Following a successful first year, Hockey Canada is expanding its Western Canadian Development Model (WCDM) pilot for the 2025-26 season, with a focus on roster rules.
Launched in 2024, the WCDM is a partnership between Hockey Canada’s four Western Members, their Junior A leagues, and the WHL. It aims to enhance player development through key areas like player advancement, roster composition, playing standards, and unified messaging.
Last season introduced changes, including more flexibility for younger players and unified rules across leagues. The upcoming season adds five more updates, including:
- Western Junior A teams will be permitted to register up to five U.S.-born players at one time on their active roster, a decrease from the previous six.
- 16- and 17-year-old U.S.-born players who have been drafted, listed or signed by a WHL team will be eligible to be rostered by any Western Junior A team.
- Each Western Junior A team will be eligible to roster one 16- or 17-year-old player whose parent(s) reside(s) outside of their province or region, if the player has been drafted, listed or signed by a WHL team
Up to a maximum of 23 such players across all Western Junior A teams, or one player from each WHL team. - Out-of-province players who participate in the Canadian Sport School Hockey League (CSSHL) will be eligible to affiliate with Western Junior A teams in their school’s respective province or region.
- No more than eight players born in a province not participating in the WCDM may be registered on the active roster of a Western Junior A team.
Hockey Canada states that ongoing data analysis will inform future changes to the model in subsequent seasons.
