The NCAA Division I Men’s Ice Hockey Oversight Committee approved immediate changes to transfer notification rules, significantly shortening the standard transfer window and revising the exception tied to head coaching changes.
Under expedited legislation recommended by the committee and adopted by the D-I Cabinet, undergraduate men’s hockey athletes can now enter the transfer portal during a single 15-day window beginning the Monday after the conclusion of the NCAA championship game. The previous structure allowed for a longer and more flexible notification period.
The committee also modified the head coach departure exception, creating a separate 15-day transfer window that opens five days after the hiring or public announcement of a new head coach. If a new coach is not named within 30 days of a departure, the 15-day window will open on day 31, provided that date falls after the conclusion of the tournament. The exception window cannot occur before the primary transfer period and may not extend beyond Jan. 1.
In its rationale, the committee said the changes are intended to reduce disruptions to the NCAA tournament and end-of-year academics, provide greater roster stability and give student-athletes clearer timelines. Aligning the coaching-change exception with the hiring of a new coach, rather than a departure, is designed to allow athletes time to evaluate their future under new leadership before deciding whether to transfer, the committee said.
The committee said the financial impact of the changes will vary by institution and noted no additional nonlegislative action items from its Dec. 9 videoconference.