Kamloops Blazers and Storm see new NCAA eligibility rules as a positive for the players
KAMLOOPS — A seismic shift in the landscape of junior hockey in North America is sending ripples through leagues around British Columbia. On Thursday (Nov. 7), the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) announced changes to eligibility allowing hockey players who have played in major junior leagues in Canada, such as the WHL, to retain eligibility to play Division 1 hockey south of the border.
The decision for a young hockey player between playing major junior or Junior ‘A’ to retain NCAA eligibility has become easier, with the NCAA no longer considering CHL players as professionals.
“It takes out some of the guess work. You have to try to evaluate, you have to try and get the intel. Is this player an NCAA risk? That’s done — that’s mostly done, I think. If a player was concerned about signing a contract and playing in this league before, I think it takes out those concerns,” said Blazers head coach and GM Shaun Clouston.