TORONTO, ON – The Canadian Hockey League (CHL) and Member Leagues — the Western Hockey League (WHL), Ontario Hockey League (OHL), and Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) — are proud to announce the first three players named to Team CHL’s roster for the 2025 CHL USA Prospects Challenge, set for November 25 at Calgary’s Scotiabank Saddledome and November 26 at VisitLethbridge.com Arena.
Defenceman Ryan Lin (Vancouver Giants / WHL), forward Ryan Roobroeck (Niagara IceDogs / OHL), and defenceman Xavier Villeneuve (Blainville-Boisbriand Armada / QMJHL) have been selected by NHL Central Scouting as the first roster additions. All three are considered top prospects for the 2026 NHL Draft, set to be rated as ‘A’ prospects on NHL Central Scouting’s Players to Watch List for the 2026 NHL Draft (to be released October 20, 2025), and were key members of Canada’s gold medal-winning team at the 2025 IIHF Under-18 World Championship.
“Ryan Lin, Ryan Roobroeck, and Xavier Villeneuve bring the kind of skill, intensity, and excitement fans will see at this year’s CHL USA Prospects Challenge,” said Dan MacKenzie, CHL President. “They’ve already proven themselves as standouts in their leagues and on the international stage, and now they’ll set the tone for an electric showcase in Calgary and Lethbridge against their greatest rivals – the United States.”
“The first three prospects named to Team CHL – Ryan Lin (Vancouver, WHL), Ryan Roobroeck (Niagara, OHL), and Xavier Villeneuve (Blainville-Boisbriand, QMJHL) – are established impact players in their respective leagues, each capable of delivering the kind of sensational plays that influence the outcome of a game,” stated Dan Marr, Director of NHL Central Scouting. “There are many more exceptional CHL prospects who will be selected to this roster in consultation with the 32 NHL clubs, ensuring fans witness a true best-on-best showcase of elite junior talent.”
Tickets Now Available
Tickets are now on sale for both games of the 2025 CHL USA Prospects Challenge. Fans can lock in their seats today for this two-game showcase, which will feature the top 2026 NHL Draft-eligible prospects from the WHL, OHL & QMJHL competing against those from USA Hockey’s National Team Development Program (NTDP) Under-18 Team.
Get your tickets here:
CALGARY (Tuesday, November 25 at 6 p.m. MT)
LETHBRIDGE (Wednesday, November 26 at 6 p.m. MT)
Player Profiles
- Ryan Lin (Vancouver Giants / WHL): The 17-year-old from Richmond, B.C., tallied 53 points in 60 games during 2024-25, ranking seventh among U17 defencemen across the CHL since 1990. He became just the second WHL rookie blueliner aged 16 or younger to surpass 50 points in a season since Kamloops Blazers alumnus Scott Niedermayer (1989-90). In Vancouver Giants history, only Gilbert Brule (60 points, 2003-04) and Cameron Schmidt (58 points, 2023-24) have recorded more points as 16-year-old rookies.
- Ryan Roobroeck (Niagara IceDogs / OHL): The 17-year-old from London, Ont., erupted for 41 goals and 87 points in 2024-25, leading the IceDogs in both categories. His 41 goals were tied for the most among all CHL players eligible for the 2026 NHL Draft, while his 87 points made him one of just two in that class to top the 60-point mark last season. He also joined an elite group as one of only 14 CHL players since 2000 to score 40 or more goals in the season immediately preceding their first year of NHL Draft eligibility.
- Xavier Villeneuve (Blainville-Boisbriand Armada / QMJHL): The 17-year-old from Les Cèdres, Que., captured the Émile-Bouchard Trophy as QMJHL Defenceman of the Year following the 2024-25 campaign, becoming only the third player of his age in league history to earn the honour, alongside Samuel Girard (2016) and Jean-Jacques Daigneault (1983). Villeneuve led all QMJHL blueliners with 50 assists – including 28 on the power play – while his 62 points ranked second among defencemen in 2024-25. He capped off his season by helping Canada win gold at the 2025 IIHF U18 World Championship, where he led all tournament defencemen with four goals.
About the CHL USA Prospects Challenge
First introduced in 2024, the CHL USA Prospects Challenge is a best-on-best, two-game series showcasing the top NHL Draft-eligible players from the WHL, OHL, and QMJHL competing against the U.S. National Under-18 Team. The 2025 edition in Calgary and Lethbridge will once again highlight many of the premier prospects projected to be selected in the early rounds of the 2026 NHL Draft.
The inaugural event, held last November in London and Oshawa, proved to be a resounding success. Of the 22 participants on Team CHL, 16 were selected in the first round of the 2025 NHL Draft:
- Matthew Schaefer (Erie Otters / OHL) – 1st overall, New York Islanders
- Michael Misa (Saginaw Spirit / OHL) – 2nd overall, San Jose Sharks
- Caleb Desnoyers (Moncton Wildcats / QMJHL) – 4th overall, Utah Mammoth
- Brady Martin (Soo Greyhounds / OHL) – 5th overall, Nashville Predators
- Porter Martone (Brampton Steelheads / OHL) – 6th overall, Philadelphia Flyers
- Jake O’Brien (Brantford Bulldogs / OHL) – 8th overall, Seattle Kraken
- Ben Kindel (Calgary Hitmen / WHL) – 11th overall, Pittsburgh Penguins
- Carter Bear (Everett Silvertips / WHL) – 13th overall, Detroit Red Wings
- Jackson Smith (Tri-City Americans / WHL) – 14th overall, Columbus Blue Jackets
- Braeden Cootes (Seattle Thunderbirds / WHL) – 15th overall, Vancouver Canucks
- Kashawn Aitcheson (Barrie Colts / OHL) – 17th overall, New York Islanders
- Cole Reschny (Victoria Royals / WHL) – 18th overall, Calgary Flames
- Justin Carbonneau (Blainville-Boisbriand Armada / QMJHL) – 19th overall, St. Louis Blues
- Cameron Reid (Kitchener Rangers / OHL) – 21st overall, Nashville Predators
- Lynden Lakovic (Moose Jaw Warriors / WHL) – 27th overall, Washington Capitals
- Joshua Ravensbergen (Prince George Cougars / WHL) – 30th overall, San Jose Sharks
For more information on the 2025 CHL USA Prospects Challenge, visit chl.ca/prospectschallenge.
OHL Writers 