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Re: 2011-2012 UNH Wildcats
You've got some misconceptions. The average GPA on UNB's hockey team is between 3.0 and 3.5. Last season nine or ten of their players were Academic All-Canadians (3.5 GPA or higher). The CIS is a complement/partner to Major Junior - guys usually play their overage year (20) in Junior, then take their scholarship packages and arrive on campus as a 20 or 21 year old. Almost all of UNB's varsity athletes graduate (sorry, don't have the % for you). For every year of Major Junior hockey players get a year's tuition paid. Guaranteed. They don't even have to play hockey after Junior - still get the scholarship. Most former Juniors therefore have four years of scholarships. In addition to that the hockey program can give a certain number of Athletic Financial Awards up to the cost of tuition, and some players' Junior teams top up their education package to entice them to go the Major Junior route instead of CIS.
No one in Canada considers Major Junior to be pro or semi-pro hockey. The players get a little more meal or gas money than Junior A, really, that's the only real difference. So amateur to every governing body EXCEPT the NCAA. Sure, there may be some players who have signed NHL contracts and received signing bonuses playing along side the rest of the players, but they are the exception, not the rule.
The CIS, yes, is more flexible when it comes to true pros. UNB's Josh Kidd (who is hurt) did play in the AHL as a 20-year-old when he was still eligible to play Junior. He was cut the next season as a 21 year old. The CIS has a kind of "second-chance" rule for guys who turn pro right out of Junior -if you play say in the CHL or ECHL or AHL right out of Junior, and then a few months later by Christmas are regretting your decision, as long as you haven't turned 21 you can join a CIS team after Christmas, not have to sit out, and can still get your education package from Major Junior.
However, play a year or more of pro as a 21 year old or older and you have to sit out a year to regain your amateur status and lose a year of your five years of CIS eligibility. Since Josh Kidd played in the AHL as a 20-year old he didn't lose any eligibility.
As soon as you play a season and a half of minor pro after Junior you lose your entire education package from Major Junior. This is to encourage the Junior alum to actually go to school, and get the team and league off the hook for the financial obligation.
But yes, the CIS players are normally older than NCAA players. Apples and oranges.
Btw, UNB started the game with only 5 d-men (only 4 of whom are regulars), and had one tossed in the first period with that weird "facemask" call that doesn't exist in the CIS. That would have been a minor or double-minor for roughing in the CIS, and no game ejection. UNB is missing 8 forwards off their championship team, and a top recruit was concussed with a blindside hit in their first exhibition game, so up front they are very much a work in progress. Last season they were strong up front with only one rookie.
Originally posted by Greg Ambrose
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No one in Canada considers Major Junior to be pro or semi-pro hockey. The players get a little more meal or gas money than Junior A, really, that's the only real difference. So amateur to every governing body EXCEPT the NCAA. Sure, there may be some players who have signed NHL contracts and received signing bonuses playing along side the rest of the players, but they are the exception, not the rule.
The CIS, yes, is more flexible when it comes to true pros. UNB's Josh Kidd (who is hurt) did play in the AHL as a 20-year-old when he was still eligible to play Junior. He was cut the next season as a 21 year old. The CIS has a kind of "second-chance" rule for guys who turn pro right out of Junior -if you play say in the CHL or ECHL or AHL right out of Junior, and then a few months later by Christmas are regretting your decision, as long as you haven't turned 21 you can join a CIS team after Christmas, not have to sit out, and can still get your education package from Major Junior.
However, play a year or more of pro as a 21 year old or older and you have to sit out a year to regain your amateur status and lose a year of your five years of CIS eligibility. Since Josh Kidd played in the AHL as a 20-year old he didn't lose any eligibility.
As soon as you play a season and a half of minor pro after Junior you lose your entire education package from Major Junior. This is to encourage the Junior alum to actually go to school, and get the team and league off the hook for the financial obligation.
But yes, the CIS players are normally older than NCAA players. Apples and oranges.
Btw, UNB started the game with only 5 d-men (only 4 of whom are regulars), and had one tossed in the first period with that weird "facemask" call that doesn't exist in the CIS. That would have been a minor or double-minor for roughing in the CIS, and no game ejection. UNB is missing 8 forwards off their championship team, and a top recruit was concussed with a blindside hit in their first exhibition game, so up front they are very much a work in progress. Last season they were strong up front with only one rookie.
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