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Niagara IceDogs overage defenceman Noah Van Vliet has committed to play at Sacred Heart University next season. Photo: OHL IMAGES.

Noah Van Vliet will get an opportunity to experience the best of both worlds.

The 20-year-old defenceman for the Niagara IceDogs is finishing up his overage year in the Ontario Hockey League and next season will get a chance to play at the NCAA level after committing to Division 1 Sacred Heart, located in Connecticut.

Van Vliet is the first member of the IceDogs to take advantage of a new rule which came into play in November permitting the eligibility of Canadian Hockey League players for NCAA hockey programs, effective Aug. 1, 2025.

鈥淭hat door was pretty much closed as soon as you signed in the OHL so it鈥檚 pretty exciting now that I鈥檓 able to do that,鈥� Van Vliet said.

Van Vliet said the whole experience was a whirlwind of information.

鈥淣o one really knew when it was going to happen. It was just a lot of information at once. I was trying to figure out the rules and regulations. I mean, we still don鈥檛 know everything 鈥� just kind of flying by the seat of my pants.鈥�

Van Vliet, who is still considering his major, is eager to see how his career plays out now.

鈥淣ow that I can play NCAA, I have that as my runway to develop and maybe sign a contract in two, three, four years. It definitely helps, and then along the way I can get my degree,鈥� he said.听

Van Vliet is joining a Division 1 program in the midst of a strong season with a 17-9-4 record to date.

鈥淭hey seemed the most interested in me from the beginning,鈥� Van Vliet said. 鈥淚 didn鈥檛 get a chance to go down there given how many games we play but I definitely got to take a virtual tour of the campus and their facilities have been top notch. I mean, I don’t think I鈥檝e seen a nicer facility than what they have.

鈥淚 don鈥檛 know, it just seemed to fit.鈥�

Van Vliet, who has taken on-line courses from Queen鈥檚 University, is prepared to make the move to student-athlete.

鈥淔rom what I know, they do a good job balancing school and hockey,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 know they practise in the morning and then work out in the morning and then you have the whole rest of the day for school.

鈥淭hey definitely make sure you鈥檙e able to take care of both.鈥�

IceDogs coach Ben Boudreau is thrilled for Van Vliet.

鈥淚t鈥檚 four years of school at Sacred Heart, which is a great institution,鈥� Boudreau said. 鈥淭o have this avenue to experience an NCAA program and both live and have a hockey opportunity abroad in the U.S. I think is incredible for him.鈥�

Boudreau feels the new eligibility rule is long overdue.

鈥淭he market should be the strongest it鈥檚 ever been this summer,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 entirely changed. Players from other leagues, they should all want to play in the best development junior league in the world. The Canadian Hockey League is the best by far. We produce the most players in the NHL, in the NHL draft, there鈥檚 no question about it. And there鈥檚 only 60 teams right now, so it should be the best hockey that this league鈥檚 ever seen.鈥�

Van Vliet joined the IceDogs this off-season in a trade with the Sudbury Wolves for a conditional 2026 fourth-round pick (Saginaw), a conditional 2027 third-round pick (North Bay) and a conditional 2028 fifth-round pick.

鈥淎s an overager, it鈥檚 tough to find spots in the league,鈥� Van Vliet said. 鈥淓ach team only has three so I was definitely happy that I could find a spot to play this year. In the past, Niagara hasn鈥檛 been great but I was optimistic with a few of the trades they鈥檝e made in the offseason and I was looking forward to this year.鈥�

Boudreau couldn鈥檛 say enough about Van Vliet鈥檚 contributions.

鈥淚 don鈥檛 know what our team would look like without him to be honest,鈥� Boudreau said. 鈥淗e鈥檚 so important that sometimes you forget he鈥檚 there but he鈥檚 been such a mainstay back there logging almost 30 minutes a night every single game this year. It鈥檚 been incredible and sometimes you forget you have such a luxury back there and he鈥檚 been a great example as far as how to compete and play every single night.鈥�

Van Vliet admits it is a different role to be a leader.

鈥淲hen I first came in the league 鈥� it seems like it was yesterday 鈥� but I was on a bit of an older team so I got to learn from some great leaders back then. I鈥檝e worked on a bit of my leadership skills throughout the years and I鈥檓 proud to wear a letter for the team and try to be a bit more vocal on the ice. I鈥檓听a bit of a more quiet guy, I lead by example more than with my voice, but I think this year has helped me hone that skill.鈥�

The IceDogs are home to Sudbury Friday and Kitchener Saturday.

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