Moose Jaw Warriors to select first overall at the 2025 CHL Import Draft

TORONTO, ON — The Moose Jaw Warriors of the Western Hockey League (WHL) will have the first overall selection in the 2025 CHL Import Draft, which is scheduled for Wednesday, July 2, 2025, at 11:00 a.m. ET. Following the Warriors, the Peterborough Petes of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) will choose second, while the Victoriaville Tigres of the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) will select third. The CHL’s newest franchise, the Penticton Vees of the WHL, will make their first-ever selection at No. 10 during the 2025 CHL Import Draft (see the complete draft order below).

As part of a new policy adopted for the 2025-26 season, CHL clubs will now be permitted to carry up to three import players on their rosters. In accordance with this rule change, the CHL Import Draft will expand to three rounds. Under the revised rules, a club with no current import players may select up to three players, a club with one import may select two, while a club with two imports may select one. Clubs with three import players will be ineligible to participate. Additionally, CHL clubs will be permitted to trade selections ahead of the 2025 CHL Import Draft, and these trades must be finalized two days before the draft. 

For the first time in franchise history, the Moose Jaw Warriors hold the first overall pick in the CHL Import Draft, and they will be selecting within the top five for just the second time in the event’s history. With their first-round pick in last year’s CHL Import Draft, the reigning WHL champions selected Dominik Pavlik 53rd overall. The 18-year-old from Trutnov, Czechia, registered a goal and an assist over the club’s final 13 games of the 2024-25 season. The Warriors have a proven track record of developing high-impact import talent, including NHL alumni Pavel Kubina and Tomas Fleischmann, as well as Martin Rysavy, who played a key role in helping Moose Jaw capture its first-ever WHL championship in 2024.

The Peterborough Petes earned the second overall pick of the 2025 CHL Import Draft after winning the 2025 OHL Priority Selection Lottery. Set to pick second for the first time in franchise history, the Petes made only one selection at last year’s event – taking Czech forward and 2026 NHL Draft prospect Adam Novotny at No. 9. Peterborough boasts a proven history of selecting strong talent through the CHL Import Draft, including Fredrik Näslund (Sweden), Lino Martschini (Switzerland), Lukas Krajicek (Czechia), and Brian Zanetti (Switzerland), all of whom played key roles during championship seasons or brought immediate offensive contributions to the team.

The Victoriaville Tigres hold the third overall pick of the 2025 CHL Import Draft, marking their highest draft position in franchise history at this event. During last year’s draft, the Tigres chose a pair of Finnish skaters in Mikko Leppä (1st Round – 40th Overall) and Roope Rajala (2nd Round – 100th Overall), who both played a combined 39 games for Victoriaville in 2024-25. Victoriaville has a strong track record of identifying and developing international talent through the CHL Import Draft. Notable alumni include NHLer Andrej Nestrašil, as well as standout forwards Mikhail Abramov, Tomas Kubalik, and Nikita Prishchepov, who each had a significant impact on the club during their time in Victoriaville.

Over the years, the CHL Import Draft has seen countless players selected by CHL clubs at this event go on to have successful careers in the CHL’s Member Leagues (WHL, OHL, and QMJHL) before later hearing their names called at the NHL Draft. Last year, at the 2024 NHL Draft in Las Vegas, Nevada, 10 CHL players who came through the CHL Import Draft were selected by NHL clubs: 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).

Among some of the other notable import players to have come through the CHL before having successful NHL careers include Leon Draisaitl (Prince Albert Raiders / WHL), Zdeno Chara (Prince George Cougars / WHL), Marian Hossa (Portland Winterhawks / WHL), Michael Backlund (Kelowna Rockets / WHL), Oliver Bjorkstrand (Portland Winterhawks / WHL), Gabriel Landeskog (Kitchener Rangers / OHL), Andrei Svechnikov (Barrie Colts / OHL), Nikita Zadorov (London Knights / OHL), Rasmus Andersson (Barrie Colts / OHL), Olli Määttä (London Knights / OHL), Nikita Kucherov (Rouyn-Noranda Huskies / QMJHL), Alexander Radulov (Québec Remparts / QMJHL), David Krejci (Gatineau Olympiques / QMJHL), Nico Hischier (Halifax Mooseheads / QMJHL), and Nikolaj Ehlers (Halifax Mooseheads / QMJHL).

Since the first CHL Import Draft was held in 1992, over 2,170 players from outside of Canada and the United States have been selected at this annual event. 

Order of Selections for the 2025 CHL Import Draft

First Round			Second Round			Third Round
#	Team		#	Team		#	Team
1	Moose Jaw Warriors		62	Penticton Vees		123	Penticton Vees
2	Peterborough Petes		63	Peterborough Petes		124	Peterborough Petes
3	Victoriaville Tigres		64	Victoriaville Tigres		125	Victoriaville Tigres
4	Regina Pats		65	Moose Jaw Warriors		126	Moose Jaw Warriors
5	Guelph Storm		66	Guelph Storm		127	Guelph Storm
6	Saint John Sea Dogs		67	Saint John Sea Dogs		128	Saint John Sea Dogs
7	Kelowna Rockets		68	Regina Pats		129	Regina Pats
8	Ottawa 67’s		69	Sarnia Sting		130	Sarnia Sting
9	Halifax Mooseheads		70	Halifax Mooseheads		131	Halifax Mooseheads
10	Penticton Vees		71	Kelowna Rockets		132	Kelowna Rockets
11	Sarnia Sting		72	Ottawa 67’s		133	Ottawa 67’s
12	Gatineau Olympiques		73	Gatineau Olympiques		134	Gatineau Olympiques
13	Kamloops Blazers		74	Kamloops Blazers		135	Kamloops Blazers
14	Owen Sound Attack		75	Owen Sound Attack		136	Owen Sound Attack
15	Québec Remparts		76	Québec Remparts		137	Québec Remparts
16	Wenatchee Wild		77	Wenatchee Wild		138	Wenatchee Wild
17	North Bay Battalion		78	North Bay Battalion		139	North Bay Battalion
18	Val-d’Or Foreurs		79	Val-d’Or Foreurs		140	Val-d’Or Foreurs
19	Red Deer Rebels		80	Red Deer Rebels		141	Red Deer Rebels
20	Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds		81	Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds		142	Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds
21	Charlottetown Islanders		82	Charlottetown Islanders		143	Charlottetown Islanders
22	Seattle Thunderbirds		83	Seattle Thunderbirds		144	Seattle Thunderbirds
23	Flint Firebirds		84	Flint Firebirds		145	Flint Firebirds
24	Newfoundland Regiment		85	Newfoundland Regiment		146	Newfoundland Regiment
25	Tri-City Americans		86	Tri-City Americans		147	Tri-City Americans
26	Niagara Icedogs		87	Niagara Icedogs		148	Niagara Icedogs
2 7	Sherbrooke Phoenix		88	Sherbrooke Phoenix		149	Sherbrooke Phoenix
28	Swift Current Broncos		89	Swift Current Broncos		150	Swift Current Broncos
29	Sudbury Wolves		90	Sudbury Wolves		151	Sudbury Wolves
30	Cape Breton Eagles		91	Cape Breton Eagles		152	Cape Breton Eagles
31	Vancouver Giants		92	Vancouver Giants		153	Vancouver Giants
32	Erie Otters		93	Erie Otters		154	Erie Otters
33	Blainville-Boisbriand Armada		94	Blainville-Boisbriand Armada		155	Blainville-Boisbriand Armada
34	Portland Winterhawks		95	Portland Winterhawks		156	Portland Winterhawks
35	Saginaw Spirit		96	Saginaw Spirit		157	Saginaw Spirit
36	Baie-Comeau Drakkar		97	Baie-Comeau Drakkar		158	Baie-Comeau Drakkar
37	Edmonton Oil Kings		98	Edmonton Oil Kings		159	Edmonton Oil Kings
38	Brampton Steelheads		99	Brampton Steelheads		160	Brampton Steelheads
39	Rouyn-Noranda Huskies		100	Rouyn-Noranda Huskies		161	Rouyn-Noranda Huskies
40	Saskatoon Blades		101	Saskatoon Blades		162	Saskatoon Blades
41	Oshawa Generals		102	Oshawa Generals		163	Oshawa Generals
42	Chicoutimi Saguenéens		103	Chicoutimi Saguenéens		164	Chicoutimi Saguenéens
43	Brandon Wheat Kings		104	Brandon Wheat Kings		165	Brandon Wheat Kings
44	Kingston Frontenacs		105	Kingston Frontenacs		166	Kingston Frontenacs
45	Shawinigan Cataractes		106	Shawinigan Cataractes		167	Shawinigan Cataractes
46	Prince Albert Raiders		107	Prince Albert Raiders		168	Prince Albert Raiders
47	Barrie Colts		108	Barrie Colts		169	Barrie Colts
48	Drummondville Voltigeurs		109	Drummondville Voltigeurs		170	Drummondville Voltigeurs
49	Prince George Cougars		110	Prince George Cougars		171	Prince George Cougars
50	Brantford Bulldogs		111	Brantford Bulldogs		172	Brantford Bulldogs
51	Rimouski Océanic		112	Rimouski Océanic		173	Rimouski Océanic
52	Lethbridge Hurricanes		113	Lethbridge Hurricanes		174	Lethbridge Hurricanes
53	Windsor Spitfires		114	Windsor Spitfires		175	Windsor Spitfires
54	Moncton Wildcats		115	Moncton Wildcats		176	Moncton Wildcats
55	Victoria Royals		116	Victoria Royals		177	Victoria Royals
56	Kitchener Rangers		117	Kitchener Rangers		178	Kitchener Rangers
57	Spokane Chiefs		118	Spokane Chiefs		179	Spokane Chiefs
58	London Knights		119	London Knights		180	London Knights
59	Calgary Hitmen		120	Calgary Hitmen		181	Calgary Hitmen
60	Medicine Hat Tigers		121	Medicine Hat Tigers		182	Medicine Hat Tigers
61	Everett Silvertips		122	Everett Silvertips		183	Everett Silvertips