MAJOR JUNIORS TO NCAA DIVISION I WILL HAVE MAJOR IMPACT ON REST OF COLLEGE HOCKEY

Well folks, it's Friday and my voice is still completely out of service from the flu. I'm not even sure what the kid is going to do with the Junior Hockey Morning Show. We certainly appreciate your patience and hopefully things are back to normal next week.

For today's article, I wanted to get an insider's perspective on how the major changes (major juniors gaining eligibility) for NCAA Division I will impact the other collegiate levels of play. While the coach wishes to remain anonymous, rest assured he's within the forefront of the collegiate game. He would also like to stay there and being identified as the source of this opinion may not be great for job security.

I hate when that happens.

Nevertheless, I feel it's important for families and prospects to get a glimpse of what the coaches are now thinking.

This from the coach:

With the CHL now being a hot recruiting target for Division 1 schools, this will likely start a trickle down effect.

1) Current Division 1 players entering the transfer portal at the end of the season will be competing against the CHL overage players for roster spots.

2) NAHL over-age players (typically 20-21) will face an even steeper challenge in securing spots in Division 1 hockey. The influx of talent from the USHL, CHL, and the transfer portal will make it increasingly difficult for these players to find a place on Division 1 rosters.

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As a result, this shifting talent pool will lead to a significant influx of skilled players to Division 3 hockey, elevating the level of play in that tier and pushing it to new heights.

With increased competition and the higher caliber of talent moving down, Division 3 programs will see a boost in both performance and visibility, further strengthening the overall landscape of college hockey.

We are already seeing an unusual level of movement between the United States Hockey League and Canadian Hockey League. Then there's the chaos of players moving to and from the British Columbia Hockey League. Meanwhile the North American Hockey League can expect a larger than usual number of call-ups to the USHL. Also look for the NAHL's relationship with the NA3HL to pay-off in a big way with player movements before and after the Christmas break.

A number of parents, and prospects, are looking at the changes as unfair, and I get that. The reality is that the bar has been raised for all levels of collegiate hockey from NCAA Division I down to the lowest levels of club hockey.

We will see NAHL level players on ACHA Division II teams in the next few seasons. The same will be true for Canadian Junior Hockey League veterans. Players that play out their junior eligibility at the pay-to-play levels are going to struggle to win stalls at any level higher than ACHA Div III or AAU.

I would not be shocked to see a drastic reduction in the number of pay-to-play teams within the next 24 months.

Serious prospects should not be trying to navigate through the process without the guidance of a reputable and experienced advisor.

If you are such a prospect (or parent of one) that was born 2005-2009 and want to learn how we could help, please feel free to contact us.

With a lifetime lived in the game of hockey, Stephen Heisler has spent the last fifteen years working directly with leagues, teams, and coaches, to give players their most preeminent opportunities.

MAJOR JUNIORS TO NCAA DIVISION I WILL HAVE MAJOR IMPACT ON REST OF COLLEGE HOCKEY The 2025-26 College Hockey Season will be memorable. Let the bodies hit the floor.

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