The NCAA did itself a huge favor by permitting former Canadian Hockey League players to compete in its ranks. Nineteen first round selections, 14 of whom are CHL alumni, are former, current & future college players. The remaining five players in this group consist of four USHL alumni and one from Finland’s top junior league.
My personal opinion is that this NCAA/CHL interplay had nothing to do with clairvoyance on the NCAA’s part. Rather, the fact that college athletes are now being paid forced it to abandon the logic that college sports are an amateur endeavor preventing CHL alumni, which it touted to be a professional sports organization, from thereafter competing for a US college program. As if to prove the point, the most relevant example of this significant change is that of first overall pick Gavin McKenna. The Maple Leafs’ prospect received in excess of $700,000 to attend Penn State University. Such payment would not have occurred in the past, at least not within the rules.
Having said that, McKenna leads the list of NCAA players/CHL alumni selected in the first round this past weekend. Other players on this list are as follows:
Caleb Malhotra, C: Draft Position: #3 to VAN; 2025-26 Team: Brantford (OHL); 2026-27 Team: Boston University (NCAA)
Daxon Rudolph, D: Draft Position: #4 to BUF; 2025-26 Team: Prince Albert (WHL); 2026-27 Team: University of Denver (NCAA)
Carson Carels, D: Draft Position: #6 to CGY; 2025-26 Team: Prince George (WHL); 2026-27 Team: North Dakota (NCAA)
Chase Reid, D: Draft Position: #7 to SEA; 2025-26 Team: Sault Ste. Marie (OHL); 2026-27 Team: Michigan State (NCAA)
Keaton Verhoeff, D: Draft Position: #9 to SJS; 2024-25 Team: Victoria (WHL); 2025-26 Team: North Dakota (NCAA); 2026-27 Team: North Dakota (NCAA)
Nikita Klepov, RW: Draft Position: #15 to ANA; 2025-26 Team: Saginaw (OHL); 2026-27 Team: Michigan State (NCAA)
Ethan Belchetz, LW: Draft Position: #17 to UTA; 2025-26 Team: Windsor (OHL); 2026-27 Team: Michigan State (NCAA)
Ryan Lin, D: Draft Position: #21 to SJS; 2025-26 Team: Vancouver (WHL); 2026-27 Team: University of Denver (NCAA)
Liam Ruck, RW: Draft Position: #22 to PIT; 2025-26 Team: Medicine (WHL); 2026-27 Team: Medicine Hat (WHL); 2027-28 Team: North Dakota (NCAA)
JP Hurlbert, LW: Draft Position: #23 to DET; 2025-26 Team: Kamloops (WHL); 2026-27 Team: University of Michigan (NCAA)
Maksim Sokolovskii, D: Draft Position: #27 to PHI; 2025-26 Team: London (OHL); 2026-27 Team: University of Maine (NCAA)
Tommy Bleyl, D: Draft Position: #31 to Nashville; 2025-26 Team: Moncton (QMJHL); 2026-27 Team: Moncton (QMJHL); 2027-28 Team: Michigan State (NCAA)
Jaxon Cover, RW: Draft Position: #32 to OTT; 2025-26 Team: London (OHL); 2026-27 Team: London (OHL); 2027-28 Team: Penn State (NCAA)
The USHL also saw four alumni taken in the first round. One is Youngstown pivot Jack Hextall, who will attend Michigan State University this fall, and who was taken by Calgary at #30 overall. Two is left wing Wyatt Cullen of the U18 United States National Team Development Program (NTDP), who will attend the University of Minnesota in the fall, and who was taken by Nashville at #10 overall (in addition to competing in numerous international competitions during the season, the NTDP also plays in the USHL). Three is former Muskegon pivot Tynan Lawrence, who will begin his second season in the fall at Boston University, and who was taken by St. Louis at #11 overall. Four is former Tri-City pivot Ilia Morozov, who will return to Miami (OH) University for his sophomore season, and who was taken by Buffalo at #20 overall.
Finland’s U20 program also has an alumnus in the NCAA, winger Oscar Hemming, who was selected in the first round (#14) by Columbus. Hemming joined Boston College midway through last season after a dispute with his Finland junior team prevented him from joining the OHL’s Kitchener Rangers. He will return to the Eagles in the fall for his sophomore year.