Taylor Hall is going to have a home-ice advantage at the next CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game.

The Windsor Spitfires forward, an early favorite to be the top pick at next summer's NHL entry draft, will be lacing his skates up for the game alongside the top 40 NHL draft-eligible players from across the Western Hockey League, Ontario Hockey League, and Quebec Major Junior Hockey League in a familiar haunt: The WFCU Centre in Windsor, Ontario.

The Canadian Hockey League announced Thursday that Windsor would host the game, now in its 15th year, on Jan. 20, 2010.  The two-day event also features an exciting skills competition taking place on Jan. 19. 
"Of the 40 kids that play, probably 35 of them are sure-fire NHLers, if not 30," said former NHLer Warren Rychel, now the Spitfires' general manager.

E.J. McGuire, the director of NHL Central Scouting, echoed that sentiment.

"This is the only event of its kind that assembles the best NHL draft-eligible players from across Canadian Major Junior Hockey for on-ice competition," McGuire said, adding that more than 100 NHL scouts are expected to attend.
The game's alumni include eight first overall selections: Chris Phillips, Joe Thornton, Vincent Lecavalier, Rick Nash, Marc-Andre Fleury, Patrick Kane, Steven Stamkos, and most recently John Tavares.

"It's a who's who of the draft class," said CHL President David Branch. "We have the best junior-age players in the world competing."

McGuire pointed out that 16 participants in last year's game were selected in the first round of the draft, including seven of the top 10 -- Tavares, Matt Duchene (drafted third overall by Colorado), Evander Kane (fourth; Atlanta), Brayden Schenn (fifth; Los Angeles), Nazem Kadri (seventh; Toronto), Scott Glennie (eighth; Dallas) and Jared Cowen (ninth; Ottawa). Another first-round selection who played in the game last season was Ryan Ellis, a Spitfires defenseman who was taken 11th overall by the Nashville Predators. He said the game is a "great opportunity" for draft-eligible players.

"Everyone should be excited to come here and have the chance to play in front of all those scouts and GMs," said Ellis. "You want to be the best player on the ice at all times."

Tavares was injured in last year's game when Buffalo Sabres draftee Zack Kassian, an OHL Peterborough forward, sent Tavares to the dressing room early with a shoulder injury after a punishing hit midway through the third period.

"It's an indication of the (game's) intensity," McGuire said.

Rosters for the 2010 CHL Top Prospects Game, which will be broadcast in Canada on Rogers Sportsnet and RDS, will be selected in the coming months by NHL scouts and general managers. Though no one is guaranteed a spot, Hall is almost a lock to suit up. Other potential participants include Cam Fowler, a fellow Spitfire and former U.S. national team development program defenseman; Sudbury Wolves star John McFarland; Brandon Gormley of the Moncton Wildcats; and Erik Gudbranson of the Kingston Frontenacs.

"It's going to be exciting to see all of them on the ice at one time," Spitfires president and head coach Bob Boughner said.

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