• Loading stock data...
Monday, June 2, 2025

Canadian Teen Sues NCAA in Case That Could Change Hockey Pipeline 

  • NHL teams are able to draft players and then let them play in the NCAA.
  • Masterson argues that NCAA rules are inconsistent and anticompetitive.
Matt Krohn-USA TODAY Sports

The NCAA is back in court—this time, over an issue it saw coming in hockey.

Rylan Masterson, a Canadian junior hockey player, is suing the NCAA and 10 universities, alleging the governing body is violating antitrust laws by banning hockey players who have been paid in junior leagues.

If the suit succeeds, it may change the nature of the junior hockey pipeline, with players potentially eligible to play in both college and the major junior leagues. CHL players traditionally don’t get paid salaries and instead are compensated with a stipend of no more than $600 a month, according to the lawsuit. 

The lawsuit was filed in the Western District of New York, which has jurisdiction over three universities named as defendants in the suit: ​​Niagara University, Canisius University, and the Rochester Institute of Technology. Other schools named in the lawsuit include Boston College, Boston University, University of Denver, Quinnipiac University, Notre Dame, Stonehill College, and University of St. Thomas. 

Masterson is 19 and currently plays for the Fort Erie Meteors of the amateur Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League. In 2022, he played in two exhibition games for the OHL’s Windsor Spitfires, which cost him his NCAA eligibility. 

The suit details “the boycott,” in which the NCAA deems players who appear in the Canadian Hockey League—which includes the OHL, WSHL, and QMJHL—as ineligible. NCAA bylaws prevent college athletes from competing if they have played for a professional team. 

The lawsuit points out how Olympic swimmer Katie Ledecky was financially compensated as a professional, yet she still retained her eligibility at Stanford. Ledecky was able to keep more than $100,000 in prize money from the 2016 Olympics after winning four gold medals and one silver. That came after the NCAA altered its bylaws in 2001 to allow it. Tom Willander, a first-round pick by the Vancouver Canucks in the 2023 NHL draft, was able to play professionally in Sweden and later suited up for Boston University. 

Masterson’s argument is that “the boycott” hurts competition between the NCAA and CHL, which suppresses competition and results in a less competitive league. The lawsuit goes on to say how the situation forces 16-year-olds to decide whether they want to play Division I hockey at that age instead of juniors.

College hockey has always been one of the few sports where professional teams could draft a player and let them go play in college before entering their minor league system. Perhaps the closest comparison is when the Boston Celtics drafted Larry Bird in 1978, but let him play his final year at Indiana State before he joined them a year later. The NBA’s CBA has since changed to prevent that. 

The “boycott” Masterson refers to has been on the NCAA’s radar recently. In 2023, it conducted a review of its bylaws and found the CHL player boycott was a legal vulnerability. Nothing changed, the lawsuit says, because the NCAA left the decision to reverse it up to the coaches, a vote never took place. The lawsuit further claims that in May, coaches had another meeting over the boycott and a committee was created to watch for possible legal issues the rule could spur. 

Now Masterson is doing just that.

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

Oct 27, 2022; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) and LA Clippers guard Paul George (13) walks down the court during a time out during the first half at Paycom Center.

Pacers, Thunder Both Built Finals Teams Off Trading Paul George

George is a key piece of trivia in this year’s NBA Finals.

Pacers-Thunder Is Lowest-Payroll NBA Finals in Years

Neither team is in the luxury tax, despite rosters with multiple All-Stars.
exclusive

Newly American-Owned Italian Hoops Team Hires Ex-Pelicans Exec as GM

Napoli Basketball is hiring the Pelicans’ former chief of staff as GM.

Featured Today

PSG and the City of Paris Can Join European Soccer’s Elite

What a maiden Champions League title would mean for the French club.
May 30, 2025

How the Champions League Anthem Took on a Life of Its Own

The composer didn’t know he wrote a timeless hit three decades ago.
May 25, 2025

How Rolex Paved the Way for Luxury’s Love Affair With Tennis

“It’s almost impossible to think about tennis without thinking about Rolex.”
Mar 23, 2025; Miami, FL, USA; Alexandra Eala (PHI) reacts after winning a point against Madison Keys (USA)(not pictured) on day six of the Miami Open at Hard Rock Stadium.
May 24, 2025

Alex Eala Is Defying Her Country’s Odds to Make French Open History

The Philippines native has overcome a unique set of financial odds.
Mar 28, 2025; Atlanta, GA, USA; Mississippi Rebels forward Jaemyn Brakefield (4) rebounds over Michigan State Spartans center Carson Cooper (15) and Mississippi Rebels guard Matthew Murrell (11) in the second half of a South Regional semifinal of the 2025 NCAA tournament at State Farm Arena.

SEC Increases Court Storming Fine to $500K—With Caveat

The SEC used to fine schools $500,000 as a third-time offense.
May 29, 2025

Former Seton Hall Baseball Player Sues Over Sexualized Hazing

The student says the coach knew about the hazing and failed to act.
May 29, 2025

Brett Yormark: Big 12 Puts Private Equity and Naming Rights on Pause

Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark is shifting his conference’s strategy.
Sponsored

Game On: Portfolio Players Stories, Brought to You by E*TRADE from Morgan Stanley

In Episode 7 of Portfolio Players, go inside the boardroom with Avenue Capital CEO and former Milwaukee Bucks co-owner Marc Lasry on Giannis’s future, women’s sports, and upstart leagues like TGL and Unrivaled. 
May 29, 2025

Brian Kelly Pushes for SEC–Big Ten Alliance. Would It Widen the Gap?

A deal, if completed, would further strengthen college football’s two titans.
Mar 16, 2025; Fort Worth, TX, USA; UAB Blazers forward Yaxel Lendeborg (3) drives to the basket as Memphis Tigers forward Nicholas Jourdain (2) defends during the first half at Dickies Arena.
May 28, 2025

Prospects Picking College Over NBA Draft at Record Rate

The 2025 NBA draft has its lowest number of early entrants since 2015.
Tennessee pitcher Brayden Krenzel (34) pitches during a NCAA baseball game between the Tennessee Volunteers and Vanderbilt Commodores at Lindsey Nelson Stadium on May 11, 2025.
May 27, 2025

SEC Stranglehold on College Baseball Continues

SEC schools will host eight of the 16 regionals set to start this weekend.
May 22, 2025

Can Golf Emulate the College World Series Model?

Carlsbad, Calif., is hosting the event through 2028.