“We have made investing in women’s sports a priority,” said NCAA President Charlie Baker earlier this year when they announced the decision to distribute profits to women’s basketball teams that play in its March Madness tournament. And now, it looks like the hockey clan could also get its hands on newer funds to develop talent, with special help from the NHL.

The NHL is quite justifiably the benchmark when it comes to the highest levels of the sport. While the National Hockey League is certainly massively popular in the US, it also depends heavily on players from overseas countries. However, in the coming days, we just might see more homegrown talent in the teams’ rosters than ever before, thanks to a new agreement.

As per an X post by Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli from April 12, “the @USHL, @NHL and @usahockey have reached a landmark agreement that includes player-first initiatives and funding resources,” which could be a major boost for junior hockey stars in the country to find more success in their budding careers. 

According to the hockey pundit, the deal “will finally put the USHL on a more level ice surface with its Canadian major junior equivalents.” Dubbed the “Declaration of Excellence”, the deal aims to build on the success of USA Hockey’s American Development Model. The NHL will provide “strategic resources” for the collaborative initiative to support “an athlete-centered environment designed to produce NHL- and NCAA-caliber players,” according to an article by the USHL. And with that, the nation’s only tier-I junior hockey league is set to follow the footsteps of North America’s most-watched trans-border hockey league.

The USHL’s “athlete-healthy” schedule will form the fundamental basis for the collaboration, which is set to focus on training, competition, and recovery while ensuring efficient travel. The model will also provide wellness and mental health support, along with personalized academic planning for the athletes. A league-wide strength, condition, and recovery program will help the stars to put their best foot forward on the ice, while nutrition and performance resources would allow them to maintain peak physical health. The athletes’ play would get significant aid through enhanced coaching options via the agreement.

In regards to the deal, NHL’s deputy commissioner, Bill Daly, stated the following: “The NHL is proud to support the growth of the American development system, which has become one of the most productive in the world.” Understandably, the USHL is also excited to see how things work out for the better in the coming days.

Glenn Hefferan, USHL president, noted his jubilation, stating, “The Declaration of Excellence ensures every USHL player, in every market, is supported in a truly elite environment. This expands upon our common commitment to growth with our NHL and USA Hockey partners and represents a shared belief in our athlete-centric model.”

However, while the NCAA looks to benefit from the NHL’s extended support, it also needs to douse the fire on other fronts as well.

Can the NCAA work alongside the NHL without getting distracted by its own troubles?

The NCAA Frozen Four is on, and the championship game is scheduled for later today between WMU and BU. West Michigan is eyeing its first-ever NCAA title, while the Terriers will be hoping to bag their sixth national crown. However, at yesterday’s semifinal matches at the Enterprise Center in Mizzou, the poor turnout numbers left many hockey fans disappointed. “Embarrassing,” one national journalist slammed the NCAA for picking the worst possible place to hold such a high-stakes tournament. However, this hasn’t been the only thing that’s heated things up in recent weeks.

Just days ago, the NIL (name, image, and likeness) regulations started a new fire in the country’s collegiate sports scene. After five long years, the debated House vs. NCAA lawsuit is finally nearing settlement, but its roster limitation clause is making many see red. However, to secure current athletes’ spots on their respective rosters, U.S. District Judge Claudia Wilken suggested a grandfather clause as part of a transition to new roster limits set under the agreement, during the final approval meeting on Monday, and fans and athletes alike were concerned about its implications. Gannon Flynn, a swimmer from Utah, however, like expressed their objections to such limits. “If you don’t have a perfect season, you might not get another,” protested Flynn.

While it remains to be seen how the plaintiffs’ and the NCAA’s attorneys respond in a week’s time, hockey fans right now would be more interested to know how the NHL will follow up on its deal with the USHL to support future hockey stars. Think this agreement will yield positive long-term results? Tell us in a comment!