When Tomas Mrsic makes the jump from Prince Albert in the WHL to Colorado College in the NCAA, at least he鈥檒l see a familiar face.
His older brother, Mateo, is also entering his first year at Colorado.
Tomas Mrsic, the Blues鈥 fourth-round pick in 2024, is one of the many hockey players benefiting from a rule that now allows Canadian junior hockey players to transfer to American colleges and become eligible. Previously, the NCAA viewed the CHL as a professional league because it had players who already had signed NHL contracts.
With the rule change, there鈥檚 an entirely different development path available to teenage prospects.
鈥淥bviously, it was a tough decision, but for me, I need to put on strength,鈥 said the 6-foot, 170-pound Mrsic. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 better playing less games, working out Monday through Thursday. It鈥檚 going to get me more physically ready. That鈥檚 what I need to work on, so I went that way. ... My brother was already going to Colorado College, so that was kind of a benefit for me.鈥
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Mateo committed to Colorado College a couple of years ago, Tomas said, having only played in the lower BCHL in Canada. Despite being 18 months younger than Mateo, Tomas will enter as a freshman with his brother. They鈥檝e never played a full season together, but Mateo鈥檚 previous commitment meant Tomas only visited Colorado College before deciding to transfer.
Mrsic is the only Blues prospect with junior eligibility who transferred from the CHL to the NCAA. This summer鈥檚 first-round pick Justin Carbonneau chose to return to the QMJHL instead of attending Boston College. Defenseman Matthew Mayich (2023 sixth-round pick) will play at Clarkson in the fall after four years in the OHL with Ottawa, though it鈥檚 still unclear whether the Blues still own his rights given his change of development path.
Each path has its benefits.
In college, it鈥檚 a quieter schedule. Colorado College is scheduled to play 34 regular-season games in 2025-26 and many times just two games a week during a Friday-Saturday set. That allows for more time working on individual skills during practice and more time in the weight room getting stronger.
The WHL plays 68 regular-season games, which provides an easier bridge to an 82-game regular-season schedule in the NHL.
The NCAA Tournament is a single-elimination, 16-team bracket. Canadian junior hockey has playoffs like the NHL: four best-of-seven series.
Most college teams fly to many away games, the product of national schedules that waves goodbye to the lengthy bus rides that were common for Mrsic in the WHL. Of course, there鈥檚 also the added bells and whistles in college of nicer facilities and readily available meals.
But junior players are able to play in the prospect tournament in September, attend NHL training camp, play preseason games and even vie for an outside spot on the roster.
鈥淥bviously, it鈥檚 changed the landscape of junior hockey and college hockey,鈥 Blues assistant general manager Tim Taylor said. 鈥淎t the same time, this is our stance on it as an organization: We will never tell our draft picks or one of our prospects where they have to go or what they have to do. This is 100% their decision with their parents and their agent.
鈥淲e鈥檒l support whatever decision they make, but we will not make that decision for them. Schools are calling us about different players, and we just direct them right back to their agent. Once they make their own decision, we鈥檒l support that decision 100%.鈥
Mrsic will arrive in Colorado as a player with a ton of confidence. Last season in Prince Albert, he had 33 goals and 57 assists, a 90-point output that ranked 11th in the WHL. It was a 28-point improvement from his 62 points in 2023-24.
鈥淚 think I grew on my offensive game,鈥 Mrsic said. 鈥淥bviously put up some good numbers. My defensive zone, worked with the 最新杏吧原创 development guys (like Chris Thorburn) on that. Just the basics, getting pucks out, being solid in the defensive zone and reliable.鈥
Taylor said Mrsic battled migraines previously, but even in his draft year, the Blues 鈥渁mateur scouts really liked his hands, he was always in on plays.鈥
鈥淗e鈥檚 got a good stick, especially in tight, he could make quick plays,鈥 Taylor said. 鈥淭hey knew he had the scoring touch, and he had a really good year. It鈥檚 going to be a good challenge for him going to play against a little bit older competition now at Colorado College.鈥
最新杏吧原创 Blues general manager Doug Armstrong speaks with the media on Friday, June 27, 2025, after the first day of the NHL draft. (Video courtesy 最新杏吧原创 Blues)
