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The best North American-based NHL draft prospects are coming to London.
The Canadian Hockey League announced Tuesday the first CHL/USA Prospects Challenge game will be held Nov. 26 at Budweiser Gardens. The second of the two-game series will take place at Oshawa’s Tribute Communities Centre the following evening.
The new showcase, presented by Kubota Canada, will feature a team of under-18 major junior stars taking on USA Hockey’s national team development program under-18 squad. The games replace the CHL’s top prospects game and, internationally, the Canada Russia series that was cancelled in 2022 in response to Russian president Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine.
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“We are thrilled to bring some of the best junior hockey players in the world to our fans in London,” London Knights GM Mark Hunter said. “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 44 players involved in the series will be named by the NHL Central Scouting bureau with input from all 32 NHL teams. The idea is the host teams will rotate through the CHL’s three leagues each season and this is the first of a three-year deal between major junior hockey and USA Hockey.
The competitive format will be two points for a win and zero for a loss, regardless of a game ending in regulation, overtime or shootout. If tied through 60 minutes, teams will play a five-minute 3-on-3 overtime, followed by a three-round shootout if necessary.
If the two teams are tied in points following the second game, they will play a 3-on-3 20-minute period until a goal is scored to determine the winner.
“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,” CHL president Dan MacKenzie said. “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.”
Tickets for both games go on sale starting Tuesday, Oct. 1. Fans can register to be part of the CHL Insider database (https://contests.chl.ca/insider) to receive a special promotional code to get access to a select number of seats before Oct. 1.
rpyette@postmedia.com
@RyanatLFPress
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