There is an old saying, “There are many roads to Rome.” The NHL is no different. One of the biggest debates in North American Hockey is which road is better, the NCAA or the Canadian Hockey League. Let’s define who is who. The NCAA or the National Collegiate Athletic Association is the main league in the United States for college hockey. These are student athletes who play hockey for their respective schools. The CHL, or the Canadian Hockey League has mainly high school to early college age boys. Most of the players in the NHL come from this league. Whether you are pro CHL or NCAA we will take a look at both sides of the argument.

Let’s start with the NCAA. The NCAA consists of  60 teams in Division I Hockey in six conferences; Atlantic Hockey, Big 10, ECAC, Hockey East, NCHC, and the WCHA. The teams play 34 games during the regular season where the CHL plays between 68-72 games. Proponents of the NCAA would argue that the lesser amount gives the players better development. Five For Howling Editor Emeritus Carl Putnam argues “If you speak with most coaches they would tell you more development happens in practice, both team and individual, than in games. Players who go the NCAA route get about two team practices for every one game they play.”

Collegehockeyinc.com states “The college schedule of approximately 40 games allows three or four days per week to focus on practice and off-ice conditioning work. Practice with players getting more ice time and having the puck on their stick has proven to be a much better environment for talent development than games. The additional time in the weight room allows players to add significant weight in muscle during their college careers.”

As far as development is concerned the argument is that with more ice time in practice, player development is more effective. This includes off ice conditioning such as weight training. The fact that college players are closer to NHL players age, 18-24 verses 16-20 in the CHL, helps them elevate their game a lot faster since they are playing older faster and stronger players. Still, the argument that the more a player has game experience similar to the NHL like the CHL, the better the development. Unlike the CHL the NCAA doesn’t allow fighting nor has trades.  The question is can the NCAA players adapt to the rigors and the differences in the NHL?

Some of the top universities in the United States have hockey teams such as Harvard and Yale. The student-athlete model allows time for a college education as well as a dream to play in the NHL. A recent NCAA study showed that 88% of college hockey players graduate with a college degree where as only 20% of CHL players earn a college degree. College students in general call their college years the bast years of their lives. A college player has the option of enjoying campus life. This gives him the opportunity to make lifelong friendships with people away from the ice and grow as a whole person.

Not many players who play in the NCAA make it to the NHL. A college education will give them an edge in being successful in a career away from hockey. This also is a drawback. Most players who are rookies in the NHL are not 21-24 years old. Most of them are between 18-20. Chances of being drafted after 20 years old dwindle rapidly.

The CHL like the NCAA  has 60 teams, but they are divided into three separate leagues, The Western Hockey League, The Ontario Hockey League, and the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. The Western Hockey League spans from British Columbia and the Northwestern United States to Manitoba. The Ontario Hockey League has teams all over the Province of Ontario with a few teams in Michigan and Pennsylvania. The Quebec Major Junior Hockey League has the whole province of Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island.

Unlike college hockey, the CHL mimics and simulates life in the NHL. They have a Bantam Draft where they draft players at 151/2 years old. The draft is very similar to that of the NHL. Players can also be traded during the season. For instance, if a player is playing for the Victoria Royals of the WHL, they can be traded to the Edmonton Oil Kings, halfway across Canada. This also means the player can be cut from the team and wind up playing Midgets unless they are picked up by a different team. The players sign a contract to play and are given a small monthly stipend. This disqualifies them from playing in the NCAA. The NCAA considers players in the CHL professional athletes. As mentioned before, unlike the NCAA, fighting is allowed in the CHL. This is why many NHL scouts prefer drafting prospects from major junior hockey.  The environment is similar to the NHL, scouts prefer looking for prospects there. They believe that the transition form playing in major junior hockey to the NHL is easier.

As mentioned before, the teams in the CHL play between 68-72 games a season. They constantly travel and play during the week. Five For Howling writer Richard Morin argues “Most teams in the NCAA only play on Fridays and Saturdays, whereas CHL teams are constantly traveling and playing games as if they were professionals. This allows top prospects to gain similar experience to what they will experience once joining the professional ranks. I would say this is the biggest factor which sets the two apart.” In other words the schedule mimics that of an NHL schedule. The philosophy is that the more games you play, the more the environment is like the NHL, the more the player will be ready to play in the NHL. Morin also adds “NCAA Division I is too small and plays too short a season to be compared with leagues like the OHL and the QMJHL. Over there, it’s like a mini NHL, and while perhaps that’s not the best thing for a 17-year-old to do in terms of body and mind, it will damn sure get him ready for professional hockey.”

The argument people raise against the CHL about this schedule is how does the CHL provide  their players with a good education. The players are away from their parent and they have next to no control on the education that they are given by the team. How do they get the education needed to be successful when their hockey career ends?

As for educational opportunities each team has an Education Advisor who is responsible for the players education. Some teams have their players in normal high schools and the Education Advisor serves as a liason between the school and the team. Other Advisors bring in professional tutors for their teams. According to the OHL the Academic or Educational Advisor’s responsibility is as follows.

Academic Advisor Expectation

• to liaise with players/schools/team and parents
• to communicate with Team Management to support the team’s Education Policy
• to facilitate the registration process with players at high school and post-secondary pathways
• to provide academic counseling and support including facilitating tutor assistance when necessary
• to support league educational initiatives

Although the CHL has educational standards that players must meet, such as a grade point average, it isnt listed in their webpage. Still, The WHL Scholarship and Education states

“While a player’s primary on-ice goal is to win the WHL Championship and compete for the storied Memorial Cup, it is equally important for that player to set his sights on academic success as well. WHL Club’s are governed by League-wide Education Standards that ensure players complete their high school in timely fashion and achieve the highest level of academic success possible.”

For each year a player plays in the CHL, they receive a year of books and college tuition. The Champions Program on the CHL webpage states “One year of college or university tuition and books is offered for each year of CHL play. In 2009/10 $4.45 million in scholarships was awarded to more than 1,000 players.” This means that if you play one year of college, you get a years worth of tuition and books to a Canadian University. If you play all four years the CHL will provide books and tuition for four years of college. However, 20% of CHL players have completed a college degree. The question is is this the CHL’s fault or the fault of the players? The CHL is not responsible for the graduating players choices after the CHL.

This article is not supposed to say which road, the NCAA or the CHL is the best way. Most players whether they play in the NCAA or CHL will not make the NHL, and if they do, most of them wont have long careers. It is the parents and players who must be educated about the players potential and best options. Each player is different. Superstars like Sydney Crosby and Steve Stamkos played in the CHL. Other superstars such as Jonathan Toews and Phil Kessel played in the NCAA. Each road has a successful route to the NHL . Choose wisely.