NCAA re-considering ban on CHL players

A new rule change could alter NCAA eligibility for players in the Canadian Hockey League (CHL).

This month, the NCAA Division I Council is expected to vote on lifting a long-standing ban on CHL players to compete for American colleges, as early as next season.

The CHL governs three major junior hockey leagues in Canada:

Ontario Hockey League (OHL)

Western Hockey League (WHL)

Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL)

The NCAA currently views CHL players as professionals, excluding them from college eligibility. Lifting the ban would allow players in the OHL, WHL, and QMJHL to transfer to the NCAA.

TSN Director of Scouting Craig Button said the rule change could put more options in the players’ hands.

“For a young athlete you can now have that option open to you,” Button told CTV News.

In August, a class-action lawsuit was filed against the NCAA on behalf of Rylan Masterson, who lost his NCAA eligibility after playing two OHL exhibition games from the Windsor Spitfires.

Stanley Cup champion, Mike Commodore, committed to the University of North Dakota before going on to play 11 seasons in the NHL.

The former defenceman told CTV News the ban makes it too hard on players.

“The poor kid who plays a few games and his eligibility is gone, that’s a joke. His eligibility should be there,” Commodore said.

Before committing to the NCAA, Commodore said he planned on trying out for the Kelowna Rockets of the WHL, which would have broken his college eligibility. He hopes players will enjoy more options if the ban is dissolved.

“Lots of things can go wrong, coaching staff, you get some injuries, whatever. To have an option, ‘ok look things aren’t working for me, I want to go to school.’ To be able to go to the U.S., I think that’s great,” Commodore said.

If the ban is lifted, CHL teams could potentially see current roster players leave for the NCAA.

Button said it’s up to each CHL team to make sure their top talent wants to stay.

“If you run a good program and you have good coach and you have good development, I don’t care if you’re college or the CHL, you’re going to keep your players,” Button said. “If you don’t run a good program, you run the risk of losing your players.”

During a Nov. 1 interview with CTV News, OHL Commissioner Bryan Crawford said the NCAA Division I Council’s vote is top of mind and appears to be coming shortly.

“If it does, it’s a tremendous opportunity for more players and their families to have the opportunity to be part of our league which is a fantastic thing for us,” Crawford said.

When it comes to retaining top talent, Crawford believes the OHL will sell itself.

“It’s about making sure that our athlete experience is first-class,” said Crawford. “We have produced more NHL players than any other league in the world.”

While in support of the rule change, Commodore says he’s concerned for lower-level players as spots fill up on NCAA rosters.

“I hope the 19 and 20-year-old who’s playing tier 2 junior in the Alberta Junior Hockey league or wherever, I hope his scholarship opportunities don’t disappear because of this,” Commodore said. “I also hope that the Canadian university teams don’t get decimated by this.”

“If somebody does like three to four years in the [WHL], and then [decides] ‘I’ll go to U.S. college hockey,’ the 20-year-old that’s been in the Alberta Junior Hockey League is going to get pounded out of a scholarship because of that,” Commodore said.

If approved the rule change would go into effect Aug. 1.