FIVE MINUTE MAJOR Harper goes into the nuts and bolts of the CHL

In the past two weeks there has been a bit of news out of the Canadian Hockey League (CHL) in addition to the regular top 10 rankings.

A total of 12 Western Hockey League (WHL) players were invited to attend Canada’s National Junior Team Selection Camp. The 12 players representing the WHL will compete for a place on Canada’s National Junior Team. That team will compete at the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship, scheduled to begin Dec. 26, 2024, and run through Jan. 5, 2025, in Ottawa, Ontario. The 12 players include multiple National Hockey League (NHL) draft selections.

However, one of those 12 players is not yet drafted, but has impressed with stellar play as a member of the Medicine Hat Tigers. The WHL announced Monday, Dec. 2 that forward Gavin McKenna was named the WHL Player of the Week. He’s the reigning WHL Rookie of the Year and was also named WHL Player of the Month for September / October. He’s been a top skater in the WHL with three goals and four assists for seven points and a plus-4 rating in two matches this past week. This helped the Tigers claw their way into first place in the Central Division. It should also be noted he’s the cousin of young Blackhawks star and former number one overall pick Connor Bedard.

While the WHL impressed with 12 players, the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) led the way with 16 players sent to the camp. The Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) sent two.

The CHL will have 21 clubs representing at the camp with the London Knights leading the way with four players invited. The Brampton Steelheads (OHL) are right behind them with three players invited. The Seattle Thunderbirds (WHL), Guelph Storm (OHL), Barrie Colts (OHL) and Kelowna Rockets (WHL) each have a pair of players.

Last year’s 2024 IIHF World Junior Championship in Gothenburg, Sweden, saw 63 CHL players including 21 on Team Canada who either played in the tournament or were a part of their country’s 23-man roster. This represented more than 25% of the players who participated in the 2024 World Juniors.

It was also announced this past week that after losing out on the opportunity to host in 2020, the 2026 Memorial Cup has been awarded to Kelowna, British Columbia home of the WHL’s Rockets.

This week’s CHL top 10 rankings saw the QMJHL lead the way with four teams. The OHL and WHL both checked in with three each.

The OHL saw the London Knights check in at the top spot, Windsor Spitfires at six and Kitchener Rangers at seven. In the QMJHL, the Drummondville Voltigeurs land at the two spot, Moncton Wildcats at three, this year’s Memorial Cup host Rimouski Oceanic at five and the Chicoutimi Saguenéens at eight. The WHL saw the Everett Silvertips check in at four, Tri-City Americans at nine and the Saskatoon Blades rounded it out at the 10 spot.

Perhaps the biggest news this week was a blockbuster trade that went down between the Lethbridge Hurricanes and Moose Jaw Warriors.

It was announced Monday that Lethbridge acquired 2005-born forward Brayden Yager and 2005-born goaltender Jackson Unger from Moose Jaw in exchange for 2006-born forward Landen Ward 2005-born goaltender Brady Smith, the WHL playing rights to 2009-born defenseman Colt Carter and six draft picks. The draft picks included a first-round and a third-round pick in the 2025 WHL Prospects Draft, a fourth-round and fifth-round pick in the 2026 draft and an additional first-round and second-round draft pick in the 2028 WHL Draft.

In a little bit older news, it was Team CHL taking the USA CHL Prospects Challenge two games to none with a 3-2 victory and a 6-1 victory.