CHL notebook: Harrington, Novotny, Schmidt among top NHL Western prospects

Future NHL stars are developing in the Canadian Hockey League this season. Every other week, NHL.com will highlight a few of the top NHL-affiliated prospects in the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League, the Ontario Hockey League and the Western Hockey League. This week: A look at some of the top prospects for Western Conference NHL teams.

As the CHL season has gotten underway, several NHL prospects have gotten off to outstanding starts. After looking at players selected by Eastern Conference teams two weeks ago, here are some of the top players to watch selected by Western Conference teams (listed in alphabetical order; statistics through games Thursday). 

Beckett Hamilton, C, Red Deer (Colorado Avalanche)

Hamilton had a hat trick in the season opener Sept. 25 and hasn't slowed his scoring run down since then. The 18-year-old has eight multipoint games in his first nine, including four with at least three points, and he's second in the Western Hockey League with 20 points (nine goals, 11 assists) in 10 games.

The Avalanche selected Hamilton in the third round (No. 74) of the 2026 NHL Draft.

Chase Harrington, LW Spokane (Calgary Flames)

Harrington had his first hat trick and five-point game in Spokane's 7-1 victory against Everett on Oct. 13, part of the best start the 18-year-old has had in his five WHL seasons. Harrington had at least a point in seven of his first eight games this season, including four with at least two points. He leads the Chiefs with 15 points (six goals, nine assists) nine games, and on Oct. 19 was named WHL Player of the Week.

The Flames selected Harrington in the second round (No. 36) of the 2026 draft.

Florent Houle, RW, Sherbrooke (Utah Mammoth)

After missing Sherbrooke's first four games, Houle didn't need much time to hit his scoring stride. He had his first two-goal game of the season in a 4-3 loss to Rimouski on Oct. 2, and repeated that feat in a 5-3 win at Chicoutimi on Oct. 17, including the game-winning power-play goal in the third period. That was his fourth multipoint game in five games this season, and gave the 19-year-old nine points (five goals, four assists).

Houle was selected by the Mammoth in the fifth round (No. 147) of the 2026 draft.

David Lewandowski, LW, Saskatoon (Edmonton Oilers)

Lewandowski began his season scoring the game-winning goals in his first two games of the season, Sept. 25 and Sept. 26, and had 13 points (four goals, nine assists) during a season-opening seven-game point streak. He had five multipoint games during that run, including a goal and two assists in a 5-3 loss at Swift Current on Oct. 16. He has 14 points (four goals, 10 assists) in nine games this season.

The Oilers selected Lewandowski in the fourth round (No. 117) of the 2025 NHL Draft.

Jimmy Lombardi, C, Flint (Los Angeles Kings)

Lombardi had the best game of his four Ontario Hockey League seasons on Oct. 4 with a goal and four assists in a 7-2 win at London. That started a run of 12 points (four goals, eight assists) in six games, including four multipoint games. The 19-year-old leads the Firebirds with 15 points (five goals, 10 assists) in nine games.

The Kings selected Lombardi in the fourth round (No. 125) of the 2025 draft.

Adam Novotny, LW, Peterborough (Vancouver Canucks)

After getting an extended look during Canucks training camp, the 18-year-old has returned as a dominant presence in his second season in the OHL, including his first five-point game (three goals, two assists) in a 6-0 win against Barrie on Oct. 17. It was his second straight multipoint game, after he assisted on Peterborough's first two goals in a 4-2 win against North Bay on Oct. 15. He ran his multipoint streak to three games with two assists, including one on the game-tying goal, in a 5-4 win against Oshawa on Thursday. 

Selected by the Canucks with the No. 24 pick in the the 2026 draft, Novotny leads the Petes with 18 points (seven goals, 11 assists) in 12 games.

Mathis Preston, RW, Vancouver (Anaheim Ducks)

Preston completed his first WHL hat trick when he scored in the third period of a 5-2 win at Prince George on Tuesday. It's been the highlight of a start that has seen the 18-year-old take the Giants scoring lead with 16 points (10 goals, six assists) in 12 games, including the game-tying goal as Vancouver rallied from a 3-0 deficit before losing 4-3 in a shootout at Kamloops on Friday.

The Ducks chose Preston in the second round (No. 50) of the 2026 draft.

Ryan Roobroeck, LW, Guelph (Chicago Blackhawks)

Roobroeck has been the top goal scorer on the top team in the CHL through the early part of the season. The 19-year-old opened the campaign with goals in four straight games and points in seven in a row (12 points; seven goals, five assists). He leads the Storm with nine goals in 10 games, including his first short-handed goal in two seasons during a 6-3 loss at Kitchener on Friday that ended Guelph's nine-game winning streak. The Storm have been No. 1 in the CHL Top 10 rankings for three straight weeks.

The Blackhawks selected Roobroeck in the second round (No. 35) of the 2026 draft.

Cameron Schmidt, RW, Victoria (Dallas Stars)

Schmidt continues to show why he's one of the top offensive talents in junior hockey. The 19-year-old began his season with two goals and an assist, including the game-winning goal, in his Victoria debut, a 5-4 win against Swift Current on Oct. 2. He had a goal and an assist in a 5-4 shootout win against Kelowna on Friday to give him 13 points (five goals, eight assists) during a season-opening eight-game point streak. Last season he led the WHL with 51 goals and was third with 100 points in 72 games with Vancouver and Seattle, and in 2024-25 he tied for seventh in the league with 40 goals in 61 games for Vancouver.

The Stars selected Schmidt in the third round (No. 94) of the 2025 draft.

Egor Shilov, C, Victoriaville (Colorado Avalanche)

Shilov had two assists in a 4-2 win against Sherbrooke on Thursday to give him eight points (two goals, six assists) during a five-game point streak. The 18-year-old has at least a point in nine of 12 games and he’s tied for the Victoriaville scoring lead with 17 points (six goals, 11 assists) in 12 games. His strong start is a big reason the Tigres have begun the season 8-3-1; it took them 21 games to win eight last season.

The Avalanche selected Shilov in the second round (No. 43) of the 2026 draft.