BCHL players excel at Memorial Cup after NCAA rule shift

Two young hockey players who successfully navigated a major rule change in junior hockey are now competing at the sport’s highest amateur level and endorsing the path they chose. Shea Busch and Jack Pridham, both former players in the British Columbia Hockey League, moved to the Canadian Hockey League last season and have since become league champions, earning a spot at the Memorial Cup national championship in Kelowna.

Their moves were made possible by a pivotal NCAA rule change announced in November 2024. Prior to that date, playing in any of the three CHL leagues—the Western Hockey League, Ontario Hockey League, or Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League—rendered a player ineligible for U.S. college hockey, as those leagues were considered semi-professional. The new policy removed that barrier, allowing athletes to pursue major junior hockey without sacrificing future NCAA opportunities.

While the change prompted several high-profile players to leave the CHL for college programs, including Gavin McKenna, Cayden Lindstrom, and Keaton Verhoeff, it also created a new avenue for players like Busch and Pridham to move in the opposite direction. Pridham was among the first to act,...