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2026 NHL Draft

CHL USA Prospects Challenge Preview: Team CHL's Defense And Goalies

CHL USA Prospects Challenge Preview: Team CHL's Defense And Goalies

The CHL USA Prospects Challenge is this week in Alberta. Chris Peters takes a look at Team CHL's defense and goalies that will play in the series.

Nov 24, 2025 by Chris Peters
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The CHL USA Prospects Challenge is this week in Calgary and Lethbridge, Alberta. The two showcase games will feature the best NHL Draft prospects in the CHL, regardless of nationality, as selected by the CHL and NHL Central Scouting. They’ll play the U.S. National Under-18 Team from USA Hockey’s National Team Development Program.

The games are Tuesday and Wednesday this week and if last year was any indication, we’re in for a high-intensity game for the showcase.

Last week, we took a look at Team CHL’s forwards and today we’re going to examine Team CHL’s defense and goaltending for the game.

Here’s what you need to know about the players skating in the game.

Team CHL Defense

Carson Carels, Prince George Cougars

Part of a gaggle of strong two-way defensemen out of the WHL, Carels has all the makings of an NHLer with good size, mobility and enough skill to produce at an impressive level with some upside to produce as a pro. At 6-foot-2, Carels has good range, makes smart decisions both offensively and defensively and can engage in the physical game. He is averaging better than a point per game so far this season.

Ryan Lin, Vancouver Giants

Known for his offensive game, Lin is trying to bring more focus to his defensive game. It is still a work in progress, but he has shown signs of improvement without limiting some of his special skills on the offensive side of things. Lin has 28 points in 24 games, pacing well ahead of his impressive rookie total of 53 points from a season ago. He is a smart, crafty puck-mover that can occasionally bring you out of your seat with high-end vision and impressive passing. Additionally, despite not having tremendous size, he's aggressive defensively and doesn't shy away from the hard areas.

Charlie Morrison, Quebec Remparts

Morrison missed the first several weeks of the season and is still getting his legs under him a bit. He has three points in 10 games since he returned. Morrison has good enough skill, but he’s got size and some good range. His ability to shutdown plays and be tough to beat one-on-one is especially encouraging. Morrison is still a bit raw and growing into his frame. As he smooths things out, he could be an especially exciting prospect in a system making an earlier Day 2 pick.

Giorgos Pantelas, Brandon Wheat Kings

A 6-foot-2, right-shot stopper, Pantelas has a number of pro qualities in his game including some sturdiness, strength on the puck and a willingness to engage in the physical game. He has a good shot and decent skill, but seems to be decisive with the puck and makes good reads. As he continues to get stronger, he's going to be a handful for opposing forwards.

Chase Reid, Soo Greyhounds

A 6-foot-2 right-shot defenseman who can score, Reid’s stock has been on the rise. He plays more minutes than any draft-eligible defenseman in the OHL and handles himself well under that heavy workload. He already has 10 goals to his name this season amid 28 points in 25 games. Since coming over to the OHL from the NAHL, Reid has been a dominant presence. He moves pucks with authority, finds seams well and knows when to get in the play. We’ll see how close USA Hockey is watching because they may be able to use someone like Reid on their blue line at the World Juniors.

Daxon Rudolph, Prince Albert Raiders

Rudolph may be the best defenseman fewer outlets are talking about as a potential top-10 or higher pick. He’s not as flashy as some others, but his game screams long-term NHL player. He defends at a high level, produces at an adequate clip and has shown excellent range in his play in all zones. He has 18 points in 21 games. At 6-foot-2, 203 pounds and a right shot, NHL teams are moving him up their boards with regularity. 

Xavier Villeneuve, Blainville-Boisbriand Armada

One of the most dynamic defensemen in this draft, Villeneuve is an incredibly fun player to watch. He has tons of skill, creativity and probably even more confidence. His abilities with the puck on his stick are high end. He can make mistakes here and there sometimes from overconfidence, but I like how often he wants to try things. His defending has a long way to go, but he very much plays within the modern style of pushing pace offensively and moving pucks quickly. Villeneuve has 27 points in 23 games so far this season with Blainville-Boisbriand.

Team CHL Goalies

Harrison Boettiger, Kelowna Rockets

This will be a rare occurrence as Boettiger played in this series last season for Team USA and had a good showing. He’s having another good showing this year in his first WHL season with Kelowna. The 6-foot-3 netminder has a .921 save percentage in 10 games for the Memorial Cup hosts. He is coming into the challenge off of one of his best personal showings so far this season and could be in the mix for a spot at the World Juniors if he keeps this up.

Zachary Jovanovski, Guelph Storm

It’s been an up-and-down season for Jovanovski, but he has had some bright moments, including wins over Windsor and Kitchener earlier this month. He has just an .882 save percentage, but there are some clear raw tools for him to tap into yet. It will be interesting to see how he fares in this environment with all of the top prospects around him.

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