A monumental shift has occurred in junior hockey thanks to a vote today by the NCAA.
Thanks to this vote, CHL players will no longer be considered professional athletes for the purpose of NCAA hockey and will therefore be eligible to play in NCAA programs. This change will officially take effect on August 1, 2025 and will be in place for the 2025-26 season.
The ruling still prohibits players under NHL contracts (those who have signed entry level deals, for instance) from playing NCAA hockey, so some things have stayed the same. But all CHL players who have not signed pro contracts will be eligible to join schools south of the border.
CHL teams are still digesting the news, and will still have many questions that only time will answer. The CHL did release a statement, however, to address the huge change to the landscape of junior hockey.
“While we will take time to fully review this rule change, we believe this is a positive development that will provide our players with more opportunities to continue their hockey and academic careers following their time in the CHL,” reads part of the statement. “It will also give young players and their families more options in choosing their development path, which includes opening up the CHL – the best development hockey league in the world for players aged 16-20 – to more players worldwide.”
Anticipating this move, some CHLers have already started looking into NCAA options for next season. On September 13, Regina Pats forward Braxton Whitehead announced his commitment to Arizona State and their division 1 hockey program.
