CHL discontinues passes for NCAA coaches

GRAND FORKS — When the NCAA changed its bylaws last November to allow Canadian Hockey League players to retain their eligibility, College Hockey Inc., helped secure passes for coaches to attend and scout CHL games.

The CHL won't be quite as hospitable this season.

After college hockey coaches recruited several star players away from the CHL, the CHL has informed College Hockey Inc., that it will not offer scout passes this season. Last year's passes will no longer work, either.

College Hockey Inc., told its board members of the decision Tuesday. It will communicate the news to the coaching body this week.

NCAA coaches can still attend and scout games in the three Canadian major junior hockey leagues — the Western Hockey League, Ontario Hockey League and Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League — but will have to purchase individual game tickets.

The CHL has informed College Hockey Inc., that NCAA coaches are still welcome to contact CHL general managers to discuss their players.

College hockey teams are bringing in more than 160 former CHL players this season, including at least 57 who still had eligibility remaining in the CHL.

UND has been at the forefront.

Its freshman class includes four CHL players who had junior hockey eligibility remaining — Cole Reschny, Keaton Verhoeff, Ollie Josephson and Josh Zakreski.

Reschny was selected in the first round of the NHL Draft by the Calgary Flames. Josephson is a fourth-round Seattle Kraken pick. Verhoeff, age 17, is expected to be selected in the first round of the 2026 NHL Draft.

Red Deer Rebels general manager Brent Sutter recently expressed his frustrations in The Pipeline Show podcast after losing Josephson to UND in August.

"We were totally caught off guard," Sutter told The Pipeline Show host Guy Flaming. "No communication really bothered me, whether it was from Ollie or his agent or even North Dakota. They didn't ever call and talk to us about it. That's the problem you have with this going on now. NCAA teams are doing whatever they want. It's frustrating from our perspective."

Penn State and Michigan State also are bringing in two first-round picks from the CHL.

Penn State recruited Jackson Smith and future first-rounder Gavin McKenna from the WHL. Michigan State nabbed top-10 picks Cayden Lindstrom (WHL) and Porter Martone (OHL).

Providence recruited Anaheim Ducks first-round pick Roger McQueen from the WHL.

The United States Hockey League, which competes with the CHL for players at the junior level, will issue passes to NCAA teams for the 2025-26 season.

The USHL has long been a feeder league for college hockey.

Schlossman has covered college hockey for the Grand Forks Herald since 2005. He has been recognized by the Associated Press Sports Editors as the top beat writer for the Herald's circulation division four times and the North Dakota sportswriter of the year twice. He resides in Grand Forks. Reach him at bschlossman@gfherald.com.