Prospect Info: 2024-25 Prospect Info (CHL, NCAA, Europe)

[Bill Peckerskull]

I personally think it’ll be good for the nhl and a developmental model? Might hurt the all a bit?

Gonna crush the USHL

 

[SoundwaveIsCharisma]

Anderson was a good complementary winger who played a solid north/south game…until he got that ridiculous contract. Since then it feels like his game imploded.

Anyway, the less said about Jost, the better.

I do wonder if Jost would've turned out different with one more season at NoDak

 

[henchman21]

Gonna crush the USHL

Doubtful, but certainly way too early to say this.

I do wonder if Jost would've turned out different with one more season at NoDak

I really don’t think so. Jost’s issue was athletically and that wasn’t going to be helped by another year in college.

 

[Hasbro]

I do wonder if Jost would've turned out different with one more season at NoDak

Dumber?

Anyway, I think going to the Goofs nor leaving when he did hampered Mittelstadt's development.

 

[UnkleKraker]

So, 2 years in the CHL for top tier prospects then NCAA? Or is this really a nothing burger with only a few players taking that path. Will be fascinating to watch but gotta confess any negative CHL impact will be sad for me. Long time WHL fan and that product was so fun in its prime.

 

[henchman21]

So, 2 years in the CHL for top tier prospects then NCAA? Or is this really a nothing burger with only a few players taking that path. Will be fascinating to watch but gotta confess any negative CHL impact will be sad for me. Long time WHL fan and that product was so fun in its prime.

It is TBD. The CHL contracts are typically for 4 years (there are variances, but standard), meaning those players are typically not eligible to play elsewhere except when a transfer agreement is in place (which is why they can do the NHL, but not AHL). Now the next step in this will be the fight on those contracts. There are already agencies lining up ready to fight the CHL contract and basically state players can leave whenever they want to play in a different league (Bartlett namely). Thusfar, any fights on that contract have been unsuccessful... that doesn't mean it will stay that way forever though. Also of note here, any player that signs an ELC will be ineligible for the NCAA. Obvious, but that'll stop some top prospects from the CHL in moving over.

So what does this mean today? If a player wants to play college at 18/19, they will probably still choose the Junior A/USHL route for now. If we get the point where 18/19 year olds can leave the CHL. The BCHL/AJHL are going to take a massive hit. Those players have little incentive to not move to the CHL if they have a good opportunity. The USHL will have a decrease in their Canadians coming down and playing. The Celebrini/Power types still have incentive withe the 18/19 year old NCAA possibility. But the guys who would go to the NCAA at 20 anyway... those guys will stop coming down. Like Martino and Crandell in the USHL today, they will stay in the CHL then move over. That's where the meat of this will hurt the USHL, at least until there is clarity on the CHL contracts.

Now for the NCAA, the quality for the lower end teams is about to improve tremendously. BU, BC, DU, Michigan, etc they are going to get the top kids regardless. But Omaha, Lindenwood, Maine, Union, etc... they are about to get A LOT better. They will scour the top overagers and find the best ones. They won't be as skilled, but they will be much deeper teams.

On the NHL/AHL... the undrafted ELCs are going to get a lot tougher and very rare unless they promise NHL games. The 3rd-7th round picks are also going to naturally get tougher to sign. They can wait out, go to college, play for another year, and have their pick of where to play. With the NHL CBA, the rules as they are today, the rights will still expire after 2 years for CHL kids... so there is a path to ~3 years (really 2.75) and UFA now.

As an extreme example... take Ritchie. Say he didn't sign his ELC and just went back to the OHL for his final season. At the end of this season, he could sign with Michigan for 200k for 25-26 and make his intentions clear he won't sign with any NHL team. He goes undrafted as a re-entry (unlikely but possible if communicated in that manner). Plays 25-26 for Michigan, then signs in the spring as a UFA to where ever he wants and finishes the season/playoffs burning a year off his ELC... he gets paid and gets his choice of location and path.