Quote:
Originally Posted by oldschoolcalgary
Well, so long as the kid hasn't signed with an agent or taken money, he could sign with an NCAA team those 2 years as i understand it.
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No, that is not possible.
Any player who has played in the CHL is ineligible to play in the NCAA. That's why players like Cale Makar, who intend to go to the NCAA, play in the AJHL or equivalent until they're college-ready.
Under the NCAA rules, the CHL is considered a pro league because the players receive living expenses while playing. They have even ruled that players who have only attended a CHL training camp are ineligible.
A player who is no longer eligible to play in the CHL who doesn't want to sign with the team that drafted him could go play in Europe or play Canadian University hockey in the interim. As far as I know, no CHL player has ever chosen to go down that road, but I suppose it could happen someday. It's likely the team who holds his rights would trade him before it came to that.