The Canadian Hockey League is celebrating an anniversary, and some pretty famous Detroit Red Wings players are playing a role in the festivities.
The CHL – comprised of the Ontario Hockey League, Western Hockey League, and Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League – is turning 50 this year. And as part of the celebration, the world’s largest major junior hockey organization is honoring its greatest players.
Several of the NHL’s all-time greats have come through the CHL feeder system, from past names like Wayne Gretzky and Mario Lemieux, to current stars such as Sidney Crosby and Connor Bedard. Many Red Wings stars honed their skills as teenagers in the CHL, including current Detroit GM Steve Yzerman.
Chris Pronger, Larry Murphy, Steve Yzerman, and Wayne Gretzky have all been named to the @CHLHockey Top 50 Players of the last 50 years list 🤝
Rank your top 10 NOW: https://t.co/UkIW4mffDP
Full list: https://t.co/QmZLyEYVId#CHL50 #PetesAlumni pic.twitter.com/4a6RLwAZJW
— Peterborough Petes (@PetesOHLhockey) February 10, 2026
Stevie Y is among eight players with ties to the Red Wings who are among the contenders for places on a list of the CHL’s Top 50 Players of all-time.
Red Wings GM Played For Petes
The Red Wings selected Yzerman fourth overall in the 1983 NHL entry draft. They chose him from the OHL’s Peterborough Petes. He played for the Petes from 1981-83. Of the players with Detroit ties among the CHL top 50 contenders, Yzerman is the only one who spent his entire NHL career with the Red Wings.
The list of contenders also features one current Red Wings player. Patrick Kane (OHL, London Knights – 2006-07) scored his 500th NHL goal this season. He also became the all-time leading NHL scorer among American-born players while wearing the Winged Wheel.
Mike Modano (WHL, Prince Albert Raiders – 1986-89) was the player Kane supplanted as the top US-born NHL scorer. Modano finished his NHL career in Detroit during the 2010-11 season
Defenseman Paul Coffey (OHL, Kingston Canadians, Soo Greyhounds & Kitchener Rangers – 1977-80) was only briefly a Red Wings player. He was around long enough to win the Norris Trophy in 1994-95, leading Detroit in scoring that season. Another rearguard, Larry Murphy, won back-to-back Stanley Cups with the Red Wings in 1996-97 and 1997-98.
Brad Richards (QMJHL, Rimouski Océanic – 1997-2000) is the only player in hockey history to have been named MVP of both the Memorial Cup and the Stanley Cup playoffs. His farewell NHL season was with the Wings in 2015-16.
Luc Robitaille (QMJHL, Hull Olympiques – 1983-86) joined the Red Wings in time to win the 2001-02 Stanley Cup. He scored his 600th NHL goal with Detroit on November 9, 2001. Robitaille also became the NHL’s top-scoring left-winger while playing for the Wings.
A star with the @LondonKnights before he became a three-time Stanley Cup champion, a Triple Gold winner and a member of the @HockeyHallFame, Brendan Shanahan rightfully takes his place among the Top 50 players! #CHL50
Vote for your Top 10 ▶️ https://t.co/7hho2CS8Ai pic.twitter.com/b6oq8cTxNN
— Canadian Hockey League (@CHLHockey) February 11, 2026
Brendan Shanahan (OHL, London Knights – 1985-87) was a three-time Stanley Cup winner with Detroit in 1996-97, 1997-98, and 2001-02. His 500th NHL goal came with Detroit on March 23, 2002.
How The CHL Top 50 Will Be Determined
The CHL’s Top 50 Players were selected by a panel of more than 40 media members. They submitted ranked 1–50 ballots guided by a weighted evaluation framework designed to ensure consistency across eras. Panelists considered a player’s impact beyond the CHL, including NHL and international success, major awards and championships, and Hall of Fame recognition. This was weighed alongside on-ice achievement in the member leagues.
Selections also accounted for historical significance, recognizing milestones, era-defining influence, generational impact, and lasting contributions to CHL history. Of the 50 players on the list, 31 are already enshrined in the Hockey Hall of Fame.
“This list reflects the extraordinary legacy of the CHL and the impact our players have had on the game at every level,” Dan MacKenzie, President of the CHL, said in a statement. “From generational talents to championship leaders, the Top 50 celebrates five decades of excellence. Players who defined eras in the WHL, OHL, and QMJHL, and who include Hockey Hall of Famers, legends of the game, and active NHL stars who continue to shine on hockey’s biggest stages.”
The CHL has launched a fan vote running through March 10. The league is inviting fans to submit their Top 10 from the Top 50 list at contests.chl.ca/CHL50vote.
The CHL will be revealing the final ranking later this spring.