Braxton Whitehead recently announced his verbal commitment to play hockey for Arizona State, becoming the first player from a Canadian Hockey League team to pursue the sport at the Division I U.S. college level amidst an ongoing lawsuit challenging the NCAA’s prohibition of players classified as professionals. Whitehead shared his decision to join the Sun Devils on social media, with plans to start playing for the team in the 2025-26 season. While an Arizona State spokesperson refrained from commenting on verbal commitments due to NCAA regulations, there was no immediate response from the CHL when contacted.
The class-action lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court in Buffalo on August 13 has the potential to impact players from the CHL’s Western Hockey League, Ontario Hockey League, and Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League by contesting the NCAA’s designation of these leagues as professional and its exclusion of players from college competition. The NCAA has yet to formally respond to the lawsuit since its filing, as indicated by online court records. Players in the CHL currently receive a monthly stipend for living expenses, deemed non-taxable income, while college players can now benefit from scholarships and opportunities like endorsements and using their name, image, and likeness (NIL).
The outcome of the lawsuit could have extensive reverberations, potentially intensifying the recruitment competition for NHL draft-eligible players between the CHL and NCAA. Forrest Karr, the Executive Director of the American Hockey Coaches Association and athletic director at Minnesota-Duluth, acknowledged the transformative changes in collegiate athletics and efforts within the coaching community to understand and adapt to these shifts. Karr was unavailable for immediate comment on the matter.
Earlier this year, Karr established committees to address eligibility inquiries from the NCAA, with a focus on men’s and women’s hockey. Don Lucia, former Minnesota coach and Central Collegiate Hockey Association commissioner, emphasized that the lawsuit presents an opportunity for stakeholders to reevaluate player eligibility standards and anticipate forthcoming decisions at both the court and NCAA levels. Whitehead, a 20-year-old forward from Alaska excelling as a point-per-game player, intends to continue playing with the Regina Pats in the WHL this season before making his college debut with Arizona State.
Arizona State’s hockey program, despite its unconventional location in the desert, has thrived since joining Division I in 2015, showcasing NHL talent such as Joey Daccord and Josh Doan. Doan, the son of former Coyotes captain Shane Doan, transitioned to Utah after the team relocated from the Phoenix area to Salt Lake City.
