Significant ruling change has been made that will impact the Rangers and their prospects

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Joshua Deeds
November 7, 2024 (6:30 PM)

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The NCAA has made a massive movie that will change junior hockey forever. As they will allow CHL players to be able to play Division I hockey as soon as next season.

This will change current rules, which will allow CHL players to begin their careers in America much, much sooner. The NCAA will allow CHL players to retain their college eligibility. This will end the ban on CHL players, which previously kept CHL(WHL, OHL, and QMHL) players ineligible to join the NCAA.

The council ruled players can compete in the CHL -- comprised of the Ontario Hockey League, Western Hockey League, and Quebec Major Junior Hockey League -- without jeopardizing their NCAA Division I hockey eligibility, provided they aren't "paid more than actual and necessary expenses as part of that participation."

The effective date of the rule change is Aug. 1, 2025. The new eligibility for CHL players does not apply to NCAA Division III; CHL players are still ineligible for NCAA Division III hockey.

TSN's Director of Scouting Craig Button believes the rule change will give CHL players more opportunities to figure out their next career move. This will give players a difficult decision to make in the next step in their development leading towards a hopeful career in the NHL.

This could also give some players a chance at an NCAA education before returning home, to Canada, or elsewhere.

The NCAA had previously deemed anyone who played in the CHL ineligible because there are players who have signed professional contracts with NHL teams playing in those leagues. CHL players are also paid a monthly stipend that's capped at $250.

NCAA Bylaw 12.2.3.2 states that "an individual shall not be eligible for intercollegiate athletics in a sport if the individual ever competed on a professional team."

Despite the rule change, players who sign NHL contracts and return to the CHL are still not eligible to play NCAA Division I hockey. Players can however participate in NHL training camps provided those teams don't compensate the player beyond "beyond actual and necessary expenses."

Another spark to the rule change was by a Windsor Spitfire player, Ryan Masteron, who filed a class action lawsuit against the NCAA led to a rule change.

The fallout from this decision has only begun, as it was initially considered a great victory. However, some CHL alumni are hesitant to celebrate the new ruling, as this could complicate lineup decisions in the NCAA, as they could augment their rosters with CHL talent. Also, there's a difference in eligibility between the WHL, and NCAA which will need to be figured out, or standardized.

This proves that the NCAA is ready to change the scope of hockey careers for players from the CH, beginning on August 1, 2025.

Will this be a negative or positive development for Canadian hockey players?