2024 CHL/USA Prospects Challenge

The inaugural two-game series will begin with the first contest on Tuesday, November 26 in London, Ontario, while the second game will be held on Wednesday, November 27 in Oshawa, Ontario

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2024

TORONTO, ON – The Canadian Hockey League (CHL) and its three Member Leagues are excited to announce the London Knights and the Oshawa Generals as the host clubs for the 2024 CHL USA Prospects Challenge presented by Kubota Canada, which will be a two-game series between the CHL and USA Hockey’s National Team Development Program (NTDP). This new event is being added to the calendar starting this season and it will feature many of the best prospects set to be chosen at the 2025 NHL Draft.

The first game of this new event will take place on Tuesday, November 26 at Budweiser Gardens in London, Ontario, while the second contest will be held the following night on Wednesday, November 27 at the Tribute Communities Centre in Oshawa, Ontario. Tickets for both games of the 2024 CHL USA Prospects Challenge will be available to the public starting Tuesday, October 1 at 10 a.m. ET. By being a CHL Insider or registering to become one by Friday (September 20) at 10 a.m. ET, fans can be a part of an exclusive pre-sale and receive a special promotional code that will give them access to a select number of seats ahead of the public on-sale of each game.

Building off of one of hockey’s greatest rivalries between Canada and the United States, the CHL USA Prospects Challenge will see the top first-year NHL Draft-eligible prospects from the CHL’s Member Leagues – Western Hockey League (WHL), Ontario Hockey League (OHL), and Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) – face-off against those from the U.S. National Under-18 Team in a two-game series.

“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.”

“We are thrilled to bring some of the best junior hockey players in the world to our fans in London,” said Mark Hunter, the Vice-President and General Manager of the London Knights. “It will be an exciting game to watch and to see the next group of young men that aspire to play in the National Hockey League. It is a great thing for our organization, city, and our community to be a part of.”

“The entire Generals organization and I are extremely excited to bring this prospects game to Oshawa and our loyal fans,” said Rocco Tullio, the Owner, President, and Governor of the Oshawa Generals. “This event is the first ever of its kind, and we look forward to hosting and showcasing what our great city, community and fans have to offer.”

The format of the 2024 CHL USA Prospects Challenge will see teams earn two points for a win and zero points for a loss, regardless of whether a game ends in regulation, overtime, or a shootout. If a game is tied after regulation, teams will play a five-minute three-on-three overtime period, followed by a three-round shootout if necessary. If either game is still tied after three players have shot for each team, the shootout will continue in a sudden-death fashion using different players until a team wins the game.

If after the completion of the second game of the series, the CHL USA Prospects Challenge has the CHL and NTDP’s U18 team tied at two points each, the teams will play a three-on-three 20-minute period(s) until a goal is scored to determine the winner of the series.

Set to be a part of the calendar over the next three seasons, the CHL USA Prospects Challenge will see players from the CHL and NTDP’s U18 team compete before hundreds of NHL scouts and thousands of fans in an effort to improve their draft stock ahead of the upcoming NHL Draft. Players for the CHL team will be provided by NHL Central Scouting as selected by the NHL’s 32 clubs, and much like other national events in the CHL, the hosting duties of the CHL USA Prospects Challenge will rotate between the CHL’s three Member League markets each year.

About the Canadian Hockey League (CHL)
The Canadian Hockey League (CHL) is the world’s largest development hockey league with 51 Canadian and nine American teams participating in 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) and U SPORTS than any other league. During the 2023-24 season, of the 1,000-plus players who played a game in the NHL, over 430 came through the CHL. At the 2023 NHL Draft, 80 CHL players were selected, including 11 in the first round.

Media Contact
Christopher Séguin, Media Relations Manager
437-431-0651
cseguin@chl.ca

About USA Hockey’s National Team Development Program

USA Hockey’s National Team Development Program is a two-year residency program for high-performance players that is located at USA Hockey Arena in Plymouth, Michigan. The goal of the full-time development program is to prepare student-athletes under the age of 18 for participation on U.S. National Teams and success in their future hockey careers. Its efforts focus not only on high-caliber participation on the ice, but creating well-rounded individuals off the ice.

About Kubota Canada Ltd.
Kubota Canada Ltd. (KCL) is a wholly owned subsidiary of Kubota Corporation, a tractor and heavy equipment manufacturer based in Osaka, Japan. KCL markets and distributes Kubota engineered and manufactured machinery and equipment, including a complete line of tractors of up to 200 Gross HP, performance-matched implements, compact construction, commercial turf and landscaping products, utility vehicles, and consumer lawn and garden equipment. KCL is also the Canadian distributor for Great Plains, Kverneland, and Land Pride products, all of which are also wholly owned subsidiaries of Kubota Corporation. For product literature or dealer locations, contact Kubota Canada Ltd. at 1155 Kubota Drive, Pickering, Ontario, Canada L1X 0H4, 905 294-6535, or visit kubota.ca.