The past few weeks we’ve noticed an uptick in outreach from hockey scouts, NIL agents, advisors and other hockey industry leaders regarding the ever growing cost to watch and scout youth and junior hockey. Most wanted our guidance on the best way to invest their resources to cover the game, with many citing that certain leagues may be cut out of their recruiting altogether due to the intense monetization of their own game video and scouting software.

In the last 5 years of the OHL draft 12 Americans were selected in the first 3 rounds (2024-2, 2023-3, 2022-2, 2021-2, 2020-3). The OHL busted through that and more in the 2025 with 17 Americans selected in the first 3 rounds on Friday night of the 2025 draft.

For a long time, the NHL has not favored of any of the different North American development levels supplying the NHL with talent. Should that change in light of the shifting landscape?

Between March 23 and August 31st, we will know who wins the battle to supply the NHL with its next generation of North American Players: NCAA Division I, or the Canadian Hockey League.

Here are the dates that matter and why.

The last 12 months have seen a monumental shift in the sport of Junior Hockey. Dan K of The Dan K Show distills his decade of experience into a new series that aims to decode and demystify where the game of Junior Hockey sits today

225 players were selected in the 2024 NHL Draft and another 225 will be selected in 2025. About 20-25% of these drafts will be developed in Europe leaving 75-80% to be developed in North America. The open question is, will these players be developed in the NCAA or CHL before turning professional?

229 North American skaters have not signed ELC’s and can choose to play in the CHL or NCAA for the 2025-2026 season.  Let’s start digging into the specifics of these 229 in context of who will be the official supplier to the NHL, the CHL or the NCAA.

The NCAA continues to wage a recruiting battle with the CHL. At stake? The future of where the next generation of NHL talent develops their skills.

PlayerIntro works with coaches from multiple levels of the game, as well as skills coaches, General Managers, and others, to create a well-informed roster to help players in whatever ways they need.