About 10 weeks ago, the Kitchener Rangers of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) signed Michigan commit Adam Valentini for the upcoming season.
But on Monday, about a week before training camp starts, the Rangers announced Valentini would instead be spending the season with the Wolverines.
After the forward impressed with the Chicago Steel of the United States Hockey League (USHL) last season, Kitchener acquired him through a trade in the OHL draft. But according to a statement on Monday from Rangers general manager Mike McKenzie, Valentini’s agent notified the team that Valentini had revoked his commitment to the Rangers.
Valentini committed to Michigan last July, expected to join the Wolverines in the fall of 2026. He played out last season with the Steel, tallying 17 goals and 22 assists along the way. And after signing on with Kitchener, the 17-year-old has changed his mind by deciding to join the Wolverines a year early.
Valentini fills Michigan’s final roster spot for the upcoming season, solidifying another Wolverines roster filled with new faces — including plenty of other Canadian junior players.
And towards the end of the first offseason with Canadian Hockey League players eligible for college hockey, Valentini’s late exit from the Rangers is another sign that players, CHL teams and universities alike are all still figuring things out.
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