Photo by Eric Young, CHL
The first-ever CHL USA Prospects Challenge is now complete, and if you just looked at the stats, you might not think it was worth it.
The CHL won both games in London and Oshawa by a combined score of 9-3 over the USA Hockey National Team Development Program. The shots were even more uneven, and in Oshawa the game would have been much worse than 3-2 had it not been for NTDP goaltender Harrison Boettiger’s Herculean effort while his team was outshot 38-12.
So was it worth it? for sure.
On paper, this year’s competition heavily favored the CHL, which had 15 A-rated skaters on Central Scouting’s list for the 2025 NHL Draft compared to two on the NTDP.
The American kids were also missing some of their best draft-eligible players — late 2006 college-borns such as James Hagens, Logan Hensler and Shane Vansaghi. Still, it was a great opportunity to see the NTDP kids play against the most elite competition in their age group.
For me, forwards like Jack Murtagh and William Belle were the NTDP’s best skaters in Oshawa, giving it their all against top five players like Porter Martone, Michael Misa and Matthew Schaefer. And for the NTDP, it was just another test for their kids as the “Program” seeks to prepare them for college, the pros and hopefully the NHL one day.
“We intentionally put our players in really challenging environments to gain experience and growth,” NTDP coach Greg Moore said. “We play varsity teams with players who are 22, 23, sometimes 25-year-old men. It builds character and resilience and they never quit or gave up in those two games.”
Related: NHL Draft: Three Stars Of Game 1 Of CHL USA Prospects Challenge
After a 6-1 drubbing in London, NTDP refocused in Oshawa. While the CHL dominated the offensive zone, Team USA blocked plenty of shots, got the sticks in the lane and battled hard in front of their MVP goaltender Boettiger.
“It was exactly what you would expect,” Moore said. “There’s a lot of talent there, some really good players. They were really competitive and there was a lot of pride on both sides. It was very heated and I thought both teams held their own.”
There were actually a lot of extras throughout the game, including some 5v5 scrums that were as close to fighting as you can get with the NTDP kids wearing their usual full cages/bubbles on their helmets.
“It was a little bit of a weird game with them in the cages and us with the shields,” said Caleb Desnoyers, Oshawa’s CHL player of the game. “But at the end of the day, we were able to be pretty tough and physical on them.
And despite being on the receiving end, the NTDP kids had a lot of fun – and they certainly didn’t mind the rough stuff.
“It’s a great rivalry and everyone is super competitive,” center Cole McKinney said. “Everybody wants an edge in those moments and everybody’s excited. It’s a really fun environment to play in.”
Related: NHL Draft: Three Stars Of Game 2 Of CHL USA Prospects Challenge
The event also received full marks from CHL coach Kris Mallette.
“Honestly, I’d like it to be a five-game streak,” he said. “A little earlier, then maybe a little later in the season, like a rivalry series.
The CHL and NTDP have at least two more such events planned for the next few years, and maybe Mallette will get his wish for expansion. Already at the Hlinka-Gretzky summer tournament, he coached many of his CHL stars, and depending on the results of the CHL playoffs, some of those kids could be teammates again at the U18 Men’s World Championship in Dallas. This is where most of the NTDP kids will be as this tournament is the culmination of their two years with the ‘Program’. Playing against the top draft prospects in the CHL can only help them in their goal of winning gold as Team USA at the end of the year.
“We don’t like to lose — we don’t accept it or agree with it — but they know the challenges we’ve put them through,” Moore said. “This experience will prepare us especially for April and the U18 Worlds, they will be able to look back at this challenge and how they overcame some obstacles and had to find their game. All these experiences will help us.” finally big time.”
Get the latest news and trending stories straight to your inbox by subscribing to The Hockey News here. And share your thoughts in the comments below the article on THN.com or via by visiting our forum.
Related: Matthew Schaefer bets on the No. 1 pick in the 2025 NHL draft