The Canadian Hockey League announced today the first three players named to Team CHL for the CHL-NTDP Prospects Challenge which will be played Nov. 25 and 26 in Calgary and Lethbridge, Alberta.

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Ryan Roobroeck of the Niagara IceDogs in the OHL, Xavier Villeneueve of the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada in the QMJHL and Ryan Lin of the WHL’s Vancouver Giants were the first three players named to the roster.

This will be the second year of the CHL-NTDP Prospects Challenge that pits the best NHL Draft-eligible players from the CHL's three memeber leagues against the U.S. National Under-18 Team from USA Hockey’s National Team Development Program. 

Last year, many players selected in the first round of the 2025 NHL Draft participated in the game and this year should feature a bulk of the top prospect whose names you will hear called early in 2026.

Roobroeck, Villeneuve and Lin are all viewed as potential Top-15 picks in the 2026 NHL Draft. 

Roobroeck is considered one of the top prospects in the OHL this season, recently coming in at No. 4 on TSN’s NHL Draft list that anonymously polls NHL teams. Lin checked in at No. 7 on that list and Villeneuve was just outside of the top 16.

Roobroeck is the top returning goal scorer from last season among NHL Draft eligibles. He scored 41 goals last season with 87 points in his second OHL campaign. He has one assist through Niagara’s first two games this season.

Villeneuve was the QMJHL’s defenseman of the year last season, posting an astonishing 62 points highlighted by his 50 assists, which led all defensemen in the league. He started the season off with a pair of assists for the Armada on opening weekend, including one where he put the oncoming defender in the spin cycle. 

Lin had 53 points last season for Vancouver and started the 2025-26 campaign off with a goal in his first game. He has high-end skill and puck-moving capabilities that have led him to be viewed among the top defensemen in a particularly loaded draft class on the blue line.

All three players helped Team Canada win gold at the IIHF World Men’s Under-18 Championship last spring, with each playing fairly prominent roles despite their relative youth.

The CHL-NTDP Prospects Challenge will be played at the Scotiabank Saddledome in Calgary on Nov. 25, and VisitLethbridge.com Arena in Lethbridge on Nov. 26.

Both games will be televised in Canada on TSN, while NHL Network will carry the games in the United States.

FloHockey will have full on-site editorial coverage and more to follow.

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