NCAA rule change leads to Canadian Hockey League players making mass exodus to U.S. colleges

Cale Makar has difficulty recognizing the college hockey landscape in the wake of a seismic shift that has transformed the sport in the mere five years since he left UMass to join Colorado in the NHL.

From the introduction of name, image and likeness (NIL) money to the NCAA lifting its ban on Canadian Hockey League players in November, Makar was captivated by the sheer number of players committing to Division I programs this off-season. It seemed like a mass exodus culminating with Gavin McKenna — the NHL's prospective 2026 No. 1 draft pick — committing to Penn State.

"It's a crazy world. I'm glad I'm kind of out of that now," Makar said. "It seems like a gong show."

The path south is familiar for Canadian players like Makar. The two-time Norris Trophy winner as the league's top defenceman left his Calgary hometown to spend two years playing for the Minutemen and was voted college hockey's MVP in 2019.

What's changed are the rules, leading to a transformational shift altering the dynamic between the CHL and NCAA in ways not yet entirely realized.

"I wish I had the answer to that," Washington Capitals assistant GM Ross Mahoney said. "I guess it'll probably shake itself out in the next three or four years."

What is clear is that players no longer have to choose before turning 16 whether to go to the CHL or maintain college eligibility in the United States Hockey League or go the Canadian Junior A route. They're now free to play in the CHL before deciding whether to commit to a U.S. college after high school.

The influx of CHL talent should elevate college hockey to an even higher standard.

"We're witnessing a paradigm shift the size of which college hockey's never seen," said Frank Serratore, who's entering his 29th season