The news of agreement between the NCAA and Major Junior hockey in Canada is going to send shock waves through the world of hockey in North America.
As of August 1, 2025, all major junior hockey players will officially become eligible players for NCAA Division 1 Hockey in the U.S.
"This is a landmark decision that gives OHL players additional avenues and opportunities to pursue their hockey, academic, and life goals upon graduation from our league. It also opens the OHL’s doors to talented young student-athletes with NCAA aspirations, providing them the opportunity to take their game to the next level in the number one development league in the world," the Ontario Hockey League stated in a release.
The news will impact every Canadian Hockey League team moving forward.
For the North Bay Battalion, it means the Battalion may have hit the jackpot with a September trade that brought in Harvard commit Ryder Cali from the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds for a sixth-round pick in 2025 and three conditional picks.
Cali, selected 18th overall in the 2024 OHL priority selection, is playing in the Ontario Junior 'A' Hockey League for the Milton Menace. Through 27 games, Cali has 28 points in his rookie season in junior 'A'.
Adam Dennis, Battalion president and director of hockey operations, is excited to see what this new development does for the OHL and the North Bay Battalion.
“This will change the landscape for every junior-aged player, not just Ryder," Dennis told BayToday.
"It will take some time for things to settle but overall I think the general consensus is that this is a big win for the junior-aged player and presents a lot of reasons why Major Junior should be a desired stop on every player's radar. Having said that, Ryder is in a great situation for his development and while we hope to continue our conversations we have no intent to pluck him from a good environment in the middle of the season and school year.”
NCAA connections to Fantilli and Ertel
The decision to target an already committed NCAA player has always been a gamble for OHL general managers.
The North Bay Battalion took a risk going after an elite forward named Adam Fantilli, who had committed to play NCAA hockey, but Adam Dennis made a push to try and convince the now Columbus Blue Jackets forward to de-commit to the University of Michigan and instead join the North Bay Battalion.
Dennis acquired the playing rights to Fantilli in September of 2021 in a trade with the Saginaw Spirit.
“Adam Fantilli and his family were great to speak to in advance of the draft, and we’re thrilled to have had the opportunity to acquire his rights,” Dennis said after making the 2021 deal.
Fantilli had some strong connections to the North Bay Battalion with Ty Nelson being one of his close friends and Battalion GM Johnny Winstanley being his former minor hockey coach.
It is crazy to think, that if this deal had come a couple of years earlier, Fantilli would have likely donned Battalion green.
See related: Last chance for Battalion to lure Adam Fantilli
See related: Battalion lure Ertel to North Bay from NCAA
Dennis did convince Justin Ertel to leave Cornell to join the Battalion in the summer of 2022 which paid dividends for the Troops as he supplied two solid seasons netting 36 points in 46 games in 2022-23 and then added 69 points in 64 games in his OA season in 2023-24.
Battalion players to NCAA
The other element of this groundbreaking NCAA/CHL announcement is that current CHL players such as Battalion forwards Ethan Procyszyn and Owen Van Steensel can now look at NCAA Division I options after their junior days are complete.
The undrafted Van Steensel does not have any professional opportunities in front of him yet, but the overage captain of the Troops is intrigued to see what new opportunities may be in front of him now.
"It's really cool, especially a guy like me, who's undrafted and has had good years in the O," said Van Steensel.
"But it's just another stepping stone for me if I'm lucky enough to go to a school and I mean, it's just another opportunity."
Ethan Procyszyn admits he had NCAA schools knocking on his door in his draft year.
The Anaheim Ducks prospect and 2022 Battalion first-round pick believes NCAA is another good development option.
"I think it's huge for us," he said.
"Just having a couple more years after junior hockey to go to a school that we thought about going to before coming to the OHL. So I think it's a pretty cool opportunity to either go there or play professional hockey. So I think it'd be a big choice for a lot of guys coming into their last couple years in the OHL."
