NCAA Frozen Four shines light on high-level Canadian hockey talent

When the first puck is dropped at the NCAA Frozen Four tournament on Thursday afternoon in Tampa, the calibre of Canadian-bred talent on the ice will rival what fans normally see at the Memorial Cup.
The fact is that the NCAA has come a long way in producing NHL-ready prospects, including Canadians who only a few years ago would have chosen major junior over college if they had any dreams of making it to the big show.
"The gap (between CHL and NCAA) is shrinking," says former NHLer Brendan Morrison, who was one of the few NCAA players drafted by NHL teams in 1993 when the New Jersey Devils selected  him 39th out of the University of Michigan. "Guys used to think first about the CHL, but that's not the case anymore."
The Canadian talent in this year's tournament attests to that.
North Dakota's roster includes Troy Stecher and Drake Caggiula, two of the top free agents likely to sign NHL deals this spring. An indication of the NCAA's growing allure is the fact that  two likely first-round picks -- Tyson Jost and Dante Fabbro -- have committed to NCAA schools.
While the number of Canadians choosing the NCAA has remained steady over the decades, the calibre of the college-bound player has definitely been on the rise.
Greater exposure in Canada has helped (TSN is carrying this year's tournament starting Thursday at 5 p.m. ET on TSN2), says Mike Snell, executive director at College Hockey Inc.

"There's a lot more awareness," he says. "But as important is the fact that players coming out of college hockey are better than they've ever been and having a bigger impact on the NHL."
Th stats bear that out. Back in Morrison's day, 10 per cent of NHL players had come through the NCAA system. Today, it's 30 per cent. (The CHL still supplies the bulk of NHL players at 50 per cent while the remaining 20 per cent come from Europe.)
"Since my time, it's changed a lot," says Morrison. "You're seeing more and more players make the jump to the NHL.
"When I played, it was a bit of anomaly for college guys to get drafted high. There would be exceptions ...  but it wasn't anywhere like it is today.
"It's no secret the quality of hockey is better,  but guys aren't just making the jump. They're making an impact.
"That speaks to the level of competition in college hockey."
That level was highlighted in last June's NHL entry draft, when three of the first eight players taken had NCAA pedigrees.
With the NCAA now being seen as a legitimate route to the NHL, more high-level Canadians are choosing to head south after high school.
"The gap (between CHL and NCAA) is shrinking," says Morrison. "Guys used to think first about the CHL, but that's not the case anymore."
The statistics don't bear that out. Canadians have comprised about 30 per cent of NCAA players for some time and that hasn't changed. But the quality has, says. Snell.
"I would say that's actually growth because the number of Americans playing hockey grows every year," he says. "The number of American players is certainly more than it was five years ago. But participation in Canada has either been flat or having a slight decline.
"That says to me that a greater percentage of Canadian players are turning to the NCAA."