CHL to NCAA Commits

[UNB Bruins Fan]

F - Pano Fimis (Erie, OHL) to Notre Dame

 

[Hockeyville USA]

F - Pano Fimis (Erie, OHL) to Notre Dame

That's a big get for Notre Dame

 

[AUC Regular]

F - Pano Fimis (Erie, OHL) to Notre Dame

His younger brother Andoni Fimis (London, OHL) is currently committed to Vermont. He signed with Knights from the BCHL when the NCAA amended their CHL policy in November.

 

[Hockeyville USA]

Nolan Collins (2004, OHL, Flint Firebirds) commits to Penn State. Unsigned Pittsburgh Penguins 2022 6th rounder.

 

[Hockeyville USA]

Jeremie Minville (2004, QMJHL, Gatineau Olympiques) commits to Bowling Green.

 

[Bonk]

Trevor Theuer (Saginaw) to Miami University.

Source: Puck Preps

 

[UNB Bruins Fan]

F - Marcus Nguyen (Brandon, WHL) to Nebraska-Omaha

A lot of good overagers coming off the board.

 

[AUS Fan]

F - Marcus Nguyen (Brandon, WHL) to Nebraska-Omaha

A lot of good overagers coming off the board.

All 3 of North Bay OA's have committed.

 

[bungdropper]

I've lost track, but it's looking like very, very few OAs won't be NCAA-bound.

Let's all fondly remember this era of CIAU/CIS/USports hockey, but, look, one of the most electrifying players I remember watching when I was a kid was Derek Cormier, who never played a single game of Major Junior. (If he came around in 2024, he would'a committed to University of Vermont months ago...)

 

[RED ARMY EAST]

No question, this is changing the landscape of USports hockey.

 

[dm8895]

I've lost track, but it's looking like very, very few OAs won't be NCAA-bound.

Let's all fondly remember this era of CIAU/CIS/USports hockey, but, look, one of the most electrifying players I remember watching when I was a kid was Derek Cormier, who never played a single game of Major Junior. (If he came around in 2024, he would'a committed to University of Vermont months ago...)

Lachlan MacIntosh comes to mind for a more recent example at UNB , guy was clutch as hell.

Definitely a tough pill to swallow and as a CIS guy it’s hard to not miss the forest for the trees , but I agree , with each announcement I grow less and less hopeful for the future . Not to be all doom and gloom but I think in the AUS we are gonna see majority tier-2 guys and guys who didn’t play overage in the CHL which is fine , I like watching the MHL , it’s fun hockey to follow but man AUS hockey as it is today might be the best hockey I’ve ever seen from an on ice entertainment standpoint . I’m hoping the allowing of players to play pro longer will help but I do fear the reason we have heard crickets about Xmas recruiting is that players see the writing on the wall ….

CIS was never going to be able to handle any change to the eco system very well, they do nothing to promote the league and have been completely gifted elite hockey by the CHL education package and the NCAA eligibility rules . I honestly question how much USports actually cares , it’s not like most teams are creating any revenue , it’s family and friends and even if Crosby was playing for Nipissing they will get the same crowds.

These talks first started to come out early in 2024 and I’ve started to wonder if part of the reason GMac finally took another opportunity was not wanting to have to adapt to the tornado that went through the hockey world and go out on top with what probably is the greatest amateur hockey team outside of the NCAA ever assembled in North America .

 

[AUS Fan]

It's true the the CHL has "gifted" CHL players to the CIS. But, by a strange twist of fate, it's the same CHL that takes away all the fans. People at UNB and Lakehead are lucky because there's no competition. Almost every other university town in Canada has Major Junior hockey nearby. If there were a Q team in FreddyBeach, playing in a different rink, or even in the AUC, the fanbase for the Red Army would drop by a lot.

Before the Mooseheads, SMU and DAL had good crowds at their games. Another point on Major Junior is that it's Entertainment while CIS is just hockey, No Jumbotrons, mascots, T-shirt cannons, dancing in the aisles every stoppage. Kids want to go to a Junior game and they bring their parents. That's where the money comes in. Most of the kids are running around and half the parents don't have a clue what's happening on the ice, except to yell "Shoot" most of the time.

Canadian universities are academic institutions that offer sports to their students. NCAA schools have a different approach to sports: successful sports teams put the school on the national map and will attract more students, money and more good athletes. We don't have that kind of money in Canada. We can't build a 200 million dollar arena for our hockey team of a billion dollar stadium for our football team. Another factor for NCAA sports is that the alumni and students support their teams. I don't know how this happens; maybe it's an American thing.

Regarding CIS marketing, yeah.. it's non-existent. Again, because of lack of money. It wouldn't matter if they did.
A little story - When Jody Shelly played for the Mooseheads, he was a GOD. When he left, if you were to ask fans where he went, they didn't have a clue. He was down the street at DAL. Same for Billy Manley to SMU, Chris Peyton, Robbie Sutherland and Brandon Benedict to ACA. Someone else came in and took their place. From the Eagles - "They will never forget you 'till somebody new comes along".

Last point -I don't think Gards left because of a possible rule change. He had an opportunity and a change to get Taylor some good experience. That's my theory and I'm sticking to it.

 

[RED ARMY EAST]

It's true the the CHL has "gifted" CHL players to the CIS. But, by a strange twist of fate, it's the same CHL that takes away all the fans. People at UNB and Lakehead are lucky because there's no competition. Almost every other university town in Canada has Major Junior hockey nearby. If there were a Q team in FreddyBeach, playing in a different rink, or even in the AUC, the fanbase for the Red Army would drop by a lot.

Before the Mooseheads, SMU and DAL had good crowds at their games. Another point on Major Junior is that it's Entertainment while CIS is just hockey, No Jumbotrons, mascots, T-shirt cannons, dancing in the aisles every stoppage. Kids want to go to a Junior game and they bring their parents. That's where the money comes in. Most of the kids are running around and half the parents don't have a clue what's happening on the ice, except to yell "Shoot" most of the time.

Canadian universities are academic institutions that offer sports to their students. NCAA schools have a different approach to sports: successful sports teams put the school on the national map and will attract more students, money and more good athletes. We don't have that kind of money in Canada. We can't build a 200 million dollar arena for our hockey team of a billion dollar stadium for our football team. Another factor for NCAA sports is that the alumni and students support their teams. I don't know how this happens; maybe it's an American thing.

Regarding CIS marketing, yeah.. it's non-existent. Again, because of lack of money. It wouldn't matter if they did.
A little story - When Jody Shelly played for the Mooseheads, he was a GOD. When he left, if you were to ask fans where he went, they didn't have a clue. He was down the street at DAL. Same for Billy Manley to SMU, Chris Peyton, Robbie Sutherland and Brandon Benedict to ACA. Someone else came in and took their place. From the Eagles - "They will never forget you 'till somebody new comes along".

Last point -I don't think Gards left because of a possible rule change. He had an opportunity and a change to get Taylor some good experience. That's my theory and I'm sticking to it.

I agree, Gardiner left as the deal included Taylor as GM. Too good to pass up.

 

[RED ARMY EAST]

Basically, the majority of UNB players have been approached by NCAA schools.

 

[UNB Bruins Fan]

Basically, the majority of UNB players have been approached by NCAA schools.

What’s the current rules - if any - regarding guys who are already playing U Sports? Can they transfer to NCAA without penalty?

 

[hockeyinsiderusports]

I agree, Gardiner left as the deal included Taylor as GM. Too good to pass up.

Valid point but more to it then that but ultimately with new rules and opportunity work with his kid made decision easy for Gards.

Basically, the majority of UNB players have been approached by NCAA schools.

I know of 6-7 usports players will be leaving for ncaa next season and that was as of November. I expect a lot more

 

[bungdropper]

What’s the current rules - if any - regarding guys who are already playing U Sports? Can they transfer to NCAA without penalty?

From what I can gather, there's no penalty, they don't have to sit out a year, etc. No real "transfer portal" for athletes coming from non-NCAA schools, seems like they can just go if they're pretty much free to go.

 

[AUS Fan]

From what I can gather, there's no penalty, they don't have to sit out a year, etc. No real "transfer portal" for athletes coming from non-NCAA schools, seems like they can just go if they're pretty much free to go.

That sounds right.

 

[RED ARMY EAST]

From what I can gather, there's no penalty, they don't have to sit out a year, etc. No real "transfer portal" for athletes coming from non-NCAA schools, seems like they can just go if they're pretty much free to go.

But.. if a player is in his 4'th year at USports school, he wouldn't have any eligibility left to go to NCAA. There is third year players at UNB that have been approached, that means they would have 1 year of eligibility left in an NCAA school.
If an NCAA player has played out his eligibility (4 years), maybe USports could waive the rule that forces them to sit out a year, if they wanted to come home and play a 5'th year in USports ?

But.. if a player is in his 4'th year at USports school, he wouldn't have any eligibility left to go to NCAA. There is third year players at UNB that have been approached, that means they would have 1 year of eligibility left in an NCAA school.
If an NCAA player has played out his eligibility (4 years), maybe USports could waive the rule that forces them to sit out a year, if they wanted to come home and play a 5'th year in USports ?

Now in USports, there isn't a penalty for a 5'th year transfer, so maybe there isn't for an NCAA player to come to USports for a 5'th year?

 

[AUS Fan]

I don't know the answer to this, but an NCAA school may take someone with 1 year left. Regarding a 5th year guy coming from NCAA, it's possible. SMU has Will Thompson who is a 5th year. He's not NCAA, but I don't see difference between him and an NCAA guy.

This is another thing that will play out after this season. I'm sure there will be CIS guys leaving, probably most from AUS and CW, but I think the main source will be CHL OA's.

 

[Rob]

Valid point but more to it then that but ultimately with new rules and opportunity work with his kid made decision easy for Gards.




I know of 6-7 usports players will be leaving for ncaa next season and that was as of November. I expect a lot more

This is just so depressing.

 

[AUS Fan]

This is just so depressing.

I'll go back to my FISU comments - If someone wants to "better" themselves, I think it's a good thing. UNB fans have had it so good all these years and now that may be going away. I understand that. I also understand that a league must have some balance or teams will fold. I think that was part of the decision to shut down STU Men's program.
Guys left SMU for greener pastures and I was happy for them. I understood that it made the team weaker, but also allowed other players to step up.
I don't know how many times I've said this, but these guys are not professionals. They're students playing a high level of hockey. If they have a chance to play a higher level they'll take it.

This whole NCAA thing has opened up lots of new possibilities for guys that they never had before, and that's good. We fans have to accept it and get used to it. Not easy, but must be done.

 

[FreddyFoyle]

I'll go back to my FISU comments - If someone wants to "better" themselves, I think it's a good thing. UNB fans have had it so good all these years and now that may be going away. I understand that. I also understand that a league must have some balance or teams will fold. I think that was part of the decision to shut down STU Men's program.
Guys left SMU for greener pastures and I was happy for them. I understood that it made the team weaker, but also allowed other players to step up.
I don't know how many times I've said this, but these guys are not professionals. They're students playing a high level of hockey. If they have a chance to play a higher level they'll take it.

This whole NCAA thing has opened up lots of new possibilities for guys that they never had before, and that's good. We fans have to accept it and get used to it. Not easy, but must be done

 

[FreddyFoyle]

But.. if a player is in his 4'th year at USports school, he wouldn't have any eligibility left to go to NCAA. There is third year players at UNB that have been approached, that means they would have 1 year of eligibility left in an NCAA school.
If an NCAA player has played out his eligibility (4 years), maybe USports could waive the rule that forces them to sit out a year, if they wanted to come home and play a 5'th year in USports ?


Now in USports, there isn't a penalty for a 5'th year transfer, so maybe there isn't for an NCAA player to come to USports for a 5'th year?

As has been stated, NCAA only has 4 years of eligibility, compared to 5 for USports. BUT. If you finished your undergraduate degree, you have to be transferring into a graduate or second degree program like Education or Law for Year 5. You can't just take a bunch of courses, or finish up your undergraduate degree in Year 5. Besides, most universities require you to complete the final 2 years of your Bachelors degree at that school, in other words you won't get more than 2 years in transfer credits.

 

[UNB Bruins Fan]

If they aren’t able to get NCAA guys coming just for their 5th year of eligibility…maybe the strategy the next few years will be to try and get the younger NCAA guys who are getting squeezed out of lineup due to the influx of CHL guys.

Every player has different priorities…I’m sure there are lots of guys who prioritize playing time/location/academics above everything. Maybe there are guys out there who would rather play top line minutes at a U Sports school vs. being a depth guy at an NCAA school.