2025 Usports Recruiting

[AUS Fan]

Jace Weir, Red Deer to UBC

Kassim Gaudet, Chicoutimi to UQTR

 

[dm8895]

Kassim Gaudet, Chicoutimi to UQTR

This lends credence to the idea that the rule change benefits the French schools.

 

[AUS Fan]

From ACA Xwitter: The Acadia Axemen are proud to welcome defenceman Brayden Schmitt to the program! Schmitt, from Truro, NS joins the Axemen after playing 5 seasons in the QMJHL, most recently with the Cape Breton Eagles.

 

[AUC Regular]

From ACA Xwitter: The Acadia Axemen are proud to welcome defenceman Brayden Schmitt to the program! Schmitt, from Truro, NS joins the Axemen after playing 5 seasons in the QMJHL, most recently with the Cape Breton Eagles.

49 points two years ago. Nice get!

 

[MiamiHockeyII]

Henry Attard - Def - Milton (OJHL) to RMC

 

[FreddyFoyle]

I have a feeling that NCAA teams won’t be paying much attention to the BCHL after this year … If you aren’t good enough to play in the CHL as a 20 year old, you are going to have pretty mediocre if any NCAA offers on the table.. Besides if you play a year of USports and have a good rookie year you could always head south . It’s not a coincidence 19 year olds are committing to CIS teams this year.

Like many, I think BCHL's importance is over. Done. Toast. Skilled players across Canada only went there to protect their NCAA eligibility in a competitive environment. Now they can stay home and play Major Junior in their region, and still go NCAA.

 

[CGHockey]

Like many, I think BCHL's importance is over. Done. Toast. Skilled players across Canada only went there to protect their NCAA eligibility in a competitive environment. Now they can stay home and play Major Junior in their region, and still go NCAA.

I disagree, there's roughly 1500 D1 spots.

For the sake of this argument lets move 3-4 years in the future when everything has settled.

Let's say 100 commits come from euro leagues.

1400 spots left: 60 CHL teams--180 overagers lets say 150 go D1

1250 spots left: roughly 400 USHL guys playing D1 any given year

850 spots left: Lets make a guess and say in a few years roughly 600 CHL guys will playing D1 any given year

250 spots left: These guys will be coming from in my opinion 80% BCHL and 20% NAHL.

I think of all the Junior leagues that used to move guys D1 the NAHL will be the most affected. BCHL will never get the top end commits again, but they will still probably have 5-10 commits per team which is not too different then it is now.

Will definitely be interesting to see

 

[MiamiHockeyII]

Like many, I think BCHL's importance is over. Done. Toast. Skilled players across Canada only went there to protect their NCAA eligibility in a competitive environment. Now they can stay home and play Major Junior in their region, and still go NCAA.

I wouldn't say it's over, but it's certainly diminished, and they will be fighting an uphill battle because their main selling point is gone.

The BCHL remains the best Canadian junior league outside the CHL. One thing the BCHL has always done well is attract crowds. Most BCHL franchises have historical significance in their communities, and most Junior players still want to play meaningful games in front of decent crowds. That aligns well for the BCHL to attract good players from across Canada.

Keep in mind that Major Junior will still not a good developmental league for 16-18 year olds, and for many late bloomers Junior A will be the better option. What will be challenging for the BCHL is their current sales pitch for players to move to BC. It's the entire reason they broke from Hockey Canada. Will be fascinating to see how they adapt their sales pitch.

 

[dm8895]

I disagree, there's roughly 1500 D1 spots.

For the sake of this argument lets move 3-4 years in the future when everything has settled.

Let's say 100 commits come from euro leagues.

1400 spots left: 60 CHL teams--180 overagers lets say 150 go D1

1250 spots left: roughly 400 USHL guys playing D1 any given year

850 spots left: Lets make a guess and say in a few years roughly 600 CHL guys will playing D1 any given year

250 spots left: These guys will be coming from in my opinion 80% BCHL and 20% NAHL.

I think of all the Junior leagues that used to move guys D1 the NAHL will be the most affected. BCHL will never get the top end commits again, but they will still probably have 5-10 commits per team which is not too different then it is now.

Will definitely be interesting to see

That’s overall spots , they won’t need to be filled every year. Maybe 1/3 of that at most will need to be filled lol…

That’s 500 spots to fill, if you get 150 CHL guys that’s down to 350 spots to fill between USHL , NAHL , BCHL, other Canadian Jr.A leagues etc

 

[AUS Fan]

That’s overall spots , they won’t need to be filled every year. Maybe 1/3 of that at most will need to be filled lol…

That’s 500 spots to fill, if you get 150 CHL guys that’s down to 350 spots to fill. If you use your math and say 400 USHL guys that’s more players than spots.

I'm staying out of this, because I Know I don't have a clue to what the future holds. If I did, I'd be buying my 649 ticket instead of posting here.

 

[dm8895]

I'm staying out of this, because I Know I don't have a clue to what the future holds. If I did, I'd be buying my 649 ticket instead of posting here.

None of us do lol. I just know that we won’t have 1250 roster spots to fill annually after CHL players commit lol… Was just correcting the math like a know it all hahaha

 

[UNB Bruins Fan]

G - Dawson Smith (Robert Morris, NCAA), F - Rylan Ringor (Estevan, SJHL), and F - Ryder Ringor (Flin Flon, SJHL) to York

 

[dm8895]

F - Rylan Ringor (Estevan, SJHL)

4 teams in 3 leagues this year . That takes being a suitcase to the next level.

 

[MiamiHockeyII]

4 teams in 3 leagues this year . That takes being a suitcase to the next level.

10 different organizations in a 7 season period. Alarm bells for me.

 

[dm8895]

Marcus Vandenberg (G)
Lemington OJHL (70 OHL gp) - SMU

Nathan Poole
Halliburton OJHL (144 OHL gp) - Ontario Tech

Jonathan Melee
Peterborough OHL - Ottawa
(Previously committed to Sacred Heart)

Thomas Gangl
Robert Morris University NCAA - U of Toronto

 

[FreddyFoyle]

I wouldn't say it's over, but it's certainly diminished, and they will be fighting an uphill battle because their main selling point is gone.

The BCHL remains the best Canadian junior league outside the CHL. One thing the BCHL has always done well is attract crowds. Most BCHL franchises have historical significance in their communities, and most Junior players still want to play meaningful games in front of decent crowds. That aligns well for the BCHL to attract good players from across Canada.

Keep in mind that Major Junior will still not a good developmental league for 16-18 year olds, and for many late bloomers Junior A will be the better option. What will be challenging for the BCHL is their current sales pitch for players to move to BC. It's the entire reason they broke from Hockey Canada. Will be fascinating to see how they adapt their sales pitch.

I will be curious what effect this has on U18 / Major Midget? Will kids stay longer for development and delay jumping to Major Junior until they are more comfortable/mature? If you're going to sit on the Junior bench or in the stands as an affiliate, wouldn't you be better off playing every game in U18 (especially if you are a late bloomer)?

 

[AUC Regular]

G-Nicholas Surzycia- Sarnia Sting to University of Toronto.

 

[MiamiHockeyII]

G

I will be curious what effect this has on U18 / Major Midget? Will kids stay longer for development and delay jumping to Major Junior until they are more comfortable/mature? If you're going to sit on the Junior bench or in the stands as an affiliate, wouldn't you be better off playing every game in U18 (especially if you are a late bloomer)?

Great question. I can speak to the effect in Hockey Eastern Ontario (HEO) where all but the top players are choosing U18AAA over Jr A and Jr B. There will be variance across the country, but here U18AAA is seen as the best development option unless you are a 1st Round OHL Pick.

 

[dm8895]

G

Great question. I can speak to the effect in Hockey Eastern Ontario (HEO) where all but the top players are choosing U18AAA over Jr A and Jr B. There will be variance across the country, but here U18AAA is seen as the best development option unless you are a 1st Round OHL Pick.

Ive seen a lot of kids who are good enough to play Jr.A , play Midget AAA and AP for the an MHL team through the year..

Would definitely agree it does better for your development to play in your own age group (outside of those first/second round picks) as opposed to playing in the MHL against 20 year olds with multiple Q seasons and full beards.

 

[dm8895]

Unofficial

Eli Barnett - Vermont NCAA - UNB

7th round SJ Sharks pick

 

[AUS Fan]

Unofficial

Eli Barnett - Vermont NCAA - UNB

7th round SJ Sharks pick

6' 6", 229 lbs. Only played 8 games last year. Did that factor in this?

 

[Rob]

6' 6", 229 lbs. Only played 8 games last year. Did that factor in this?

I'm sure it did.

This time last year I would have been surprised at this recruit. Not in this new era though.

 

[UNB Bruins Fan]

Unofficial

Eli Barnett - Vermont NCAA - UNB

7th round SJ Sharks pick

Was in the transfer portal, so he was obviously looking at leaving Vermont…maybe nothing enticing in the NCAA materialized for him?

 

[dm8895]

Was in the transfer portal, so he was obviously looking at leaving Vermont…maybe nothing enticing in the NCAA materialized for him?

He’s listed as being from Ottawa on EP and HDB but he played minor hockey in Moncton and Vermont lists his hometown as Riverview so I have to assume playing for an elite program at home may have had more appeal for him than going and winning 3 games next year .

 

[AUC Regular]

Was in the transfer portal, so he was obviously looking at leaving Vermont…maybe nothing enticing in the NCAA materialized for him?

Vermont had 10 rostered defenseman last year. Lost 1 to graduation, adding 5 D-man recruits and 1 more through the transfer portal. Pretty big crowd.. UNB may have been his most enticing option.