NCAA Rule Change Will Allow CHL Players To Play - But It Could Have Some Drawbacks

(MENAFN- The Conversation) Professional hockey has long been criticized for being racially exclusive and prohibitively expensive , making it an inaccessible Sport to many. While diversity in Canadian cities has grown, the elite-hockey player base that emerges from them has remained the same .

Efforts to address this imbalance have been made by some hockey organizations , but unless they go beyond superficial gestures , these efforts will fail to make any meaningful changes.

One significant development that could affect junior hockey happened in November 2024. The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) announced that, starting in the 2025-26 season, players from the Canadian Hockey League (CHL) would be eligible to play in its hockey league. Previously, CHL players were barred due to the NCAA's amateur status rules.

This change, while deeply meaningful for junior hockey in North America, has broader implications for the Canadian hockey landscape, beyond where the National Hockey League's future stars may be playing as teenagers.

Young players are often forced to make difficult decisions about their hockey futures at young ages, and navigating the labyrinthine Canadian junior hockey system can be daunting.

The Canadian system is organized into four main tiers: Major Junior, Junior A, Junior B and Junior C. The CHL is Canada's premiere major junior hockey organization, overseeing the Western Hockey League, the Ontario Hockey League and the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League.

Thirty-nine per cent of all NHL draft picks from the 2024 NHL draft were from the CHL , the most of any junior league in the world. While some players enter CHL teams in other ways, the overwhelming majority of CHL players are acquired through a draft.

Alongside the CHL, the Junior A system is spread across Canada with leagues in every province in generally less populated centres.

The recent news regarding NCAA eligibility removes one of the largest advantages Junior A leagues have had in attracting top talent to their teams: the ability to maintain their amateur status in pursuit of NCAA scholarships.

Many notable NHL players have used this pipeline to further their careers, including Devon Toews, Colton Parayko and Cale Makar . However, concerns for the future of Canadian junior hockey are not limited to those at the very top end of the Junior A system.

Junior A programs have long served as a pathway for players from non-traditional hockey backgrounds, namely those who are not from white, upper-middle class and two-parent households .

According to the 2021 Canadian Census and public roster data for the Centennial Cup, the average birthplace population for players in the 2024 Junior A tournament was 423,242, compared to 844,554 for Canadian players in the NHL from 2022-25.

This suggests Junior A players often come from smaller, less urbanized communities where access to sports facilities, private training opportunities and other resources tends to be more limited.

Junior A leagues have traditionally relied on elite players seeking NCAA careers. However, the recent policy change means some players are now leaving for the CHL. As of January 2025, 37 players have left British Columbia's top Junior A league for the CHL.

If this trend continues, Junior A hockey could be severely impacted. Players from non-traditional backgrounds, such as Indigenous hockey players living on-reserve or players living in remote rural centres, could be forced to leave home at younger ages to attend centralized, expensive hockey programs in hopes of catching the attention of CHL scouts.

Additionally, this could put the Centennial Cup, a yearly showcase for emerging talent, in jeopardy as the league's role diminishes.

Indigenous hockey players face unique barriers in the sport, including racism. Those coming from remote communities with little to no exposure to scouts struggle to afford the high costs associated with hockey and also deal with culture shock and homesickness.

For many Indigenous players, Junior A hockey has provided them with the opportunity to further their hockey careers, increasing the likelihood of future career and educational opportunities.

One such example is Devin Buffalo , a member of the Samson Cree Nation and a former professional hockey player. Buffalo spoke to Naim Cardinal, one of the authors of this story, via Instagram Live in February 2021 .

Buffalo recounted how he was cut from the under-18 (U18) team in Leduc, Alta. several times and, as a late bloomer, didn't play AAA hockey in his final year of eligibility. In his only top-tier, U18 season, Buffalo found the opportunity to play Junior A hockey as he was recruited by the Flin Flon Bombers and was able to follow his dream of playing hockey at Dartmouth College in 2018 as an undergraduate student.

Following his college and professional hockey careers , Buffalo returned to school at the University of Alberta to pursue law. He holds a Juris Doctorate and founded Waniska Athletics , an initiative that provides hockey camps and mentorship opportunities to Indigenous athletes .

Like many other Indigenous hockey players, without the opportunities afforded to him from playing Junior A hockey, Buffalo might not have had the experiences and career he has today .

The decision to allow CHL players to pursue NCAA college hockey marks a significant shift for junior hockey in North America. While this opens new opportunities for CHL players, it could have unintended consequences on players from marginalized communities, as the door to playing Junior A hockey could begin to close.

For decades, Junior A hockey has been a critical stepping stone for players from various backgrounds. Players with talent and potential may not be able to achieve their dreams of playing hockey at a higher level or start a new career based on the sport they love.

Changes to the Canadian junior hockey system are inevitable, as coaches, teams and leagues are constantly in a state of flux. However, the knock-on effects of the most recent change to NCAA eligibility may exacerbate circumstances that have rendered hockey unable to meaningfully change the perception, and indeed reality, of who is welcome in the game's elite spaces.

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