NCAA allowing CHL players won’t benefit hockey in Canada

After months of speculation, news broke last week that CHL players would become eligible to play NCAA Division I hockey next season. While the news has been met with elation for many in the U.S., it’s not necessarily positive for Canadian hockey.

One benefit for the CHL is that top talent may choose to play in Canada instead of venturing to the USHL, BCHL, or other Junior A leagues, which previously kept them NCAA-eligible. Adam Fantilli and Macklin Celebrini were two players who set this precedent years back. This past summer, Ontario saw many top prospects leave the OHL to play in the BCHL, which is no longer associated with Hockey Canada, and the USHL. Last week’s decision will likely halt players from exploring these different options.

The biggest beneficiary is the NCAA, which will now have a larger pool of players to recruit. Additionally, more NCAA Division I programs could emerge in states such as California and Washington. Currently, the westernmost team in the NCAA is the Arizona State University Sun Devils, excluding the two universities in Alaska (Fairbanks and Anchorage). With more players aiming to join the NCAA, league expansion westward could happen sooner rather than later.

While the American collegiate level is expected to thrive, USports will face significant changes. Approximately 70 to 80 percent of USports players have CHL experience, due to the CHL scholarship program. The University of Alberta, a top USports program, has been successful in recruiting CHL players, such as Brett Hyland, Connor McClennon, and Eric Florchuk—all NHL draftees who chose to stay in Canada for further development. Now that the NCAA is an option, will these players opt for U.S. programs where they can gain more exposure? Time will tell, but if the Golden Bears and other top-tier programs face challenges, how will this decision impact smaller programs?

The primary route to the NCAA in Canada has been through Junior A leagues. This season, there are 532 Canadians playing Division I hockey, comprising 29 percent of the league. Of those, 505 played Junior A hockey in Canada. While the number of Canadians in the NCAA may increase in the coming years, the number of players coming from Junior A programs is expected to decline.

Junior A programs have faced adversity before. The notion that players who joined the USHL or BCHL would immediately leave for the CHL underestimates their loyalty. These athletes often enjoy playing for their current clubs, which have invested in high-quality facilities and resources. The reality is that not all CHL teams match the standards of certain Junior A programs, especially in player development.

Players deserve to choose where they play, and this NCAA decision supports that choice more than ever. However, this shift may not benefit Canadian hockey. CHL players are likely to join NCAA programs sooner, Junior A leagues could suffer, and USports may see a decrease in overall talent. It will be interesting to see how Hockey Canada reacts when a top CHL player leaves to join the NCAA earlier than anticipated. Perhaps that’s when Hockey Canada will step in to defend its interests.

THE JASPER MINOR HOCKEY FUNDRAISER