Hi everyone,

Today we’re taking a trip into the world of junior and college hockey, which has seen seismic changes in recent months due to policy changes that have given prospects more options — and a chance at greater earnings. Let’s get into it …

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How the House settlement and CHL eligibility shift are rewiring junior hockey

By Debra Bangert

Ice hockey’s talent pipeline has always operated unlike any other major American sport’s. From the United States Hockey League (USHL) and North American Hockey League (NAHL) in the U.S. to the Canadian Hockey League (CHL), the junior model evolved to meet hockey’s particular needs, accounting for the later physical maturation of prospects, cold weather geography, limited high school competition and the global talent market.

While basketball and football prospects typically play for their high schools until college, elite hockey players are often skating for junior teams before they can drive, leaving home at 16 or 17 to billet with host families. That means finishing high school coursework remotely while facing near-professional schedules in a pro-style environment in front of scouts from Stockholm to Saskatchewan. For decades, that junior ladder created a binary choice for young players: play in the CHL for the most direct NHL exposure or preserve NCAA eligibility by sticking to U.S. junior leagues.

But two sweeping policy changes are now breaking that binary. The House v. NCAA settlement approved in mid-2025 created a revenue-sharing model and codified large-scale name, image and likeness opportunities for college athletes. And an August 1 NCAA policy change opened colleges’ doors to CHL players, provided they’ve received only “actual and necessary” expenses (education packages, meal stipends, housing).

Either reform alone would have been historic. Together, they have redrawn the map for how elite teen hockey players weigh their options between major junior hockey and the U.S. college game. Beginning in the 2025–26 season, elite teenage hockey players no longer have to make an all-or-nothing choice between the CHL and NCAA — and amateurism is no longer a bright-line concept but an evolving standard, even in the unique world of junior ice hockey.  

For men’s hockey programs, the House settlement created true NIL marketplaces. There’s also roster and scholarship flexibility; new 26-player roster caps replace the old equivalency scholarship limits, allowing more athletes to receive meaningful aid. And under revenue sharing, schools can cut checks directly to players.

In short, Division I college hockey can now compete financially for elite talent — not only because of NIL, but also because under the pressure of antitrust litigation, the NCAA relaxed its longstanding rule disqualifying CHL (major junior) players, opening up a wider player pool. (The CHL’s traditional education packages fit neatly inside the NCAA’s “actual and necessary” expenses definition if properly documented, meaning players should be able to make the jump without complications.)

No story captures the new reality better than Gavin McKenna, the WHL phenom projected to be the top pick in the 2026 NHL draft. After dominating with the Medicine Hat Tigers from 2022-25, McKenna shocked observers by committing to Penn State. Reports put his NIL package near $700,000, which is an unheard-of figure in college hockey and far beyond anything a junior club can currently provide. McKenna’s move is the clearest signal yet that top prospects will weigh NCAA programs not only for development and education but also for immediate financial opportunity.

McKenna is not alone. Since the eligibility announcement in late 2024, NCAA programs have reported a surge of inquiries and commitments from CHL players who previously viewed college hockey as off-limits. Coaches expect the trend to accelerate as families recognize that NCAA programs can now deliver high-level facilities and coaching, top-flight competition and NIL compensation that dwarfs what junior leagues can offer.

In this new landscape, even the most storied junior franchises face structural barriers to competing with the NCAA. CHL, USHL and NAHL teams rely on ticket sales and modest sponsorships, operating on budgets a fraction of a Big Ten athletic department’s. Plus, even if the money were there, U.S. junior leagues must preserve NCAA eligibility, and though the CHL can offer stipends and education packages, anything resembling a six-figure NIL deal would breach the “actual and necessary” test. Plus, junior teams simply lack the deep-pocketed alumni bases and relationships with national brands that NIL is built upon.

The ripple effects of this power shift will be felt throughout the professional hockey ranks. For instance, with more CHL talent spending time in college, NHL draft picks may arrive at age 20 or 21 with added physical and mental maturity. And though NHL clubs will continue to pay IIHF transfer fees and CHL development fees, the talent pool feeding those agreements could shrink if more players choose the NCAA route.

In youth hockey, families and advisors should begin to prepare for this new reality. It’s essential they begin to audit CHL benefits, making sure any stipends or education packages qualify as “actual and necessary” to keep the NCAA option open. They should also check each school’s status, confirming that a target NCAA program has opted into the House settlement and ensuring they understand its NIL and revenue-sharing culture. And they should consider academics, too; many CHL players will need to catch up on NCAA core course requirements.

Hockey’s once-rigid development ladder has been upended. The House settlement has injected real money into NCAA hockey, while the new CHL eligibility rule has removed the biggest barrier for major junior players.

For elite prospects, the choice is no longer “CHL for the NHL or NCAA for an education.” Players can now both be on the NHL track and earn meaningful NIL income, a reality already embodied by McKenna and a growing list of CHL standouts heading to U.S. campuses.

Junior teams remain vital for player development, but they simply cannot match the financial and educational package that NCAA hockey, supercharged by NIL, is now prepared to offer.