CALGARY, Alta. – The Canadian Junior Hockey League, in partnership with the National Hockey League, Hockey Canada, the Ontario Junior Hockey League and its member club, the Mississauga Chargers (OJHL), announced Thursday that Mississauga, Ont., has been selected as the host community for the 13th annual CJHL Prospects Game, which will be held on Tuesday, January 23, 2018 at Port Credit Memorial Arena in suburban Toronto. Game time will be 7:30 p.m. ET.
The match-up will feature 40 of the top NHL Draft eligible players from across the entire 10-league CJHL taking part.
The rosters will see 20 prospects selected from the five eastern-based CJHL leagues (MHL, LHJAAAQ, CCHL, OJHL & NOJHL) taking on top 20 prospects from the CJHL’s five western-based leagues (BCHL, AJHL, SJHL, MJHL & SIJHL).
Each of the respective team line-ups will be chosen in partnership with NHL Central Scouting and will be announced at a later date, along with the coaching staffs for the two sides and ticket prices for the contest.
“The CJHL Prospects Game is a major event for NHL scouting personnel to attend each season as it provides an opportunity to view all these prospects at one venue while competing against their peers,” offered Dan Marr, director of NHL Central Scouting.
“This event brings together the top draft eligible Junior 'A' prospects from across Canada for on and off-ice testing and an East versus West game,” added Marr.
“For the players themselves, this will be a tremendous opportunity for each of them to showcase their ability and represent their leagues and communities on a national stage,” summarized the NHL Central Scouting head.
“NHL clubs are continually evaluating prospects and with CJHL players, many of whom are NCAA bound. Most will not get drafted into the NHL at 18 years of age, but more often as 19-year-olds or signed as free agents.”
In hosting its annual Prospects Game for a 13th consecutive year, CJHL President Brent Ladds gave his thoughts on the contest.
“The CJHL is indebted to the National Hockey League, Hockey Canada, our 10 member leagues as well as the event-host Mississauga Chargers (OJHL) for their support of this season’s event,” stated Ladds.
“The game will feature all of the top draft eligible players in the CJHL this season, in one location, competing against each other. The game has been a launching point for many of our alumni currently playing in the NHL. This opportunity should be no different,” added the CJHL President.
Hosted by the OJHL and the Mississauga Chargers, the 2018 CJHL Prospects Game organizing committee and staff is looking forward to staging this national match-up.
“We are extremely excited to host this event once again with our partners in the OJHL and the CJHL,” said Mississauga Chargers owner Lloyd Stockley. “Port Credit Memorial Arena is a great venue and will host what should shape up to be a great game showcasing the top prospects of the CJHL.”
ABOUT THE CJHL PROSPECTS GAME
The CJHL Prospects Game is one of the premier Junior A hockey events in the country and provides tremendous exposure for CJHL players to play in front of scouts from all over the hockey world – including the NHL, NCAA, Major Junior and Canadian universities and colleges.
The President's Cup is awarded to the winning team in the CJHL Prospects Game.
From 2005 until 2008, the event ran as a single game, but starting in 2009 the President's Cup was played as a two-game series where the combined score of the games determined the winner of the title.
The contest has now gone back to a single-game format along with player testing, both on-ice and off-ice, having been introduced.
Since its inception, Team West has won seven times while Team East has come away victorious on five occasions.
All-Time CJHL Prospects Game President's Cup results
2006: Team West 5 Team East 4 (Yorkton, Sask.)
2007: Team West 6 Team East 2 (Vernon, B.C.)
2008: Team East 5 Team West 3 (Winkler, Man.)
2009: Team East 6 Team West 3 (Summerside, P.E.I.)
2010: Team West 8 Team East 3 (8-1, 0-2) (Winkler, Man.)
2011: Team East 9 Team West 2 (2-1 SO, 7-1) (Dauphin, Man.)
2012: Team West 9 Team East 6 (4-3 OT, 5-3) (Langley, B.C.)
2013: Team West 8 Team East 6 (5-0, 3-6) (Digby/Yarmouth, N.S.)
2014: Team East 8 Team West 4 (4-2, 4-2) (Digby/Yarmouth, N.S.)
2015: Team West 3 Team East 2 (Oakville, Ont.)
2016: Team East 3 Team West 1 (Surrey, B.C.)
2017: Team West 4 Team East 3 (Cornwall, Ont.)
2018: Team East vs. Team West • Tuesday, January 23, 2018 • 7:30 p.m. ET (Mississauga, Ont.)
The 2018 CJHL Prospects Game will be streamed live online via HockeyTV.com.