NCAA players at the WJC

[Rankin2 2]

I'm wondering as to why there is a lack of NCAA players in the Canadian program. The US has quite a few college players so it can't be for a lack of talent

[SydNap 25]

Has to do with the way the Jr. System is set up and maintaining college eligibility. A greater % of Canadian youngsters (that are of Olympic quality) lose their NCAA eligibility by playing higher levels of Jr. Hockey. I'll let a Canadian with more insight explain the technicalities...

[Rankin2 2]

Players lose their college eligibility when they play for a league considered "professional" the NCAA considers CHL teams professional, so most players will play tier 2 junior A instead of major junior to retain that eligibility. Although this should have nothing to do with Canadian NCAA players participatinf in the WJC ?

[Law Goalie 147]

More than 48 hours at a Canadian major junior (CHL) camp, unless you can prove you paid for *everything* starting at 48:00:01 to IRS/CRA audit standards, disqualifies you from US collegiate play; provincial junior (OPJHL, BCHL, etc.) is fine, in spite of the fact that they arrange room and board (usually via billeting), travel, equipment, and give out bursaries and scholarships in lieu of straight cash. It's a really, really silly double standard.

What's worse is that if you play in a CHL league, they bank a year's worth of tuition at any Canadian university, up to a maximum of four (may now be five) years, via their scholarship fund. If you so much as wink at a pro team, that scholarship evaporates.

Returning to the OP's question, the reason is simply streaming. Hockey Canada doesn't run the NCAA, but they do oversee the CHL. As a result, unless you're a very highly ranked prospect, you don't get the time of day from Hockey Canada once they think you're going to the US: major betrayal, no team spirit, no patriotism, etc., etc. There are notable exceptions, like Kyle Turris, who play provincial Junior A, go to a US college, and still get callups to the national junior program, but they're few and far between outside actual or projected top-10 draft status. And my understanding is that a lot of the bad word of mouth Turris had early in his career was down to the supposed 'lack of heart' shown in that decision, which is a prejudice he's been fighting ever since. Every time he turns the puck over in Ottawa, even after establishing himself as a really solid #2 centre, I guarantee that someone in the crowd mentions Wisconsin.

Hockey has always been a bizarrely political sport in Canada, from the original scrap over amateur vs. profession status, which lead to some of the game's greatest early players being blacklisted, all the way up to the way the US universities were embraced as part of the development stream while Canadian universities were completely sidelined.

[jmiami 4]

That's great info, Law Goalie.

I'm posting a link for more info about NCAA vs Major Junior hockey that ran in last week's NY Times. It's a good read:

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/12/20/sports/hockey/youth-and-the-ice-siren.html

[AllCanadian 2]

I can't think of a U20 Canadian NCCA player who would have even deserved an invite to camp let alone a roster spot this year. Alot of the Canadians playing NCAA enter college as 19 or 20 year olds and are not eligible for the tournment. And coming from Junior A in BC or Ontario vs the USNDTP they are behind in development at 18 or 19.

[ibeck 38]

I can't think of a U20 Canadian NCCA player who would have even deserved an invite to camp let alone a roster spot this year. Alot of the Canadians playing NCAA enter college as 19 or 20 year olds and are not eligible for the tournment. And coming from Junior A in BC or Ontario vs the USNDTP they are behind in development at 18 or 19.

Mike Matheson from Boston College, First rounder by florida in 2012. Craig Button said he was one of the top players in the NCAA, was at summer development camp in Montreal.

[sifty 1]

Mike Matheson from Boston College, First rounder by florida in 2012. Craig Button said he was one of the top players in the NCAA, was at summer development camp in Montreal.

agreed. He is a very good player. Another NCAA player who should have received more consideration is Mark Jankowski. 1st rounder to Calgary.