NCAA vs CHL battle for players

[4four4]

Re: NCAA vs CHL battle for players

The NCAA started this phony war with Canadian Major Juniors so many years ago, I believe we would be hard pressed to know when and how this nonsense all began.

Ask John Mariucci. He wanted to protect the USA player.

[aparch]

Re: NCAA vs CHL battle for players

The problem is kids are committing to colleges at 15 up to 6 years before they arrive on campus. When the kid develops at 17 or so, he realizes that he is an stud and can develop faster in the CHL.

So why, in heaven's name, are colleges tying up scholarships for 15 year olds? Better if they wait until 17 and see which way the kid is leaning. It's a lot less disruption.

Because at 17, the kid already has a year, or even two, under his belt in the CHL.

CHL is from 16 to 20 years old. Which covers both USHL/BCHL recruiting (16, 17) and NCAA (17, 18+). That's why scholarships are tied up already on 15 year olds.

I would think that a stud kid would want to go the NCAA route if he's looking for a paycheck. Play two years at the USHL level in High School, play a year in College, and move on to the AHL or NHL. NHL teams would love that because they could have stud kids develop in the AHL at 19 years of age.

What I'd like to see is that kids can leave the CHL at age 18 (or after two years of CHL play) and play NCAA hockey. After two years of CHL play, they're now considered pro, but not sooner. This would give a chance for kids to "correct their wrongs" or to change their minds if CHL isn't a fit. The CIS is made up of a lot of kids pressured into CHL play but never advanced beyond that.

Hell, I'd even open it up and allow the CHL. Are kids given per-diem's for a meal really considered pro-athletes?

[FreddyFoyle]

Re: NCAA vs CHL battle for players

For me the crux of the issue is the NCAA in their infinite wisdom somewhere along the line deciding that Junior 'A" hockey is "amateur" and Major Junior is "professional" hockey. No one in Canada sees that distinction (other that a couple of misinformed Toronto columnists). 'Lakerblue' pretty well lays out how little difference there when it comes to how player expenses are paid.

College Hockey Inc. needs to find a way to change or improve their message, echoed here, that only the NCAA is focused on education. Because that is BS. How many of those UND players in recent years who are now NHL players, or even stars, actually played their four years of eligibility? Any? As 'Jnacc' has pointed out, hundreds of CHL alumni are using their education packages to attend CIS schools ... and many of them aren't even playing hockey while there. But they're getting an education, on scholarship, and the CHL does a good job of communicating that to parents and players as 'Plan B' for when you don't get that NHL contract (which of course is most players in the real world).

CIS is not the same as NCAA hockey. Apples and oranges. The top tier CIS teams have rosters made up mostly of CHL alumni - using their education packages. So the average CIS player is a little older, a little more experienced, and most definitely not a "prospect". They've been scouted, sometimes drafted, but not signed, as so choose to go the CIS route instead of going directly to the minor pros. There were only two CIS players in the NHL last year: Joel Ward (University of Prince Edward Island) then with Nashville and now with Washington and Daryl Boyce (University of New Brunswick) with Toronto. The top CIS teams, like the UNB Varsity Reds, can compete with and beat Hockey East and ECAC teams. Yes, even teams like Boston College. Not often, but sometimes.

I love CIS hockey. I love NCAA hockey. The QMJHL Saint John Sea Dogs are the CHL champs and play just over an hour away, but I didn't attend any of their games - just watched them on TV. I was most interested in watching the Sea Dogs player who were rumoured to be recruited by UNB. Sadly, both signed AHL contracts so they won't be coming to Fredericton. If the NCAA could get off their high horses about professionalism then we could all watch CHL hockey and debate if a player will next play NCAA, CIS or pro hockey. But that's fantasy land, and as long as events stay as they are, the CIS will be the richer thanks to all of the CHL alumni coming to play varsity hockey.

Please don't change a thing NCAA!

[FlagDUDE08]

Re: NCAA vs CHL battle for players

One thing I think we're all forgetting is that anyone who is coming to the NCAA is first and foremost getting an education. Sports (even football and basketball, no matter how much ESPN tries to shove it down our throats) are secondary to the education. Last year we had this whole spat about how the students were one-and-done in college to go to the AHL. Obviously in those cases, they were probably better off going to Major Junior in the first place, but that'd be like any student that wanted to transfer colleges for whatever reason. Obviously for the Major Junior flops, there's always a Canadian college to receive an education. I realize that the NHL star that wants a four-year education (like Joé Juneau) is very rare these days, and it's sad to see sports first and education second, but I suppose that's the way the cookie crumbles.

[Shirtless Guy]

Re: NCAA vs CHL battle for players

For me the crux of the issue is the NCAA in their infinite wisdom somewhere along the line deciding that Junior 'A" hockey is "amateur" and Major Junior is "professional" hockey. No one in Canada sees that distinction (other that a couple of misinformed Toronto columnists). 'Lakerblue' pretty well lays out how little difference there when it comes to how player expenses are paid.

College Hockey Inc. needs to find a way to change or improve their message, echoed here, that only the NCAA is focused on education. Because that is BS. How many of those UND players in recent years who are now NHL players, or even stars, actually played their four years of eligibility? Any? As 'Jnacc' has pointed out, hundreds of CHL alumni are using their education packages to attend CIS schools ... and many of them aren't even playing hockey while there. But they're getting an education, on scholarship, and the CHL does a good job of communicating that to parents and players as 'Plan B' for when you don't get that NHL contract (which of course is most players in the real world).

CIS is not the same as NCAA hockey. Apples and oranges. The top tier CIS teams have rosters made up mostly of CHL alumni - using their education packages. So the average CIS player is a little older, a little more experienced, and most definitely not a "prospect". They've been scouted, sometimes drafted, but not signed, as so choose to go the CIS route instead of going directly to the minor pros. There were only two CIS players in the NHL last year: Joel Ward (University of Prince Edward Island) then with Nashville and now with Washington and Daryl Boyce (University of New Brunswick) with Toronto. The top CIS teams, like the UNB Varsity Reds, can compete with and beat Hockey East and ECAC teams. Yes, even teams like Boston College. Not often, but sometimes.

I love CIS hockey. I love NCAA hockey. The QMJHL Saint John Sea Dogs are the CHL champs and play just over an hour away, but I didn't attend any of their games - just watched them on TV. I was most interested in watching the Sea Dogs player who were rumoured to be recruited by UNB. Sadly, both signed AHL contracts so they won't be coming to Fredericton. If the NCAA could get off their high horses about professionalism then we could all watch CHL hockey and debate if a player will next play NCAA, CIS or pro hockey. But that's fantasy land, and as long as events stay as they are, the CIS will be the richer thanks to all of the CHL alumni coming to play varsity hockey.

Please don't change a thing NCAA!

I don't think you will ever see the NCAA allow a 20-21 year old CHL player to choose an NCAA school. Although it would be funny to get CHL players to come to an NCAA school on CHL scholarship As has been stated in this thread and others, what needs to change is the "profesional" status of players that choose the CHL at 16,17,18 and can never change their minds and go the NCAA route. Why should a kid like Kyle Turris have to choose the BCHL over the WHL? Granted he did...and he played at Wisconsin after...but is college hockey really better off with having Turris for one year? How can they claim to be serious about academics and allow a player to bolt after 1 season?

[aparch]

Re: NCAA vs CHL battle for players

...but is college hockey really better off with having Turris for one year? How can they claim to be serious about academics and allow a player to bolt after 1 season?

Crosby played two years with his QMJHL team. Kane played just ONE for his OHL team. How serious are these CHL teams in developing talent if they keep letting the NHL take their players after one year?

I think we all need to realize that the "top" talent, no matter which league they choose to play (NCAA/CHL) are NOT going to stay for their full four year commitment to either.