Junior player files proposed class-action lawsuit against NCAA, 10 teams

An athlete is trying to take a stand in regard to his future.

On Tuesday, TSN’s Rick Westhead reported that Rylan Masterson, a junior hockey player in Canada, has filed a proposed class-action against the NCAA and 10 universities, alleging they are violating antitrust laws, not allowing players who have played major junior hockey to play in the NCAA.

Masterson, 19, is a current member of the Fort Erie Meteors, a Junior B team in the Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League. While playing Jr. B wouldn’t prohibit Masterson from playing in the NCAA, he did appear in two exhibition games for the Ontario Hockey League’s Windsor Spitfires in 2022, effectively costing him his eligibility.

The Niagara Falls, Ontario native argued in a lawsuit filed on Monday night in U.S. District Court that the rule makes the schools and NCAA anticompetitive and violates antitrust laws.

The 10 schools listed in the lawsuit are Canisius University, Niagara University, Rochester Institute of Technology, Boston College, Boston University, University of Denver, Quinnipiac University, University of Notre Dame Du Lac, Stonehill College and University of St. Thomas.

The rule that players are not allowed to play major juniors before heading to the NCAA has been in place for over four decades. NCAA bylaw 12.2.3.2.4 specifically states that the NCAA considers CHL players to be deemed “professionals.” The NCAA conducted a review of its bylaws to determine whether or not it should discontinue the “boycott” of Canadian Hockey League players. The NCAA turned the decision over to Division I coaches. After a vote, it was determined the current policy of not allowing CHL players into the NCAA ranks would continue.

In May of this year, during the annual NCAA Ice Hockey meetings in Naples, Florida, coaches formed a committee to “monitor legal challenges to the rule.” The committee is made up of each of the six conference commissioners, one coach from each conference and American Hockey Coaches Association director Forrest Karr.

However, according to reports, 15-20 percent of coaches were willing to change the bylaw, making past major junior players eligible to play in the NCAA.

The suit alleges that other professionals have been allowed to play NCAA hockey, most notably former Boston University standout, and current Vancouver Canucks prospect, Tom Wallinder. He spent time with Rögle BK of the Swedish Hockey League before coming to North America.