2025 CHL USA Prospects Problem: 4 issues realized in Sport 1 – NHL.com

Boettiger, Hurlbert see collection from different aspect; Cullen rising into prospect to observe
© Jenn Pierce, CHL
CALGARY — Wyatt Cullen, a C rated skater on NHL Central Scouting’s preliminary gamers to observe checklist, had a objective and an help for USA Hockey’s Nationwide Staff Growth Program Beneath-18 Staff in a 4-2 win in opposition to the Canadian Hockey League in Sport 1 of the CHL USA Prospects Problem at Scotiabank Saddledome on Tuesday.
The win was the first-ever for the NTDP within the occasion, which started final season. Staff CHL swept the two-game collection in 2024, 6-1 and 3-2.
Cullen, the son of former NHL ahead Matt Cullen, scored a power-play objective on a wrist shot from the excessive slot at 6:46 of the third interval for a 3-1 lead.
“He is an attention-grabbing one, as a result of he is grown like 9 inches since our Beneath-17 tryout camp,” NTDP coach Nick Fohr mentioned of Cullen. “He was 5-foot-3 or 5-foot-4 at our tryout camp, and he was 120-some kilos, and now he is nearly 6-1 and 170 in like 18 months. What a change. And he is nonetheless simply scratching the floor of the kind of participant he’ll be.”
Brady Knowling (B rated), who’s dedicated to Boston College in 2027-28, made 42 saves and was named participant of the sport.
“I believe the crew performed very well in entrance of me,” Knowling mentioned. “Loads of blocked pictures. I can not take all of the credit score. As quickly as they performed final 12 months, we talked about it, and we mentioned we did not need that to occur to us. We had been going to come back out representing Staff USA, and that is what we did tonight.”
Dayne Beuker (B rated), Sammy Nelson (2027 NHL Draft eligible) and Jamie Look (2027 draft eligible) every scored for the NTDP, which had only one A rated skater on the roster in defenseman Luke Schairer.
Mathis Preston (A rated), a ahead from Spokane within the Western Hockey League, had a objective and an help for Staff CHL. Chase Reid (A rated) of Sault Ste. Marie within the Ontario Hockey League scored, and Harrison Boettiger (B rated) of Kelowna (WHL) made 22 saves.
Staff CHL had 13 A-rated skaters on the roster.
“I hate to lose, and I hate them from the underside of my coronary heart,” CHL defenseman Xavier Villeneuve (A rated) mentioned. “Dropping tonight hurts.”
CHL held a 44-26 shot benefit and was 0-for-5 on the facility play. The U.S. was 1-for-2 on the facility play.
The Prospects Problem collection will conclude at VisitLethbridge.com Area in Lethbridge, Alberta, on Wednesday.
“I believe we had been too informal going into this sport,” CHL captain Caleb Malhotra (Brantford, OHL) mentioned. “In the end, we thought we had it within the bag to begin and no person in there put their greatest foot ahead and we all know that. We’ll come higher [Wednesday].”
Listed below are 4 issues realized from the 2025 CHL USA Prospects Problem:
CHL goalie Boettiger (6-2, 189) and ahead J.P. Hurlbert have every had the distinctive distinction of representing either side of the CHL USA Prospects Problem.
Boettiger, of Wheat Ridge, Colorado, was a member of the NTDP finally 12 months’s occasion, stopping 35 pictures in a 3-2 loss in opposition to Staff CHL within the second sport of the two-game CHL sweep. He performs for Kelowna (WHL) this season. He’s dedicated to the College of Denver subsequent season.
“I performed with a bunch of them on the U-18 crew final 12 months,” Boettiger mentioned. “It was identical to follow final 12 months, going at one another, chirping.”
Hurlbert (6-0, 182) of Allen, Texas, performed for the NTDP final 12 months, however served as an alternate captain for Staff CHL this season. He had 37 factors (19 objectives, 18 assists) in 56 video games with the NTDP Beneath-17 Staff in 2024-25 and this 12 months leads the WHL with 18 objectives and 44 factors in 25 video games as a rookie with Kamloops. The College of Michigan commit had six pictures on objective and was 4-for-14 on face-offs.
“I’ve a whole lot of nice associates over there and individuals who I performed with and in opposition to for a really very long time,” Hurlbert mentioned. “I used to be excited to play for the CHL, make new associates and be taught the sport from different individuals.”
Cullen, who lately returned from harm and has 5 factors (one objective, 4 assists) in 5 video games with the NTDP this season, actually made an impression in his first large take a look at.
“It was a extremely cool expertise for me scoring a objective like that in an enormous sport,” Cullen mentioned. “I bought placed on the facility play immediately, and that is enormous for me. I believe I am a extremely proficient participant. It was good to showcase on the market what I can do.”
Fohr is happy with how far Cullen has come since Beneath-17 tryout camp. Cullen is dedicated to the College of Minnesota in 2027-28.
“The [NHL scouts] are going to see him now, and get to expertise him,” Fohr mentioned. “He is such a artful hockey participant. He is nonetheless not one hundred pc as much as full velocity. He is solely performed 5 video games and he is preventing it a bit bit nonetheless, digging by means of the harm that he had originally of the 12 months. However he is coming and he is nonetheless getting his legs beneath him.”
Ethan Belchetz, one of many extra extremely touted A rated skaters taking part within the sport, was upset along with his efficiency and is decided to make amends in Sport 2 on Wednesday.
“I did not suppose I performed very effectively tonight,” mentioned Belchetz, who took seven pictures and had a plus-1 ranking. “I am going to discuss to the coach later to seek out out what he was considering. However from a private standpoint, I wasn’t very proud of the way in which I performed.”
Belchetz leads Windsor (OHL) with 16 objectives and is second with 28 factors in 23 video games this season.
“I simply did not suppose I used to be very engaged, and I wasn’t transferring my ft,” he mentioned. “All of the issues that I often deliver to the desk, I wasn’t actually doing. Hopefully, tomorrow will likely be a greater evening for me.”
© Jenn Pierce, CHL
NHL Corridor of Fame ahead Lanny McDonald made a shock look in the course of the morning skate for Staff CHL to supply phrases of encouragement and a Calgary custom forward of Sport 1.
“We now have a white hat custom in Calgary to welcome newcomers to the town and we’re very happy with that,” McDonald instructed the group. “However earlier than that, bear in mind, you bought right here by being one of the best of one of the best, however you can not win if you happen to play as a person. You’ll be able to solely win if you happen to play as a crew. Sure, you bought every kind of scouts up within the stands. They’re in search of what sort of crew participant you’re.”
McDonald, whose 10-year time period as Hockey Corridor of Fame chairman resulted in June, then offered the primary white cowboy hat to Malhotra (A rated).
“Cowboy hats aren’t common in Europe in any respect, so that is my first,” mentioned A rated left wing Adam Novotny (Peterborough, OHL), who was born in Czechia. “I used to be watching some highlights from his video games with the Calgary Flames up to now. It was nice to have him with us on the ice.”
McDonald, whose No. 9 uniform was retired by the Flames in 1990, was launched to the crew by CHL coach Willie Desjardins (Drugs Hat, WHL).
“He is achieved so many issues; he is one in all three within the rafters in order that’s fairly spectacular,” Desjardins mentioned. “It is so nice the way in which he offers again to the sport; I believe that is one thing all of us can be taught from. It is essential that all of us do this.”
NHL.com deputy managing editor Adam Kimelman contributed to this report.

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