NAHL REMOVES RESTRICTION ON NUMBER OF MAJOR JUNIOR VETERANS ON ROSTERS I'll say the quiet part out loud, this could be the only way league remains relevant for NCAA Division I prospects

For the first time in league history, the 2025-26 North American Hockey League season will be the first after the NAHL removed the rule restricting the number of major junior level players on each roster.

The league has also increased the number of non-United States citizens on each roster to eight from six. European goalies will count as two. The eight can also be from any country on the planet.

Now combine those changes with the league's unrestricted number of twenty-year-old players (2005 birth-year for the 2025-26 season) and it's very clear to understand the direction the league is capable of going into.

Look for Wednesday's NAHL Entry Draft to feature a large number of 2005 birth-year players from the Canadian Hockey League and Europe, along with a continued emphasis on United States Hockey League and even Canadian Junior Hockey League players.

And I get it, the NAHL is not too excited about being the fourth choice for top-end American prospects, and there's nothing like a team load of veterans to keep those prospects interested.

Those twenty-year old players will also be the key to keeping NCAA Division I coaches interested. 

But here's the rub, players from Europe or the CHL will not be interested in the NAHL if teams can't offer the same level of amenities as they were getting elsewhere.  That means free billets, equipment, and even travel.

How many current NAHL teams could actually afford to do that? Maybe ten. And unless things change within the league, those ten will start to run away with the hardware season after season. Teams that can generate revenue and operate in a similar fashion as professional clubs will rise to the top. 

What changes? We talked about that yesterday. Limiting the draft to just Futures, like what's going to happen today, would be a great start. Roster size reductions would be another.

Something else to consider, stop chasing daddy money. That means no more parent owners that are only interested in the league as long as their kid is on the roster. This problem reached epidemic levels of embarrassment last season with the Mallards and this off-season with the Grit. 

As the NAHL faces their new reality, the old status quo is no longer a viable option. Players now know better. Forget the pre-draft fundraisers and 400 player main camps. Explore new revenue sources that are not so dependent on the nearly dried-up well of player families. 

There are going to be a pile of American players upset after tomorrow's draft. I expect to see a record number of twenty-year-old players from other leagues selected. Younger undrafted players need to exhaust every Junior A level opportunities in Canada or the NCDC before looking at pay-to-play. 

The game is changing, and for those willing to put in the work, the changes are for the better because the game will be getting better.