Presently, many incoming college freshman hockey players have already been drafted by NHL teams, since the NHL draft age was 18. Under the new NHL settlement, the draft age has been changed to 19, "with 18 year olds having the right to elect to be drafted". NCAA Rule 12.2.4 states: "An individual loses amateur status in a particular sport when the individual asks to be placed on the draft list or supplemental draft list of a professional league in that sport..." An exception to this rule was enacted in 1994 for the NBA basketball draft, but for no other sport. It therefore appears that an 18 year old hockey player who intends to play college hockey will not be able to "elect to be drafted" as an 18 year old, but instead will now have to wait another year to be drafted. I wonder if the NHL and the NHLPA had recognized this when they changed the draft age.