Established in 1975, the Canadian Hockey League (CHL) is the world’s largest development hockey league with 52 Canadian and nine American teams participating in the Western Hockey League (WHL), Ontario Hockey League (OHL), and Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL).
The CHL supplies more players to the National Hockey League (NHL) and U SPORTS than any other league. During the 2024-25 season, of the 1,000-plus players who played a game in the NHL, over 415 came through the CHL. At the 2025 NHL Draft, 90 CHL players were selected, including 21 in the first round.
As a leader in education, CHL clubs collectively invested more than $7.5 million during the 2024-25 season to support 975 graduates pursuing post-secondary studies — reaffirming the WHL, OHL, and QMJHL scholarship programs as among the most comprehensive in North America. When combined with nearly $3 million directed toward the education of current players, CHL clubs contributed close to $10 million to education in 2024-25 alone.
Each year, the CHL and its Member Leagues also play an active role in communities across the country. League- and team-driven initiatives include Pink in the Rink, which raises funds and awareness for breast cancer and cancer research, Talk Today, in support of the Canadian Mental Health Association, and beloved traditions like Teddy Bear Toss nights, which benefit local children’s charities.
Beyond these initiatives, the CHL and its Member League remain a major supporter of Canadian minor hockey, providing resources at both the league and club levels to strengthen grassroots hockey through player and officiating development camps, sponsorship programs, fundraising efforts, and other forms of community engagement.
Organizational Structure
Comprised of three member leagues – the Western Hockey League (WHL), Ontario Hockey League (OHL), and Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) – the CHL counts 52 Canadian teams operating in nine provinces and nine American teams operating in four states.
WHL: Founded in 1966, the WHL comprises 23 franchises, including six clubs in British Columbia, five in each of British Columbia, Alberta, and Saskatchewan, one in Manitoba, five in Washington, and one in Oregon. Each season, WHL Clubs compete for the Ed Chynoweth Cup.
The WHL’s 23 member clubs include the Brandon Wheat Kings, Calgary Hitmen, Edmonton Oil Kings, Everett Silvertips, Kamloops Blazers, Kelowna Rockets, Lethbridge Hurricanes, Medicine Hat Tigers, Moose Jaw Warriors, Penticton Vees, Portland Winterhawks, Prince Albert Raiders, Prince George Cougars, Red Deer Rebels, Regina Pats, Saskatoon Blades, Seattle Thunderbirds, Spokane Chiefs, Swift Current Broncos, Tri-City Americans, Vancouver Giants, Victoria Royals, and Wenatchee Wild.
OHL: Founded in 1980, the OHL comprises 17 Ontario-based clubs as well as two based in Michigan and one in Pennsylvania. Each season, OHL clubs compete for the J. Ross Robertson Cup.
The OHL’s 20 member clubs include the Barrie Colts, Brampton Steelheads, Brantford Bulldogs, Erie Otters, Flint Firebirds, Guelph Storm, Kingston Frontenacs, Kitchener Rangers, London Knights, Niagara IceDogs, North Bay Battalion, Oshawa Generals, Owen Sound Attack, Ottawa 67’s, Peterborough Petes, Saginaw Spirit, Sarnia Sting, Soo Greyhounds, Sudbury Wolves, and Windsor Spitfires.
QMJHL: Founded in 1969, the QMJHL comprises 12 Quebec-based clubs as well as six teams in Atlantic Canada (three in New Brunswick, two in Nova Scotia, and one in Prince Edward Island). Each season, QMJHL Clubs compete for the Gilles-Courteau Trophy.
The QMJHL’s 18-member clubs include the Baie-Comeau Drakkar, Blainville-Boisbriand Armada, Cape Breton Eagles, Charlottetown Islanders, Chicoutimi Saguenéens, Drummondville Voltigeurs, Gatineau Olympiques, Halifax Mooseheads, Moncton Wildcats, Newfoundland Regiment, Québec Remparts, Rimouski Océanic, Rouyn-Noranda Huskies, Saint John Sea Dogs, Shawinigan Cataractes, Sherbrooke Phoenix, Val-d’Or Foreurs, and Victoriaville Tigres.
Each year, the CHL hosts multiple national events, including the CHL USA Prospects Challenge and the Memorial Cup presented by Kubota Canada at year’s end to determine a champion of the CHL.
The CHL USA Prospects Challenge brings together the top first-year NHL Draft-eligible players from the CHL’s three member leagues — the Western Hockey League (WHL), Ontario Hockey League (OHL), and Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) — to face off against USA Hockey’s National Team Development Program (NTDP) Under-18 Team in a two-game showcase.
Throughout the series, players from both sides compete in front of hundreds of NHL scouts and thousands of fans, seizing the opportunity to raise their draft stock ahead of the upcoming NHL Draft.
Meanwhile, the Memorial Cup has built a storied tradition that has helped define junior hockey in North America, cementing its place as one of the sport’s most prestigious trophies. Staged each spring, the tournament brings together the host club and the playoff champions of the WHL, OHL, and QMJHL to crown the CHL champion.
First awarded in 1919 in remembrance of the Canadian soldiers who made the ultimate sacrifice during the First World War, the Memorial Cup was rededicated in 2010 to honour all fallen members of the Canadian Armed Forces, deepening its legacy as a symbol of remembrance, hockey excellence, and national pride.
Additionally, the league hosts a CHL Import Draft every year event in which every club in the CHL can draft players from outside of North America. The 2025 edition featured a new three-round format held online, with the draft order rotating among teams from each of the CHL’s Member Leagues—the WHL, OHL, and QMJHL.
In line with a new policy introduced for the 2025–26 season, CHL clubs are now permitted to carry up to three import players on their rosters. To accommodate this change, the draft was expanded to three rounds. Under the updated rules, teams with no current import players could select up to three players; teams with one import could select two; and teams with two imports were limited to one selection. Clubs already carrying three imports were not eligible to participate.
In June 2019, Dan MacKenzie was announced as the CHL’s first full-time President. The three Member League Commissioners serve as CHL Vice-Presidents, including Mario Cecchini (QMJHL), Bryan Crawford (OHL), and Dan Near (WHL).
Each season, the CHL welcomes more than nine million fans through its doors, making it the top-ranked sports property in 47 Canadian markets and a central part of local community life. Collectively, the league reaches more than one in three Canadians annually, while continuing to grow a passionate fan base across both Canada and the United States.
In total, nearly 10 million Canadians connect with the CHL each year. Beyond the stands, the league is powered by more than 450 officials, 1,000 staff members, 1,300 billet families, and 1,700 players.
CHL Alumni
The CHL continued to showcase why it is the best development league in the world. As the top supplier of talent to the NHL, the CHL saw more than 415 of its alumni play a game in the NHL during the 2024-25 season, which is the most of any development hockey league in the world.
At the 2024 NHL Draft, 90 CHL players were drafted, which accounted for over 40% of the 224 picks made by the NHL’s 32 clubs. According to the NHL, the CHL’s 90 selections surpassed all other junior circuits, including Sweden-Jr. (28), the USHL (27), Russia-Jr. (21), the NTDP-USHL (13), and the NCAA (9).
The 90 selections at the 2025 NHL Draft were the largest from the CHL in nine years. With 21 first-round picks, the CHL continues its legacy of developing elite NHL talent—reaching that mark in 2025 for just the fifth time since 1969.
Over the last year, CHL players also showcased their world-class talent on the international stage, as together 120 of them won medals at the 2024 Hlinka Gretzky Cup, 2024 U17 World Challenge, 2025 IIHF U18 World Championship, and the 2025 IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship.
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