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Top Prospect Abandons His OHL Team Days Before Training Camp, Signs on to Join NCAA Powerhouse

Originally posted on House of Hockey | By Tom Banks | Last updated Aug 18, 2025 6:12 PM ET

We've seen top CHL players jump ship for the NCAA this off-season, and now Adam Valentini has done just that in the days before Kitchener Rangers training camp.

Ever since the rules were changed in eligibility between the NCAA and the Canadian Hockey League, we've seen many players from the latter jumping ship to the former, including probable 2026 No. 1 overall pick Gavin McKenna.

On top of McKenna we've seen the likes of Cole Reschny, Roger McQueen, Cayden Lindstrom, Keaton Verhoeff and others joining the mass exodus of players departing the CHL, and now we've got another shock story.

Adam Valentini departs his team just days before training camp

In a recent press release from the Ontario Hockey League's Kitchener Rangers, the team announced that 17-year old forward Adam Valentini has abandoned his team in the days before training camp, instead opting to join the University of Michigan.

This comes after the USHL product committed to the team a long time ago, with the team expressing their genuine frustration at how this situation has played out, with Michigan getting a potential star of the future.

One benefit of this move for the Rangers however is draft compensation, as they now no longer need to surrender a second, third and fourth round pick in the 2028 draft to the Brampton Steelheads as a result of this move.

While this isn't how anyone wanted things to play out after eligibility rules were changed between the CHL and the NCAA, it's the nature of the whole situation, and unfortunately the Rangers aren't the first and won't be the last team to deal with this as the 17-year old jumps ship to join the loaded University of Michigan.

This article first appeared on House of Hockey and was syndicated with permission.

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