Team CHL will be represented at the 2025 CHL USA Prospects Challenge later this month by a five-person leadership group, all projected first-round picks. Caleb Malhotra of Brantford in the OHL will captain the squad in both games (Game 1 in Calgary on Nov. 25; Game 2 in Lethbridge on Nov. 26). Thus far in his OHL rookie year, Malhotra has 25 points (8G 17A) in 19 games for the Bulldogs. He is committed to attend Boston University next fall.
Also, Team CHL has named four alternate captains for this event. D-men Ryan Lin of the WHL’s Vancouver Giants & Xavier Villeneuve of the QMJHL’s Blainville-Boisbriand Armada have been named alternate captains in both games. Kamloops Blazers’ forward JP Hurlbert will serve as an alternate captain in Game 1, and Prince Albert Raiders’ d-man Daxon Rudolph will wear an “A” in Game 2.
Lin, Villeneuve and Rudolph all hail from Canada. Thus far this season, Lin and Rudolph have 22 points (3G 19A) in 20 games & 13 points (5G 8A) in 18 games, respectively. Lin’s 22 points lead all WHL d-men, and he was a gold medalist with Team Canada at the 2025 U18 WJC. Likewise, Villeneuve leads all QMJHL d-men with 24 points (5G 19A), and was Lin’s gold medal-winning teammate at this year’s U18 WJC.
The American-born Hurlbert already has totaled 35 points (13G 22A) in 20 games this season, his first in the WHL. Ironically, Hurlbert will be facing his former teammates, as he played for Team USA a season ago. Like Malhotra, Hurlbert will continue his career at the NCAA level next season. He has committed to attend the University of Michigan in the fall of 2026.