Canadiens Prospect Takes Advantage Of NCAA Rule Change

Montreal Canadiens prospect Arseni Radkov spent his draft season playing in the MHL, the Russian equivalent to the Canadian Hockey League, putting together an encouraging season that saw him maintain a .918 save percentage.

The 17-year-old netminder committed to playing for the University of Massachusetts in 2026-27, leaving a question as to where he would spend the upcoming season.

In previous years, playing in the CHL would lead to prospects losing their NCAA eligibility, as they would no longer be considered amateurs.

ON TOPIC: Canadiens Draft Goaltender Radkov 82nd Overall 

This forced young players to make a decision, either develop in the QMJHL, OHL, and WHL, or avoid the CHL entirely and play collegiate hockey in the United States.

Thanks to a recent NCAA rule change, the options have improved drastically. Players no longer lose their NCAA eligibility due to the $600 stipend they receive in the CHL to cover living expenses. If we’re being perfectly honest, it was ridiculous that the NCAA considered the stipend a form of professional compensation in the first place, but I digress.

Radkov has chosen to spend a season in the QMJHL, playing for the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada, the same team that featured current Canadiens netminder Samuel Montembeault as their starter between 2013 and 2017.

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— Stephane Leroux (@StephRDSJunior) July 5, 2025

By spending a year with the Armada, not only will Radkov be in a fantastic position to maintain his encouraging development, it will also prepare him for the uptick in difficulty he’ll face once he makes his way to the University of Massachusetts the following season.

Additionally, he’ll have an opportunity to acclimatize to life in North America before his NCAA tenure begins, and while that may not seem like a significant advantage to those of us who were lucky enough to win the birthplace lottery, adapting to life in a new continent adds a wrinkle to any development plan. It’s already difficult to make your way to the NHL without having to adapt to a new team, new coach, new country, new lifestyle, and the various other factors that come into play for young men with NHL aspirations.