Sidney Crosby never played for an NCAA title. Neither did Nathan MacKinnon, Connor McDavid or, going way back, Wayne Gretzky.
For decades, the stars of the Canadian Hockey League were deemed pros as juniors — they received stipends — and ruled ineligible for the NCAA as a result.
In the age of name, image and likeness deals and the transfer portal, the NCAA recently lifted its ban on CHL players. That means a new wave of CHL standouts has the opportunity
to hoist an NCAA trophy before skating off to chase the Stanley Cup in the NHL.
This week, there are nearly 20 players with CHL connections on the rosters of the Frozen Four participants: Denver, Michigan, Wisconsin and North Dakota.
“This is going to make college hockey better,” said Denver coach David Carle, whose team faces Michigan in a semifinal game Thursday as the Pioneers seek their 11th national title and Michigan pursues No. 10. “Obviously, it’s probably happened quicker than we thought.”
The CHL and NCAA have long been two different avenues for players to take in hopes of reaching the top of the sport. The CHL has 61 teams spanning North America in the Western Hockey League (WHL), Ontario Hockey League (OHL) and the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL). They have produced the likes of Gretzky, Crosby, MacKinnon, Connor Bedard and many of the NHL’s household names.
There was also a path through college hockey, which was typically forged by a stop in the United States Hockey League (USHL), which met NCAA amateurism rules. The lanes converged in November 2024 when college's governing body lifted the long-standing ban on players who suited up in the CHL.
It led to an influx of immediate talent onto the NCAA ice. For instance, forward Gavin McKenna left Medicine Hat of the WHL to play for Penn State. He could be the top pick in the 2026 NHL draft, with North Dakota defenseman Keaton Verhoeff also in the running to go No. 1.
All four freshmen goaltenders at the Frozen Four have roots with the CHL. Denver’s Johnny Hicks (WHL) is 14-0-1 since stepping into the net on Jan. 24. Michigan’s Jack Ivankovic (OHL) has 25 wins, while North Dakota goalie Jan Špunar (WHL) has more shutouts (six) than losses (four). Wisconsin’s Daniel Hauser (WHL) is 20-7-2 this season.
“Players coming through the CHL and its member leagues are accustomed to competing in big games, under pressure, and in demanding environments where every shift matters," CHL president Dan MacKenzie said.
The CHL caters to players ages 16 to 20, with common aspirations: “Everybody came to our league with laser focus on the National Hockey League," said Dan Near, the commissioner of the WHL. "Until now, nobody’s ever walked into our door and said, “'My dream is to play in the NCAA.' That was foreign to us.”
But they're adjusting to the new landscape of hockey.
“There just needs to be more time and data for players to get a better understanding of what’s the best path for them," Near said.
The NCAA Division I Council's approval of a rule that allowed players with CHL experience to compete at U.S. colleges starting this season was a landmark decision. Before the ruling, CHL players who previously received a certain level of stipend for living expenses were considered pros and not permitted into the NCAA ranks.
Last summer, there were 21 CHL players selected in the first round of the NHL draft, including the New York Islanders picking defenseman Matthew Schaefer from the OHL's Erie Otters with the first pick.
Things changed quick, too.
A year ago, Denver forward Kristian Epperson was scoring 27 goals for the OHL’s Saginaw Spirit. On Thursday, Epperson, a third-round pick of the Los Angeles Kings, is playing for a spot in the national title game.
“I definitely didn’t entirely think I’d be ending up in the Frozen Four,” Epperson said. “Now that it’s here, it’s like a pinch-me moment.”
For coaches, it's been a major recruiting adjustment. In a hurry, too, with programs scrambling to sign players.
“We just continue to push the ceiling,” said Badgers coach Mike Hastings, whose team faces North Dakota in the semifinals. “The talent level that’s at the collegiate game right now is at an all-time high.”
North Dakota coach Dane Jackson concurred.
“Definitely strengthened the depth," Jackson said. "Our lineup is as strong as it’s ever been.”
An assist for the rule change feels warranted for a defenseman who’s currently suiting up for the Fort Erie Meteors, a Canadian Junior B ice hockey team in Ontario. Rylan Masterson and his attorneys filed a class-action complaint against the NCAA and several schools, including Denver and Boston College, in August 2024.
Masterson was ruled ineligible for college hockey after playing in two exhibition games for the OHL’s Windsor Spitfires. The NCAA permitted players from the CHL to join member universities before Masterson's suit went to trial.
His attorney, Stephen Lagos, wrote in a statement to The Associated Press: “When we filed the case challenging the NCAA’s rule in 2024, one of the arguments we made was that, if the NCAA allowed CHL players to play Division I hockey, players wouldn’t just benefit, but the quality of play would also improve. It’s been really exciting for us to see that happen this season.”
The thought of playing for an NCAA title is tempting — even for NHL players. Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog left Sweden for the Kitchener Rangers of the OHL when he was a teenager.
“Maybe I say this because I didn’t have the college experience, but I like the idea of going to college,” Landeskog said. “I would’ve entertained it."
Simply another option.
"It makes the depth of college hockey that much better,” Michigan coach Brandon Naurato said. “It’s exciting.”
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