'Soft and Ill-Prepared': WHL Commissioner Boldly Calls Out the NCAA

Over the past 12 months, the Western Hockey League has lost some of it's biggest names to the NCAA after a rule change allowed them to remain eligible for the NCAA even after playing in the CHL.

That's led to the departure of some of the WHL's biggest names, including projected 2026 No. 1 overall draft pick Gavin McKenna ahead of the 2025/26 season, and it's clearly hurting the perception of the league.

There are things that can be done to change that perception, but instead, WHL Commissioner Dan Near went on the offensive in his latest interview, boldly calling out the NCAA as 'soft' and 'ill-prepared' among other things.

While on one hand, the benefit of playing in the WHL is the opportunity to play all through the week and prepare yourself for the NHL, competition in the NCAA is much higher, with players set to play against older names as they look to prepare themselves for the NHL Draft.

It's easy to see why Near and the WHL would be worried however, as the NCAA has claimed some of their biggest names this season, and with the benefits of a year or two in the WHL before shifting to the NCAA continue to grow, we should see more of this year over year.

Ultimately, there's nothing to back up his comments however that NCAA players are soft and ill-prepared for the NHL, as there's been plenty of stars in the NHL to come through that way in recent times, but with these comments, you can bet that players in the WHL are taking notes as they look to weigh up their future.