by Mike McMahon/Staff Writer (@MikeMcMahonCHN)
I promise. Eventually, we’ll just get to cover college hockey games.
But before we get to the on-ice news, there’s more off-ice news on the NCAA’s pending vote to open eligibility for CHL players (and European minor pros) next month. CHN has learned the vote will take place on Nov. 7, and if adopted, will go into effect on Aug. 1, 2025.
The CHL held meetings last week in Toronto that they called its “Meeting of the Members,” and the pending NCAA change and how the CHL will react was a big topic.
The Athletic’s Scott Wheeler attended the meetings held over two days at the Toronto Sheraton.
The CHL believes it is the best development league for 16-20-year-olds, and they think this change will help them consolidate at least the best 16-17-year-olds under one umbrella. However, they also admit their model is about to change.
“Any time we don’t get a high-end kid we’re disappointed,” WHL commissioner Dan Near told The Athletic. “And we’d argue that in a lot of cases, they’ve been making the decision to go elsewhere to preserve NCAA eligibility, and in theory, that wouldn’t happen, and all of the best players would play in the best league, which I think checks out for us.
“We’re not arrogant. We don’t necessarily think that every player will play in the WHL through their 20-year-old year, but we believe that the strong majority will. And we’re not just going to sit here and rest on our laurels, we’re going to react.”
That second paragraph is a huge admission. For months, the talk has been that the CHL would prefer players stay in their league through their 19-year-old season. However, nothing will legally prevent players from leaving the CHL at 18 to join an NCAA program.
Of course, not every player is ready for NCAA hockey at 18. Some prospects from the USHL arrive at 18 years old, but more arrive after their 19-year-old and 20-year-old seasons.
There are also rumors that the CHL could lower the draft age for the OHL and QMJHL to match the WHL. The WHL draft is for 15U players—the OHL and QMJHL draft players after their 16U season.
Lowering the draft age could be a move by the CHL to market itself as the best development league for players 15-18, with some CHL players likely matriculating to the NCAA at 18 and more…
Click Here to Read the Full Original Article at College Hockey News from CHN…