Toronto, ON – The hockey landscape is changing, and the Ontario Hockey League is staying ahead of the curve, today unveiling a modernized Standard Player’s Agreement (SPA) that comes into effect for the 2025-26 season.
The newly unveiled SPA continues to provide OHL players with access to the best of both worlds, with an opportunity to play in the game’s number one development league while also pursuing professional and career options through the OHL scholarship program, which sees an increased average annual value provided to recipients under this new model. The OHL scholarship is centrally administered through the league’s head office and has provided more than $42 million in funding from OHL member teams over the past 15 years.
The modernized SPA serves to streamline the process both across the Canadian Hockey League in addition to providing consistency in the scholarship packages accessed by players throughout the OHL. Graduates, many who will go on to compete in NCAA and U SPORTS men’s hockey programs, are eligible to access funding that covers tuition and compulsory fees for eligible universities, colleges, trade schools and OHL-approved career advancing programs toward an undergraduate degree for each year played in the league. Players can also access funding for a wide range of educational expenses during their time in the OHL.
The league’s updated SPA has also been adapted to accommodate player development trajectories that include the NCAA, ensuring they maintain their eligibility to compete within that framework upon graduation from the OHL.
“We’ve seen lots of change in the past several months, and it’s a very exciting time for the OHL as the NCAA becomes another destination for our graduates to continue their development,” said Commissioner Bryan Crawford. “The league is proud to continue offering a premier scholarship opportunity to players as they develop their skills and we’re looking forward to building off this announcement in the months to come as we turn our attention to elevating and investing in the player experience league-wide.”
In addition to educational funding, the league has also increased its summer training allowance provided to players to a total of $2000 per year, up from $1000 under previous parameters.
Experience an exciting day for the next wave of young OHL stars as the league holds its annual Priority Selection presented by Real Canadian Superstore on Friday, April 11 beginning at 7:00pm and Saturday, April 12 beginning at 9:00am. Watch across the province on YourTV, Rogers tv, Eastlink and the OHL Action Pak as well as streaming live for free online on OHL Live as well as the league’s YouTube, X and Facebook channels.
About the Ontario Hockey League
The Ontario Hockey League (OHL) has long been regarded as the number one development league in the world, continuing to serve as a leading supplier of talent for the National Hockey League. The OHL consists of 20 teams, with 17 located in Ontario, two in the state of Michigan and one in the state of Pennsylvania. A proud member of the Canadian Hockey League, the OHL is also a leading provider of hockey scholarships, with over 329 graduates receiving OHL Scholarships to pursue a post-secondary education of their choice in 2024-25, resulting in a collective investment of over $42 million by OHL member teams over the past 15 years.
