Friday, October 3, 2014
IIHF Salutes College Hockey
Sport’s international governing body highlights the success of NCAA players on IIHF.com.
In a front-page feature story entitled “Campus calling,” the International Ice Hockey Federation put the spotlight on college hockey’s success on its web site, IIHF.com.
The NCAA “is becoming a premier destination for young hockey talent and one of the largest pipelines directly to the pro ranks,” according to writer Ryan O’Leary.
The story highlights some of College Hockey Inc.’s studies of NCAA alums in the NHL, as well as the college game’s success in the NHL Draft. Featuring players like the Boston Bruins’ Torey Krug and Boston University’s Jack Eichel, O’Leary looks at the multiple paths to NHL success that NCAA hockey offers.
O’Leary notes that while at one time NHL teams overlooked the college game, that is no longer the case.
“Amongst present day general managers, scouts and coaches, the perception is very positive,” Ryan Kennedy of The Hockey News told O’Leary. “It’s a great incubator for prospects who need to bulk up and develop on a slower timeline.”
As the global governing body of the sport, the IIHF touched on the impact of college players from around the world. While U.S. players make up a majority of NCAA rosters, nearly one-third of all college players are Canadian. In addition, 45 current NCAA players are from Europe, which is believed to be an all-time high.