Quote:
Originally Posted by getbak
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.
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Just to clarify, there are specific provisions that allow players to attend professional team tryouts / camps / combines without losing NCAA amateur status. You will hear about the ‘48 hour rule’ which is an oversimplification but generally players can ensure they retain NCAA eligibility by paying all of their own expenses if they stay at a tryout longer than 48 hours and do not participate in any exhibition games (and don’t keep free hats or jerseys etc).
The rules are complicated and the sad part is when players find out the hard way they became a pro without realizing it.
As far as players choosing to make decisions within the provisions of a massively complicated collective bargaining agreement it seems very strange to me why that would anger so many people. The group of owners and players whose lives and livelihoods are actually affected by this are fine with these being the options and outcomes. They have literally bargained over it.
You draft the playing rights of a player not the human being. The player has no say whatsoever in that decision. He does have the right to decline to sign a contract with you.