Forty-eight teams representing all 10 provinces and three states are set to start battling it out in the CHL playoffs on Thursday.
The WHL, OHL and QMJHL champions will join the host Kelowna Rockets in the Memorial Cup, May 22-31.
Twenty-three players picked in the first round of the past two NHL Drafts are in the playoffs, along with several top prospects for the next two drafts.
Here's a look at matchups and storylines across the three leagues:
WHL
Eastern Conference first-round matchups
No. 1. Prince Albert Raiders vs. No. 8 Red Deer Rebels
No. 2 Medicine Hat Tigers vs. No. 7 Regina Pats
No. 3 Edmonton Oil Kings vs. No. 6 Saskatoon Blades
No. 4 Calgary Hitmen vs. No. 5 Brandon Wheat Kings
Western Conference first-round matchups
No. 1 Everett Silvertips vs. No. 8 Portland Winterhawks
No. 2 Penticton Vees vs. No. 7 Seattle Thunderbirds
No. 3 Prince George Cougars vs. No. 6 Spokane Chiefs
No. 4 Kelowna Rockets vs. No. 5 Kamloops Blazers
Tigers look to defend title
Despite losing their top four scorers from last year's WHL championship and Memorial Cup runner-up team, including Gavin McKenna to Penn State, the Medicine Hat Tigers went right down to the wire with the Prince Albert Raiders in the race for first in the Eastern Conference. While Medicine Hat fell just short, GM/coach Willie Desjardins' squad is in a good position to take a run at another championship.
Star defenceman Bryce Pickford, a Montreal Canadiens prospect, scored 45 goals for the Tigers, while 2026 NHL Draft-eligible twins Markus and Liam Ruck went 1-2 in WHL scoring.
The Tigers face the Regina Pats in an intriguing first-round matchup. Regina's Maddox Schultz, allowed into the league a year early for half his team's games under a new Western Canadian development model, put up a very impressive 29 points in 34 games for his hometown squad.
Silvertips in familiar spot
Just like last year, the Everett Silvertips finished the regular season with the best record in the WHL. Now, they get a chance to avenge last year's second-round playoff loss against Portland as Everett opens the post-season against the Winterhawks.
Star defenceman Landon DuPont, in his second year after being given exceptional status in 2024, has been a huge force again (18 goals, 55 assists, plus-59 in 63 games) as he makes a bid to be the top pick in next year's NHL Draft.
Up front, Carter Bear (Detroit Red Wings first-round pick), Julius Miettinen (Seattle Kraken second-round pick) and Matias Vanhanen lead the way for the CHL's top-ranked team.
Memorial Cup hosts face tough test
The Rockets know they will play in the Memorial Cup as the host team, but Kelowna would rather not have a long break before competing for a national championship.
They meet a talented Kamloops Blazers squad in an all-B.C. Round 1 after the Rockets settled for fourth in the Western Conference.
The Blazers have two top-10 WHL scorers in 2026 draft-eligible Texan JP Hurlbert and Nathan Behm (Chicago Blackhawks).
Kelowna has one of the top NHL prospects outside the league in Tij Iginla (Utah Mammoth first-round pick), who scored 41 goals in 48 games.
Thunderbirds eye upset
The Seattle Thunderbirds look poised to be strong next season after a very busy trade deadline, but they're no pushover this year.
Cameron Schmidt (Dallas Stars) was acquired from the Vancouver Giants at the trade deadline and helped push the Thunderbirds into the playoffs, finishing the season with a league-leading 51 goals.
The Thunderbirds also feature 2027 draft-eligible Brock England (51 points in 64 games as a rookie) and star defenceman Radim Mrtka (Buffalo Sabres first-round pick).
They figure to be a challenging foe for the West's second-seeded Penticton Vees, who had one of the best expansion seasons in CHL history.
QMJHL
Eastern Conference first-round matchups
No. 1 Moncton Wildcats vs. No. 8 Saint John Sea Dogs
No. 2 Chicoutimi Sagueneens vs. No. 7 Halifax Mooseheads
No. 3 Newfoundland Regiment vs. No. 6 Cape Breton Eagles
No. 4 Charlottetown Islanders vs. No. 5 Quebec Remparts
Western Conference first-round matchups
No. 1 Rouyn-Noranda Huskies vs. No. 8 Gatineau Olympiques
No. 2 Blainville-Boisbriand Armada vs. No. 7 Victoriaville Tigres
No. 3 Drummondville Voltigeurs vs. No. 6 Val-d'Or Foreurs
No. 4 Shawinigan Cataractes vs. No. 5 Sherbrooke Phoenix
Wildcats aim for back-to-back crowns
Like the WHL, the QMJHL could see a repeat champ.
The Moncton Wildcats edged the Chicoutimi Sagueneens for top spot in the league, and have their best player back from last year's squad in recently signed Utah Mammoth first-round pick Caleb Desnoyers.
The father-son, coaching-GM duo of Gardiner and Taylor MacDougall has built a powerhouse for the second year in a row after Gardiner's longtime run at the University of New Brunswick.
Nine Americans are on the roster, including QMJHL top-scoring defenceman Tommy Bleyl and 43-goal man Niko Tournas.
An all-New Brunswick first-round matchup against Saint John will see towering 2027 NHL Draft top-pick hopeful Alexis Joseph of the Sea Dogs test himself against the league's best team.
Sagueneens a scoring machine
Chicoutimi scored more goals than any team in the CHL this season, averaging five per game.
Anaheim Ducks prospect Maxim Masse led the Q with 104 points, while Nashville Predators pick Alex Huang was second among defencemen with 70 points.
The Sagueneens also allowed the fewest goals in the league, and have a top goaltender in Ottawa Senators prospect Lucas Beckman.
Armada look for consistency
The Blainville-Boisbriand Armada have one of the best Q teams on paper, but battled injuries all season and finished one point back of the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies for top spot in the Western Conference.
St. Louis Blues first-round pick Justin Carbonneau and Pittsburgh Penguins first-rounder Bill Zonnon could head to the AHL next year under an expected new rule for 19-year-olds, so it's a win-now feel for the Armada.
On defence, 2026 draft-eligible Xavier Villenueve is one of the most exciting players in the CHL.
Dynamic duo in Charlottetown
When the Charlottetown Islanders got Ivan Ryabkin from the Carolina Hurricanes' AHL affiliate at mid-season, coach/GM Jim Hulton's team suddenly had one of the most dangerous players in the league.
The Russian had 42 points in 29 games for an Islanders squad that was very good down the stretch. He forms a top pairing with Ontario native Nathan Leek, who passed through OHL waivers after a cup of coffee with the Peterborough Petes and scored 47 goals for Charlottetown this season.
OHL
Eastern Conference first-round matchups
No. 1 Brantford Bulldogs vs. No. 8 Sudbury Wolves
No. 2 Barrie Colts vs. No. 7 Niagara IceDogs
No. 3 Ottawa 67's vs. No. 6 Kingston Frontenacs
No. 4 Peterborough Petes vs. No. 5 North Bay Battalion
Western Conference first-round matchups
No. 1 Kitchener Rangers vs. No. 8 Saginaw Spirit
No. 2 Windsor Spitfires vs. No. 7 Guelph Storm
No. 3 Flint Firebirds vs. No. 6 Owen Sound Attack
No. 4 London Knights vs. No. 5 Soo Greyhounds
Can anyone stop Bulldogs, Rangers?
The loaded Brantford Bulldogs and Kitchener Rangers are favourites to make it out of their conferences and square off for the OHL title.
Both teams are in the double digits when it comes to NHL Draft picks.
The Zach Hyman-owned Bulldogs have been a juggernaut all season, led by OHL No. 3 scorer Jake O'Brien (Kraken first-round pick). The Rangers became the clear class of the Western Conference after acquiring Sam O'Reilly (Tampa Bay Lightning) and Jared Woolley (L.A. Kings) from the rival London Knights at the trade deadline.
The Rangers lost out to the Guelph Storm for hosting duties for next year's Memorial Cup, so Kitchener decided to become all-out buyers this season.
Scouts will be watching the Kitchener-Saginaw first-round series closely. OHL scoring leader Nikita Klepov of the Spirit is a first-round candidate for this year's NHL Draft, while Saginaw's Damian Zhilkin is a top 2027 prospect.
Firebirds crave elusive playoff success
Like the Rangers, the Flint Firebirds were buyers at the trade deadline with the crowded Western Conference seemingly up for grabs.
But the Firebirds settled for a second-place finish in the West Division behind the Windsor Spitfires, whose win on the final day of the season pushed them ahead of Flint.
That means the Michigan team will be a No. 3 seed in the conference after acquiring Kevin He (Winnipeg Jets) and Jacob Battaglia (New York Rangers) to bolster their roster.
The Firebirds have won just two playoff series (both in 2022) since moving to Flint from Plymouth, Mich., in 2014.
Knights make surprising run to No. 4 seed
Despite selling assets at the deadline, the reigning Memorial Cup champion London Knights held off the buying Soo Greyhounds in the race for the No. 4 seed in the Western Conference.
While the two-time reigning OHL champs don't have the same level of talent on their roster this season, Dale and Mark Hunter once again have produced a very respectable squad.
It would be unwise to count out any team run by the Hunters.
The Knights' series against top 2026 NHL Draft prospect Chase Reid, Brady Martin (Nashville Predators first-round pick), star goalie Carter George (Kings) and the Greyhounds should be interesting.
Cameron's charges impress
Ottawa 67's veteran coach Dave Cameron took a lot of criticism last year after Team Canada bowed out in the world junior quarterfinals under his watch. Months later, Cameron's 67's missed the OHL playoffs.
But it's been a nice bounce-back campaign for the former Ottawa Senators coach, who guided the 67's to the third-best record in the league despite a roster that doesn't have the same amount of star power as other top contenders.
It brings back memories from the early 2000s in Toronto when Cameron led the St. Michael's Majors to four consecutive Eastern Conference finals.
