I think there are some people who feel insecure about any potential change to the status quo and react by making this a zero-sum game where they have to put down any alternatives to their pledged allegiance. And then I think there are others who are willing to entertain the idea that the way this shakes out is unclear but that the varying interests can co-exist and will appeal to different people involved in the process. I admit I am in the latter
Agreed, we’ll see how this all shakes out over the coming few years. I think the canary in the coal mine is Gavin McKenna and what he may end up doing. If he goes to the NCAA that may end up being the preferred route for late birthdate players prior to the draft who are high end prospects.
I just personally think that the CHL proponents seem to know a lot more about the NCAA than the NCAA proponents know about the CHL. I’ve outlined plenty of issues that may keep players in the CHL/prevent them being eligible for NCAA, so I won’t rehash anymore of that.
Choosing to enroll at a university of your choice as a student who will also play a sport is fundamentally different than entering your name into a draft lottery and then accepting your assignment to a sports organization. The purpose of the two entities is different, the day-to-day experience is different, and the outcomes are different. The CHL offering to match tuition payments at a later date and at a separate institution based on certain conditions being met is not a stand-in for being a student-athlete at a university.
If we’re evolving our knowledge and positions on things throughout this process, I think the rigid concept of “this and only this constitutes….whatever” also needs to evolve.
The route by which most players arrive to the NCAA currently is through the USHL. The USHL also employs a draft. It’s a bit a different than the CHL admittedly, but there is a draft nonetheless. Afterwards, players can attend the NCAA school of their choosing. This is not substantially dissimilar to the CHL -> USports route; a player can choose whatever University or College he likes (provided the grades are met and there is reciprocal interest). In my Ottawa example, I am not forced to got to the UofO; I could go to Western, or UofT, or Lakehead….all paid for, so essentially on scholarship.
So, again, while certainly a different process in many ways, these players are still ultimately student athlete in the end, playing University hockey at the same age as their counterparts in the NCAA.
Edit: Katzin too. Forgot about
Beauchene and Karabela as well