This is an excerpt from Sportsnet 2025 ranking
Sportsnet's 2025 NHL Draft Rankings: March Edition
What about the CHL/NCAA situation? How, if at all, will that dynamic impact the draft?
Will the signing period for CHL players remain at two years or will the time period extend to four years, as it is with players picked out of the NCAA? Will NHL teams have this information before the draft in Los Angeles?
Will the NCAA bend on whether or not signed players can participate in NCAA hockey, or will all professionally signed players have to remain in their respective junior leagues or the AHL?
At this point there seems to be more questions than answers.
How would a 4 year window work with CHL players that are not university bound? I can see it extending to CIAU or college hockey but for the kid that did not have the marks or desire what does he do? Can they sign with a non affiliated ECHL team and still be eligible. That is just going ot be a mess.
Will the new rules take effect this draft I am wiling to bet they will what ever they are and if not before the draft it will be backdated to include them.
There is absolutely NO WAY the NCAA is going to change their positon on players and Pro leagues. That would kill then with the NFL and NBA.
The other thing is player agents. Most of these kids in the CHL have an agent that is registered as an agent with the NHL and NHLPA. NCAA rules state you can have an advisor but not an AGENT.
So useing Mews as an example. He is playing in the CHL when drafted therefore he is on the 2 year plan. His agent works to see if he can get Mews a contract with the Flames.
They come to an agreement Mews signs he is back in the OH this year and possibly next NO NCAA
They donot come to an agreement and Calgary decides it wants to wait. Based on Agent rule he can not go NCAA. Same a NBA player the opts for the draft once drafted they can not go back the NCAA.
That is why you see the kids drafted that re NCAA bound declaring that hey are going back to university and not playing.