Speculation: 2024-2025 General Lightning Discussion II Wanted: actually special teams and bottom 6 edition

[Felonious Python]

Nope, once you sign a pro deal, you're ineligible. Unless the NCAA changes precedent, once you sign a pro contract, your NCAA eligibility is done. That's going to be the rule forever

A few years ago, the idea of the NCAA accepting CHLers may have felt impossible.

A player feels that he's being forced to choose between education and not even becoming a professional player yet, but essentially signing a letter of intent that they will, once their NCAA career is over, for a pre-negotiated salary. Even normies would understand that dilemma.

The NHL would also pretty much have to extend the draft rights for guys, possibly 6 or even 7 years for guys who go the full CHL-NCAA route.

 

[Hockeyville USA]

A few years ago, the idea of the NCAA accepting CHLers may have felt impossible.

A player feels that he's being forced to choose between education and not even becoming a professional player yet, but essentially signing a letter of intent that they will, once their NCAA career is over. Even normies would understand that dilemma.

The NHL would also pretty much have to extend the draft rights for guys, possibly 6 or even 7 years for guys who go the full CHL-NCAA route.

It has nothing to do with the NCAA only. European Pro players are ineligible for NCAA sports if they've signed a pro deal, regardless of the sport.

 

[Felonious Python]

It has nothing to do with the NCAA only. European Pro players are ineligible for NCAA sports if they've signed a pro deal, regardless of the sport.

Things are changing.

Men's NCAA hockey isn't a head count sport, so coaches have a budget each year of how much athletic scholarship money they can distribute. If the NHL agreed to pick up the tuition bill for players signed to basically professional letters of intent, the schools would be banging down the doors of the NCAA head office.

The player wouldn't receive any money, in this case. No signing bonus or anything, just that the NHL teams would pay for their schooling from their signing onwards.

 

[Hockeyville USA]

Things are changing.

Men's NCAA hockey isn't a head count sport, so coaches have a budget each year of how much athletic scholarship money they can distribute. If the NHL agreed to pick up the tuition bill for players signed to basically professional letters of intent, the schools would be banging down the doors of the NCAA head office.

The player wouldn't receive any money, in this case. No signing bonus or anything, just that the NHL teams would pay for their schooling from their signing onwards.

Would require a ton of changes that I don't see the NCAA nor NHL making anytime soon.

 

[Felonious Python]

Would require a ton of changes that I don't see the NCAA nor NHL making anytime soon.

The NCAA gets forced to change the rules all the time now.

The NHL also needs to ensure that players don't leave for free agency after finishing college. Teams sponsoring their signed college players frees up their scholarship money.

Outside 'tradition', I don't immediately see a downside.

 

[Hockeyville USA]

The NCAA gets forced to change the rules all the time now.

The NHL also needs to ensure that players don't leave for free agency after finishing college. Teams sponsoring their signed college players frees up their scholarship money.

Outside 'tradition', I don't immediately see a downside.

It would create a precedent that the MLB, NBA, and NFL along with NCAA Baseball, Basketball, and Football would have some issues with. I don't see things changing to allow signed pro contract players to play in the NCAA.