2026 U Sports recruiting

[dm8895]

Seems to be starting pretty early this year …

Mathys Laurent - Rockland CCHL - Concordia
Isaiah Parent - Gatineau QJHL - Concordia

 

[HockeyscoutNA]

Pickings for guys who have played in the CHL will probably be even slimmer this year. I think teams will be recruiting early to try and snag the best, but not good enough for D1 guys.

Also, I think that alot of best Usport recruits moving forward will be Division 1 guys who do not do well and are often scratched, looking to come back and play.

 

[AUS Fan]

Pickings for guys who have played in the CHL will probably be even slimmer this year. I think teams will be recruiting early to try and snag the best, but not good enough for D1 guys.

Also, I think that alot of best Usport recruits moving forward will be Division 1 guys who do not do well and are often scratched, looking to come back and play.

My thought as well on disgruntled D1 guys.

 

[dm8895]

Eliott Robert - Miramichi MHL - Concordia

 

[dm8895]

I think the landscape is changing even more than it appeared ... UNB is talking with OJHL kids in November .

 

[UNB Bruins Fan]

I think the landscape is changing even more than it appeared ... UNB is talking with OJHL kids in November .

Even fewer CHL guys going to be available this summer?

I’m not holding out hope we are going to see an influx of ex-pro players come to U Sports like we may have originally thought…I think that might’ve been wishful thinking.

 

[Rob]

Even fewer CHL guys going to be available this summer?

I’m not holding out hope we are going to see an influx of ex-pro players come to U Sports like we may have originally thought…I think that might’ve been wishful thinking.

I don’t think we will see them come in over the Xmas break anymore. If they do come it will be during the offseason.

 

[Rob]

Delete

 

[HockeyscoutNA]

I think the landscape is changing even more than it appeared ... UNB is talking with OJHL kids in November .

I see things as follows:
Moving forward the best Usport recruits will be D1 drop downs and the previous bottom 20% level of Canadian kids who would have gone Division 1 prior to the rule change.

An interesting angle is, the average level of a CHL 20 year old has decreased and will continue to do so as the previous level of player who made it as a 20 will now be playing in college... I think in a few years time we may see 20 year old to CHL pipeline return to a degree because of this...

As for the level of play overall, it is going to obviously going to decrease but it is still going to be very strong hockey and be filled with players who go on to have good pro careers.

 

[leafhky88]

I think the landscape is changing even more than it appeared ... UNB is talking with OJHL kids in November .

They may be in attendance at this event - OJHL 20 Year Old Showcase.

The goal of the program is to ensure graduating players get exposure to U-Sport schools and ultimately achieve commitments to continue their hockey careers.

Last year, 19 of the 40 players who took part in the 20 Year Game were successful in getting a commitment to the a U-Sport program.

 

[UNB Bruins Fan]

D - Grayson Tiller (Niagara, OHL) has signed an LOI with Brock

 

[HockeyscoutNA]

I thought I would bring up something that I find may potentially be of worry for CIS Hockey.

I heard from someone that some Usport teams are now having to compete with some NCAA Division 3 programs for certain players. The programs which have high end (Basically D1) facilities and atmosphere like Utica, U New England, Suny-Oswego, plymouth state, Norwich... seem to be more appealing to play in than alot of Usport programs for some guys.

I am hearing the level of player being spoken about here are guys with 30-60 games played of CHL hockey who are top end Junior A players now as 20s.

What are your thoughts on this?

 

[MiamiHockeyII]

I thought I would bring up something that I find may potentially be of worry for CIS Hockey.

I heard from someone that some Usport teams are now having to compete with some NCAA Division 3 programs for certain players. The programs which have high end (Basically D1) facilities and atmosphere like Utica, U New England, Suny-Oswego, plymouth state, Norwich... seem to be more appealing to play in than alot of Usport programs for some guys.

I am hearing the level of player being spoken about here are guys with 30-60 games played of CHL hockey who are top end Junior A players now as 20s.

What are your thoughts on this?

This has always been the case among good Tier II players ... the only difference is that now it includes some guys with CHL experience.

The tradeoff is simple: $$ Cost vs. Meaningful Hockey.

DIII schools can offer Financial Aid ... the best way to figure it out is that it will cost you 10-12% of your family's gross income. So if your family earns $200,000 per year, you're paying $20K to go DIII, which is essentially the same as going to a Canadian University including residence.

If you live at home, Canadian universities are, obviously, much less expensive. Even more so with Athletic Scholarship money and the ability to earn money on the side working at, ahem, Hockey Camps in the summer. You cannot earn income in the US, and there is no NIL money at DIII.

The reason many guys choose DIII is because they will be on a smaller campus and play in front of good engaged crowds, versus playing in front of family and friends at most USports schools. For many players, they are willing to pay more to have the NCAA "College Hockey" experience.

Nothing new.

 

[MiamiHockeyII]

Ben Theron - Niagara Falls (OJHL) - RMC

Great article on Theron ... started emailing the RMC Coach when he was 14, joined the Army Reserves at 16, Top Candidate on his Infantry Course ... it appears that he recruited RMC. Looks like a beauty.

‘MY DREAM SCHOOL’: NIAGARA FALLS’ THERON COMMITS TO RMC PALADINS

www.ojhl.ca

 

[AUS Fan]

Ben Theron - Niagara Falls (OJHL) - RMC

Great article on Theron ... started emailing the RMC Coach when he was 14, joined the Army Reserves at 16, Top Candidate on his Infantry Course ... it appears that he recruited RMC. Looks like a beauty.

‘MY DREAM SCHOOL’: NIAGARA FALLS’ THERON COMMITS TO RMC PALADINS

www.ojhl.ca

Great addition to the military. His hockey time will only last so long but he could carve out a good 20-30 career as an Infantry officer or enlisted.

 

[MiamiHockeyII]

Great addition to the military. His hockey time will only last so long but he could carve out a good 20-30 career as an Infantry officer or enlisted.

Completely agree. Very rare for a Junior player in any league to seek out RMC, although many make a career out of it once they accept.

Case in point: Lieutenant-Colonel Duaine Fetzner came to RMC after three BCHL seasons. He has just been appointed Commanding Officer of the Royal Canadian Dragoons in Petawawa. Fetzner had never heard of RMC when he was recruited.

Duaine Fetzner - Stats, Contract, Salary & More

Eliteprospects.com hockey player profile of Duaine Fetzner, 1982-11-18 Comox, BC, CAN Canada. Most recently in the CIS with Royal Military College. Complete player biography and stats.

www.eliteprospects.com

 

[freddy123]

LOIs released today:

LIAM WELSH - DAL
GAGE ALEXANDER - SMU (don't know for sure but this one feels like a Christmas addition, hasn't played since March of last year)
JUSTIN GARNEAU - UDEM
KEIFER MILLER - BROCK
BRETT HAMMOND - DAL
NOLAN MAIER - SASK
LOIC FRANCOUER - UDEM

 

[AUS Fan]

LOIs released today:

LIAM WELSH - DAL
GAGE ALEXANDER - SMU (don't know for sure but this one feels like a Christmas addition, hasn't played since March of last year)
JUSTIN GARNEAU - UDEM
KEIFER MILLER - BROCK
BRETT HAMMOND - DAL
NOLAN MAIER - SASK
LOIC FRANCOUER - UDEM

Saw an article that said Alexander signed with Everblades in Oct, but can't find any stats on him. Looks like a decent goalie.

 

[waingro]

He's very tall. 6'7", I believe. I had him on my AHL team in NHL 24 for that specific reason. (Never ended calling him up to the big squad.)

 

[AUS Fan]

Delete. Wrong thread.

 

[UNB Bruins Fan]

The Huskies (both eastern and western versions) have been the two best teams at bringing in former pro’s so far.

 

[dm8895]

He's very tall. 6'7", I believe. I had him on my AHL team in NHL 24 for that specific reason. (Never ended calling him up to the big squad.)

Not to hijack this thread but do you know who used to always develop into a top 4 d-man for me on NHL 07 or 08 before I had a clue who he was… Chad Denny lol

 

[AUC Regular]

Andrew Zadarnowski
@AZadarski
Dec 19
"If a player agent is saying it, then it's very very real.Negotiations between the PHPA and the ECHL are at a standstill. Still no new CBA with the AHL either. Both leagues could grind to a halt next week."

Interesting development perhaps??

 

[AUS Fan]

Andrew Zadarnowski
@AZadarski
Dec 19
"If a player agent is saying it, then it's very very real.Negotiations between the PHPA and the ECHL are at a standstill. Still no new CBA with the AHL either. Both leagues could grind to a halt next week."

Interesting development perhaps??

I read something on that the other day.
I spent a weekend with the Wheeling Nailers in 2010 and spoke a few time with Jody Shelly about his experience when he was in Johnstown. It's not a glamorous lifestyle. Hang around the mall all day or play video games. No contract to speak of where some CHL kid can take your job.

If they do some kind of strike it will filter up to the AHL and perhaps some NHL teams.

Both the ECHL and AHL are without a CBA for this season.

 

[dm8895]

I read something on that the other day.
I spent a weekend with the Wheeling Nailers in 2010 and spoke a few time with Jody Shelly about his experience when he was in Johnstown. It's not a glamorous lifestyle. Hang around the mall all day or play video games. No contract to speak of where some CHL kid can take your job.

If they do some kind of strike it will filter up to the AHL and perhaps some NHL teams.

Both the ECHL and AHL are without a CBA for this season.

If I were good enough to play in the Coast , I’d be using my talents on a few years of paid vacation overseas if I wasn’t going to school . Hell I think I’d rather play in the France 19th division at that point .