Calgary, Alberta – The annual review of team rosters in professional and major junior hockey shows that 896 Canadian Junior Hockey League (CJHL) alumni are currently playing in the National Hockey League (NHL), the American Hockey League (AHL), the ECHL and the Canadian Hockey League (CHL).
The study showed that 124 current players in the NHL are alumni of the CJHL. This accounts for 17% of all NHL players or an average of 4.1 players per team. Approximately 133 CJHL alumni started the 2016 NHL season on opening day rosters. In addition to the NHL, there are 386 CJHL alumni currently playing in the AHL and ECHL, with another 386 CJHL alumni playing in the CHL.
Below is the number of former CJHL players competing at the professional level across North America (% of all players in parenthesis):
- National Hockey League – 124 (17%)
- American Hockey League – 181 (24%)
- ECHL – 205 (33%)
- Canadian Hockey League – 386 (27%)
The AHL is the top development League to the NHL and it currently has 181 CJHL alumni or approximately 24% of all AHL players and an average of 6.0 CJHL alumni per AHL team. The other minor professional hockey league in North America, the ECHL, currently has 205 former CJHL alumni on their rosters, which is up from 181 a year ago. This accounts for 33% of the ECHL playing rosters and equates to an average of 7.3 CJHL alumni per ECHL team.
386 former CJHL players are currently playing in the CHL. This number has increased over last year by 9.7% and accounts for 27% of CHL’s rosters, a 2% increase. Over the past two seasons, the increase of CJHL alumni playing in the CHL is a staggering 17.7%. The CHL is comprised of the Western Hockey League, Ontario Hockey League and the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League.
Fifteen current Canadian Junior Hockey League (CJHL) players, including two goaltenders and thirteen skaters, are listed among the top North American skaters and goaltenders for the 2016 NHL Entry Draft. The 2016 NHL Draft will be held on June 24 – 25, 2016 at the First Niagara Centre in Buffalo, NY.