New bylaws for men’s college hockey eligibility has allowed a first wave of major juniors players moving to NCAA programs, including two 2024 Kraken draft picks to join elite top-10 teams
August is considered the NHL’s slowest month of the hockey year as general managers, head coaches and staffs seek family vacation time. But for one Kraken prospect, forward Ollie Josephson, the month changed his career trajectory. The 2024 fourth-rounder was delivering a solid performance for Team Canada at the World Junior Summer Showcase in Minneapolis while also drawing interest from the University of North Dakota’s powerhouse NCAA Division I program.
“[North Dakota] asked for me to come on a visit,” said Josephson, now a freshman on the Grand Forks, ND, campus. “At the time, I was fully going to go back to Red Deer [his Western Hockey League team in Alberta]. I saw what they had down here. They told me about their program. I talked to my agent, my family and of course Seattle about the opportunity to start playing against bigger, stronger, older players. Everyone thought it was a great idea. I think it’ll help my game out a lot.”
Historically, men’s ice hockey players have been considered ineligible to compete in NCAA Division 1 hockey if they ever played professionally, regardless of whether they received any compensation. “Major Junior” hockey is considered professional by the NCAA, which includes the three leagues within the Canadian Hockey League (CHL): the Western Hockey League, the Ontario Hockey League, and the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League.
Effective Aug. 1, 2025, NCAA bylaws were changed to allow certain junior and professional ice hockey players to remain NCAA eligible, provided they are not paid more than actual and necessary expenses. This translates to players not being allowed a salary, only “stipends covering meals, lodging, apparel and equipment, coaching and instruction, health and medical insurance, transportation, medical treatment and physical therapy, facility usage, entry fees and other reasonable expenses.”
Fellow 2024 Kraken draft class member, fifth-rounder Clarke Caswell, made a similar choice last spring. He made the decision while working out with American Hockey League affiliate Coachella Valley following his major junior season with WHL Swift Current (SK). He signed to play for another NCAA Division I perennial national title contender, the University of Denver. The recruitment was conducted via video and phone calls since Caswell didn’t want to miss time with the Kraken’s AHL affiliate, a yearly spring rite of passage young recruits rave about for the on-ice learnings and becoming familiar with the team’s training center, coaching staff and the southern California desert.
“When Denver showed their interest, it helped me make the decision,” said Caswell. “It is such a top school with all of their national championships and the facilities they have there. It’s a really good spot to develop as a player and a person, plus be around a great staff and great people all the time.”
Sizing Up NCAA Decisions
“Every player’s development path is a little bit different,” said Cory Murphy, Kraken director of player development. “It is more of a case-by-case. For some players, playing in the NCAA is appealing for the chance to play against older, stronger players offering more pro-like competition. Both Ollie and Clarke are doing really well with the challenges so far. They are happy with their decision to make the move.”
One of the known benefits of playing for an NCAA squad compared to juniors is the ability to train more purposefully during the week, including additional strength work in the gym and practices to master skills and systems of play. For his part, Josephson noted he feels fresher for games too.
“That’s definitely an advantage already based on just a few weeks,” said Josephson, who totaled 14 goals and 21 assists for 35 points in 48 games while named captain last season at age 18. “I have felt a little bit more juice going into games with them being on Friday, and Saturday. Then you have the week to prepare your body, do some workouts. One of the biggest things is I want to improve on my overall strength, so this is a good situation.”
Caswell is enjoying similar benefits with NCAA Denver: “We’re definitely in the gym a lot more. Playing less games is different. I enjoyed playing a lot of games, but I think being in the gym more frequently this season, working on my body, will be huge, especially to hopefully help me with one day playing pro.”
While gaining strength is undeniably positive, Caswell was specific about how “working on his body” can enhance and elevate his game.
“It helps me with protecting the puck on the walls,” said Caswell, who has notched two goals and four assists in six games for Denver. “It is building power in my legs. I am becoming a better skater. One of the best skills you can have is being able to skate your way out of trouble and just play a fast game. That’s what the pro level is. More strength allows me to use my body a little more, protecting myself in the corners, pushing off opponents.”
‘Intensity’ Increased in Practices
Both prospects talked about the advantages and challenges of practicing against bigger, stronger and older players in practices, which are more plentiful at the college level than juniors.
“There’s more intensity [and competition] in the practices when they don’t play so many games,” said Murphy. “Ollie and Clarke will get a lot of reps against older, stronger players. They will have to figure out how to navigate that. The practice time is really important for their development.”
Murphy said the communication with NCAA coaching staffs has been cooperative and valuable in that all parties are interested in developing the Kraken prospects.
“I saw Ollie twice this past weekend,” said Murphy. “He’s fresh in my mind. With Ollie, the skating stands out. He impacts the game with his skating. He showed that over the weekend. He’s getting a big opportunity in some important penalty-kill situations. He’s on the ice defending leads late in the game. His skating and competitiveness have been there. We’re really happy to see that.
“I talked with the North Dakota head coach [Dane Jackson] before one of the games and he was praising Ollie for his character, his leadership and the work ethic he has brought from day one.”
Murphy and his staff are liking Caswell’s work at Denver as well.
“Clark is really showing us his strengths,” said Murphy. “We talk about him as a Swiss Army knife. He’s a versatile player and a smart, smart player that can perform in all situations. He can play up and down the lineup wherever he’s needed and have success. What the Denver staff has communicated is they’re really happy with his versatility. They can play him anywhere, and he responds to those challenges. He’s getting a great opportunity with a good program and he’s making the most of it.”
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