Another CHL team says it has lost a big name to the NCAA — and it comes just a week before training camp.
The Kitchener Rangers said Monday that forward Adam Valentini, who played for Canada's under-18 team at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup this month, has revoked his commitment to the OHL team and will play at the University of Michigan this season.
The 17-year-old Valentini, who previously announced a verbal commitment to Michigan, signed with Kitchener in June after the Rangers acquired his rights in a trade with the Brampton Steelheads.
Brampton picked Valentini 13th overall in the 2024 OHL Draft, but he opted to go to the USHL last season and play for the Chicago Steel, where he had 17 goals and 22 assists for 39 points in 58 games.
Months after Valentini made that original decision, the NCAA announced CHL players could play U.S. college hockey starting this season.
The Rangers, who are expected to contend for the league title the next two years and are bidding to host the 2027 Memorial Cup, acquired Valentini in a trade last September, a couple months before the NCAA announcement.
"Obviously, finding out one week before the beginning of our training camp that a signed player will not honour his commitment is not an ideal circumstance, but we are excited and focused on the upcoming season with the great group of players we have reporting to camp next week," Rangers general manager Mike McKenzie said in a statement.
Kitchener will get back three draft picks traded to the Steelheads for Valentini because he is not reporting.
Valentini joins players like Gavin McKenna (Penn State) and Keaton Verhoeff (North Dakota) in making the jump to the NCAA ahead of being eligible for the 2026 NHL Draft.
The Toronto native had two goals and three assists in five games for bronze medal-winning Canada at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup.
