Iginla leads list of 40 players selected for 2024 CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game

Tij Iginla, son of Hockey Hall of Famer Jarome Iginla, is one of 40 players from the Canadian Hockey League eligible for the 2024 NHL Draft taking part in the 2024 Kubota CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game.

The game, which draws players from the Western Hockey League, Ontario Hockey League and the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League, will be held at Avenir Center in Moncton, New Brunswick, on Jan. 24.

Players for the game were selected by the 32 NHL teams with input from NHL Central Scouting.

Iginla (6-foot, 186 pounds), a forward with Kelowna of the WHL, has 42 points (25 goals, 17 assists) in 32 games. The 17-year-old is second on Kelowna in scoring and sixth among WHL players in goals.

"He's a dynamic offensive player and has speed and quickness that makes a difference and possesses natural offensive instincts and finishing ability," Central Scouting vice president Dan Marr said. "He's a player you can't keep your eyes off when he's on the ice."

Iginla is one of 14 players participating in the game who received an A rating from Central Scouting in its November players to watch list.

Also among the A-rated players is forward Tanner Howe (5-10, 182) who leads Regina of the WHL with 39 points (20 goals, 19 assists) in 33 games.

"How ever people view Brad Marchand is what I see in [Howe]," Regina coach Brad Herauf said. "He's a guy that's got that fire, that competitiveness in his game. There are not many checks he won't finish, yet he's got that offensive touch to play up and down a lineup, in the top six. He has that scoring and playmaking ability to play with elite players."

Other A-rated players are defensemen Sam Dickinson (London, OHL), Henry Mews (Ottawa, OHL), Zayne Parekh (Saginaw, OHL) and Carter Yakemchuk (Calgary, WHL), and forwards Andrew Basha (Medicine Hat, WHL), Berkly Catton (Spokane, WHL), Liam Greentree (Windsor, OHL), Adam Jecho (Edmonton, WHL), Cayden Lindstrom (Medicine Hat, WHL), Maxim Masse (Chicoutimi, QMJHL), Ryder Ritchie (Prince Albert, WHL) and Beckett Sennecke (Oshawa, OHL).

Players will be split onto Team Red and Team White. Gerard Gallant, who spent 11 seasons as an NHL coach for four teams, most recently with the New York Rangers from 2021-23, will be honorary coach for Team Red. His longtime assistant, Mike Kelly, will be the honorary coach for Team White.

The NHL is finalizing plans to hold the 2024 NHL Draft at Sphere in Las Vegas on June 28-29.

2024 CHL/NHL TOP PROSPECTS GAME ROSTER

GOALIES: Dawson Cowan, Spokane (WHL); Carter George, Owen Sound (OHL); Ryerson Leenders, Mississauga (OHL); Lukas Matecha, Tri-City (WHL)

DEFENSEMEN: Harrison Brunicke, Kamloops (WHL); Ben Danford, Oshawa (OHL); Sam Dickinson, London (OHL); Charlie Elick, Brandon (WHL); Lukas Fischer, Sarnia (OHL); Spencer Gill, Rimouski (QMJHL); Tomas Lavoie, Cape Breton (QMJHL); Luca Marrelli, Oshawa (OHL); Henry Mews, Ottawa (OHL); Zayne Parekh, Saginaw (OHL); Colton Roberts, Vancouver (WHL); Carter Yakemchuk, Calgary (WHL)

FORWARDS: Andrew Basha, Medicine Hat (WHL); Cole Beaudoin, Barrie (OHL); Raoul Boilard, Baie-Comeau (QMJHL); Berkly Catton, Spokane (WHL); Maximilian Curran, Tri-City (WHL); Gabrial Frasca, Kingston (OHL); Liam Greentree, Windsor (OHL); Tanner Howe, Regina (WHL); Tij Iginla, Kelowna (WHL); Adam Jecho, Edmonton (WHL); Ollie Josephson, Red Deer (WHL); Cayden Lindstrom, Medicine Hat (WHL); Jett Luchanko, Guelph (OHL); Maxim Masse, Chicoutimi (QMJHL); Julius Miettinen, Everett (WHL); Luke Misa, Mississauga (OHL); Sam O'Reilly, London (OHL); Terik Parascak, Prince George (WHL); Ethan Procyszyn, North Bay (OHL); Ryder Ritchie, Prince Albert (WHL); Beckett Sennecke, Oshawa (OHL); Marek Vanacker, Brantford (OHL); Kieron Walton, Sudbury (OHL); Carson Wetsch, Calgary (WHL)

NHL.com senior draft writer Mike G. Morreale contributed to this report