Niagara IceDogs forward Ryan Roobroeck is one of the first three members named to Team CHL’s roster for the 2025 CHL USA Prospects Challenge.
Roobroeck is projected to be a top ten pick in the 2026 NHL Draft, with many outlets ranking him in the top five of their preliminary rankings. The Hockey News’ Ryan Kennedy had him as high as the second-best prospect, right behind the projected unanimous first-overall pick Gavin McKenna.
The Niagara star forward is one of the most exciting prospects coming up, due to his combination of size, high-end offensive skills, and an elite goal-scorer’s release, which forecasts him as someone who could tuck home 30 goals year-round in the NHL. He exploded for 87 points (41 goals, 46 assists) in 64 games last regular season, and was a major factor in Canada’s gold medal victory at the 2025 IIHF U18 Men’s World Championship (9 points in 7 games).
Roobroeck was drafted second overall in the 2023 OHL Priority Selection by the IceDogs. When he was drafted, he was listed at 6-foot-2 and 193 pounds. He has bulked up and grown over the last couple of years, currently standing at 6-foot-4 and weighing 215 pounds. Every scout at a Niagara game this year will be watching the London, Ontario native.
Offensively, he has impressed at the junior level already. Continuing to be that dominate threat this year in the OHL is of course important, but scouts are more focused on the development of his all-around game and play without the puck, which can be lackluster at times.
The showcase between the top draft-eligible CHL prospects and the U.S. National U18 Team is set to take place on Nov. 25 and 26 in Calgary and Lethbridge. The inaugural event was held last November in London and Oshawa and was a resounding success. Of that 2024 team, five OHL players went on to get selected in the top ten of the 2025 NHL Draft: Matthew Schaefer, Michael Misa, Brady Martin, Porter Martone, and Jake O’Brien.
Defensemen Ryan Lin of the Vancouver Giants in the WHL and Xavier Villeneuve of the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada in the QMJHL were the other two players named to Team CHL’s roster.
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