The 2019-20 Champions Hockey League season is about to begin, offering hockey fans in North America a fascinating glimpse of talent that will be on the way to the NHL.
Last season, Kaapo Kakko was everywhere in the hockey world. He won gold medals at World Juniors and the World Championship as well as being named Finland’s Liiga rookie of the year and appearing in five CHL games with TPS Turku. After being drafted second overall last spring, Kakko will take his talents to Broadway as a member of the New York Rangers.
In eight CHL games with HC Lugano last season, Latvian netminder Elvis Merzlikins put up a .923 save percentage and 2.27 goals-against average. He’s also making the jump to North America this fall, hoping to take advantage of the Columbus Blue Jackets’ need for a new No. 1 goaltender now that Sergei Bobrovsky has moved on to Florida.
Who’s next? Here’s a look at some potential NHL future stars that fans can watch in Champions Hockey League action this year.
Moritz Seider (Adler Mannheim, D) - Drafted 6th (1st round, 2019) by Detroit Red Wings
New Detroit general manager Steve Yzerman sent shockwaves through the draft last June when he used the Red Wings’ first-round pick on big right-handed blueliner Moritz Seider. Ranked sixth among European skaters in the final NHL Central Scouting draft rankings, that was an outstanding position for a German defensemen. But nobody thought he’d go sixth overall — least of all, a visibly shocked Seider when his name was called in the first hour on draft day.
Last season, Seider’s stock skyrocketed when he helped Adler Mannheim win the 2019 DEL championship within weeks of his 18th birthday. He was dominant as Germany won gold at the Division 1A World Junior Championship, then played five solid games on a much bigger stage with the men’s team at the World Championship.
Not far away from being NHL ready, Seider is signed his entry-level contract with the Red Wings in July. He’ll be back to help Adler Mannheim defend its DEL title this year.
As a 17-year-old, Broberg spent most of last season playing with men on AIK in Allsvenskan. Along the way, he also made an appearance on Sweden’s World Junior team before being named the best defenseman at the World U18 championship, where he helped Sweden win gold on home soil.
Broberg already boasts a man’s body and is an outstanding skater for his size. He signed his entry-level contract with the Oilers in early July.
Philip Broberg (Skellefteå AIK, D) - Drafted 8th (1st round, 2019) by Edmonton Oilers
One year after drafting potential franchise defenseman Evan Bouchard with their 10th overall draft pick, the Edmonton Oilers further shored up their blueline depth when they added Philip Broberg to slot in on the left side this year.
Lucas Raymond (Frölunda Indians, F) – 2020 Draft Eligible
This Swedish (pictured above) winger’s high-end wheels get him down the ice in a hurry. He’s a strong two-way player who makes magic in the offensive zone, like he did with his hat trick in the U18 title game. Known more as a playmaker, Lucas Raymond came up clutch when he delivered the game-tying goal against Russia, then the overtime winner — giving Sweden its first U18 gold medal in history.
Raymond isn’t waiting around to make his mark in the hockey world, either. He won’t turn 18 till next March, but played four CHL games last season with the champions from Frölunda and will return for a full campaign this year. He’ll also be counted on to provide offense for the Swedes at the World Junior Championship.
Alexander Holtz (Djurgården Stockholm, F) – 2020 Draft Eligible
Internationally, Alexander Holtz has been virtually inseparable from Raymond. Known as an impressive triggerman, he has been the other half of Sweden’s dangerous one-two offensive punch at the U17 and U18 levels — and should do the same this winter at World Juniors.
With a reputation for being able to score from anywhere, it’s no surprise that Holtz cites Alex Ovechkin and Patrik Laine as two of his biggest influences. He insists that he also has a playmaking element in his game.
At the league level, Holtz got into just three SHL games last season with Djurgården. He should make the full-time jump this year.
Lino Martschini (EV Zug, F) – Undrafted
Longtime Champions Hockey League fans are already familiar with Lino Martschini, Zug’s undersized point-producing machine who’s among the CHL’s top 10 all-time scorers.
As a youth, Martschini played two years of junior hockey in North America, then came back to Switzerland after he wasn’t drafted. Now 26, he has been an NLA All-Star with Zug year after year, while NHL teams are starting to develop decidedly different attitudes about smaller players after seeing the scoring success of undersized snipers like Johnny Gaudreau and Alex DeBrincat.
This year, Cole Caufield was a first-round draft pick even though he barely stands 5’7”. Could the trend toward smaller skill guys mean the door’s still open for Martschini to earn an NHL contract?
Honourable Mentions
Toni Rajala (EHC Biel-Bienne, F)
Finland’s unexpected gold medal at the last spring’s World Championship got North American scouts asking questions about the roster of unheralded players that eliminated the Swedes, Russians and Canadians on the way to their win. Now 28, Rajala’s a solid utility forward with a tremendous team-first attitude.
Wouter Peeters (Tappara Tampere, G)
Only one player born in Belgium has ever made it to the NHL — center Jan Benda played nine games for the Washington Capitals in 1997. Goaltender Wouter Peeters became the first Belgian ever drafted when the Chicago Blackhawks selected him in the third round in 2016. Now 21, he has bounced between the USHL and Finland since being drafted. He’ll suit up for Tappara this season.