What effect will CHL player eligibility have on the NCAA?

There is a lot of news coming out of the NCAA and its relationship to major junior hockey.

On Tuesday, the organization’s D-I Council Committee proposed a new rule that would repeal the ban on major junior players trying to play in the NCAA. For several decades, the NCAA has followed bylaw 12.2.3.2.4, which categorizes players from the WHL, OHL and QMJHL as professionals.

However, there has been a wave of momentum for that to change. The topic was discussed at the NCAA coaches’ meetings last May, with a subcommittee being created to monitor the future of the rule. Then, junior player Rylan Masterson filed a lawsuit against the NCAA and 10 schools after his eligibility was erased after playing two exhibition games with the Windsor Spitfires in 2022.

Last month, Regina Pat forward Braxton Whitehead verbally committed to Arizona State, hoping the rule change will be implemented by next season.

The vote will take place during a meeting next month. If the proposal is approved, it will go into effect in time for the 2025-26 campaign.

On Wednesday’s edition of Daily Faceoff LIVE, Colby Cohen and Tyler Yaremchuk discussed the effects the rule change could have on NCAA hockey.

Colby Cohen: Everybody I’ve talked to expects this to pass and these players will be eligible to play in the NCAA at the beginning of next season…What if a player gets drafted [into the NHL] from the OHL and then he goes to college? How does that work with the CBA? When does he become a free agent.

One area that I really do not like, or understand, is people on this NCAA committee, the voting committee, there is no hockey people on this committee. These are athletic directors, these are people from random schools…administrators from all around the country. Hockey is not really well-represented by the people making these decisions, which I think is a total mistake.

You can watch the full segment, and the entire episode here…