NCAA's New Aged Based Model Could Have Massive Impact On PWHL's Future Prospect Pool

There has been a significant amount of talk surrounding the NCAA's soon-to-be implemented age based eligibility system, which some are calling 5-in-5. It stipulates that players will have five years of eligibility in the NCAA. That eligibility begins the semester following a player's 19th birthday. But, it also adds a year of eligibility for players currently in the NCAA.

The move was opposed with counter proposals made by just about every men's hockey league from the NHL, USA Hockey, USHL, CHL, Hockey Commissioners Association, and American Hockey Coaches Association. Notably absent from the groups opposing the change were Hockey Canada and the PWHL.

A recent Supreme Court ruling on the matter is also putting into question how the plan will be implemented across various sports.

Hockey Canada likely didn't oppose the rule because they are fighting to retain talent in the CHL following eligibility changes, and for women's hockey, most top Canadian prospects enter immediately following high school and will not be impacted. The only exception is some players competing in Quebec. Given the impact on the PWHL however, it was interesting to not see the league publicly join the opposition to the rule.

It won't stop top programs from recruiting the best European players, but many will come with only four years of eligibility remaining. High school in some European nations, like Sweden, Finland, and Czechia, the NCAA's three largest sources of international talent, typically see teens graduate a year older than they are in North America. It means European players generally arrive in North America between the age of 19-21. For many who were in the NCAA this season as first year players, the clock would already be running under the new system, removing eligibility.

Under the rules, almost every European entering the NCAA last season would have had only four seasons of eligibility remaining, some less.

Players like Sanni Vanhanen who an Olympian for Finland who starred for Ohio State would have lost time. Vanhanen entered the NCAA as a 20-year-old. Others like Julia Perjus, Manon le Scodan, Tilli Keranen, Maja Ålenius, Alessia Baechler, Jade Barbirati, and Raili Mustoonen, among others, would have lost time too. For some, they may have only had three years remaining. Considering a player can't achieve an education in that span, it's likely the NCAA won't be seeing the same number of European players committing unless they come to North American prep schools to finish earlier, which is what some prospects, like Nela Lopusanova, have done, or accept that European players will get four years, while most North American's will have the fifth season available.

With the PWHL's main talent pool now entering through the NCAA, there's a significant risk the league will see less Europeans too.

The rules will begin this season, but players entering for 2026-27 will have a grace period to use either the old, or new rules, whichever is most beneficial. That's good news for Swiss Player of the Year and Olympic bronze medalist Ivana Wey, would would have lost a year of eligibility before every stepping on the ice for Northeastern as she's already 20. Finland's Pauliina Salonen and Tuuli Tallinen, who are heading to Minnesota-Duluth, are already 21 and 20 respectively. Other players entering this season who could have lost eligibility include Thea Rustbakken (Norway/Lindenwood), Anna Brenkle (Sweden/Mercyhurst), Hilda Arhammar Pakarinen (Sweden/Harvard), Barbara Jurickova (Czechia/St. Lawrence), Livia Debnarova (Slovakia/Holy Cross), Sofia Kari (Finland/New Hampshire), Anna Rose (Germany/Franklin Pierce), Malene Tjomsland (Norway/Long Island), Saga Odebrant (Sweden/Long Island), and Barbora Dalecka (Czechia/Sacred Heart). The same goes for Canadian defender Rosalie Breton, who is already 20, prior to joining Quinnipiac.

Not only will there be an impact on how much development time players get in the NCAA prior to declaring for the PWHL Draft, but for 2027 in particular, the PWHL Draft itself could be decimated.

It couldn't come at a worse time for a league that just expanded by four teams. Going through the expansion process, the PWHL anticipated a steady stream of talent year after year entering the PWHL. Now there may be gaps and uncertainty in the draft pool. 

With almost all players in the NCAA eligible for an extra season, the 2027 Draft could end up being empty aside from players who have completed their education in four years and don't plan to take a post graduate program. For many who are still studying, the financial benefit of staying in the NCAA is actually better than what most PWHL rookies will make. There may be exceptions. For example, a player like Joy Dunne, who is currently projected as the first overall pick in the 2027 Draft, could decide to declare knowing that being a top pick could get her a contract in the realm of Kristyna Kaltounkova's, who immediately signed for $90,500. That was an aberration, but with less players declaring in 2027, there could be money on the table for a handful of top picks if they're willing to sign multi-year deals.

Some programs, like Ivy League schools, have only ever offered four years of eligibility, so players coming out of those schools, including Princeton, Yale, Cornell, Harvard, Dartmouth, and Brown may head to the pros sooner. Those schools have already produced stars in the PWHL like Sarah Fillier, Rory Guilday, Laura Stacey, Brianne Jenner and others.

There's no certainty there will be a well stocked draft next season. What it might do is encourage more players who have remained in Europe to declare knowing their odds of a higher selection, which in the top three rounds has been tied to higher salary, could be improved.

Either way, the impacts of the NCAA's new age-based eligibility model could be wide spanning, both geographically, and in how it impacts the already limited pathways for continued development in women's hockey.