Raiders Head Coach Ryan McDonald is one of four coaches named to the coaching staff for Team CHL at the CHL USA Prospects Challenge coming up in December. (Image Credit: Mark Peterson/Prince Albert Raiders)

By Nick Nielsen

Ryan McDonald

Raiders bench boss named to Team CHL coaching staff

Oct 1, 2026 | 12:20 PM

For the third straight year, Prince Albert Raiders Head Coach Ryan McDonald will be on the bench helping to coach the best players the country has to offer.

This year though, it’ll be ‘Team CHL’ instead of ‘Team Canada’ as McDonald has been named an assistant coach for the CHL USA Prospects Challenge in December.

“It’s a tremendous honour, something that you take with a lot of pride, and it’s a privilege to be a part of a group like that. So really, really looking forward to working with the Hlinka staff that I had an opportunity to work with in the summer and just tremendous coaches, tremendous people, and really looking forward to getting on the ice with the best prospects across the CHL.”

As McDonald alluded to, he’ll be joining a staff that he is familiar with. All five coaches who coached Team Canada to a 5-0 record at the Hlinka-Gretzky Cup in August are running it back for the Prospects Challenge.

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That staff includes head coach Ryan Oulahen of the OHL’s North Bay Battalion, video coach Matthew Smith of the QMJHL’s Newfoundland Regiment, assistant coach Brad MacKenzie of the QMJHL’s Halifax Mooseheads, and former Raider and current Edmonton Oil Kings assistant coach Kyle Chipchura. McDonald has both coached with Chipchura at the Hlinka-Gretzky Cup and against him at the U17 World Championships.

“Tremendous coach. Lots of history here with the Prince Albert Raiders, and I think every time I come to the rink when Edmonton’s playing, I catch Chip walking down the hallway here looking at the old pictures and jerseys and teams. So again, tremendous coach, tremendous human, and really looking forward to working with him again.”

The CHL USA Prospects Challenge two game series takes place in Chicoutimi and Quebec City December 1-2.

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by Nick Nielsen

Raiders bench boss named to Team CHL coaching staff

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