The landscape is changing across junior hockey after it was announced on Thursday that CHL players will be eligible to compete for NCAA schools beginning next season.
Under previous rules, the NCAA considered the three CHL member leagues as ‘professional’ because players would receive a stipend that covered their expenses that was less than $1,000 per month.
There are certain rules and guidelines in place for a CHL player to move onto the NCAA. According to Mike McMahon of the College Hockey Insider, a player can not be signed to an entry level contract with an NHL team and play in the NCAA. They may participate in a tryout as long as they are not paid more than necessary expenses and can not play in exhibition games.
In an interview with the Daily Herald on Friday morning, Raider general manager Curtis Hunt says the move will make the CHL an even more desirable place to play then what it was previously.
“I think for our league now, we become the destination league. The pressure on kids to sign goes away. There’s a natural development progression now to work your way to our league and then onto pro hockey, which is the goal of all young players is to be a pro hockey player. It just gives the kids that extra option and it takes away the anxiety of signing.
“I think for us, we continue the status quo. It may change how we scout a little bit as we may venture deeper into the U.S. It’s always our mandate to bring the best players into our league. We emulate the NHL in our games and schedules and that’s what we want to do, we want to prepare kids for that. The only thing that will change is it gives the kids an option at the end of their tenure with major junior hockey to pursue NCAA and continue to develop because they also develop players.”
Since the announcement, Hunt has been a busy man fielding phone calls from agents, players and parents about what the change means for the current players on the Prince Albert Raiders roster.
Hunt says he is taking the time to learn as much as he can about the new rules.
“It’s more about getting clarity for myself. What exactly changes, what exactly we need to do for our players when it comes time to graduate, to understanding the process so we can give them the best answers. There’s a bunch of different kids that start to move now. We’ve got to start creating some relationships. It’s really changed the landscape at least in terms of where does the BCHL sit right now and those players in a non-sanctioned league. It’s just an interesting time. It’s kind of wait and see, but at the same time, we just want to discuss and talk about every scenario and every opportunity that the kids could have here moving forward.”
The first active WHL player to announce a commitment to an NCAA school was Regina Pats overage forward Braxton Whitehead earlier this season. Several players who were committed to NCAA schools have signed with their respective WHL clubs throughout this season prior to the announcement being made.
Noah Kosick (Calgary Hitmen, committed to Michigan) and Gavin Garland (Tri-City Americans, committed to Nebraska-Omaha) are two players who had signed into the WHL this season with NCAA commitments.
Hunt says the process of NCAA schools scouting players on the Raiders and other WHL clubs had already begun prior to the announcement.
“We had a team at our building last week and I think we see the schools are out and about and they’ll be doing the same thing we do with the Bantam and Under-18 players. They’ll be scouting our buildings and looking for those players that haven’t signed or are maybe going to a pro camp but maybe need a couple more years of development and they’ll be trying to bring them into their programs.”
So far this season, the Raiders sit in ninth place in the WHL’s Eastern Conference with a 5-8-2-0 record and sit three points back of the Calgary Hitmen for the eighth and final playoff spot.
Hunt says the Raiders will look at all available avenues to improve the team prior to the roster deadline in January.
“I think if you look at where we are, we’re not where we want to be. I think that’s pretty clear. I think we’ve had a couple of frustrating nights. I’m probably guilty of patience and loyalty, and I think you need to be in our business. I think there’s always a curve and a time where you’ve got to have opportunity. So like all seasons, we’re going to look to improve our group if we can, whether that’s via our own list and bringing players in and out, whether it’s via trades or whether it’s via the new rules regarding eligibility and opportunities for players in other leagues. The plan as always is to ice the best team we can.”
“You always ask the fans (to) understand we are a young group, and we just want to make sure that the guys come to work every single day because that’s what I think that’s what our fans deserve, and that’s the only way you’re going to get anywhere in life is if you come with a plan and you work your plan and you compete to the best of your ability.”
The Raiders return to action on Saturday night when they travel to Brandon to take on the Wheat Kings. Puck drops at 7 p.m.
sports@paherald.sk.ca
