Toronto, ON – The Canadian Hockey League in association with the three regional leagues, the Kelowna Rockets Hockey Club, and Home Hardware Stores Limited, today announced the 40 CHL players that will compete in the 2012 Home Hardware CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game at Prospera Place in Kelowna, BC, on February 1, 2012.
“The Home Hardware CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game showcases 40 of the league’s top prospects eligible for the 2012 NHL Entry Draft,” said CHL President David Branch. “Congratulations to all 40 players selected for this event representing the next wave of talent to the NHL, with the opportunity to showcase their skills before hundreds of NHL scouts in attendance and for fans in Kelowna and CHL fans watching live across Canada on Sportsnet and TVA Sports.”
30 of the CHL’s 59 member clubs are represented in this game including three players from the OHL’s Belleville Bulls. Eight other teams have two players competing in the event including the host Kelowna Rockets who will be represented by forward Colton Sissons and defenceman Damon Severson.
“The Home Hardware CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game is an event that all NHL scouts look forward to attending,” said NHL Central Scouting Director Dan Marr. “The 40 players competing in this game were chosen by the 30 NHL clubs with the game being a unique opportunity to evaluate 40 of the top draft eligible prospects on a single stage in what has annually become an intense competition.”
The rosters include all three players that were ranked first overall in their regional league according to NHL Central Scouting’s Preliminary Draft Rankings including Nail Yakupov of the Sarnia Sting, Mikhail Grigorenko of the Quebec Remparts, and Ryan Murray of the Everett Silvertips. Murray, along with Tanner Pearson of the Barrie Colts, will compete in this event after representing Canada at the 2012 IIHF World Junior Championship.
“It is a huge honour to be named to this event and to play alongside some of the best players in the 2012 NHL draft class,” said Murray. “I’ve had some great friends compete in this game including Ryan Nugent-Hopkins last season, and I am really looking forward to this opportunity.”
Both Russian-born top prospects were equally thrilled to be named to the Home Hardware CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game. “I am very excited to play in the Top Prospects Game,” said Yakupov, last year’s CHL Rookie of the Year who has 49 points in 24 games this season. “I am looking forward to playing against and meeting the other top draft eligible players from the CHL.” Grigorenko, who leads all QMJHL rookies with 56 points in 35 games also commented; “I am honoured to play among the best NHL prospects and it will be a great challenge for me.”
2012 Home Hardware CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game Rosters:
Team Orr (White):
Goaltenders:
Malcolm Subban (Belleville Bulls)
Francois Tremblay (Val d’Or Foreurs)
Defencemen:
Gianluca Curcuruto (Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds)
Matthew Finn (Guelph Storm)
Olli Maatta (London Knights)
Adam Pelech (Erie Otters)
Derrick Pouliot (Portland Winterhawks)
Griffin Reinhart (Edmonton Oil Kings)
Forwards:
Andreas Athanasiou (London Knights)
Francis Beauvillier (Rimouski Oceanic)
Raphael Bussieres (Baie-Comeau Drakkar)
Radek Faksa (Kitchener Rangers)
Mikhail Grigorenko (Quebec Remparts)
Tomas Hyka (Gatineau Olympiques)
Scott Kosmachuk (Guelph Storm)
Matia Marcantuoni (Kitchener Rangers)
Tanner Pearson (Barrie Colts)
Colton Sissons (Kelowna Rockets)
Chandler Stephenson (Regina Pats)
Lukas Sutter (Saskatoon Blades)
Team Cherry (Red):
Goaltenders:
Matthew Murray (Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds)
Brandon Whitney (Victoriaville Tigres)
Defencemen:
Cody Ceci (Ottawa 67’s)
Mathew Dumba (Red Deer Rebels)
Nick Ebert (Windsor Spitfires)
Slater Koekkoek (Peterborough Petes)
Ryan Murray (Everett Silvertips)
Damon Severson (Kelowna Rockets)
Forwards:
Martin Frk (Halifax Mooseheads)
Brendan Gaunce (Belleville Bulls)
Coda Gordon (Swift Current Broncos)
Charles Hudon (Chicoutimi Sagueneens)
Scott Laughton (Oshawa Generals)
Jarrod Maidens (Owen Sound Attack)
Andrew Ryan (Halifax Mooseheads)
Gemel Smith (Owen Sound Attack)
Dominik Volek (Regina Pats)
Thomas Wilson (Plymouth Whalers)
Nail Yakupov (Sarnia Sting)
Daniil Zharkov (Belleville Bulls)
Source: Canadian Hockey League
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