Navigating NCAA Hockey Signings: A Comprehensive Guide

College hockey serves as a prominent pathway to professional hockey, leading to frequent inquiries about the NHL Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) and its implications for NCAA players. This article provides a detailed overview of NCAA hockey signing rules, addressing key aspects such as draft age, contract terms, and eligibility, to help players, families, and fans better understand the process.

Understanding Draft Age

Draft age is a crucial factor in determining a player's eligibility and contract terms. The NHL considers a player's age as of September 15th of the draft year:

Age 18: Players turning 18 between January 1 and September 15 of the draft year.
Age 19: Players turning 19 by September 15 of the draft year.
Age 20: Players turning 20 within the draft year (January 1 to December 31).

For instance, a player drafted in 2014 who turns 20 on August 15, 2014, is classified as an "age 20" player, despite being 19 at the time of the draft.

Age at Signing First Contract

The age at which a player signs their first Standard Player Contract (SPC) dictates the contract's length due to the entry-level system. Players typically aim to exit the entry-level system swiftly, as it restricts their earning potential.

Ages 18-21: Three-year contract
Ages 22-23: Two-year contract
Age 24: One-year contract
Age 25 and older: Not bound by the entry-level system, with no restrictions on contract length or compensation.

According to the CBA, a player's age is determined as of September 15 of the year they sign their SPC.

NHL Rights to Drafted Players

The length of time an NHL team retains the rights to a drafted player varies based on the player's age at the time of the draft and when they were drafted.

Example 1: Drafted at Age 18 or 19 (College Student)

This scenario applies to players drafted as college freshmen or directly from high school who enroll in college the following year. For example, Joseph LaBate was drafted from high school and then attended Wisconsin. In such cases, the NHL team retains exclusive negotiation rights until August 15 following the player's college graduation, provided they remain a college student through the start of their senior year. If the player leaves college before their senior year, the team retains rights until the fourth June 1 after the draft. Regardless, the player cannot become a free agent until after their senior year.

Example 2: Drafted at Age 18 or 19 (Junior Hockey)

This covers players who spend a year in junior hockey or elsewhere after being drafted before entering college. Justin Schultz, drafted in 2008, played in the BCHL before joining Wisconsin. The NHL team retains rights until August 15 following college graduation, assuming the player remains in college until the start of their senior year. However, if the player leaves early, the team retains rights until the later of:

The fourth June 1 following the draft.
Thirty days after the NHL Central Registry is notified that the player is no longer a college student.

This rule allowed Schultz to become a free agent after three years of college because he played junior hockey after his draft year.

Example 3: Drafted at Age 20

If a player is drafted at age 20 and is a college student at the time or becomes one while the team retains rights, the team retains rights until the second June 1 following the draft. This allows a player drafted at age 20 to potentially become a free agent after two years of college. However, the team retains rights through August 15 following the player's college graduation if they start their senior year.

Read also: Crafting Your NCAA Profile

Example 4: College Free Agents

College free agents can sign with any team. While they are bound to the entry-level system as they sign their first SPC, they can choose the most favorable situation.

Impact on College Players

NHL teams balance developing players in college at no cost while recognizing that prolonged stays increase the risk of losing player rights. The Schultz situation exemplifies the risk of losing high-profile players to free agency.

Teams often push to sign elite prospects who have completed their junior seasons to prevent them from becoming free agents after their senior year. Similar efforts are made for players in the second scenario after their sophomore year, as they can become free agents after their junior year. Players drafted at age 20 are also targeted to avoid losing them to free agency.

Entry-Level Compensation

Players signing their first SPC are subject to maximum salaries during their entry-level system tenure. A three-year deal means the player is bound to this maximum salary for all three years. Players can receive a signing bonus of up to 10% of the maximum compensation, which is included in the overall compensation and paid annually.

Additional Considerations

Burning a Year: This term refers to using a year of a player's entry-level contract. Teams might "burn a year" to incentivize a player to sign. For instance, a team might sign a free agent immediately after their college season, starting the contract that season, allowing the player to reach restricted free agency sooner. This tactic is used for both college free agents and drafted players to secure their commitment.

ATO (Amateur Tryout Offers): Teams can sign players to ATOs to play in the American Hockey League (AHL) for the remainder of the season without burning a year of their entry-level contract. For example, a player could agree to terms for the next season and sign an ATO to gain AHL experience without impacting their future contract.

NCAA Recruitment Rules and Calendar

Understanding the NCAA recruitment rules and calendar is crucial for prospective college hockey players. These rules govern communication between athletes and coaches, visits, and evaluations.

Division 1 Recruitment

Freshman and Sophomore Year: Athletes can receive recruitment surveys, camp brochures, and non-sports recruiting materials. Unlike most sports, athletes cannot initiate contact with coaches until their sophomore year. Coaches may also send recruiting materials, and athletes can make phone calls and conduct unofficial visits.

Junior Year:

August 1: Off-campus contact between coaches and athletes at their home or school is permitted. Athletes can conduct official visits to campuses, and coaches may extend verbal offers.
Evaluation: From September 1 to May 31, each athlete will receive seven recruiting opportunities (contacts + evaluations). Starting August 1 prior to the athlete’s junior year, only 3 of the 7 opportunities can be contacts each year.

Senior Year: Except for designated “dead periods”, there are no restrictions on contact between coaches and athletes.

Division 1 and 2 Recruitment Calendar

The recruiting calendar dictates when various types of contact are permitted. It's essential to align your actions with the NCAA Division 1 and Division 2 recruiting calendars.

Dead Periods: These are periods when in-person recruiting contacts or evaluations are not allowed, and colleges cannot conduct official or unofficial visits.

Contact Periods: These are periods when coaches can make in-person contact with athletes, evaluate recruits off-campus, send recruiting materials, and athletes can begin official campus visits.

Division 3 Recruitment

Freshman and Sophomore Year: There are no set Division 3 recruiting calendars. Coaches are not restricted from recruiting during dead periods, recruiting periods, or silent periods. All recruiting material, phone calls, digital correspondence, and unofficial visits are permitted starting sophomore year. Coaches can make unlimited calls to athletes, and athletes can make an unlimited number of unofficial visits to colleges.

National Signing Day

National Signing Day is a significant event where athletes officially commit to college programs by signing their NCAA financial aid agreement.

Early Signing Period

Excluding men’s and women’s soccer and men’s water polo, all sports have an early signing period. Athletes who have verbal offers from college coaches make their athletic scholarships official during this time. Signing early can demonstrate commitment to a program.

Key Considerations

Athletic scholarships are renewable each year at the college’s discretion.
You can only sign during the designated period for your sport.
Signing a financial aid agreement does not guarantee admission to the university or amateur certification from the NCAA Eligibility Center.

CHL Players and NCAA Eligibility

The NCAA's definition of "amateurism" significantly impacts the eligibility of Canadian Hockey League (CHL) players. The CHL is considered a "major junior" league, which the NCAA treats as professional.

Loss of Amateur Status

If a player signs with or competes in a CHL game (OHL, WHL, or QMJHL), the NCAA considers this as professional play, disqualifying them from NCAA hockey.

Exceptions

Players can attend CHL camps and maintain NCAA eligibility if they don’t sign contracts or receive more than minimal compensation (expenses only). Joining a CHL team on a tryout basis without signing a contract also preserves NCAA eligibility.

Impact of NCAA D1 Council Vote

The NCAA D1 Council approved a proposal to change how CHL players are considered, potentially increasing competition for talent between leagues and affecting player development pathways.

Potential Benefits

Increased depth and quality in NCAA programs.
More exposure for CHL and NCAA leagues.
Increased appeal of NCAA pathways for Canadian players.
Greater player mobility between leagues.

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