In November, the NCAA Division I Council voted that players who have skated in one of the three CHL leagues — the WHL, Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League, and the Ontario Hockey League — will be permitted to play NCAA hockey effective Aug. 1, 2025, provided they were not compensated above actual and necessary expenses prior to enrolling in college.

Previously, CHL players had been considered professionals and barred because of the NCAA’s amateurism rules, in part because some CHL players have signed NHL entry-level contracts. The decision gives players more options as to where they choose to develop prior to entering the NHL.

Playing a big part in the decision-making process for all student-athletes was the June 2021 landmark shift in which the NCAA implemented an interim policy on name, image, and likeness (NIL) that allowed athletes to make money from their personal brand.

Isaac Howard, who at Michigan State University last season won the Hobey Baker Memorial Award as the top men’s player in NCAA hockey, said Wednesday that McKenna’s decision “is great for college hockey.”

“It’s definitely in a unique spot where now you have all these CHL guys flown in,” said Howard, who signed his entry-level contract with the Edmonton Oilers on Tuesday after being traded to them by the Tampa Bay Lightning. “It’s definitely in a different spot and I think it’s going to be a cool challenge for college hockey.”

McKenna (5-foot-11, 162 pounds) is the most highly profiled prospect to go from the CHL to the NCAA. He ranks first in points-per game (2.30) among players in their draft-minus-one season in the CHL in the past 25 years, ahead of Sidney Crosby, (2.29), John Tavares, (2.00) and Connor Bedard, (1.61).

“I think [college] honestly just makes the jump [to the NHL] easier,” McKenna said Tuesday. “Going against older, heavier, stronger guys, I think it really prepares you.”

McKenna wasn’t the only CHL player to commit to Penn State. He’ll be joined by Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman prospect Jackson Smith (Tri-City, WHL) and Calgary Flames forward prospect Luke Misa (Brampton, OHL), the brother of Michael Misa, who plays for Saginaw (OHL) and was chosen No. 2 by the San Jose Sharks in the 2025 NHL Draft.

Although McKenna will grab most of the spotlight, there are several players to watch in the NCAA this season who have already been drafted by an NHL team (listed alphabetically):

Selected by the Detroit Red Wings with No. 41 pick in 2023 NHL Draft

The youngest starting goalie in college hockey was a First Team All-American and Big Ten goalie of the year winner in 2024-25. The 20-year-old has helped elevate the Spartans into the national spotlight, backstopping them to consecutive Big Ten regular-season and tournament titles — the first team in league history to accomplish that. Augustine’s .924 save percentage as a junior this season was the best since Jake Hildebrand’s .930 in 2014-15. He finished 19-7-4 with three shutouts, and his 2.08 goals-against average was the lowest since Jeff Lerg (1.94) in 2005-06.

Sascha Boumedienne, D, Boston University

Selected by the Winnipeg Jets with No. 28 pick in 2025 NHL Draft

The left-handed shot (6-1, 175) opened eyes with his play for silver medal-winning Sweden at the 2025 IIHF Under-18 World Championship, setting the tournament scoring record for a defenseman with 14 points (one goal, 13 assists) while averaging 24:29 of ice time in seven games. Boumedienne, 18, had 13 points (three goals, 10 assists), 24 blocked shots and a plus-8 rating in 40 games as a freshman with Boston University last season.

Selected by New York Islanders with No. 20 pick in 2024 NHL Draft

Eiserman (6-0, 200) had an impressive first season at BU with 36 points (25 goals, 11 assists) in 39 games. The 18-year-old was able to showcase his booming shot, leading the team in goals and ranking first among NCAA freshmen. His confidence grew as the season moved along, evidenced by the fact he had a point in seven of his final eight games, with 12 points (nine goals, three assists) in that span. Eiserman scored the game-winning goal in a 3-1 win against Penn State in the NCAA semifinal round on April 10.

Selected by Montreal Canadiens with No. 21 pick in 2024 NHL Draft

The 19-year-old right-handed center (6-1, 187) earned Big Ten rookie of the year honors after scoring 34 points (13 goals, 21 assists) in 33 games as a freshman. Michigan didn’t qualify for the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2019, so that’s something Hage is focused on correcting in 2025-26. The native of Mississauga, Ontario, who led the Wolverines with four game-winning goals, had points in 22 games and eight multipoint games, including five points (one goal, four assists) in a 10-6 win against Penn State on Nov. 23.

James Hagens, C, Boston College

Selected by Boston Bruins with No. 7 pick in 2025 NHL Draft

Hagens (5-10, 186) was third on Boston College with 37 points (11 goals, 26 assists) in 37 games skating as the No. 1 center between Gabe Perreault (New York Rangers) and Ryan Leonard (Washington Capitals) in 2024-25. He also tied for the United States lead with five goals in seven games to help his country win the gold medal at the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship. Born in Hauppauge, New York, the 18-year-old was the fourth-youngest player in college hockey and ranked fourth among NCAA Division I freshmen in points, earning a spot on the Hockey East All-Rookie Team.

Logan Hensler, D, Wisconsin

Selected by Ottawa Senators with No. 23 pick in 2025 NHL Draft

Hensler (6-2, 198) possesses good size, strength and smarts, qualities that also earned him a spot on the gold medal-winning United States team at the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship. The 18-year-old right-handed shot had one assist and averaged 12:12 of ice time in seven games at the tournament. He had 12 points (two goals, 10 assists) and 30 blocked shots in 32 games as a freshman at the University of Wisconsin.

William Horcoff, C, Michigan

Selected by Pittsburgh Penguins with No. 24 pick in 2025 NHL Draft

The youngest player in college hockey last season had 10 points (four goals, six assists) in 18 NCAA games after joining Michigan in December. Horcoff, the 18-year-old son of former NHL forward Shawn Horcoff, had 14 points (eight goals, six assists) in 28 games with USA Hockey’s National Team Development Program Under-18 team to begin last season. He makes plays in tight spaces and is effective when he uses his size (6-5, 203) to shield pucks and thrive in high-traffic areas.

Cole Hutson, D, Boston University

Selected by Washington Capitals with No. 43 pick in 2024 NHL Draft

Hutson (5-11, 171) became the first defenseman to outright the lead the World Juniors in scoring with 11 points (three goals, eight assists) in seven games, helping the U.S. to a second straight gold medal at the 2025 tournament. As a freshman at BU, Hutson, 19, had 48 points (14 goals, 34 assists) in 39 games, winning the Tim Taylor Award as the NCAA rookie of the year while leading all first-year skaters in scoring. His older brother, Lane, a defenseman with the Montreal Canadiens, won the 2025 Calder Trophy as the NHL’s rookie of the year.

Ryker Lee, RW, Michigan State

Selected by Nashville Predators with No. 26 pick in 2025 NHL Draft

In his first full season in the USHL, Lee (6-foot, 185) led rookies in goals (31), power-play goals (10) and points (68), and was second in assists (37) and game-winning goals (five) in 58 games to lead Madison to a third-place finish in the Eastern Conference. The 18-year-old had 21 regular-season multipoint games, and six points (three goals, three assists) and 19 shots on goal in six USHL playoff games.

Vaclav Nestrasil, F, Massachusetts

Selected by Chicago Blackhawks with No. 25 pick in 2025 NHL Draft

Nestrasil (6-6, 185) had 42 points (19 goals, 23 assists) in 61 games, including 34 points in the final 40 games of the regular season with Muskegon of the United States Hockey league last season. The 18-year-old finished fourth among USHL skaters with four short-handed points this season. The right-handed shot is a power forward capable of making plays in the tough areas of the ice.

Cullen Potter, C, Arizona State

Selected by Calgary Flames with No. 32 pick in 2025 NHL Draft

A top-six center, Potter (5-10, 172) was one of the fastest skaters in the 2025 NHL Draft class. The 18-year-old had 22 points (13 goals, nine assists) in 35 games as a freshman, and had eight points (four goals, four assists) in seven games to help the U.S. win the bronze medal at the World U-18s.

Cole Reschny, C, North Dakota

Selected by Calgary Flames with No. 18 pick in 2025 NHL Draft

Reschny (5-11, 180) has a high hockey IQ, good instincts on both sides of the puck and can play on the power play or penalty kill. The 18-year-old led Victoria with 92 points (26 goals, 66 assists), scored seven power-play goals and won 56.4 percent of his face-offs in 62 games.

Jackson Smith, D, Penn State

Selected by Columbus Blue Jackets with No. 14 pick in 2025 NHL Draft

Among WHL defensemen, Smith (6-4, 199) tied for ninth in assists (43) and ranked 10th in points (54) while averaging more than 22 minutes of ice time in 68 games with Tri-City last season. He played in all situations, had 17 power-play points (four goals, 13 assists) and scored four game-winning goals.

Malcolm Spence, F, Michigan

Selected by New York Rangers with No. 43 pick in 2025 NHL Draft

Spence had 73 points (32 goals, 41 assists) in 65 games with Erie (OHL) and committed to Michigan on May 12. The 18-year-old left wing, who served as an alternate captain the past two seasons, had nine points (four goals, five assists) in nine OHL playoff games.

Keaton Verhoeff, D, North Dakota

Projected as a first-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft

The right-handed shot (6-3, 207) ranked third among WHL rookie defensemen with 45 points (21 goals, 24 assists) and had eight power-play goals in 63 regular-season games with Victoria in 2024-25. He will join Victoria teammate Cole Reschny at North Dakota. He has the instincts when to jump in on the rush and push to the net for offensive opportunities. John Williams of NHL Central Scouting compares his style to Washington Capitals defenseman John Carlson.

Forward Gavin McKenna, the projected No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NHL Draft, will play for Penn State next season, he announced on ESPN’s “SportsCenter” on July 8.

GREENWOOD, Ind. – For the second consecutive year, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) men’s lacrosse standout Joseph Perry has been named a College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-American®, recognizing his continued excellence both on the field and in the classroom.

Perry, a senior goaltender and two-time First Team USA Lacrosse All-American, adds another Academic All-American honor to a growing list of accolades following another dominant campaign in net for the Engineers. The Liberty League Defensive Player of the Year, he compiled a 14-3 record and led the conference in goals against average (7.45), while ranking second in save percentage (.593). He finished the season with 172 saves in 948 minutes and contributed offensively with three goals and one assist. Perry also collected 47 ground balls and caused 24 turnovers, ranking among the national leaders in both GAA (4th) and save percentage (16th).

A business management major, Perry has balanced his athletic commitments with rigorous academic achievement, exemplifying the ideals of the Academic All-America® program. The prestigious honor, which is selected by College Sports Communicators, recognizes student-athletes who have attained significant academic and athletic success. Nominees must hold a cumulative GPA of 3.50 or higher and play a key role on their team. Perry was one of 15 honorees on the Academic All-America® Division III at-large teams boast a perfect 4.0 GPA in their undergraduate work or graduate school.

Academic All-America is the longest-running and most prestigious academic and athletic award in college sports, with roots dating back to 1952. It has honored more than 42,000 student-athletes across all NCAA divisions, the NAIA, two-year colleges, and Canadian institutions.

 

Former Alberni Valley Bulldogs’ hockey player Ethan Bono has been named to the 2024-25 Hockey East All-Academic team. Bono is just one of several former Bulldogs who are making waves in their respective hockey leagues.

Aaron Bohlinger and Braden Blace both made the ECAC All-Academic team for the Quinnipiac Men’s Ice Hockey team. Bohlinger was also one of seven players named Academic All-Americans.

Logan Holm is one of six BCHL players to earn the BCHL Canucks Alumni Scholarships for 2024-25. Holm has committed to York University. He and the other winners will receive $2,500 in scholarship funds to go toward their education.

Ryan Miotto has been signed again by the Iowa Heartlanders of the ECHL. He finished second in team scoring last season with 18 goals (third with 39 points).

Former Bulldog Mirko Buttazzoni has been named to the Vancouver Canucks’ development camp roster.

Keep up to date with the goings on of former Bulldogs’ players on the Alberni Valley Bulldogs’ Alumni Facebook page.

*Edited to correct reference of ECHL.

Free Kid-Focused Party Celebrates Upcoming World Junior Championship
with Sports, Music and Summer Fun

Part of the Assist26 Legacy Program, the jamboree is a high-energy, all-ages celebration that brings together street hockey with the Minnesota Wild, hoops with the North High Polars’ Girls Basketball Team, and a chance to cool off in the V3 pool. Add dancing, DJs, mural painting, mascots, special guest athletes, and giveaways — and you’ve got yourself a jam-packed day of fun.

“This is what it’s all about — building community and creating opportunities through sport while getting everyone hyped for the iconic World Junior Championship coming to town this winter,” said Wendy Williams Blackshaw, president and CEO of Minnesota Sports and Events, the state’s sports commission and tournament host in partnership with USA Hockey.

What to Expect:

• Street hockey, basketball clinics, and open swim (bring your suit!) with water safety programming
• Hip-hop dance class from V3 Fitness
• Double-Dutch demos, live mural painting, and mascot mayhem
• Food trucks, prize giveaways, and chances to win World Juniors tickets
• Live music from a killer DJ lineup: Bdot (voice of the Minnesota Lynx), DJ McShellen, Miss Brit, and Shannon Blowtorch
• Athlete appearances and interviews hosted by Henry Lake of WCCO Radio

The Northside Jamboree is part of the lead-up to the 2026 International Ice Hockey Federation World Junior Championship coming to Saint Paul and Minneapolis this December. It’s all about making sports more accessible, sparking curiosity in new activities, and sharing the excitement of one of hockey’s biggest international tournaments.

EVENT DETAILS
 Saturday, July 26
 11 a.m. – 4 p.m.
V3 Center – 701 Plymouth Ave. North, Minneapolis, MN 55411
 FREE and open to the public
 Hosted by Henry Lake, WCCO Radio

About Minnesota Sports and Events

Minnesota Sports and Events works to attract, promote, and host major sporting events that showcase Minnesota’s communities and create positive economic and social impact throughout the state. The organization is committed to leveraging sport as a catalyst for community development and connection.

About the 2026 IIHF World Junior Championship

Minnesota Sports and Events is proud to partner with USA Hockey to host the 50th edition of World Juniors in Minnesota along with local organizing committee partners at the Minnesota Wild, Xcel Energy Center, University of Minnesota, Visit Saint Paul, Meet Minneapolis and Mall of America.