NCAA Votes on Rule Change for Division I Hockey Eligibility
The NCAA Division I council has voted on a rule change to allow skiing and men’s ice hockey athletes who participate in professional teams to keep college eligibility.
For hockey, this means prospects at the major junior level (Canadian Hockey League) can be granted college eligibility that will go into effect on Aug. 1, 2025.
The original submission which was introduced in October proposed that players should be able to play in the NCAA as long as they can prove they were not paid over the minimum necessary expenses for their participation.
"As the council continues its review of the full spectrum of NCAA eligibility rules, this proposal, focused on a singular issue, represents a pragmatic step in aligning skiing and men's ice hockey with other sports in terms of allowable preenrollment activities," said Josh Whitman, athletics director at Illinois and chair of the council in October in the official press release.
The CHL consists of three leagues, the Western Hockey League, Ontario Hockey League, and Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League. It is also considered the world’s biggest development hockey league, according to its website.
Currently, the rule change is only for Division I. It does not apply to Division III as of right now.
How this rule will specifically impact the recruiting process has yet to be determined but will have a major change in the landscape of collegiate hockey.
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