2025 CHL Import Draft

[pgfan66]

It’s that time of year again. With the CHL moving to 3 imports, we’ll be seeing an additional round this year, which likely means every single team will use their first pick and therefore we’ll have more players selected than ever before, perhaps twice as many as in past years. This along with the NCAA rule change will lead to even more uncertainty around this draft than we’re used to.

Still, who are some players from your country you expect to be picked? Who are past picks who didn’t report but might report next season? Who are some players to take a swing at and hope to be able to recruit them if pro doesn’t work out yet?

For Germany, I’d expect all the USHL picks to be potential CHL targets too, plus one 06 who hasn’t played much DEL/DEL2 yet:

06 F Maxi Brunner
07 G Lukas Stuhrmann
07 F Dustin Willhöft
07 F Gustavs Griva
07 F Rihards Griva
08 D Darian Rolsing

I could also see Owen Sound dropping 07 D Max Bleicher so he can go through the draft again, but maybe they’ll keep him given the extra import slot.

Every other German top prospect has either spent significant time in the DEL/DEL2 already and/or announced a pro contract for the upcoming season, making them more unlikely.

 

[hellwar9]

Might report next season:
Luka Radivojevic (probably won't go NCAA, but will move to CHL for 1 more year)
Tobias Tomik (draft year, he has already announced that he is 100% going to the CHL)
Jan Chovan (stagnating in Finland, he wanted to go there already this season)
Adam Nemec (the smallest chance for a report, but still there is some, Nitra will focus mainly on Tomas Chrenko's development and Nemec's overseas would help in development more)
Tomas Pobezal (stagnation in Nitra, lower offensive potential and slow Slovak league didn't help him much, he needs to play faster league, high chance to move to OHL)

Players expect to be picked:
Michal Svrcek
Michal Capos
Alex Misiak
Alex Zalesak
Martin Kalis
Samuel Murin
Jakub Dubravik
Matus Lisy
Ivan Bercik
Ivan Matta
Alexej Kubat
Adam Goljer
Lucas Novak (I don't think he even needs to be drafted, he doesn't need to be considered an import, if I'm not mistaken, it was already clear a few months ago that he's going to try-out for an unnamed CHL club in the summer)
Matej Stankoven
Tobias Zvolensky
Leo Habda
Samuel Hybsky
Juraj Rausa

 

[jtechkid68]

Nemec is most interesting because should be 3-4 th round pick , not commited to college - would assume he goes CHL ?

 

[Isaac Nootin]

Might report next season:
Luka Radivojevic (probably won't go NCAA, but will move to CHL for 1 more year)
Tobias Tomik (draft year, he has already announced that he is 100% going to the CHL)
Jan Chovan (stagnating in Finland, he wanted to go there already this season)
Adam Nemec (the smallest chance for a report, but still there is some, Nitra will focus mainly on Tomas Chrenko's development and Nemec's overseas would help in development more)
Tomas Pobezal (stagnation in Nitra, lower offensive potential and slow Slovak league didn't help him much, he needs to play faster league, high chance to move to OHL)

Players expect to be picked:
Michal Svrcek
Michal Capos
Alex Misiak
Alex Zalesak
Martin Kalis
Samuel Murin
Jakub Dubravik
Matus Lisy
Ivan Bercik
Ivan Matta
Alexej Kubat
Adam Goljer
Lucas Novak (I don't think he even needs to be drafted, he doesn't need to be considered an import, if I'm not mistaken, it was already clear a few months ago that he's going to try-out for an unnamed CHL club in the summer)
Matej Stankoven
Tobias Zvolensky
Leo Habda
Samuel Hybsky
Juraj Rausa

As a Sudbury fan, I'm certainly hoping both Nemec and Chovan report this year. Lots of ice time available for them.

 

[kiwi123]

Might report next season:
Luka Radivojevic (probably won't go NCAA, but will move to CHL for 1 more year)
Tobias Tomik (draft year, he has already announced that he is 100% going to the CHL)
Jan Chovan (stagnating in Finland, he wanted to go there already this season)
Adam Nemec (the smallest chance for a report, but still there is some, Nitra will focus mainly on Tomas Chrenko's development and Nemec's overseas would help in development more)
Tomas Pobezal (stagnation in Nitra, lower offensive potential and slow Slovak league didn't help him much, he needs to play faster league, high chance to move to OHL)

Players expect to be picked:
Michal Svrcek
Michal Capos
Alex Misiak
Alex Zalesak
Martin Kalis
Samuel Murin
Jakub Dubravik
Matus Lisy
Ivan Bercik
Ivan Matta
Alexej Kubat
Adam Goljer
Lucas Novak (I don't think he even needs to be drafted, he doesn't need to be considered an import, if I'm not mistaken, it was already clear a few months ago that he's going to try-out for an unnamed CHL club in the summer)
Matej Stankoven
Tobias Zvolensky
Leo Habda
Samuel Hybsky
Juraj Rausa

18 picks?? Not a bit unrealistic?

 

[LeProspector]

18 picks?? Not a bit unrealistic?

You’re right, there will probably be more Slovaks picked since there is an extra import slot and round this year.

 

[Hockeyfrilla]

Any swedes?

 

[hellwar9]

18 picks?? Not a bit unrealistic?

I didn't say all of them will be drafted to the CHL. But these are the biggest favorites. I think 12-16 players will be drafted to CHL so yeah there might be a bit more of them than last years because, as mentioned, there will be 1 more Import. And most of them will go to the CHL afterwards.

 

[dr1234]

18 picks?? Not a bit unrealistic?

There were 32 Czech/Slovaks picked last year alone, and that’s before the third import slot opened up

 

[Rusty7550]

Might report next season:
Luka Radivojevic (probably won't go NCAA, but will move to CHL for 1 more year)
Tobias Tomik (draft year, he has already announced that he is 100% going to the CHL)
Jan Chovan (stagnating in Finland, he wanted to go there already this season)
Adam Nemec (the smallest chance for a report, but still there is some, Nitra will focus mainly on Tomas Chrenko's development and Nemec's overseas would help in development more)
Tomas Pobezal (stagnation in Nitra, lower offensive potential and slow Slovak league didn't help him much, he needs to play faster league, high chance to move to OHL)

Players expect to be picked:
Michal Svrcek
Michal Capos
Alex Misiak
Alex Zalesak
Martin Kalis
Samuel Murin
Jakub Dubravik
Matus Lisy
Ivan Bercik
Ivan Matta
Alexej Kubat
Adam Goljer
Lucas Novak (I don't think he even needs to be drafted, he doesn't need to be considered an import, if I'm not mistaken, it was already clear a few months ago that he's going to try-out for an unnamed CHL club in the summer)
Matej Stankoven
Tobias Zvolensky
Leo Habda
Samuel Hybsky
Juraj Rausa

It would be cool to see Stankoven in Kamloops Blazers. But QMJHL is probably better for his style

 

[Hinterland]

From a Swiss point of view it's, as always, rather difficult to predict. There are lots of candidates, probably even more because of CHL leagues now allowing teams to carry three imports. Furthermore, because of CHL players now eligible to go to college, CHL teams are likely to lose lots of older players to college teams and could be tempted to select and carry more older or even overager imports. As a result, I could see some 06 kids from Switzerland getting picked as well though I have no idea who'd be interested in heading overseas. Anyway, here names that came to mind as possibilities, the players who could potentially both good enough and interested:



Goalies:

06 Elijah Neuenschwander
06 Laurin Solèr
07 Gian-Andri Steinmann
07 Matia Birchler
07 Jovin Trachsel


Defensemen:

07 Dorian Moret
07 Finn Bichsel
07 Luca Nappiot
08 Niccolo Castiglioni
08 Vito Thoma


Forwards:

07 Jeremiah Mundy
07 Mike Aeschlimann
07 Arthur Dandois
08 Clemens Troxler
08 Nolan Rohrbach
08 Maxime Sauthier
08 Pascal Schürmann
08 Raphael Achermann
08 Thierry Berger
08 Yanis Lutz
08 Elia Liniger
08 Fabrice Bouvard