Was this the last CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game?

Daniel St. Louis/CHL

Was Wednesday's CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game the last?

It certainly looks like it could have been.

Sportsnet's Jeff Marek reported Thursday morning that the plan is to replace the event with a two-game series between the best from the CHL and the best from the United States.

CHL News - sounds like last night's CHL/NHL Top Prospects game will be the final one. Look for the event to be replaced with a two-game series between the best prospects in the CHL vs the best prospects in the U.S.

— Jeff Marek (@JeffMarek) January 25, 2024

This has long been a dream for many junior hockey and prospect followers and would be a welcome breath of fresh air in an event cycle that hasn't had many new additions in recent years.

The concept of the Top Prospects Game is a good one, but there likely wasn't anyone leaving the Avenir Centre on Wednesday blown away by the entertainment value. The all-star game style format just doesn't bring the intensity — or the atmosphere — that a league vs league or country vs country event would bring out.

The timing of this is certainly interesting with the NCAA continuing to take a beating in court and the western portion of the CJHL seemingly falling apart. It's believed there is a very strong possibility that the NCAA may be forced to remove its long-standing eligibility requirement where CHL players lose college hockey eligibility. This would be a major shakeup in the hockey development world — and would also allow for more cross-border events. This new event may not be related to any of this, but it's worth noting if the CHL is starting to look at some new things.

This will be an interesting period for the CHL with new commissioners either here or on the way for all three leagues.