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[QUOTE="jncuse, post: 5458398, member: 1969"]
[B]Huge development today.

Gavin Mckenna, the NHL's best prospect for the 2026 draft is leaving the WHL in Canada, and apparently taking a $700,000 offer to play at Penn St next year.[/B]

When I was tracking this during the season the only players that could commit to the NCAA during the season were those in their final year of junior eligibility (so 2004 born players - each team is allowed 3 overagers)).   And well over 60% of those players in junior, signed up with an NCAA team.  
But since year end there have been some recent 2nd and 3rd round picks that moved over to the NCAA - Harry Mews was perhaps the first significant move of an 18 year old who had been drafted in 2024.   But this is by far the biggest move.

Fair to say the change has had a significant impact on all parties involved.   And good for the players that now have the choice.     As mentioned above the losers at the NCAA D1 level are probably some US born kids unfortunately -- perhaps they will expand D1.     And the CHL will lose out with some 18, 19 and 20 year old kids to the NCAA.   The CHL will gain some 16 and 17 years old from the US.

But overall what has happened:
-  Forr 16 and 17 year olds, in Canada or the US, the best development league is the CHL (Canadian Junior). But is it the best for 19 year olds to dominate.

But once you are eligible for the NCAA (18-20), it's probably be better to develop against older players and get paid a bit in the process.

Or maybe the CHL will need to actually start paying its players.
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