CHL notebook: Top players at quarter mark of season

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 players in the first quarter of the season.

The three CHL leagues are nearing the completion of the first quarter of their season, and more than a few NHL prospects have gotten off to strong starts. Here are some of the top performers so far (players listed in alphabetical order).

Spencer Bowes, LW, Ottawa (New York Rangers)

Bowes began November with his best game in three OHL seasons, scoring a goal and adding four assists, including one on the overtime goal by Filip Ekberg (Carolina Hurricanes), in a 7-6 win against Oshawa on Nov. 1. The 19-year-old has 17 points (10 goals, seven assists) during a 10-game point streak. He has 25 points (15 goals, 10 assists) in 17 games overall this season, including at least one point in 16 games.

The Rangers selected Bowes in the fourth round (No. 102) of the 2026 NHL Draft.

Vladimir Dravecky, D, Guelph (New York Islanders)

Dravecky was named OHL defenseman of the month for October after he had 18 points (four goals, 14 assists) in 11 games, including 16 points (three goals, 13 assists) during an eight-game point streak to end the month. He continued his hot play into November, scoring the game-winning goal in a 3-2 win against Kitchener on Tuesday, giving him 17 points (four goals, 13 assists) during a nine-game point streak, which ended on Friday. The 18-year-old leads OHL defensemen with 21 points (five goals, 16 assists) in 15 games, nearly matching the 28 points (nine goals, 19 assists) he had in 58 games for Brantford last season.

The Islanders chose Dravecky in the fifth round (No. 141) of the 2026 draft.

Beckett Hamilton, C, Red Deer (Colorado Avalanche)

Hamilton began the season with eight multipoint games in his first nine, and he hasn't slowed down much since then. The 18-year-old began November scoring the game-tying and game-winning goal in a 3-2 overtime win against Edmonton on Nov. 1, and is second in the WHL with 27 points (13 goals, 14 assists) in 16 games.

The Avalanche chose Hamilton in the third round (No. 74) of the 2026 draft.

Zachary Jovanovski, G, Guelph (Carolina Hurricanes)

Jovanovski began his season with back-to-back shutouts and a 130:15 shutout streak, and he hasn't slipped far from that level. The 19-year-old made 35 saves in a 2-1 overtime win against Owen Sound on Friday to run his record to 8-0-0 with a 1.86 goals-against average and .933 save percentage in eight games.

The Hurricanes selected Jovanovski in the sixth round (No. 165) of the 2026 draft.

Brayden Klimpke, D, Saskatoon (Montreal Canadiens)

Klimpkie had an assist in a 5-4 loss to Seattle on Oct. 31 and has 19 points (five goals, 14 assists) in 15 games, which is tied for the lead among WHL defensemen. His goal against Swift Current on Oct. 16 was his fifth in eight games and exceeded the four he scored in 68 games last season.

The Canadiens chose the 19-year-old in the fourth round (No. 117) of the 2026 draft.

Ryan Roobroeck, LW, Guelph (Chicago Blackhawks)

Roobroeck was named OHL player of the month for October after he had 20 points (12 goals, eight assists) in 11 games, including eight multipoint games, capped by two second-period goals and an assist on the game-winner in a 5-3 victory against Saginaw on Oct. 31. The 19-year-old began November with an assist on Vladimir Dravecky's game-winning goal in a 3-2 victory against Kitchener on Tuesday. Roobroeck has 12 points (seven goals, five assists) during a seven-game point streak, and his 14 goals in 15 games this season are tied for second in the OHL.

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

Arseni Radkov, G, Val-d'Or (Montreal Canadiens)

Radkov made 24 of his 28 saves during the final two periods of a 4-2 win against North Bay of the OHL on Nov. 1. The victory ran Radkov's record to 6-0-1 with a 2.36 goals-against and .916 save percentage in nine games. It's the second QMJHL season for the Belarus-born 19-year-old, who split last season between Blainville-Boisbriand and Saint John before being traded to Val-d'Or on June 6.

The Canadiens chose Radkov in the third round (No. 82) of the 2025 NHL Draft.

Ondrej Ruml, D, Ottawa (Colorado Avalanche)

After scoring goals in each of his final two games of October, Ruml began November with his most productive game of the season. He scored a goal and had two assists, including one on Filip Ekberg's overtime goal, in a 7-6 win against Oshawa on Nov. 1. The 18-year-old was named OHL player of the week on Nov. 2. Ruml is tied for the lead among OHL defensemen with eight goals in 16 games, and his 16 points are tied for sixth.

The Avalanche selected Ruml in the seventh round (No. 214) of the 2026 draft.

Cameron Schmidt, RW, Victoria (Dallas Stars)

Schmidt had 17 points (seven goals, 10 assists) during a season-opening 11-game point streak, which ended in 4-3 overtime win against Moose Jaw on Friday. It was the third straight season the 19-year-old had a point streak of at least 11 games. Last season he had a WHL-best 27-game streak (21 goals, 23 assists), and in 2024-25 he had a 12-game run (12 goals, nine assists).

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

Egor Shilov, C, Victoriaville (Colorado Avalanche)

Shilov finished October with his first hat trick of the season, an assist and a season-high eight shots on goal in a 6-3 win against Halifax. One night later, he helped the Tigres come back from a 5-3 third-period deficit, scoring the game-winning goal with 1:26 remaining in what became a 7-5 victory. The 18-year-old is second in the QMJHL with 26 points (12 goals, 14 assists) in 16 games, including 17 points (eight goals, nine assists) during a nine-game point streak.

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