CHL/NCAA

[RB76]

This whole idea about “getting an education” while speaking about top prospects is sort of a stretch. To get that education, they need four years of school. The sheer amount of $$$ they walk away from going to school is obscene. Not only that, they are delaying their UFA age as well.

If a player like Porter Martone were to decide to get an education, he’d lose at least $500k and that is assuming he’d play in the CHL as a 19 year old and the AHL for three years after that. If he plays one year in the NHL of those four years, that is another $1mil on top of the $500k in lost income.

Getting an education is not what these guys are looking at. They are looking at playing at a higher level than the OHL. Maybe they get paid some form of NIL but it is much harder for Canadians to cash in on it because they’d need to generate it while on Canadian soil AND they’d need to find some sort of endorsement $$$. How many CHL players have the name recognition to actually make real coin with NIL? The ones that would are more likely the guys to jump straight to the NHL straight out of the draft.

Martone, Misa, and Schaefer could all jump to the NHL next year. Will they be impactful? No. But, depending on where they are drafted, they could be that jewel to help the marketing. The shiny new toy so to speak. If Misa and MArtone go to SJ and Chicago, I could see both in the NHL next year. Schaefer maybe not as a D-Man that missed the 2nd half of the year and I don’t see the Islanders rushing it.

At the end of the day, the kids that will get the education are the OA’s and unsigned NHL picks. Undersized guys that have deficiencies that block them as real prospects but they are highly capable players at this level. The guys that don’t really have a strong shot at NHL will likely commit to schools like they are now and they will go get their degree and take advantage of what lies in front of them. The real prospects will use the NCAA as a stepping stone. They will take bird courses and focus solely on hockey. The education part will be minimal at best.

I agree the education is not paramount but only a handful of guys are NHL ready. Having said that, some like Martone it appears could choose to play a year in the NCAA, and sign his ELC in March/April after the season.

One thing is for certain, the change in landscape is providing players with greater opportunities and leverage. Although not standard at the moment, we might see NHL prospects signing two-year ELC’s.

 

[HockeyPops]

we might see NHL prospects signing two-year ELC’s.

This might become more common. We did have some of these in the past, as the length of the ELC is based on the age of the player. 18-21 = 3 years, 22-23 = 2 years, 24+ = 1 year. If the NHL/CHL agreement is renegotiated to extend the 2 year signing window to, say, 4 years, then this would become much more common.

 

[RB76]

Martone allegedly being offered $250,000 from Penn State (Farwell/OHL Podcast).

 

[coolhandluc44]

Martone allegedly being offered $250,000 from Penn State (Farwell/OHL Podcast).

If he signed an ELC after he gets drafted this year, how much money could he get playing in the OHL? I guess it would just be a signing bonus?

 

[RB76]

I believe you are correct, he would get his signing bonus.

FLO Hockey podcast yesterday mentioned that they are hearing from their contacts that they expect another 20-25 additional CHL players with Junior eligibility leaving this year to join the NCAA. Most are waiting to talk to their NHL teams after the draft.

 

[OMG67]

Imagine what the dressing rooms are going to be like in the NCAA if one or two players in the room are getting $250k to play there and everyone else is empty handed or close to it, especially if they are hired gun Canadians? That will be an interesting room to be in. Because make no mistake, that is not traditional NIL money. That is a salary to play college hockey. NIL money is for sponsorships where the players contribute to some form of marketing etc. The School (or supporters) handing over $$$ when the players aren’t really doing anything for it, is a simple pay off.

 

[bigsportsfan]

And now even the top 16 year olds are committing to the NCAA. The quality of CHL hockey is about to get much worse. But I'm not worried because so many people on this forum said no player is going to cut his junior career short to play in that awful NCAA league. lol

Cam Robinson
@Hockey_Robinson
21h
Cooper Williams, a top prospect for the 2026 draft, has committed to the University of North Dakota.

He'll return to the Saskatoon Blades for his draft-eligible season, before moving to the NCAA in 2026-27.

 

[Nanabijou]

Imagine what the dressing rooms are going to be like in the NCAA if one or two players in the room are getting $250k to play there and everyone else is empty handed or close to it, especially if they are hired gun Canadians? That will be an interesting room to be in. Because make no mistake, that is not traditional NIL money. That is a salary to play college hockey. NIL money is for sponsorships where the players contribute to some form of marketing etc. The School (or supporters) handing over $$$ when the players aren’t really doing anything for it, is a simple pay off.

While I was skeptical that NIL would reach significant levels in hockey, essentially NIL in college football nowadays is a simple payoff. Football players can make extra coin doing local commercials, but most of the initial NIL payments used for recruiting now are basically payments with very few strings attached.

I'm not arguing your point about the dressing room when you have huge variation in what players are being paid (versus paying!). But, the NIL landscape has changed pretty rapidly and they've figured out how to get the payments to the players they want without the players having to do much in return.

 

[Slowpace]

Easy fix for this issue. Someone please let Trump know that NCAA schools are offering scholarships to foreign students...he'll kill it immediately!

 

[OMG67]

While I was skeptical that NIL would reach significant levels in hockey, essentially NIL in college football nowadays is a simple payoff. Football players can make extra coin doing local commercials, but most of the initial NIL payments used for recruiting now are basically payments with very few strings attached.

I'm not arguing your point about the dressing room when you have huge variation in what players are being paid (versus paying!). But, the NIL landscape has changed pretty rapidly and they've figured out how to get the payments to the players they want without the players having to do much in return.

I have no issues with Football and Basketball. Those two sports fund al the other collegiate sports. It makes sense for some of the elite players to get paid, especially when we are talking about hundreds of millions of dollars generated by some of those players on the bigger teams.

But hockey isn’t a money maker at the collegiate level. Some schools do ok but there is no financial justification of paying a hockey player like Porter Martone upwards of $250k per year. I cannot see how that is an investment. I can see it as part of some sort of branding plan but even that seems odd to me.

Major Junior teams cannot pay that kind of money and they draw a lot of ticket sales and garner heavy sponsorship $$$. Much more than the typical NCAA program.

North Dakota has the highest attendance numbers at 11,600 per game but they only get 18 home dates. They use dynamic ticket pricing so some games the highest ticket price is $60 and the lowest is $15. It is slightly higher than the average OHL team. That 18 game schedule hurts though.

Again, with that being the absolute highest, I cannot see the financial justification for that type of enticement. That $250k is 3x AHL salaries. I cannot see this being sustainable. I could see it if it were a one time payment for 3 or 4 years of playing but Martone will be playing in the NHL as a 20 year old without much question. He’ll be at just under $1mil so it is not like that $250k is going to get Penn state more than 1 year of his service.

 

[Nanabijou]

I don’t disagree that it’s not sustainable. But it’s not the programs paying the kids. It’sa bunch of wealthy donors that are funding the NIL pot. I don’t understand why some would fork out that money, but apparently there’s a few that want some marquee players at their institution with the rule change.

I was just pointing out they don’t really have to do much for the funds any more. Is basically cash for playing.

 

[Corso]

I have no issues with Football and Basketball. Those two sports fund al the other collegiate sports. It makes sense for some of the elite players to get paid, especially when we are talking about hundreds of millions of dollars generated by some of those players on the bigger teams.

But hockey isn’t a money maker at the collegiate level. Some schools do ok but there is no financial justification of paying a hockey player like Porter Martone upwards of $250k per year. I cannot see how that is an investment. I can see it as part of some sort of branding plan but even that seems odd to me.

Major Junior teams cannot pay that kind of money and they draw a lot of ticket sales and garner heavy sponsorship $$$. Much more than the typical NCAA program.

North Dakota has the highest attendance numbers at 11,600 per game but they only get 18 home dates. They use dynamic ticket pricing so some games the highest ticket price is $60 and the lowest is $15. It is slightly higher than the average OHL team. That 18 game schedule hurts though.

Again, with that being the absolute highest, I cannot see the financial justification for that type of enticement. That $250k is 3x AHL salaries. I cannot see this being sustainable. I could see it if it were a one time payment for 3 or 4 years of playing but Martone will be playing in the NHL as a 20 year old without much question. He’ll be at just under $1mil so it is not like that $250k is going to get Penn state more than 1 year of his service.

The reality is far less is spent on NIL for hockey players than what has been speculated here or pushed by social media. I am very dubious about the 200k NIL offer for Martone. The Penn State collective (and its wealthy donors) are trying to move heaven and earth in trying to raise the money needed to keep the football program competitive with the Texas and Ohio States of the world. Did one wealthy donor step forward to give the hockey program several hundred thousand dollars? Perhaps but I remain skeptical.

You are correct, the current valuation of NIL deals collected and distributed by collectives is unsustainable and there is a sense of donor fatigue.

 

[frontsfan67]

And now even the top 16 year olds are committing to the NCAA. The quality of CHL hockey is about to get much worse. But I'm not worried because so many people on this forum said no player is going to cut his junior career short to play in that awful NCAA league. lol

Cam Robinson
@Hockey_Robinson
21h
Cooper Williams, a top prospect for the 2026 draft, has committed to the University of North Dakota.

He'll return to the Saskatoon Blades for his draft-eligible season, before moving to the NCAA in 2026-27.

Huge loss for the blades holy crap

 

[OMG67]

The reality is far less is spent on NIL for hockey players than what has been speculated here or pushed by social media. I am very dubious about the 200k NIL offer for Martone. The Penn State collective (and its wealthy donors) are trying to move heaven and earth in trying to raise the money needed to keep the football program competitive with the Texas and Ohio States of the world. Did one wealthy donor step forward to give the hockey program several hundred thousand dollars? Perhaps but I remain skeptical.

You are correct, the current valuation of NIL deals collected and distributed by collectives is unsustainable and there is a sense of donor fatigue.

And this makes way more sense than the information circulating. Hockey is not a big enough draw for most schools to make a dent big enough. It seems very dubious.

 

[RayzorIsDull]

Epperson to Denver...

 

[Ferguson Jenkins]

And now even the top 16 year olds are committing to the NCAA. The quality of CHL hockey is about to get much worse. But I'm not worried because so many people on this forum said no player is going to cut his junior career short to play in that awful NCAA league. lol

Cam Robinson
@Hockey_Robinson
21h
Cooper Williams, a top prospect for the 2026 draft, has committed to the University of North Dakota.

He'll return to the Saskatoon Blades for his draft-eligible season, before moving to the NCAA in 2026-27.

Epperson to Denver...

Still nothing from the CHL commish or any of its members. I posed this question a few days ago about 18 year olds bolting, and granted, Williams is the first, but it doesn’t look good. I personally have no interest in watching high school hockey.

 

[coolhandluc44]

Still nothing from the CHL commish or any of its members. I posed this question a few days ago about 18 year olds bolting, and granted, Williams is the first, but it doesn’t look good. I personally have no interest in watching high school hockey.

Agree, and I feel even more worried that in my city Brantford where about to spend over a hundred million plus on a new arena

 

[Ferguson Jenkins]

Agree, and I feel even more worried that in my city Brantford where about to spend over a hundred million plus on a new arena

Well, it doesn’t have to be all bad. I was hyperbolic to make a point. But you’re going to need a lot of CHL teams to step up with facilities, coaching, etc. I could eventually see contraction happening. The one bright side so far may be that there are only so many spots available in NCAA programs. Maybe that means you (CHL) don’t lose all your veteran talent but the days of elite 19 year olds and/or 18 year olds playing in the CHL is probably winding down. Does the CHL have forward thinkers that are decision makers to deal with these issues? I guess time will tell.

 

[OMG67]

Well, it doesn’t have to be all bad. I was hyperbolic to make a point. But you’re going to need a lot of CHL teams to step up with facilities, coaching, etc. I could eventually see contraction happening. The one bright side so far may be that there are only so many spots available in NCAA programs. Maybe that means you (CHL) don’t lose all your veteran talent but the days of elite 19 year olds and/or 18 year olds playing in the CHL is probably winding down. Does the CHL have forward thinkers that are decision makers to deal with these issues? I guess time will tell.

It will be very hard for the NCAA programs to recruit the stud 18 and 19 year olds because they are mostly one year players. If they are recruiting by paying silly money to do so, that annual cost is going to be difficult to maintain year over year. At least with the basketball and football players, they are mostly getting 3-4 years out of them.

I can’t see players leaving en masse without financial inducements.

 

[LDN]

After the offseason it’ll be interesting to see the landscape of the league

 

[AttackSound]

After the offseason it’ll be interesting to see the landscape of the league

Agreed it will be interesting to see what will happen.

Having said that I don't think will see as big of a shock to the league as fans think they will, sure there will be some different views from fans that will be happy and some that will feel like their teams will get the short end of the stick but how is that different from any other year?

The landscape of junior hockey is developing and changing every year it seems, just in the past cycle of this league we have more reviews than we ever had, technology is being adapted in so many ways and the talent pool will balance itself out with new ideas and practices that the new league Commissioner Crawford and league staff believe will be beneficial to new young talent that is coming into the CHL.

Give it 2 more seasons and then will see how this league's landscape will look like, the league has made big changes just in the past season that myself as a fan never would have believed we'd see in the past 30+ years of being a fan...

Time to continue to build forward under Commissioner Crawford.

 

[RB76]

NCAA schools operate differently than we are used to. Having a nationally ranked Sports programs raises the school's profile and ability to recruit, sell tickets and memorabilia, sell sponsorships and raise alumni funds, etc, etc...

The end result is that these Universities are able to raise even more money that they use to pour back into the school various educational programs.

 

[Roadhog]

If he signed an ELC after he gets drafted this year, how much money could he get playing in the OHL? I guess it would just be a signing bonus?

Not sure if they get any signing bonus money, but salary is just over $10K for the season. I assume this gets the junior teams off the hook for the $60/week or whatever they're paying. I'll have to find the link I posted in another forum.

EDIT: Yes, they get bonus money. https://puckpedia.com/salary-cap/answers/entry-level-salaries-while-junior

 

[RB76]

Agreed it will be interesting to see what will happen.

Having said that I don't think will see as big of a shock to the league as fans think they will, sure there will be some different views from fans that will be happy and some that will feel like their teams will get the short end of the stick but how is that different from any other year?

The landscape of junior hockey is developing and changing every year it seems, just in the past cycle of this league we have more reviews than we ever had, technology is being adapted in so many ways and the talent pool will balance itself out with new ideas and practices that the new league Commissioner Crawford and league staff believe will be beneficial to new young talent that is coming into the CHL.

Give it 2 more seasons and then will see how this league's landscape will look like, the league has made big changes just in the past season that myself as a fan never would have believed we'd see in the past 30+ years of being a fan...

Time to continue to build forward under Commissioner Crawford.

Two more season sounds about right to figure out how this plays out. Most NCAA teams are trying to recruit and fill their roster with older CHL players (20/21yr olds). I would argue the NCAA game is going to get much stronger in the next few years and only keep growing. The resources available to these schools is
comparable to the CFL trying to compete with the NFL, even though the game and the league may be viewed as better by some, they will never be able to overtake with the NFL and it's money.

 

[Corso]

Two more season sounds about right to figure out how this plays out. Most NCAA teams are trying to recruit and fill their roster with older CHL players (20/21yr olds). I would argue the NCAA game is going to get much stronger in the next few years and only keep growing. The resources available to these schools is
comparable to the CFL trying to compete with the NFL, even though the game and the league may be viewed as better by some, they will never be able to overtake with the NFL and it's money.

Do not conflate over-all NCAA revenue with specific sports as all are not funded or treated equally. Hockey, for the most part, is a non revenue sport even in most Big10 programs. The lion share of revenue is generated by football and then to a lesser extent basketball (even women's basketball is a bigger generator than men's hockey) and that is where the majority of the expenses (funding) goes into. The collectives (NIL) at most schools that most are talking about here are primarily focused on football (we are talking 80% of all fundraising) and then basketball with a little left over for every other program.

I mentioned this a lot in the prospects thread but the other big change coming is the changes to the NHL-CHL transfer rules. Players will no longer be deciding between the CHL and the NCAA but rather a pro contract or continuing on for further development in the NCAA.