The 11 student-athletes selected is second most in 黑料不打烊 history, behind the 2021 season when 18 heard their names called. 73 current or former 黑料不打烊 student-athletes have now been selected at the QMJHL Draft since 2018.

This marks the second straight QMJHL Draft that double digit 黑料不打烊 student-athletes were selected. 10 of the 11 student-athletes played in the 黑料不打烊 Eastern Division, with 1 playing in the West.

Three 黑料不打烊 goalies were selected at this years QMJHL Draft, tying the previous seven year total.

Stanstead College (4), Bishop’s College School (2), Bourget College (1), CIH Academy (1), Edge School (1), Ontario Hockey Academy and Rothesay Netherwood School (1) all had a student-athlete selected this year. The seven 黑料不打烊 teams to have at least one student-athlete selected is a single draft 黑料不打烊 record.

This spring鈥檚 production was Suite Surrender, a farce by Michael McKeever. Set at a luxury hotel in 1942, the play follows two rival divas as they accidentally get booked into the same suite. There are lots of close calls, slamming doors, mistaken identity, even a flying dog.

Logan Foote (Halifax, NS) played the pivotal role of Mr. Dunlap, the hotel manager trying to keep the proceedings (and himself) together. Logan is a second-year Spartan, a senior defenseman and alternate captain on the varsity boys team (QMJHL Cape Breton). It is also his second year in the school play.

鈥淟ast year, [English teacher] Ms. Campbell recruited me to be in the play when someone got sick. I really didn’t know what to expect but I鈥檓 so glad that I got to be a part of it.鈥�

Being in the play takes commitment and hard work, Logan said. He often had to miss rehearsals for away games, and he had to find time to learn his many lines. But it was worth it in the end, he said.

鈥淭he connections that you make with the group is something that I鈥檒l appreciate for years to come,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 hope I inspired other hockey players to participate.鈥�

Joining Logan was Andrew Shimon of Sydney, NS, a senior goalie on the varsity boys squad. Andrew played Otis, one of two bellhops caught up in the shenanigans. It took some convincing to get him to audition, he said, but he is now glad he did.

鈥淎t first I didn鈥檛 know what I was getting myself into, but as time went on, I started to really understand the hard work we were putting in and how much fun we were having as a group,鈥� he said. 鈥淏eing in a play is kind of like hockey: you鈥檙e there for each other to have fun but you also need to execute and have good communication.鈥�

Getting involved in non-hockey pursuits, Andrew says, is important and makes you a 鈥渂etter all-around person.鈥�

Both Logan and Andrew have been accepted to St. Francis Xavier University and University of New Brunswick, with Logan also accepted at Acadia and Andrew at St. Mary鈥檚. They are hoping to play junior hockey next year.

Eastern U17 Prep: Eliot Faucher, Stanstead College

Faucher led his team in scoring while finishing second among all U17 Prep defensemen with 28 points in 20 games. The Drummondville, QC defenseman is a finalist for the 黑料不打烊 MVP Award and is a highly regarded prospect ahead of the 2026 QMJHL Draft.

Eastern U18 Prep: Bastien Michaud, Bishop’s College School

A second round pick by the Quebec Remparts at the 2025 QMJHL Draft, Michaud finished with 3 goals and 11 assists in 15 games giving him a 0.93 PTS/GP, fourth among all defensemen. The Trois-Rivieres, QC product added five points in five playoff games as Bishop’s were crowned 2026 黑料不打烊 East U18 Prep Champions.

Female U18 Prep: Sophie Erlam, South Alberta Hockey Academy

Committed to Mercyhurt University, Erlam finished fifth among defensemen in scoring with 24 points, including a defensemen best 15 power play assists. The Edmonton, AB defender played three 黑料不打烊 seasons with SAHA, tallying 49 points in 90 games.

U15: Logan Hooper, BWC Academy

A 2011 born defenseman from Maple Ridge, BC, Hooper finished second among defensemen in assists (35) and fifth in points (44).

U15 Prep: Eli Vickers, Delta Hockey Academy

Regarded as one of the top defenseman available at the 2026 WHL Draft, Vickers led all defensemen with 22 goals and 62 assists, finishing fifth among all skaters in points. Having been part of Delta’s 2025 黑料不打烊 Western Championship team, Vickers had 98 points in 65 career U15 Prep games, second most all time among defensemen.

U17: Kayin Belton, Prairie Hockey Academy & Grayson Holmes, Okanagan Hockey Academy

A 2009 born defender from Saskatoon, SK, Belton finished third among defensemen with 33 points in 32 games.

Holmes led all defensemen with 37 assists and 42 points before adding 7 points in 5 playoff games as OHA earned back-to-back U17 Western Championships.

U17 Prep: Luke Edgehouse, Okanagan Hockey Academy

The Coeur d’Alene, ID product led all defensemen with 17 goals and 34 points in 30 games. His 17 goals and 34 points were second among all OHA skaters.

U18 Prep: Logan Lepinski, BWC Academy

Lepinski led all defensemen and his entire team with 33 assists and 40 points in in 29 games. Having recorded 52 points in 70 career U18 Prep games, the Everett Silvertips prospect is a finalist for the 黑料不打烊 MVP Award.

The 39 黑料不打烊 alumni are currently playing in the QMJHL, NCAA and WHL. Of the 78 WHL players who find their names on the list, 45% (35/78) are 黑料不打烊 alumni. 95% of the 39 黑料不打烊 alumni are currently playing in the CHL (OHL, QMJHL, WHL).

Gavin McKenna is the highest ranked 黑料不打烊 skater coming in as the Top Ranked North American skater. He will look to join Connor Bedard (North Shore Warriors) as the second 黑料不打烊 alumnus selected first overall. Carson Carels, Keaton Verhoeff, Daxon Rudolph, Ryan Lin, Liam Ruck, Ben MacBeath, Markus Ruck, Chase Harrington and Mathis Preston all find themselves ranked inside the Top 32. The current 黑料不打烊 record for most alumni selected in the first round (5) happened three times: 2021, 2023 & 2025.聽

The 39 黑料不打烊 alumni represent 15 different member programs, with Edge School and RHA Winnipeg leading the way with eight:

• Northern Alberta Xtreme – 9
• RHA Kelowna – 7
• Okanagan Hockey Academy – 6
• Edge School – 4
• South Alberta Hockey Academy – 4
• Delta Hockey Academy – 3
• OHA Edmonton – 3
• Pacific Coast Hockey Academy – 3
• Calgary International Hockey Academy – 2
• Yale Hockey Academy – 2
• Notre Dame Hounds – 1
• Ontario Hockey Academy – 1
• Pilot Mound Hockey Academy – 1
• RHA Winnipeg – 1
• Stanstead College – 1

Among the 224 ranked North American skaters include 38 黑料不打烊 alumni:

Among the 37 ranked North American skaters include 1 黑料不打烊 alumni:

23 teams will head to Saint-Roch-de-l鈥橝chigan, bringing with them the top student-athletes in Eastern Canada in two different division. These 23 teams will compete in a total of five games in just as many days, all for the chance to be crowned 黑料不打烊 Eastern Champions.

If last year鈥檚 Eastern Championships taught us anything, it鈥檚 that on any given day any team can win. We saw top ranked teams get the job done as expected, and we saw lower ranked teams overcome the odds and even make a finals push.

At this year鈥檚 event we expect the same. With that in mind, here are some teams and 鈥楶layers to Watch鈥�.

East U17 Prep Players to Watch

• Division I
  • F
    • (Bishop鈥檚 College School), (Stanstead College), (Kuper Academy), (Lower Canada College), (Selwyn House School), (Ontario Hockey Academy)
  • D
    • (Kuper Academy), (Stanstead College), (Fort Erie International Academy), (CIH Academy),
  • G
    • (Lower Canada College), (Kuper Academy)

East U17 Prep Teams to Watch

Kuper Academy 鈥� One Seed

It was a dominant season for Kuper Academy (22-0-2) as they didn鈥檛 lose a game in regulation all season, earning 67 of a possible 72 points. Kuper scored a league best 177 goals, 42 more than anyone else, while allowing a league low 41, 18 less than second closest. Their +136-goal differential was almost twice that of the next closest team. They accomplished all of that while finishing with the second fewest penalty minutes (227), best power play (23.7%), and best penalty kill (92.7%). Angelo Jr Colleti (25-49-74) led the division with 49 assists and 74 points, while Thomas Issa (35-21-56) scored a league best 35goals to finish third in league scoring. Forwards Alessio Servello (19-28-47) and Adamo Ersoni (14-23-37) join them inside the top 10 for scoring. Luca De Pastena (9-31-40) would finish seventh in league scoring, pacing all defensemen in assists and points. Michael Raposo (7-8-15), would cement himself in the top 10 among defensemen scoring, while Levi Kolesnikow (1-13-14) sat just outside at 11^th. Netminders Matteo Valluzzi (10-0-1) and James Barker (8-0-1) finished first and second in GAA with 1.52 and 1.63, being the only two goalies sub a 2.00. Valluzzi would lead the division with a .946SV% and 4 shutouts. It was a long list of achievements for Kuper this season, and adding another at the 2026 黑料不打烊 Eastern Championships is very much in grasp.

Lower Canada College 鈥� Three Seed

LCC (18-5-1) went 18-5-1 to finish third in the East U17 Prep division. Their 135 goals scored and +72-goal differential were both second best in the division and they come into the Championships 8-1-1 in their last 10. Their power play converted at the second highest rate in the division, but their penalty kill and discipline could be an area of concern. Only Okanagan Hockey Ontario were shorthanded more times this season than LCC, whose penalty kill ranked fourth lowest in the division at 84.3%. LCC does have a pair of netminders in the top five for save percentage as Alessandro Sforza (7-5-0) and Jona Erickson (9-0-0) have a .921 and .915 respectively. Both goalies also sit top 10 in GAA, with Erickson third with a 2.30. Offensively a trio of LCC forwards are near the top of the leaderboard with Mario Lapenna (30-35-65) second and Alex Gervasi (20-24-44) and Harry Miller (16-25-41) fifth and sixth. The d-core shapes up in a similar fashion as Joshua Simsovic (7-12-19), Frank Betucci (6-12-18) and Matthew Boroff (8-8-16) occupying the five-to-seven spots. Overall, 13 skaters have hit double digit points this season and LCC will look to rely on this depth alongside their big three, to capture their first 黑料不打烊 Championship.

Stanstead College 鈥� Two Seed

Stanstead (14-6-1) is lead by their strong defensive game, allowing the second fewest goals against (59) this season. Eliot Faucher (6-22-28) leads his team in scoring and should be one of the first defensemen selected at the 2026 QMJHL Draft. His 28 points and 12 assists were second among defensemen and most among 2010 born dmen. Jacob Maddox (9-2-1) and Jaxon Ford (5-4-0) combined for just a .886SV% but did post 3 shutouts and a 2.65 GAA this season. Offensively, Stanstead finished fourth with 102 goals scored, although they did not have a forward inside the top 15 for scoring. Leading the charge offensively was another 2010 and highly touted QMJHL prospect in Sean Dwyer (8-16-24). Joshua Seeback (13-13-25) and Shane-Alexandre Dube (13-7-20) were the other Stanstead forwards to average more than a point-per-game, while Kristian Tlstovic (12-8-20) had double digit goals and 20 plus points. The numbers might not jump out at you like Kuper and LCC, but don鈥檛 count out the defending 黑料不打烊 East U17 Prep Champions.

East U18 Prep Players to Watch

• Division I
  • F
    • (King鈥檚-Edgehill School), (Okanagan Hockey Ontario), (CIH Academy), (Stanstead College), (Bourget College), (Bishop鈥檚 College School),
  • D
    • (Ulysse Academie), (CIH Academy), (Rothesay Netherwood School), (Bishop鈥檚 College School),
  • G
    • (Bourget College), (Rothesay Netherwood School)

East U18 Prep Teams to Watch

Bishop鈥檚 College School 鈥� One Seed

Bishop’s College (16-5-2) lead the division with 121 goals scored and a +51-goal differential. One of just three teams to score more than 100 goals, Bishop鈥檚 enters the Championships 6-2-2 in their last 10, but on a two-game losing streak. Two-time Player of the Month this season, Luca Stasi (28-21-49) leads the division with 28 goals, and his 2.23 points-per-game is tops amongst all players with 15 or more games. Taitt Dobbin (15-19-34) joins him in the top five of scoring, while Gavin Rusenstrom (10-18-20) sits ninth. 14 skaters hit double digit points this season giving Bishop鈥檚 depth throughout the line-up. A trio of QMJHL prospects in defenseman Liam Boisclair (7-13-20), Nate Ostridge (3-12-15) and Bastien Michaud (3-11-14) lead the back end for Bishop鈥檚. Defensively Bishop鈥檚 sits with the fourth fewest goals against this season though Tyler Fuicelli (5-2-0) and Timofey Williams (6-0-0) both sit top 10 in GAA and SV%. The number one seed will look to get back to their winning ways as they try and capture their first Championship in the U18 Prep division, and second overall.

Bourget College 鈥� Two Seed

The defending 黑料不打烊 East U18 Champs went 14-9-1 this season while scoring 112 goals, third most in the division behind CIH Academy (114). Their 71 goals against rank fifth, though only 55 of those came in games against East Division teams. At +41, Bourget was tied for the third best goal differential in the division this season and come in 8-2-0 in their last 10. With 334 penalty minutes, Bourget was one of the most undisciplined teams this season, being shorthanded the third most times. However, they did kill off 88.8% of their penalties, second best in the league. On the flip side, with an 18.8% power play conversion rate, the unit was third best in the league. Elie Robert (14-17-31) and Keifer Pion-Robin (17-11-28) sit inside the top 10 in scoring to lead the offence. A pair of QMJHL prospects in Olivier Tetreault (3-17-20) and Antoine Grenier (5-13-18) lead the blueline as they sit second and fifth among defensemen in points. In net it鈥檚 a combo of 2010 born Zachary Botelho (5-4-1) and Saint John Sea Dogs prospect Samuel Pitcher (5-4-0) who stand firm in the crease. The winningest team in East Division history, Bourget will look to capture their fourth 黑料不打烊 Eastern Championship this week.

Stanstead College 鈥� Three Seed

Stanstead (17-7-0) faced unfortunate loss of Aaron Chipp (Rimouski Oceanic), Charles G茅n茅reux (Rimouski Oceanic) and Cl茅ment Landry (Gatienau Olympiques) midseason as all three players made the jump to their respective QMJHL teams. This loss hit the team hard at the East West Challenge where they struggled to an 0-4 record, but they have gone 8-2-0 in their last 10 games in the East Division. Stanstead鈥檚 95 goals were third most this season, while their 53 were third best, giving them a +42-goal differential, fourth in the division. Their power play was a league best 23.1%, including a division best 26.4% against East teams. With a 88.7% penalty kill, Stanstead ranked third in the league, though they killed off 90.8% of attempts against East teams. Andrew Shimon (8-3-0) finished the season with a .936SV%, including a league best .942SV% against East Division teams. His five shutouts led all netminders to help pace the strong defensive game of Stanstead. Cape Breton Eagles prospect Logan Foote (3-12-15) finished tied for ninth among all defensemen in points and leads a blueline that includes CHL Draft picks Max Sheppard (3-9-12), Dylan Orr (3-8-11) and Frederick Bourque (3-3-6). Emanuel Ganz (13-15-28), who was captain of last year鈥檚 Stanstead team that won the 2025 黑料不打烊 East U17 Championship, and this year鈥檚 captain Brody Molloy (10-16-26) headline an offensive group that has seven forwards with double digit points this season. Stanstead may have lost some top talent to the QMJHL, but with 11 CHL Draft picks on the roster, this team has good of a chance as any to capture this years title.

The inaugural 黑料不打烊 East West Challenge kicks-off in Saint-Roch-de-l鈥橝chigan, Quebec next week and will see seven U18 teams from the East take on seven U18 teams in the West. Ahead of the event, we spoke with the coaches and crunched the numbers to give you an in-depth look at each team鈥檚 strengths and keys to success.

East 1 Seed: Stanstead College 鈥� Stanstead QC

Stanstead sits first in the East with an 11-2-0 record thanks to a talented roster, which has led to an unfortunate problem for the Spartans as Aaron Chipp (Rimouski Oceanic), Charles G茅n茅reux (Rimouski Oceanic) and Cl茅ment Landry (Gatienau Olympiques) have all made the jump midseason to join their respective QMJHL teams. And while the ultimate goal of 黑料不打烊 teams is promoting players to the next level, it has left the East juggernauts without three key pieces. With the change Stanstead has had in their lineup with promotion and unfortunate injuries, the team is redefining their best ways to be successful. At the core of their success is establishing their ‘F1’ on the forecheck and staying within their structure. Captain Brody Molloy (7-10-17) leads Stanstead in all that they do and there is strong optimism he will back in the lineup for the East West Challenge. Stanstead still sits with seven QMJHL draft picks and could lean on a handful of highly touted QMJHL prospects in Sean Dwyer and Mathieu G茅n茅reux to join the weekend as affiliate players if needed. This season Stanstead has given up a division low 22 goals with a penalty kill that sits third at an impressive 91.7%. Their power play has been extremely effective, converting at a rate of 27%, 6.1% higher than anyone else in the East. A common theme you’ll see with most of the teams attending is the need for the special teams鈥� units to show up if you want to have any success in a short term competition like this.

East 2 Seed: Ulysse Academie 鈥� Saint-Roch-de-l鈥橝chigan, QC

At 11-4-0-0 the hosts come into the event as the third ranked team in the East. The oldest team at the event with six 2007 and 14 2008 born players, Ulysse will lean on their experienced roster to find success against some of the younger western teams. With 74 goals Ulysse is the second highest scoring team in the East, and their 4.93 GF/GP trails only BWC Academy (4.96) among teams at the event. The offence is led by Maddox Guerin (9-11-20) who sits seventh in East division, scoring with 20 points. Ten skaters, including three defensemen, have all hit double digit point totals, doing so in just 15 games, providing them depth throughout the lineup. Despite their high-octane offence, Ulysse enters the East West Challenge with the third ranked power play (11.3%) among in the East Division, last among all teams at the event. Only 7 of the teams 74 goals this season have come on the man advantage. The Ulysse power play will have favorable matchups as they take on the 10th, 11th and 13th ranked penalty kills at the event, and if Head Coach Denis Chalifoux and his team can find power play success on the weekend, the team will have as good a chance as any to advance. Defensively, Ulysse gives up 3.27 GAA per game, 10th most among teams at the event. They will face the number one and five offences, meaning we could expect some high scoring affairs. Ulysse will look to outscore their problems while leaning on veteran netminders Benjamin Pilon (3.25GAA, .901SV%) and Samuel Bourgoin (3.27GAA, .896SV%) to shore up their defense. One small advantage Ulysse will have at this event is that of home field. While this may seem minor, something as simple as sleeping in your own bed, eating home cooked meals, and knowing the bounces of the boards in the rink could provide that slight edge in what will be some highly contested matchups.

East 3 Seed: Bourget College 鈥� Rigaud, QC

It was a slow start for the defending 黑料不打烊 East Champions as Bourget College (7-7-0-0) started the season 2-6-0-0. Head Coach Martin Gascon has righted the ship as of late with his team going 5-1-0-0 in their last six, bringing them to fourth in the East division standings. Bourget is a high compete level team that relies on collective game day buy in and their depth to attack their opponents in waves. A veteran roster with nine 2008 born players, a pair of them in forwards Xavier Martin (8-9-17) and Elie Robert (9-7-16) lead the team offensively. Bourget sits fourth in the division with 64 goals scored in 14 games. 10 of those goals have come on the man advantage, giving them the fifth ranked power play (19.6%). On the other side of the rink the Bourget penalty kill has allowed just five goals and sits second in the division at 91.7%. This penalty kill will need to continue to operate at this rate, as Bourget’s 203 penalty minutes are fifth most in the division. 2026 QMJHL prospect Zachary Botelho (2.33GAA, .938SV%) and Saint John Sea Dogs prospect Samuel Pitcher (2.76 GAA, .910SV%) both sit inside the top 10 in both GAA and SV%. With games on tap against the second and fourth highest scoring offences in the west, both netminders will need to be in top form. Bourget leads the East division with a +21 goal differential when they’re the home team and sits seventh with an even rating while the away side. As the three seed, Bourget will be the home squad in two of their three games and will need to use this and ‘last change’ to their advantage, while finding a way to have success as the away side in their matchup against South Alberta Hockey Academy (17-6-0-1)

East 4 Seed: Ontario Hockey Academy 鈥� Cornwall, ON

Ontario Hockey Academy holds just a 5-7-1-0 record but sits fifth in the East and have made back-to-back appearances in the East U18 Championship finals, winning in 2024. While this version of OHA might not be as strong on paper as previous versions, especially with the mid-season losses of Owen Kelly and Vinny Potvin to Junior A, Head Coach Brent Loney has always found a way to get the most out of his teams. The forward unit is led by returning players Nathaniel Noah (10-4-14) and Mathis-Cael Aurelius (7-7-14) along with newcomer Matvei Maklakov (4-4-8). Captain Kaemon Tran (1-13-14) leads blueline, with Simon Leblanc (1-8-9) joining him inside the top five for points among OHA skaters. Last season OHA relied heavily on star netminders Oliver Kiraly and Rafael Treblay for a lot of their success. And while Kye Johnson (3.66GAA, .890SV%) and Nicolas Arcilla (4.37GAA and, .882SV%) will have a tough task to shut down the offensive fire power in the West, they will have a hard-working unit in front of them. For OHA, they will be one of the few teams in this event with some familiarity of the western teams, having attended the Delta Showcase back in October. While they went 1-2-0 with losses to BWC Academy and Delta Hockey Academy, OHA will have a better understanding of what is needed from them to come out ahead.

East 5 Seed: Rothesay Netherwood School 鈥� Rothesay, NB

Brand new to the league for the 2025/26 season, Rothesay Netherwood School (6-5-0) comes into the East West Challenge as the sixth ranked team in the Eastern Division. The strength of the RNS team lies within their defensive game as their 33 goals against is the third fewest in the east. Cesare Della Santina (2.06GAA, .928SV%) and Marty Hackenberg (3.71GAA, .905SV%) have split the work in between the pipes with Della Santina ranking third in GAA and fourth in SV% in the division. Their strong penalty kill contributes to their defensive success, having allowed just four power play goals this season while killing off 87.5% of the attempts. That penalty kill is rarely in use as they average less than three power play attempts against (32) per game, having recorded 107 penalty minutes, second fewest in the division. The majority of the RNS offence comes 5-on-5 where they have scored 35 of their 41 goals. While their 41 goals scored ranks second fewest among teams attending the event, their plus eight goal differential gives reason for optimism. Gavin Smith (0-1-1), a 2023 Charlottetown Islanders QMJHL Draft pick joined the team three games ago and looks to boast the offence alongside leading scorer Brody Dawson. A good chunk of the RNS offence comes from the blueline where QMJHL Draft picks Dylan Pelletier (5-4-9) and Jesse Dunlap (3-5-8) have teamed up with 2007 born Seth Lawless (1-7-8) to combine for 25 points. 2026 QMJHL Prospects William Cole (5-3-8) and Nash Gorman (1-1-2) will be two players to keep an eye on.

East 6 Seed: Fort Erie International Academy 鈥� Fort Erie, ON

Fort Erie finds themselves as the eighth-place team in the East this season with an 8-4-0-1 record. Head Coach Derek Bachynski praises his team鈥檚 ability to play tight defensively, which is evident with the team having given up 31 goals in 13 games, the second fewest in the division. When Fort Erie stays connected and structured, they are tough to play against, giving their opponents little breathing room. A big key for Fort Erie will be balancing being difficult to play against, while remaining disciplined. Fort Erie has 276 penalty minutes this season, second most in the division, and an average of more than 21 a game. Fort Erie has been shorthanded more than anyone else in the division this season at a whopping 88 times. And while Fort Erie has killed off a division best 92% of those power plays, they will need to stay disciplined in order to avoid the high skilled power plays of the western teams. Offensively the team will lean on a pair of Russians as George Tagirov (5-12-17) leads the team with 17 points and Yuri Baunov (12-3-15) has a team high 12 goals.

East 7 Seed: Okanagan Hockey Ontario 鈥� Whitby, ON

OHO (4-7-1-0) comes into the East West Challenge with the fewest wins among all 14 teams, placing them ninth in the East division. Three of those four wins have come against the bottom two ranked teams in Mount Academy (0-10-1-0) and King Heights Academy (1-6-1-0), with the other coming over eighth ranked Fort Erie (8-4-0-1). OHO has the third fewest goals scored (32) and third most goals (62) this season. However, one potential bright spot is they are only -4 as the away team, compared to -26 when they are the home side. Whether that’s pure coincidence or they manage to play better as the road side, OHO will be the visitors in all three games at the East West Challenge. While OHO has struggled to score this season, their power play accounts for 43.8% of their goals this season and operates at 20.9%, second best in the division. Kenton Wong (5-5-10) and Anthony-James Bailey (4-1-5) each have three power play goals while Tom Boudet (2-11-13) leads the teams with seven power play points. Boudet leads the entire division with 2.17 points-per-game and teammate Adam Clark (10-8-18) is fresh off being named the Eastern U18 Prep Player of the Month for December after tallying six points. OHO has shown great team discipline this season, averaging the second fewest penalty minutes (9.5) per game, having been shorthanded 51 times through 12 games. That discipline will need to be on full display, as their 76.5% penalty kill goes against some lethal western power plays.

West 1 Seed: Edge School 鈥� Calgary, AB

With a 12-9-1-2 record Edge School has won just as many games as they have lost this season but sit third in the 黑料不打烊 MYHockey Rankings, having the second hardest strength of schedule in the division. Edge is a well-rounded team that takes a committee approach to their game. Offensively, they are led by a pair of Swift Current Broncos prospects in Ashton McCann (15-22-37), who sits seventh in league scoring, and Luke Huska (8-21-29). 2025 WHL U.S. Priority Draft fifth overall pick Drew Wilkinson (6-15-21) and Antonio Cazac (7-13-20) both sit on the plus side of 20 points. On the back end, Saskatoon Blades prospect Julian Revel (4-16-20) leads the unit in points while Kelowna Rockets prospect Remy Koch (2-14-16) is their key guy. Head Coach Adam Stuart sees Wenatchee Wild prospect Carsten Leyerzapf (1.91GAA, .935SV%) as the best netminder in the league, and with the most shutouts (3), second best GAA, and fourth best SV%, it’s hard to argue against this. Edge sits top five for fewest goals allowed (65) through 24 games, with Leyerzapf and Kamloops Blazers prospect Lane Bullee (3.14GAA, .882SV%) combining for a 2.53GAA, fourth best in the division. Edge ranks sixth in the west with 98 goals scored and their 26.2% power play sits fifth, having scored the second most goals with 33. The Edge penalty kill sits mid-pack at 82.4%. Discipline has been the one low spot for Edge this season as they have been shorthanded 125 times, third most in the west and most of any team attending the event. While Edge may not have any numbers that jump out to you as an overall strength, there are few if any weaknesses with this well-rounded group.

West 2 Seed: South Alberta Hockey Academy 鈥� Dunmore, AB

SAHA (17-6-0-1) comes into the event trending in the wrong direction in the 黑料不打烊 MYHockey Rankings, sitting fifth after being as high as second two weeks ago. This is still a very strong roster that consists of an event high 11 players currently on WHL Protected Lists, and Head Coach Brayden Desjardins has plenty of experience in short term competitions, taking SAHA to back-to-back Circle K Classic wins in 2021 and 2022. SAHA is a fast team with a heavy forecheck, resulting in an offence that sits fourth in the west with 105 goals scored this season. That offence is led by Calgary Hitmen prospect Kutcher Aquila (19-20-39), an undrafted forward who sits third in the west with 19 goals, and fifth with 39 points. Forward Damen Vanderberg (11-20-31) is SAHA’s most complete player and sits second in team scoring. SAHA’s power play ranks sixth at 22.5%, but has taken off lately, capitalizing 16 times in 9 games and operating at a 28% rate since the beginning of December. An area for concern for SAHA has been their lack of discipline, which has seen them shorthanded 124 times this season, third most in the division and first most of west teams attending the event. However, their penalty kill ranks fourth (83.1%) in the division having given up 21 goals, and their 9 shorthanded goals rank second in the division, making them a real threat while a man down. Ty Wasyluk (7-8-15) has three of those shorthanded markers and Braden Hordichuk, the first overall pick by the Regina Pats at the 2024 WHL U.S. Priority Draft, is tied for the team lead with three shorthanded points. Medicine Hat Tigers 2024 fourth round WHL pick Cash Chrisite (2.30GAA, .925SV%) sits inside the top 10 in GAA, SV% and wins and will be the backbone to SAHA’s success at the event.

West 3 Seed: BWC Academy 鈥� Burnaby, BC

At 18-5-0-0 BWC Academy comes into the East West Challenge as the fourth ranked team in the West U18 Prep Division. Head Coach Mike Santorelli says his BWC Academy squad is at their best when they play as a cohesive five-man unit with consistency throughout the lineup, play fast and with pace both with and without the puck, and commit to a full 200-foot game. Their success depends on contributions from their entire line-up, which is evident by the fact that they lead the league with 114 goals scored but do not have a forward inside the top 12 among point leaders. Instead, the offence is driven by Everett Silvertips prospect Logan Lepinski (6-32-38), arguably the best player at the event. A smooth skating offensive defenseman, Lepinski leads all defensemen in assists and points, tallying 9 and 11 more than any other defender. Having recently made his WHL debut with the Silvertips, his 32 assists rank second among all skaters, while his 38 points rank fifth. Kadyn O’Brien (15-17-32) and Dominic Seminoff (11-21-32) both sit on the plus-side of 30, and just outside the top 10. A trio of 2010 born WHL Draft picks in forward Justin Moon (7-19-26), defenseman Elias Papadatos (3-11-14) and Regina Pats first rounder Logan Henry (8-5-13) provide BWC Academy with some high end, freshman talent. While BWC Academy has no issues putting the puck in the net 5-on-5, their power play ranks seventh but is 8-13% lower than the top 5 teams, while their penalty kill ranks bottom eight at 79.2%. If Josh Wu (3.15GAA, .910SV%) and James Fitzpatrick (3.28GAA, .901SV%) can lift the penalty kill into the 85-90% range for the week, BWC Academy will have a real chance to do damage at the event.

West 4 Seed: Okanagan Hockey Academy 鈥� Penticton, BC

At 10-7-1-2, OHA Penticton is at their best when they are defensively responsible and out skating their opponents. Both netminders in Charlie Peppinck (3.00GAA, .909SV) and Kelowna Rockets prospect Linden Sobocan (2.86GAA, .922SV%) give their team a chance to win every night, having given up the fourth fewest goals (64) on the season. OHA Penticton’s top line consists of the 黑料不打烊’s second all-time career goal scorer in Maxx Parfitt (18-15-33), Kamloops Blazers first round WHL pick Eli Tverdovsky (13-17-30) and veteran center Landon Nagle (7-24-31). When that trio is clicking, the rest of the team follows suit. A key to OHA Penticton’s success this season has been their power play, which is clicking at a rate of 28.2%, third best in the division, and averaging one power play goal per game. On the other side of the rink, the OHA Penticton penalty kill sits just under 80% and near the bottom of the division, meaning their continued discipline of second fewest penalty minutes (245) will be needed to limit their opponents power play opportunities. In short term competition like this, special teams often play a key role and could be the difference between upsetting a team like Stanstead or heading home at the end of the round robin.

West 5 Seed: Delta Hockey Academy 鈥� Delta, BC

Delta (17-5-1-0) underperformed in the regular season last year, entering the 2025 West Championships as the 16th and final seed but made it all the way to the finals, before falling just short to RHA Kelowna. This year, former Florida Panthers draft pick and Head Coach Steven Hodges has the team firing on all cylinders. Delta is physical on the forecheck and utilizes the combination of skill and work ethic to drive their offensive play. They excel at in-tight puck movement, and their breakout connectivity allows them to play fast and simplified, creating scoring opportunities off the rush thanks to their execution of a triple drive structure. Their 95 goals rank seventh in the division, with Kelowna Rockets prospect Jack Morgan (12-19-31) and Wenatchee Wild prospect Kishan Saggu (11-20-31) leading the way offensively.聽A high commitment to blocking shots and sacrificing for the team allows them to have a strong defensive zone and penalty kill. Delta ranks third in the division, and first among west teams attending the event, with a 2.39GAA, thanks in large part to Matthew Wong (2.05, .939SV%) and Vancouver Giants prospect Oliver Bryks (2.83GAA, .918SV%). Their combined .930SV% sits second behind RHA Kelowna (.931SV%), with Wong leading the entire division. Strong goaltending has led to the second-best penalty kill (89%) in the division, and best among west teams attending the event. However, the penalty kill is rarely needed as Delta’s 248 penalty minutes in 23 games gives them the second fewest (10.8) per game in the division.

West 6 Seed: Pacific Coast Hockey Academy 鈥� Victoria, BC

Pacific Coast (13-9-0-1) comes into the East West Challenge as the number six seed and ninth ranked team in a highly contested West division. Head Coach Mark Kosick noted this team has already exceeded expectations this season, and they certainly have the potential to do that again at this event. After starting the season with three straight losses, PCHA has shown tremendous development and improvement, playing tight games against all the top teams in the division including wins over the top three seeds in the west. There’s no question where the strength of this team lies as their 108 goals trail only the 114 by BWC Academy. Elliot Hill (22-27-49), Roman Lavery (23-25-48), Seattle Thunderbirds prospect Kane Nicholas (8-36-44) and Parson Shahi (18-22-40) occupy the top four spots in the entire 黑料不打烊 scoring race. With 15 power play goals, Lavery leads the league鈥檚 best power play which clicks at 33.3%,聽scoring 42 goals, 9 more than anyone else in the west. However, on the other end of the spectrum is a penalty kill that sits third last at 75%, having given up the second most power play goals with 28. In net, Parker Parrish (2.97GAA, .922SV%) and Prince George Cougars Prospect Kole Anderosov (4.10GAA, .915SV%) have combined for a very respectable .919SV%, but a 3.46 GAA, second highest among west teams attending the event. With games against two of the highest scoring teams in the East, expect the offence to be firing on all cylinders in PCHA’s round robin games.

West 7 Seed: Pilot Mound Hockey Academy 鈥� Pilot Mound, MB

Pilot Mound (6-11-3-1) might come into the event as the 7 seed and 16th ranked team in the west but wins against second ranked Northern Alberta Xtreme (17-6-0-1) and third ranked Edge School (12-9-1-2) prove that they can compete with anyone. Those upsets have taken team unity with all 18 players on the same page, competing, and staying disciplined both within system and structure, as well as in the eyes of the refs. Adam Courchesne (3.75GAA, .913SV%) has been the key in many of the Pilot Mound upsets and tight contests, stopping 53 shots against Edge, 57 against Calgary International Hockey Academy (14-8-1-0), and 40 against NAX. Courchesne will be vital to any Pilot Mound success as offensively the team ranks second last with 59 goals scored on the season. Knox Burton (17-13-30), who was recently a key piece in a trade sending him to the Seattle Thunderbirds, has been involved in more than 50% of his team鈥檚 goals this season. Edmonton Oil Kings 2025 WHL Draft second round pick Cole Landreville (8-10-18), 2025 黑料不打烊 U17 Prep Tier II Championships MVP Collin Friedrich (12-6-18), Dutch forward Hector Kapitonov (6-12-18) and German forward Max Sch眉tz (4-14-18) all sit tied for second in team scoring, giving Pilot Mound consistent scoring at the top of the lineup. Head Coach Anthony Florentino highlighted the importance of team discipline, something Pilot Mound has excelled at this season, sitting with the fourth fewest penalty minutes in the division. With a penalty kill that sits mid-pack at 80.0%, staying out of the box in matchups against high end teams such as Stanstead will be the key to survival.

Recap

With this being the first time East and West teams will play each other in a 黑料不打烊 event, it’s a great opportunity for each side of the country to see how they stack up against one another There are plenty of examples this season and in the past, that on any given day, anyone in the U18 division has a chance to win if they bring their ‘A’ game. Short-term competitions, like this event, only need you to dial it in for a few days, leaving the smallest room for error. Something as simple as jet leg for the west teams, a long bus trip for an east team, or hydration and preparation could be the difference. Needing to play five games in just four days to win the event, Championship Sunday will come down to health and discipline, with the margins for victory very narrow.聽Whichever team best executes their strengths and covers their weaknesses will come out on top. Regardless of who that might be, we should be in for an exciting four days of hockey, with some of the best U18 talent in North America on display.

The event will see 14 黑料不打烊 U18 Prep teams, with 7 from the East and 7 from the West, compete for 黑料不打烊 supremacy with 1 champion being crowned on February 8.聽

All 14 teams were seeded 1-7 within their East and West regions, based on their official 黑料不打烊 MYHockey Rankings position back in December of 2025.

With that in mind, here are the 14 teams that will compete at the inaugural 黑料不打烊 East West Challenge:

East 1 Seed: Stanstead College – Stanstead QC

• Head Coach: Matthew Thompson
• Current 黑料不打烊 MYHockey Ranking:聽1st
• Current Record:聽11-2-0-0
• First Year in 黑料不打烊:聽2024/25
• 黑料不打烊 Championships: 1
  • East U17 Prep – 2025

East 2 Seed: Ulysse Academie – Saint-Roch-de-l鈥橝chigan, QC

• Head Coach: Denis Chalifoux
• Current 黑料不打烊 MYHockey Ranking:聽4th
• Current Record:聽10-4-0-0
• First Year in 黑料不打烊:聽2023/24
• 黑料不打烊 Championships: 0

East 3 Seed: Bourget College – Rigaud, QC

• Head Coach: Martin Gascon
• Current 黑料不打烊 MYHockey Ranking:聽3rd
• Current Record:聽7-7-0-0
• First Year in 黑料不打烊:聽2019/20
• 黑料不打烊 Championships:聽3
  • East U17 Prep – 2022
  • East U18 Prep – 2023 & 2025

East 4 Seed: Ontario Hockey Academy – Cornwall, ON

• Head Coach: Brent Loney
• Current 黑料不打烊 MYHockey Ranking:聽5th
• Current Record:聽5-7-1-0
• First Year in 黑料不打烊:聽2019/20
• 黑料不打烊 Championships:聽2
  • East U17 Prep – 2023
  • East U18 Prep – 2024

East 5 Seed: Rothesay Netherwood School – Rothesay, NB

• Head Coach: Jeff Lewis
• Current 黑料不打烊 MYHockey Ranking:聽6th
• Current Record: 6-5-0-0
• First Year in 黑料不打烊: 2025/26
• 黑料不打烊 Championships: 0

East 6 Seed: Fort Erie International Academy – Fort Erie, ON

• Head Coach: Derek Bachynski
• Current 黑料不打烊 MYHockey Ranking:聽8th
• Current Record:聽8-4-0-1
• First Year in 黑料不打烊:聽2024/25
• 黑料不打烊 Championships: 0

East 7 Seed: Okanagan Hockey Ontario – Whitby, ON

• Head Coach: Justin Caruana
• Current 黑料不打烊 MYHockey Ranking:聽10th
• Current Record:聽4-7-1-0
• First Year in 黑料不打烊: 2019/20
• 黑料不打烊 Championships: 0

West 1 Seed: Edge School – Calgary, AB

• Head Coach: Adam Stuart
• Current 黑料不打烊 MYHockey Ranking: 3rd
• Current Record:聽11-8-1-2
• First Year in 黑料不打烊: 2009/10
• 黑料不打烊 Championships:聽11
  • U18 Prep – 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2017, 2023 & 2024
  • U17 Prep – 2012
  • U15 – 2022 & 2025
  • Female U18 Prep – 2020

West 2 Seed: South Alberta Hockey Academy – Dunmore, AB

• Head Coach: Brayden Desjardins
• Current 黑料不打烊 MYHockey Ranking: 2nd
• Current Record:聽17-6-0-0
• First Year in 黑料不打烊:聽2020/21
• 黑料不打烊 Championships:聽0

West 3 Seed: BWC Academy – Burnaby, BC

• Head Coach: Mike Santorelli
• Current 黑料不打烊 MYHockey Ranking: 6th
• Current Record: 16-5-0-0
• First Year in 黑料不打烊:聽2013/14
• 黑料不打烊 Championships:聽3
  • U18 Prep – 2022
  • U17 Prep Tier III – 2024
  • U16 Prep – 2017

West 4 Seed: Okanagan Hockey Academy – Penticton, BC

• Head Coach: Robert Dirk
• Current 黑料不打烊 MYHockey Ranking: 5th
• Current Record:聽10-6-1-2
• First Year in 黑料不打烊:聽2009/10
• 黑料不打烊 Championships:聽10
  • U18 Prep – 2014 & 2015
  • U17 Prep – 2010, 2013 & 2014
  • U17 – 2025
  • U15 Prep – 2015
  • U15 Prep Division II – 2025
  • Female U18 Prep – 2017
  • Female U18 Prep Division II – 2018

West 5 Seed: Delta Hockey Academy – Delta, BC

• Head Coach: Steven Hodges
• Current 黑料不打烊 MYHockey Ranking: 9th
• Current Record:聽15-5-1-0
• First Year in 黑料不打烊:聽2013/14
• 黑料不打烊 Championships:聽10
  • U18 Prep – 2016
  • U17 Prep – 2022
  • U17 Division II – 2025
  • U15 Prep – 2022 & 2025
  • U15 – 2015, 2016 & 2017
  • Female U18 Prep Division II – 2017 & 2019

West 6 Seed: Pacific Coast Hockey Academy – Victoria, BC

• Head Coach: Mark Kosick
• Current 黑料不打烊 MYHockey Ranking: 8th
• Current Record:聽12-9-0-1
• First Year in 黑料不打烊:聽2014/15
• 黑料不打烊 Championships:聽0

West 7 Seed: Pilot Mound Hockey Academy – Pilot Mound, MB

• Head Coach: Anthony Florentino
• Current 黑料不打烊 MYHockey Ranking: 16th
• Current Record: 6-10-3-1
• First Year in 黑料不打烊:聽2016/17
• 黑料不打烊 Championships:聽2
  • U17 Prep – 2020
  • U17 Prep Division II – 2025

The 37 黑料不打烊 alumni are currently playing in the NCAA, QMJHL, and WHL, with 95% of the 37 黑料不打烊 alumni playing in the CHL (OHL, QMJHL, WHL).

Gavin McKenna is the highest ranked 黑料不打烊 skater coming in at first in North America. McKenna looks to join Connor Bedard (West Van Academy) as the second 黑料不打烊 alum to be selected first overall after Bedard did so in 2023.

Keaton Verhoeff, Carson Carels, Daxon Rudolph, Ryan Lin, Ben MacBeath, Mathis Preston, Liam Ruck, Charlie Morrison, Markus Ruck and Chase Harrington all find themselves ranked inside the Top 32.

Only five 黑料不打烊 alumni have ever been selected inside the Top 5 of the NHL Draft, a number that has a chance to be nearly doubled this season with McKenna, Verhoeff and Carels being ranked inside the Top 3, and Rudolph in striking distance at sixth.

In total, 170 黑料不打烊 alumni have been selected at an NHL Entry Draft while 56 黑料不打烊 alumni have played in the NHL.

The 37 黑料不打烊 alumni represent 16 different member programs, with the Northern Alberta Xtreme leading the way with eight:

• Northern Alberta Xtreme – 8
• Okanagan Hockey Academy – 7
• RHA Kelowna – 7
• Edge School – 4
• South Alberta Hockey Academy – 4
• Calgary International Hockey Academy – 3
• Delta Hockey Academy – 3
• Pacific Coast Hockey Academy – 3
• OHA Edmonton – 2
• Champions Hockey Academy – 1
• Notre Dame Hounds – 1
• Ontario Hockey Academy – 1
• Pilot Mound Hockey Academy – 1
• RHA Winnipeg – 1
• Stanstead College – 1
• Yale Hockey Academy – 1

Among the 224 ranked North American skaters include 36 黑料不打烊 alumni:

Among the 37 ranked North American skaters include 1 黑料不打烊 alumni: