Not much is happening in the pro world as we await the Stanley Cup Finals. But in the world of prospects…the effects of the changed NCAA/CHL rules are beginning to take root.
It’s Monday, alright. Let’s all hope for a nice, easy day.
The Cup Final begins on Wednesday, so everything I’ve wanted to say about it I’ve already kind of said already. Two crazy good teams who may also engage in a little bit of skullduggery and thuggery not because of any reason to on-ice wise. But because they like it. Hope it goes 7.
Instead, I wanna discuss the NCAA/CHL agreement, and already what it’s bearing fruit on.
The Memorial Cup finished up yesterday (The London Knights won. It wasn’t close.), a boatload of CHL players have begun committing to NCAA schools; North Dakota just picked up Keaton Verhoeff and Cole Reschny from the Victoria Royals, Providence picked up the Brandon Wheat Kings’ captain in March, Luke Coughlin of Rimouski’s going to be a Black Bear this fall, and there’s rumor that Justin Carbonneau may eschew the Q for BC.
Of course; just about everybody is keeping an eye out for what the young McKenna actually ends up doing for his draft year. Does he stay in Medicine Hat and take another crack at it? Or go play for Michigan/Minnesota/Some other Big 10 team? Mike McMahon of College Hockey Insider believes that even more may be coming, as prospects may want to hear from their teams on where they should go.
It’s a strange new world for the CHL; they tried their damnedest not to lose kids to the AHL and the AHL did their best to accommodate for them, but then the NCAA made it’s wacky world of transfer portals, NIL, and semi-expanding list of power teams available to the CHL players; and they’ve already begun taking full advantage of it. Sure, they’re also subject to the whims of the college game; the hockey itself being a lot less open than your average CHL game, power struggles from ADs getting into hot water, coaches moving to different programs and the like, but if the choice is between Kalamazoo, a few hours on a set for the local plumber, and some undisclosed amount of money versus trying to make $250 CAD last me a month in the BC Interior?
I think I’d read the miserable script the plumbing service put together if it meant I got a little walking around money for when the seniors go to buy beer.
While right now a great many of the top prospects still play in CHL leagues, there’s no guarantee that will be the case in the next few years. Maybe the CHL will finally wake up after the draft and realize they could be experiencing a serious talent drain as the years go on and find ways to keep themselves competitive with the NCAA’s NIL collectives and donor money; maybe start building player-first housing around their rinks; eliminating the need for outside billet families and ensuring there’s guaranteed facilities for both education and recreation, and try to find ways to increase the monthly stipend.
Personally however, I think their best hope is convincing the AHL to lift the rules so that players of a certain age can return to the CHL if they aren’t ready for it yet.
So! That said! What CHL player would you pluck off of a roster to boost your favorite college squad? I think Ryan Roobroeck would be a fantastic Terrier.