USHL VS. CHL

This is a very touch subject for most 15 or 16 year old hockey players in the United States and Canada. The USHL (United States Hockey League) is based out of the mid-western United States. The CHL (Canadian Hockey League) is based out of all of Canada. The CHL is broken down into 3 sub leagues. The WHL, OHL, and the QMJHL. The WHL is based out of Western Canada, the OHL is based out of Ontario, and the QMJHL is based out of the Province Quebec.

The CHL is considered professional hockey because all the players in the CHL are payed to play for their team. The USHL is still considered amateur because the players are not payed to play. This is where the major conflict comes in. Players have to decide whether or not they are going to take the college route or the CHL route. If players decide to take the college route than the USHL is the best option for them because it is the best amateur league in North America. If players decide they want to take a risk and go to the CHL and try to make it to the NHL than they cannot go to college and play hockey because the NCAA considers players in the CHL to be professional.  Now saying that, it doesnt mean if you go to the USHL you cant make it to the NHL, because you can! If you go the USHL route, your path to the NHL will be different from a kid who goes to the CHL because you will be able to develop your skills in college while the kid who went to the CHL will be developing his skills in the minor leagues or maybe in Europe.

With all that being said, each leagues has its pros and cons. The CHL produces more NHL players than the USHL does at this point in time, but the USHL gives a kid the chance to get a college scholarship and get an education. At the end of the day its your decision but make sure you go some place where you are happy and will do well.