Oh you already know the hockey world’s buzzing—and yup, the NCAA portal drama is center stage again. It cracked open on March 30 and stays hot until May 13, with grads allowed to jump in anytime. Michigan? Already in the middle of a mini roster shake-up. Say goodbye to Evan Werner, William Whitelaw, Cameron Korpi, and Will Felicio. But Coach Naurato’s been working the portal like a pro—snagged Jayden Perron, then pulled in two D-men with real juice: Henry Mews and Ben Robertson.

Mews is a smooth-skating Flames draft pick with a playmaker’s touch and a bit of a spicy side—188 points and just as many penalty minutes in the OHL. Then there’s Robertson, cool and steady from Cornell, reuniting with his old buddy Garrett Schifsky. Michigan’s blue line needed love, and these two bring it. Meanwhile, a fired-up ex-NHLer went full-on gloves-off mode, blasting the hockey portal chaos and yelling into the void about loyalty and contracts. NCAA hockey? Yeah… It’s getting real out here.

Ohhh boy, former hockey player Jordan Schmaltz was not holding back—he logged onto X like it was an open mic night at the Rage Cafe. He kicked off with the now-iconic “This #NCAA portal sh– is just stupid in college hockey. I’ve had enough,” and honestly? That’s the energy of someone who just watched a teammate pack up after a breakout season like, ‘peace out, I’m BIG10 bound.’ Schmaltzy wasn’t buying the whole “he got a 90 grand so I want a 100k” storyline either—he called out the clout-chasing, dollar-sign eyes, and ego vibes with a full-on “blah blah blah. f— you. Me me me me.”

He was digging deep, practically begging for some old-school loyalty, wondering out loud, “Where’s the loyalty. Where’s wanting to add to the tradition of the school that showed you love to begin with.” Real ones felt that. And THEN, he flipped into contract lawyer mode like he had a law degree tucked under his hockey gear. He was pitching full deal terms, saying let’s just make it official: “sign 1,2,3 or 4 year deals” without clauses only if you go pro or barely played last season (not counting injuries, of course—man’s still got heart).

And if both sides agree? Cool, mutual termination can be a thing. But what really sent it over the edge was his one statement: “You develop some ‘project’ into a player and how does he repay you? He turns around, leaves that mid major school, goes to the BIG10 and says lick my n—.” That was spicy, petty, poetic, and painful all in one. He wrapped it up like someone pacing in their living room, fists clenched, hoodie on. “I’m fired up right now. Might have to shadow box to cool off.”

The NCAA hockey portal is popping and yup, another name slid in—Tanner Komzak. The 6’4” UND blueliner didn’t see much ice time last season and with a fully stacked D-core returning, his minutes were looking real slim. So now? He’s out and exploring new ice. UND’s got reinforcements coming too—Sam Laurila, Garrett Lindberg, the whole squad. Komzak’s got skills, no doubt, but maybe he just needed a fresh start. All this movement though… transfers everywhere, rosters flipping like pancakes—what’s really up with this NCAA hockey thing now?

NCAA hockey trades just got compared to NHL trades…

So here’s the scoop—NCAA hockey players? Yeah, they’ve got it kinda cush. Unlike the NHL, where players get traded like hockey cards, college players actually get to choose their own fate. Want out? Cool. Wanna redshirt and vibe on the sidelines for a year? Go for it. Oh, and they’re still making bank on the side. Liberty? They’ve got plenty. But still, some are out here yelling for more cheddar, like they’re already pulling first-line NHL shifts.

Meanwhile, in the NHL, it’s a whole different circus. You’ve got this classic draft with seven rounds and a whole bunch of dreams—but the twist? Getting drafted doesn’t mean you’re jumping straight into the spotlight. Nah, some of these kids head back to college to keep cooking before they’re ready for the Big Show. In 2023, only nine picks were already NCAA hockey players, but 60 more were high schoolers planning to take the college path. So yeah, college still plays a role in the grand scheme—even if it’s more slow burn than firework.

And here’s the fun part—not every NHL player comes from the NCAA, not by a long shot. Like, over 70% of the league repping outside the U.S. But peep the front offices and benches—half the general managers and 40% of the head coaches came up through that college grind. So maybe the NCAA isn’t filling NHL rosters left and right, but behind the glass? That’s where the college crowd is quietly running the show. Makes you think… is the real flex not just playing the game, but actually calling the shots?