Is there a reason you continue to be antagonistic about this? Generally curious lol
half the posts on this site are related to the CHL vs US hockey development path feuding
we're going back to 2005 superiority wars. time to fetch my trident.
It's not a contest anymore now that they are merged. The best overall development path is CHL ages 17/18 and then NCAA 19/20/21 until you're ready to go straight to the NHL. WIth the true superstars going straight from CHL to NHL after being drafted or potentially playing draft year in NCAA and then straight to NHL.
Now, guys will be able to go both routes if they so choose. Some high end Ontario kid playing for the Don Mills Flyers U16 or U15 right now can go to the Kitchener Rangers or London Knights, play 2-3 years in the O, then go to Michigan for 1-2 years before turning pro. If they're good enough as a 16 and 17 year old and would rather not go through university, they can sign pro and do what CHLers have normally done. But most aren't elite enough to start in the NHL as an 18 or 19 year old, NCAA time will be beneficially for the vast majority of CHLers.
Yeah overall I think this is a massive win for the development of Canadian talent. It is a massive change for the CHL as a business...but that is what it is. Figure it out and adapt.
If the shoe you're alluding to is this supposed impending agreement between the CHL and NHL to allow for a free exchange between the CHL and AHL, that just feels like moving the goal posts.
In shambles over what? Getting the better players from Canada and the US now who wouldve not played in the CHL so they can go to college? Solidifying itself as the best junior pathway to college or pro hockey? What a tragedy for sure.
Think people underestimate impact of losing the best (oldest) players. Being a glorified GTHL is fine as far as being able to brag about players that passed through of course, but if CHL is largely just an NCAA Feeder being in the "best" NCAA Feeder is much less important compared to if you go back 20 years to being in the "best" NHL feeder. I know we post every single commitment in here which can overstate impact (there are 231 Minnesota born players playing NCAA Hockey this year, a few Minnesota kids have been posted signing with WHL teams, and now people say that means every single kid from Minnesota just wants to play WHL) but we're what about 5-6 years away from achieving pretty close symmetry between Canada/U.S. in terms of Junior-aged registered players. It's good for American "donut" kids that aren't good enough to make NTDP but too good to be playing AAA/HS Hockey when they're 16 to have more options, but USHL/traditional American development paths will likely still remain a perfectly viable path to play at a high level of college hockey (think how kids from ALLIANCE or HEO aren't rushing to move into GTHL in order to play in the 'best' OHL feeder), which appears heading full steam to being the premiere feeder league into the Pros now that elite CHL players are leaving early to play there before turning professional (despite one fraudulent insider saying that wouldn't happen and all players just wanted to sign ELCs as quick as possible).
Is that was @Bonin21 is saying, that the very elite prospects are going to go from the CHL to the AHL? Pretty sure he is saying
Riding around on buses in the AHL with grown men who have families is not a desirable place for 18 year olds to be vis a vis living in the dorms with kids who are the same age with you. And there is a very colorable argument that it is not a good place for them to develop either versus having more time in the NCAA to spend in the weight room. The only argument for the AHL is that it is a more mature, physical league. But so is the NCAA compared to the CHL, so there's no comparative advantage there either.
My guy the CHL wouldve been the best feeder league to the NCAA for 50 yrs just like it was to the NHL and pros if it wasnt for the stupid archaic ban put in place that entire time, do you not realize that? That decades experience of development isnt just going to up and disappear with older players leaving. The loss of older players to pros or any higher circuit is an inevitable part of any junior league regardless. The loss of these players will be offset by the continuous flow of younger guys who wouldve dodged the CHL circuit previously to retain D1 eligbility and high end import players who are looking to go to D1, the depth evens out one way or another. Youre trying to make it out as the CHL and Hockey Canada being the losers here when really theyre the big winners with the NCAA.
Eating soggy subs and riding the bus vs. being surrounded by smoking blonde puck bunnies every weekend. Ya...
Thats just your opinion and not factual. The CHL has been pumping kids to the NHL and all over pro for decades and not every kid is going to leave for college or pros right at 18-19. Ill take that evidence of the quality of hockey and development over an opinion.
Yeah the loss of some high end 19 year olds is in some part offset in that in the future players like Makar, Power, Fantilli, and Celebrini that would have all spent atleast some portion of their pre draft years playing in the CHL under the new rules.
Your "evidence" is completely moot as the entire structure of the league has now changed.
