As has been posted, only those 18-year old hockey players who have
specifically opted into the NHL Amateur draft will be eligible for
selection this year.  Because this act makes the player ineligible for
NC$$ play, there will be relatively few college players chosen this
year.  (I imagine that as in the NBA one can after the draft opt
out if one doesn't yet have an agent, but I suspect that this will be
a rare occurrence.)  Thus the only US college players to be chosen
this year will be those who have already played at least one year in
the NC$$.  As was the case last year, this will be a small group.
 
Hopefully, I have all of my facts straight above.  What hasn't been
brought out yet on Hockey-L is the following.  Next year, those
players who were not eligible to be chosen this year will have a year
of college play under their belts and will not need to formally
declare for the draft.  Thus they will be eligible to be chosen
without forfeiting NC$$ eligibility.  These players will be listed as
being drafted from their college teams instead of from their high
school or junior team.  This should mean additional exposure for
college hockey because when The Hockey News and local papers add up
where players come from the number drafted from colleges will be
larger.
 
Of course, this is next year, not this year.  Also, both the NHL and
NC$$ will probably change their rules again before then.
 
Ralph Baer
RPI '68, '70, '74