Around the League - 2023/24

[S E P H]

Ah, a bit more complicated than I initially thought.

Well, I'm all for increased player movement across any sport, any league so I still like it.

The junior system doesn't really matter to me in hindsight, but I hope we get more NCAA DI schools from a move like this.

 

[henchman21]

CHL pays players, but USHL and BCHL do not.

Now, junior players can play in the CHL, get paid, and then have the opportunity to play in a significant development league in the NCAA, getting a legit college degree at a decent university. This move helps smaller schools like Union, Lake Superior State, Bemidji State, Vermont, etc., which can now attract good CHL talent to continue their hockey journey.

USHL and BCHL teams will be considered a secondary option for the likes of players who are on non-USNTDP clubs. For example, why go to Youngstown Phantoms when a decent, talented player can go to Owen Sound, play against good competition, get money, and still keep his college commitment to Michigan State, you know? There are still roles, and the issue of being in the top 6 for a team like the Victoria Grizzlies is better than being in a bottom six role for the Vancouver Giants, but in terms of incentives, this is a win for the CHL because now they can become the major junior feeder system for the NCAA. CHL might lose players earlier, but there is a good chance that they will attract more top non-Canadian talent.

How the CHL handles its contracts will determine if they win or lose. For this. If they hold to 4 years, there will still be a draw to USHL and BCHL. If they bend down to 2, they'll lose a lot of older talent in an exodus. IMO 3 is the sweet spot... get a +1 year and then let the players move on to the NCAA.

As a side effect, CHL players will have more ammunition to force their spots. Instead of just not signing, they can threaten the NCAA route for a season or two, get paid, and force their situation a bit better. I'd expect Minnesota, Michigan and Penn State to be offering absurd money to guys if this comes to pass (and the visa/NIL deals get smoothed out as expected). A guy like Ritchie could probably earn 250-300k to wait out a year, play college puck, and then force the NHL team directly into the NHL.

 

[henchman21]

The junior system doesn't really matter to me in hindsight, but I hope we get more NCAA DI schools from a move like this.

I don't know if we will get more, but the lower end teams will have a much better path to contention. Augustana, Lindenwood, both Alaska teams, Bentley, Robert Morris, RIT etc have a much more viable path for talent.

 

[S E P H]

I don't know if we will get more, but the lower end teams will have a much better path to contention. Augustana, Lindenwood, both Alaska teams, Bentley, Robert Morris, RIT etc have a much more viable path for talent.

I wonder if this "unlocks" Simon Fraser for joining as well? They have an obsession with becoming a DI school.

 

[henchman21]

I wonder if this "unlocks" Simon Fraser for joining as well? They have an obsession with becoming a DI school.

I feel like they've been trying for 20 years now.

 

[McMetal]

Blues tender offer sheets to Oilers' Broberg and Holloway

St. Louis announced that the team has tendered offer sheets to defenceman Philip Broberg and forward Dylan Holloway.

www.sportsnet.ca

The Blues are trying to f*** over the Oilers. Grab your popcorn everybody.

I feel like Edmonton has to do anything and everything to keep Broberg. If they lose him, they just don't have the ammo or cap space to improve their defense before the McDavid era ends.

 

[Pokecheque]

Offer sheets should happen way more often than they do.

 

[tornadowarning33]

I wonder if this "unlocks" Simon Fraser for joining as well? They have an obsession with becoming a DI school.

It's been somewhat under the radar, but Tennessee State apparently has designs for bypassing the club/ACHA route and starting as an NCAA D1 program a year from now.

 

[Bill Peckerskull]

The purchaser is believed to be Doug Ostrover, co-founder and CEO of Blue Owl Capital, a very successful investment firm.

As part of the deal, current owner Jeff Vinik — enormously popular in the Tampa region for his work with the team — will retain full operational control of the organization for the next several years. He will continue to have a significant ownership stake as part of the new group.

 

[henchman21]

It's been somewhat under the radar, but Tennessee State apparently has designs for bypassing the club/ACHA route and starting as an NCAA D1 program a year from now.

The Preds are offering a bunch of help and I'd expect them to be D1 by the end of the decade... going to be ACHA to start though this fall. The long-term goal is both men's and women's D1 hockey.

 

[Bill Peckerskull]

 

[henchman21]

The word on this is Vinick will retain >50%, but is selling a large portion of the club. Then as the years progress this new group gets first refusal rights on any further sales (which will happen within 10 years). He's slowly stepping out of the game, Arctos in 2021 (they have minority shares in a few teams) and now this that sets a transition. It'll be a shame when he's all the way out, about as good of owner as you could possibly expect.

 

[Pokecheque]

The word on this is Vinick will retain >50%, but is selling a large portion of the club. Then as the years progress this new group gets first refusal rights on any further sales (which will happen within 10 years). He's slowly stepping out of the game, Arctos in 2021 (they have minority shares in a few teams) and now this that sets a transition. It'll be a shame when he's all the way out, about as good of owner as you could possibly expect.

Agreed. He did a marvelous job cleaning the the mess made by the previous ownership group.

 

[henchman21]

Agreed. He did a marvelous job cleaning the the mess made by the previous ownership group.

Yup... going to get a hefty return for it too (he'll probably 'retire' with ~25% of the team and still make 10x). One of my favorite factoids about Vinik is that there is one suite that Tampa has that most owners would sell season tickets for (15 prime seats). At >90% of the games, he sits in there... alone... to watch the game. Dude loves his team and any owner there has a massive shadow.

 

[Pierce Hawthorne]

Turning $170M to ~$2B in 15 years, pretty tidy work.


Wish I had a few hundred million lying around to buy the next struggling franchise. Watch the turnaround in Utah over the next few years now as well.

 

[dahrougem2]

One of the last few PxP guys I love. You just don't get voices that are unique and great at calling plays anymore. Most new guys sound the same.

 

[Bill Peckerskull]

One of the last few PxP guys I love. You just don't get voices that are unique and great at calling plays anymore. Most new guys sound the same.

I like Joe Beninati of the Caps as well. John Forslund of the Kraken, too.

 

[S E P H]

Forbes valued them at 1.25 billion, according to their latest organisational asset ranking.

Yup... going to get a hefty return for it too (he'll probably 'retire' with ~25% of the team and still make 10x). One of my favorite factoids about Vinik is that there is one suite that Tampa has that most owners would sell season tickets for (15 prime seats). At >90% of the games, he sits in there... alone... to watch the game. Dude loves his team and any owner there has a massive shadow.

Is there any chance you know why Vinik is leaving, and is this new owner good based on your info?

 

[Balthazar]

Trial of ex-Canadian world junior hockey players in sexual assault case set for September 2025​

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/london/trial-of-ex-canadian-world-junior-hockey-players-in-sexual-assault-case-set-for-september-2025-1.7293552?cmp=rss

13 more months before the trial begins...

 

[henchman21]

Is there any chance you know why Vinik is leaving, and is this new owner good based on your info?

I have nothing beyond speculation and chatter... which basically drills down to Vinik being ready to start retiring. Dude is in his 60s, already stepped down from his fund, and is even scaling back his real estate empire (still expanding, but the amount of projects he's undertaking has dwindled in the last couple years). Just seems he's ready to take a step back. Plus he's finally getting divorced after trying to make it work for years. Dude is probably just ready for a new chapter.

Ostrover is another hedge fund guy who is looking to get into the sports ownership world. No idea beyond that. I have doubts the Vinik would sell to somebody that doesn't care for the team or Tampa.... he's probably been the biggest supporter of the rejuvenation of the Tampa/St Pete area over the last ~15 years. The whole Water Street development is basically his brain childs and transformed the downtown of Tampa drastically.

 

[UnkleKraker]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1823342226144964858

Honestly wondering if both NCAA eligibility and CHL->AHL eligibility rules are about to come under fire in this new era. They seem a bit dinosauric to me in this free agent world.

 

[henchman21]

Honestly wondering if both NCAA eligibility and CHL->AHL eligibility rules are about to come under fire in this new era. They seem a bit dinosauric to me in this free agent world.

That agreement runs through June 30,2029... so that won't change until then.

 

[BrickNHL]

I wonder if this "unlocks" Simon Fraser for joining as well? They have an obsession with becoming a DI school.

I know somebody who wanted to go to Simon Fraser because it's a local school and had a scholarship opportunity for basketball with Simon Fraser being interested. Because of their obsession with the NCAA, he lost that chance because I guess with NCAA rules, they have less scholarships to give out so he would have had to be a walk on.

I feel like I haven't heard a single good thing about them being in the NCAA vs when they were with Canadian U Sports

 

[Bill Peckerskull]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1823823611142267034

 

[Pokecheque]

Trial of ex-Canadian world junior hockey players in sexual assault case set for September 2025​

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/london/trial-of-ex-canadian-world-junior-hockey-players-in-sexual-assault-case-set-for-september-2025-1.7293552?cmp=rss

13 more months before the trial begins...

Don't know why it's taking this long, especially since the authorities dragged their feet on this before they even bothered bringing charges. But I don't know how the criminal courts work in this particular case, let alone the fact that it's an entirely different country. A lot of people said beforehand it would be well into next year before the trial starts so this comes as no surprise.