in early January, the Canadian Hockey League has been searching for a new stage to show off its top prospects. They appear to have found one that will carry plenty of intrigue.
According to a release by the CHL, there will be a two-game series in November between the top prospects from the WHL, OHL, and QMJHL and the United States National Team Development Program. The games will take place November 26 and 27 in London and Oshawa.
“We are really excited to be heading to two strong hockey markets in London and Oshawa for the inaugural edition of this brand-new event,” said Dan MacKenzie, President of the CHL. “The CHL USA Prospects Challenge will be a can’t-miss, two-game series on the prospect calendar not only for this season but for years to come. We look forward to bringing it to life in London and Oshawa this November and providing our incredible fans with a chance to come watch a future generation of NHL stars.”
Previously, the top prospects in the CHL had formed two teams and played a single game against each other, usually in January. This year, it will be a two-game series with points awarded only for wins. Overtime and shootouts will follow a standard CHL game format (three-on-three for five minutes followed by a three-round shootout).
If the series is tied after two games, however, that’s where things really get interesting. At that point, the two teams will play 20-minutes three-on-three overtime periods until a goal is scored to determine the series winner.
This will mark the first time the full slate of top prospects in Canada will be available to face the U.S. NTDP. Canada sends all its available top players to the Hlinka Gretzky Cup, but the United States typically does not send the NTDP to that event. On the other hand, the NTDP goes to the World Under-18s but that tournament takes place in the middle of the CHL playoffs so not every top prospect from the CHL is available.
The regular season in the WHL begins this Friday night with the Brandon Wheat Kings hosting the Moose Jaw Warriors.
