What an NCAA rule change might mean for junior hockey in Sask.

A rule change by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) could shake up the future of the junior hockey development system in Canada.

The NCAA represents various major and prestigious colleges in the United States which are home to Division 1 hockey programs.

A rule change approved by the NCAA on Nov. 7 allows for players from the Western Hockey League (WHL) and Canadian Hockey League (CHL) to commit and compete at U.S. colleges starting next season.

Previously, in order to play hockey at an NCAA school junior hockey players in Canada would have had to compete in a Junior A league in order to be eligible to play in the U.S.

Players who decided to join WHL were declared as ineligible to play for NCAA college hockey in the United States the second they stepped on the ice and played a game.

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As a result, some WHL athletes who wouldn’t be advancing their careers through the NHL would have to commit to schools in Canada West or throughout U Sports if they chose to continue with their hockey career.

These decisions were mostly being made by players at the young age of 16 or 17, and their families.

Announcement seen as good news

Saskatoon Blades general manager Colin Priestner thinks the announcement from the NCAA is good news for the players.

“I think it’s going to have a ton of ripple effect on our league (WHL) … mostly positive. I think for the most part there’s going to be a ton of opportunities now to open the prospect pool. When we’re preparing for our prospects draft every year, we’re looking at the players that are committed to coming to Saskatoon, and then there’s a list of players that are wanting to pursue the NCAA path instead,” Priestner explained.

“It’s not a huge list in Western Canada, but there’s certainly good players every year that choose that path and now we’re going to have the opportunity to be that league for all those kids whether they’re Canadian or American,” he added.

“A lot of times, young American kids who are 16 or 17, they don’t even think to come to Saskatoon or Canada.”

Priestner admits while it looks like good news for now, all of the general managers around the WHL are still trying to figure out how the rules will work.

“We’ve been talking about it for a long time. We didn’t know exactly what parameters would be brought forth and honestly they (the NCAA) didn’t give a lot of parameters when they made the decision. So it’s up to us to figure that out and learn on the fly here,” he said.

The impact of the NCAA’s decision will most likely impact the talent pool for U Sports hockey programs — especially at schools like the universities of Saskatchewan, Alberta, Calgary and British Columbia, which get a lot of players from the WHL.

Players who graduate from the WHL have access to a post-secondary scholarship which helps them pay for school wherever they choose to go. The league announced the program will remain if a player decides to go the NCAA route starting next year.

The majority of Saskatchewan Huskies men’s hockey team this season is made up of players who have graduated from the WHL and are using U Sports to keep playing hockey and attend the school for their post-secondary education.

Brandin Cote is the head coach of the Huskies men’s hockey team and thinks the rule change is a good thing for players. He feels it gives them more say in the future of their careers, but doesn’t think it’s all gloom and doom for his program, even if recruiting might be impacted.

“It’s going to effect us in some way, shape or form. I know a lot of people think that U Sports is going to be negatively effected just in terms of some of the top players going the NCAA route or however that ends up looking. For us with the Huskies, we’re cautiously optimistic,” Cote explained.

“There’s going to be some time where it’s just going to have to work itself out. I think for us, we’re really confident in what we can provide.

“When we look over the course of time here with our programs, a lot of guys may not want to go down that road and we may find out that the grass isn’t always greener on the other side by going down to the States to play hockey,” Cote added.

“… Our mindset really isn’t going to change. We’re still going to recruit the best players available.”

Canada West president Ben Matchett said they’ve had discussions about the new rule over the years, but says now it’s about them facing a reality to which they’ll have to adjust.

“I think the reality is that the overall number of roster spots available is not going to massively increase. It’s not like there’s a huge number of new NCAA hockey programs that are going to come online as a result of this decision, but it will change the way that the talent moves and what the pathways are for a lot of these these players,” Matchett said.

“I do think that there’s a bright future for U Sports hockey — I just think it’s probably going to look a little different five years from now than than it does today.”

Matchett says the reality of the new rule has allowed them to reflect on their recruiting process and what it is they offer.

“I think what it’s done is made us think critically about the value proposition that we have (not just) within hockey, but in every other sport as well. We do think that what we offer is unique and different and a really positive experience on the academic side and in a bunch of other other areas,” Matchett said.

“There’s been lots of conversations. We expect that those will continue. Again, I think it’s going to be at least five years before we know what the full impact of this is.”

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