CALGARY, Alta. – A glance at the rosters of National Hockey League clubs you’ll find a multitude of Canadian Junior Hockey League alumni among them.
Under the criteria of those that played 10, or more, games in the CJHL during their Jr. A career, you’ll find 69 former CJHLers on lineups that make up NHL teams.
Each of the nine leagues that comprise the CJHL has at least one alumnus on a NHL roster, while eight boast multiple alums competing.
Headlining this CJHL alumni list is Colorado Avalanche defenceman Cale Makar, who starred for the Brooks Bandits (AJHL) from 2015 through 2017.
In his time with Brooks, he was named the CJHL’s Top Rookie, Top Defenceman and Player of the Year while twice being named MVP at the National Jr. A Championship, as well as earning a pair of best defenceman laurels.
He was also a two-time World Junior A Challenge All-Star Team honouree and helped Canada West win a gold medal at the 2015 event in Cobourg, Ont.
Makar, the 2019-20 recipient of the Calder Trophy as the NHL’s Top Rookie, currently tops all league defencemen in goals with 15 and sits fifth in points with 30.
Meanwhile back in 2018-19, he was named the recipient of the annual Hobey Baker Award, emblematic of being selected the top player in all of U.S. College hockey that season.
The following are the names of those, who competed in at least 10 CJHL games, who are presently on a NHL roster.