After a breakout start to his WHL season, Kamloops Blazers F JP Hurlbert has been selected to represent the CHL in the 2025 CHL USA Prospects Challenge.
Hurlbert and a team of top prospects for the 2026 NHL Draft will team up for games November 25th and 26th in Calgary and Lethbridge against the U-18 US National Development Program – a program Hurlbert left to join the Blazers this season.
Hurlbert leads both the WHL and CHL with 28 points (11G-17A) through 14 games this season.
“It’s something I’ll look forward to,” stated Hurlbert when asked about the potential of making the roster last week.
“Playing my former program will be interesting. It should be a very competitive game from both sides.”
Hurlbert is one of eight players from the WHL to get the nod.
About the CHL–USA Prospects Challenge
First introduced in 2024, the CHL–USA Prospects Challenge is a best-on-best, two-game series spotlighting the top NHL Draft-eligible players from the WHL, OHL, and QMJHL facing off against the U.S. National Under-18 Team.
The inaugural edition, held last November in London and Oshawa, proved a major success — 16 of 22 players on Team CHL were later selected in the first round of the 2025 NHL Draft.
The 2025 edition, hosted by the Calgary Hitmen and Lethbridge Hurricanes, will once again showcase elite NHL prospects projected to headline the 2026 NHL Draft — including 15 players who earned an “A” rating (first-round candidate) on NHL Central Scouting’s Preliminary Players to Watch List.
Games are set for November 25th in Calgary and November 26th in Lethbridge — with puck drop set for 6:00 p.m. MT / 8:00 p.m. ET. Tickets for both games are available now at chl.ca/prospectschallenge.
Quick Facts on Team CHL
- All 15 CHL players who received an “A” rating from NHL Central Scouting—projecting them as first-round candidates for the 2026 NHL Draft—have been named to Team CHL’s roster.
- This year’s roster includes 10 players from the OHL, eight from the WHL, and four from the QMJHL.
- Five American-born players are on the roster, highlighted by Nikita Klepov and Brooks Rogowski, who captured gold with Team USA at the 2025 Hlinka Gretzky Cup.
- Eight players represented Canada at that same event.
- In total, 19 CHL clubs are represented.
TEAM CHL ROSTER — 2025 CHL USA PROSPECTS CHALLENGE
| Name | Team | League | Hometown | NHL CS Grade |
| Forwards (13) | ||||
| Ethan Belchetz | Windsor Spitfires | OHL | Oakville, ON | A |
| Maddox Dagenais | Québec Remparts | QMJHL | Saint-Lazare, QC | B |
| Alessandro Di Iorio | Sarnia Sting | OHL | Vaughan, ON | A |
| Beckham Edwards | Sarnia Sting | OHL | Komoka, ON | B |
| Chase Harrington | Spokane Chiefs | WHL | Prince George, BC | B |
| JP Hurlbert | Kamloops Blazers | WHL | Allen, TX (USA) | A |
| Nikita Klepov | Saginaw Spirit | OHL | Deerfield Beach, FL (USA) | A |
| Caleb Malhotra | Brantford Bulldogs | OHL | Toronto, ON | A |
| Adam Novotný | Peterborough Petes | OHL | Kobylice, CZE | A |
| Mathis Preston | Spokane Chiefs | WHL | Penticton, BC | A |
| Brooks Rogowski | Oshawa Generals | OHL | Brighton, MI (USA) | A |
| Ryan Roobroeck | Niagara IceDogs | OHL | London, ON | A |
| Egor Shilov | Victoriaville Tigres | QMJHL | Tyumen, RUS | A |
| Defencemen (7) | ||||
| Carson Carels | Prince George Cougars | WHL | Cypress River, MB | A |
| Ryan Lin | Vancouver Giants | WHL | Richmond, BC | A |
| Charlie Morrison | Québec Remparts | QMJHL | Miramichi, NB | B |
| Giorgos Pantelas | Brandon Wheat Kings | WHL | Victoria, BC | B |
| Chase Reid | Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds | OHL | Chesterfield, MI (USA) | A |
| Daxon Rudolph | Prince Albert Raiders | WHL | Lacombe, AB | A |
| Xavier Villeneuve | Blainville-Boisbriand Armada | QMJHL | Les Cèdres, QC | A |
| Goaltenders (2) | ||||
| Harrison Boettiger | Kelowna Rockets | WHL | Wheat Rudge, CO (USA) | B |
| Zachary Jovanovski | Guelph Storm | OHL | Tecumseh, ON | B |
