CHL notebook: 10 prospects off to fast starts

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 the best starts to the CHL season.

The first step to a successful season for any player at any level is getting off to a fast start. Here are 10 players who have had outstanding starts to the CHL season, which began Sept. 18 (listed in alphabetical order).

Kashawn Aitcheson, D, Barrie, OHL (New York Islanders)

Aitcheson didn't have a point in his first two games, but he's made an offensive impact since then, with eight points (five goals, three assists) during a four-game point streak that ended Thursday. He scored two goals in a 5-3 win against Oshawa, including the game-winner, Oct. 4. One night later, he scored two goals in the third period to help Barrie rally from a 5-1 deficit for a 6-5 shootout victory. He was named Barrie co-captain Oct. 6.

Selected by the Islanders with the No. 17 pick of the 2025 NHL Draft, the 19-year-old leads Ontario Hockey League defensemen in goals after finishing third at the position last season with 26 goals.

Adam Benak, C, Brantford, OHL (Minnesota Wild)

Benak began his OHL career with a goal and three assists in Brantford's 7-2 win against Sudbury on Sept. 27. Then he scored the game-tying power-play goal in the third period against Windsor in a 4-3 shootout loss on Oct. 4. He is tied for third for Brantford with seven points (two goals, five assists) in four games.

The 18-year-old forward was chosen by the Wild in the fourth round (No. 102) of the 2025 draft after he was second among United States Hockey League rookies last season with 59 points (17 goals, 42 assists) in 56 games for Youngstown.

Jordan Charron, RW, Sault Ste. Marie, OHL (Pittsburgh Penguins)

Charron has scored eight goals in his first eight games, nearly matching the 10 goals he scored in 48 games last season. The 18-year-old had his first two-goal game in two OHL seasons in a 5-4 shootout win against Kingston on Sept. 26, and scored twice in a 5-4 shootout win against Barrie on Oct. 2, including the tying goal in the third period.

Selected by the Penguins in the fifth round (No. 154) of the 2025 draft, Charron is tied for the OHL lead in goals and is tied for second with 12 points.

Ethan Czata, C, Niagara, OHL (Tampa Bay Lightning)

Czata began his season with two goals and an assist in a 5-4 shootout win against Saginaw on Sept. 26, including a short-handed goal in the second period. The 18-year-old then had his second hat trick in three OHL seasons in a 6-5 shootout loss to Barrie on Oct. 5. He followed that with another three-point game (two goals, one assist) in a 7-4 loss to Brantford on Thursday.

Selected by the Lightning in the second round (No. 56) of the 2025 draft, Czata is tied for the OHL lead with eight goals and leads Niagara with 11 points in six games; last season it took him 17 games to reach 11 points.

Emile Guite, LW, Chicoutimi, QMJHL (Anaheim Ducks)

Guite scored a goal in each of his first five games and had at least one point in each of his first six to help Chicoutimi go 4-2-1 to start its season-opening eight-game road trip. The goal streak is one shy of his longest in three Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League seasons, and his six-game point streak is one shy from his longest in the QMJHL.

The Ducks selected the 18-year-old in the fifth round (No. 159) of the 2025 draft after he had 30 points (16 goals, 14 assists) in 59 games last season.

Jacob Kvasnicka, RW, Penticton, WHL (New York Islanders)

Kvasnicka had three multipoint games in his first seven, including the game-opening goal and three assists in Penticton's 10-4 win against Seattle on Oct. 4. The 18-year-old leads Penticton and is tied for eighth in the Western Hockey League with 10 points (four goals, six assists) in seven games.

The Islanders selected him in the seventh round (No. 202) of the 2025 draft.

David Lewandowski, LW, Saskatoon, WHL (Edmonton Oilers)

Lewandowski had a goal and an assist in his season debut, sparking Saskatoon's rally from a 3-0 deficit for a 5-3 win against Lethbridge on Sept. 26. Then in a 6-3 win against Brandon on Oct. 5, the 18-year-old had an assists on four of Saskatoon's first five goals, before scoring a power-play goal in the third period. The five points were the most he's had in a game during his two WHL seasons.

Selected by the Oilers in the fourth round (No. 117) of the 2025 draft, Lewandowski is tied for the Saskatoon lead and tied for fourth in the WHL with 11 points (three goals, eight assists) in four games.

Julius Miettinen, C, Everett, WHL (Seattle Kraken)

Miettinen had 11 points (six goals, five assists) during a season-opening four-game point streak. The highlight came Oct. 3, when he signed a three-year, entry-level contract with the Kraken. He celebrated that night with his first WHL hat trick in three seasons in the league, plus an assist, in a 7-1 win against Tri-City.

Seattle selected the 19-year-old in the second round (No. 40) of the 2024 NHL Draft. He is tied for third in the WHL in goals and tied for fourth in points.

Jakub Milota, G, Blainville-Boisbriand, QMJHL (Nashville Predators)

Milota, who was traded to Blainville-Boisbriand by Cape Breton on Aug. 1, is making a great early impression on his new teammates. The 19-year-old made 34 saves in a 4-1 win against Shawinigan in his season debut Sept. 26, and in his second game made 26 saves in an 8-0 shutout of Charlottetown on Oct. 3.

The 19-year-old, selected by the Predators in the fourth round (No. 99) of the 2024 draft, is 2-0-0 with a 0.50 goals-against average, .984 save percentage and one shutout in two games.

Cameron Schmidt, RW, Vancouver, WHL (Dallas Stars)

Schmidt capped his first game of the season by scoring with 15 seconds remaining in overtime for Vancouver in a 6-5 win against Victoria on Sept. 26. The 18-year-old also had an assist, making it the first of four straight multipoint games to open the season.

Selected by the Stars in the third round (No. 94) of the 2025 draft, Schmidt is second for Vancouver with nine points (two goals, seven assists) in six games.