After months of speculation, it finally happened – on Nov. 7, 2024, the NCAA agreed to make Canadian Hockey League (CHL) players eligible for Division 1 hockey programs for the 2025-26 season. Previously, the NCAA banned those playing in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL), the Western Hockey League (WHL), and the Quebec Maritime Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) because they received a monthly stipend of $600 and thus, in the eyes of the NCAA, were professional athletes. However, last summer, a class-action lawsuit on behalf of a player who lost his college eligibility opened up the opportunity for change.
There’s no question that this is a monumental decision that could change the face of junior hockey, and Division 1 schools can start recruiting CHL players immediately following the agreement. However, in actuality, little will likely change for any party involved. Each league offers something different for developing players, and since the league’s organization won’t change with this new deal, fans won’t see an influx or mass departure of players from their favourite teams.
CHL Won’t See an Exodus of Top Stars
The biggest problem following Thursday’s agreement is the lack of information, but one of the biggest questions raised was which players the NCAA will target to recruit because it sure looks like the CHL’s top 18 and 19-year-olds will be high on college’s radars. One OHL general manager (GM) saw this discrepancy as a serious threat to the health of his league, saying, “[The] NHL needs to get involved. If not, 18s and 19s could be jumping ship” (from ‘Everything to know about the NCAA’s decision to make CHL players eligible,’ The Athletic – 7/11/2024).
The exodus could have started already. Back in September, Regina Pats’ forward Braxton Whitehead verbally committed to Arizona State University for the 2025-26 season, and there’s no telling how many other players have already secretly entertained recruiters in anticipation of this deal.
However, as a 20-year-old, Whitehead is in his last season of CHL eligibility, meaning he wouldn’t have had a place with the Pats next season anyway. As it stands, CHL teams are only allowed three 20-year-old players, as developing younger players is deemed a higher priority. That forces some teams to make difficult decisions; earlier this season, the Saskatoon Blades cut ties with long-time…
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