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[QUOTE="jncuse, post: 5232315, member: 1969"]
I'll just give a few examples of players that could come into the NCAA and be high quality immediately.    Of course do these guys have the NCAA desire or education... maybe not.   Looked at the OHL Scoring Leaders from last year.

Anthony Romani led the OHL in scoring last year with 58 goals.  A bit of a late bloomer, was not drafted when first eligible in 2023.    He was drafted after leading the league in scoring as a 19 year old in 2024, but it was still only in the sixth round.   So he is still a fringe prospect.  He's back in the OHL this year.  Next year his likely path was a role player in the AHL or even the ECHL.    Does he go to the AHL, or now chooses the NCAA?

Or I will give a Tier 2 example in the BCHL.   I don't really follow the league but there is a local kid I know. 3 years ago at the age of 16, he made the OHL -- but over 2 years he struggled in the OHL as a 16 and 17 year old -- 7 points in 46 games.  Not too good.  More importantly he was no longer eligible for the NCAA.   He came back to play in his hometown in the CCHL, a Tier 2 league, where he often was the most talented player on the ice.     About a month ago he split the CCHL for the BCHL (a higher quality Tier 2 League) in BC/Alberta -- I suspect part of it was to make him marketable for the NCAA but that would purely be speculation.

He's now fourth in the BCHL in scoring (on a PPG basis).    Of the 16 leading scorers in the BCHL other than him in PPG, 15 are committed to NCAA programs next year or the year after.    Obviously he is now going to get an NCAA scholarship if he has the desire / academics.

He is also the best scorer on his Prince George team.   13 other players on the team are already committed to the NCAA.      So this kid who had 7 points in 46 OHL games as a 16/17 year old, 3 years later is the best player amongst a number of players who going to get into the NCAA.   Just an example of how much top end players will be added to the player pool.
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