[News] NCAA allows CHL players effective Aug 1, 2025

[sureLoss]

https://twitter.com/user/status/1854608580801876413

[sureLoss]

This Athletic article (paywall) is good at explaining what still needs to be ironed out.

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/582...rs-eligiblity/

Key things that we don't know yet like:

When can a CHL player transfer to NCAA?

Will the CHL education packages transfer to the NCAA?

What will the CBA say about the rights of players who were drafted in the CHL but elect to go to college?

Are players who sign NHL contracts allowed to play in the NCAA?

[Reggie Dunlop]

Will USHL teams be able to compete for the Memorial Cup?

[Zoller]

CHL to NCAA will be a very attractive option for athletes

[sureLoss]

Originally Posted by Reggie Dunlop

Will USHL teams be able to compete for the Memorial Cup?

USHL might not last much longer. Marek tweeted in October that Muskegon and Youngstown formally approached the OHL about joining the league.

QMJHL is also announcing they are looking to expand into the US.

[albertGQ]

Originally Posted by sureLoss

Are players who sign NHL contracts allowed to play in the NCAA?

Sounds like the answer is no to this question

[Canada 02]

unfortunately, this new rule does not allow for college players to sign NHL contracts but continue playing in the NCAA

Silly and arbitrary. 'Pro' players (players paid to play) from European junior leagues are eligible for NCAA.

[devo22]

could easily see this kill both USHL and BCHL in the long run. Wasn't their path to NCAA their biggest selling point? Hard to see them being relevant going forward.

[Snuffleupagus]

Originally Posted by devo22

could easily see this kill both USHL and BCHL in the long run. Wasn't their path to NCAA their biggest selling point? Hard to see them being relevant going forward.

Plus the AJHL, the OJHL might survive because of it's size but the talent would likely be watered down a lot.

[Tacoman]

USHL and BCHL may actually come out of this quite nicely if they keep improving. The USHL had more players drafted this year than the WHL for the first time ever. There are now more US minor hockey players than Canadian ones for the first time ever. Needless to say, an American (and many Canadian) players would rather choose the team and the city they play in compared to being drafted by a small town Canadian team in the CHL. Those leagues are not burdened by the restrictive and sometimes backwards rules of Hockey Canada so I'd put my money on a potentially combined USHL/BCHL to continue being the top feeder system going forward.

[chedder]

Originally Posted by Tacoman

USHL and BCHL may actually come out of this quite nicely if they keep improving. The USHL had more players drafted this year than the WHL for the first time ever. There are now more US minor hockey players than Canadian ones for the first time ever. Needless to say, an American (and many Canadian) players would rather choose the team and the city they play in compared to being drafted by a small town Canadian team in the CHL. Those leagues are not burdened by the restrictive and sometimes backwards rules of Hockey Canada so I'd put my money on a potentially combined USHL/BCHL to continue being the top feeder system going forward.

But that's because you could go ushl to NCAA. Now that CHL kids can go the NCAA route at 18, the best ones will definitely go that route over the ushl and bchl. I think it'll expand the chl even more into the states.

[Tacoman]

But again, the key thing is the CHL has a draft. The ability to pick your team and city in the USHL/BCHL will prove to be a huge benefit to those leagues, especially as more players are US born.

[Reggie Dunlop]

Got to wonder what route kids like Landon Dupont (or say, Joe Iginla) will take now. Advantages to CHL kids to move to the NCAA after being drafted?

[sureLoss]

Originally Posted by Tacoman

But again, the key thing is the CHL has a draft. The ability to pick your team and city in the USHL/BCHL will prove to be a huge benefit to those leagues, especially as more players are US born.

USHL still has an entry draft, no?

Originally Posted by Reggie Dunlop

Got to wonder what route kids like Landon Dupont (or say, Joe Iginla) will take now. Advantages to CHL kids to move to the NCAA after being drafted?

Depending on the final in place rules, could potentially see this as a work around the NHL/CHL agreement. Prospects that are too good for the CHL, but can't play in the AHL because of the NHL/CHL agreement could transfer to the NCAA and play against men.

[Parallex]

Originally Posted by Reggie Dunlop

Got to wonder what route kids like Landon Dupont (or say, Joe Iginla) will take now. Advantages to CHL kids to move to the NCAA after being drafted?

Guys of that calibre will take the route they've always taken... straight to the NHL where they can start making those big dolla bills.

It's the guys further down who have interesting choices to make. Really... the CHL/AHL agreement has to come to an end now because I would think that going off to an NCAA collage on a full ride for a few years beats being an overager in Medicine Hat or Lethbridge. So you might see guys not sign their ELC right away since they'd be in a better situation for a couple of year if they're unsigned. Give them the option of truly being able to turn pro and maybe their signing bonus plus AHL pay turns the tide.

Also the NHL should expand the contract limit and the ECHL should become a real developmental league (gotta have spots for those guys and the vet call-up types).

[Tacoman]

From what I understand, there are many responsive discussions and actions underway that could really shake things up. Several USHL teams are applying to join the OHL. Western US NHL clubs want junior teams (USHL not CHL) in their market. That could enable a western division that could include BCHL clubs. We could easily see two very compelling junior leagues for players to choose from which is great for players. While USHL does currently have a draft, I’m not sure about that in the go-forward construct which would indeed give them a huge advantage.

[DoubleK]

Originally Posted by devo22

could easily see this kill both USHL and BCHL in the long run. Wasn't their path to NCAA their biggest selling point? Hard to see them being relevant going forward.

Agreed. Especially the BCHL, there is no reason for an elite prospect to play in that league.

[sureLoss]

here is a summary from an NHL Agent:

https://twitter.com/user/status/1854749864325734888

1. CHL players can only play in the NCAA if they don't accept more than "necessary" expenses (meals, lodging, transportation, apparel, equipment, supplies, medical treatement, coaching, ice time) from the CHL team. CHL stipends are unlikely be considered excessive but players need to be diligent to ensure they don't accept anything that might be considered excessive.

2. Signing an NHL, AHL, ECHL deal will make you ineligible to play in the NCAA

3. CHL players must meet NCAA academic requirements (e.g. graduating from high school, completing 16 approved "core" classes during high school, and a GPA of 2.3 and higher)

4. players don't need to follow the 48 hour rule for paying their own travel back from CHL or NHL camps. But players who have already enrolled in the NCAA still cannot play in games against pro teams (NHL rookie tournaments, etc)

5. Based on current CHL contracts, they don't believe a CHL team can prevent a player from leaving for the NCAA before their CHL contract is up but will likely result in a loss of some or all of their education package if they do so. WHL and OHL have indicated they will no longer do 1 or 2 year contracts.

6. For players in a sanctioned league (USHL, NAHL, AJHL, etc) that want to transfer to the CHL, the CHL team will need to negotiate a transfer fee with their current team. For an unsanctioned league like the BCHL, no compensation is required.

[Joborule]

Originally Posted by Zoller

CHL to NCAA will be a very attractive option for athletes

Especially with the NIL's in play now.

Having more prominent prospects playing in the NCAA before going to the NHL could help grow the game in the States also. College football and basketball is a machine.

[Geeoff]

Originally Posted by devo22

could easily see this kill both USHL and BCHL in the long run. Wasn't their path to NCAA their biggest selling point? Hard to see them being relevant going forward.

Doesn't CHL have rules limiting the number of non-Canadian players?