CHL/NCAA

[EvenSteven]

I think the worries about the league being watered down are over blown. The league still pushes out a couple dozen NHL picks every year. Even bad team have an NHL prospect or two. They'll attract more talent when the rules change and the concentration of talent will more or less be the same with 22 teams. Probably for 24 as well. The additional OA's and Imports shouldn't be needed.

Since the late 80’s, going from 1 OA to 3 OA’s and adding two imports helped allow this league to expand from 15 to 20 teams without much watering down.

Today, because of those additions, we have 60 players who previously wouldn’t have been in the league. Most of those 60 are among the top dozen or so players on the roster. Take those players away and what do you have? A watering down.

So if we were to balloon to 24 teams (85-90 new players), it stands to reason that rosters will be filled out in most cases by subpar players to what we have today. Adjust the rules, and you’d at least reduce the amount of subpar players.

 

[Otto]

Way off topic now, but I love the idea of adding Gatineau , Belleville, and the two USHL teams

 

[coolhandluc44]

Since the late 80’s, going from 1 OA to 3 OA’s and adding two imports helped allow this league to expand from 15 to 20 teams without much watering down.

Today, because of those additions, we have 60 players who previously wouldn’t have been in the league. Most of those 60 are among the top dozen or so players on the roster. Take those players away and what do you have? A watering down.

So if we were to balloon to 24 teams (85-90 new players), it stands to reason that rosters will be filled out in most cases by subpar players to what we have today. Adjust the rules, and you’d at least reduce the amount of subpar players.

I would propose that goalies do not count towards either the underage or overage limits. Canada needs to develop goalies and this would in theory allow more time develop although a small part nonetheless.

I read an article in The Athletic where it was mentioned that the league might consider moving the draft back a year. I dont like that concept. I would rather they increase the underage limit to 4 or 5. In theory the league should be able to keep those handful of Ontario kids that where not playing to keep their NCAA status and it should also attract more American players.

 

[ScoutLife4]

I'd personally like to see standardization between all 3 leagues in the CHL.
-fighting in all 3 leagues
-Same age for draft year in all 3 leagues.

I'm sure there is more that will come to my head that can improve as well.

 

[Kingpin794]

Since the late 80’s, going from 1 OA to 3 OA’s and adding two imports helped allow this league to expand from 15 to 20 teams without much watering down.

Today, because of those additions, we have 60 players who previously wouldn’t have been in the league. Most of those 60 are among the top dozen or so players on the roster. Take those players away and what do you have? A watering down.

So if we were to balloon to 24 teams (85-90 new players), it stands to reason that rosters will be filled out in most cases by subpar players to what we have today. Adjust the rules, and you’d at least reduce the amount of subpar players.

Well I can see your point but also a lot of those 85-90 new players are off in feeder leagues right now. USHL, BCHL, OJHL and so on. They are OHL quality. The OHL should get a decent portion of those players now. So it wouldn't be so much adding fringe 4th liners so much as finally attracting all the talent that's available.

 

[Savard18]

I think the worries about the league being watered down are over blown. The league still pushes out a couple dozen NHL picks every year. Even bad team have an NHL prospect or two. They'll attract more talent when the rules change and the concentration of talent will more or less be the same with 22 teams. Probably for 24 as well. The additional OA's and Imports shouldn't be needed.

I would slightly….slightly disagree with you here but I’d assume with NCAA kids coming over to the O it would be problem solved anyway.

 

[OMG67]

Bellevile Sens are only in Belleville until 2027.
The timing is perfect for OHL to return here with the 40M they have put into the rink its now a true OHL venue.

WOW. Cool. That would be great. Although, I still prefer the unrealistic option of Gatineau!

I was in Cornwall for the Exhibition game. Looks like they dumped a bit of money into the rink. New seats etc. I don’t think the rink as it stands now is suitable for the OHL but I could see a potential renovation project the blows out the South Side of the rink and adds some private boxes and more VIP style seating.

 

[Corso]

Well I can see your point but also a lot of those 85-90 new players are off in feeder leagues right now. USHL, BCHL, OJHL and so on. They are OHL quality. The OHL should get a decent portion of those players now. So it wouldn't be so much adding fringe 4th liners so much as finally attracting all the talent that's available.

If I were the OHL commissioner, I would be trying to find potential investors to buy out the Muskegon ownership group and move the team to Detroit and set up some type of affiliation with Little Ceasars and the Red Wings. I would definitely look at getting a team in Buffalo, preferably with some association with the Sabers and I would look at allowing Youngstown in with the intent of moving them to Columbus. Why? Because having NHL affiliations in the U.S. will go a loooooong way in raising the profile of your league in the U.S.
And yes, I would also approach the Steel (who are owned by the same company that owns the Blackhawks) and invite them into the league.

 

[Otto]

If I were the OHL commissioner, I would be trying to find potential investors to buy out the Muskegon ownership group and move the team to Detroit and set up some type of affiliation with Little Ceasars and the Red Wings. I would definitely look at getting a team in Buffalo, preferably with some association with the Sabers and I would look at allowing Youngstown in with the intent of moving them to Columbus. Why? Because having NHL affiliations in the U.S. will go a loooooong way in raising the profile of your league in the U.S.
And yes, I would also approach the Steel (who are owned by the same company that owns the Blackhawks) and invite them into the league.

It's an hour and a half from Erie to Youngstown... add another 2.5 hours to that trip if you want to go to Columbus. No way they go that deep south

 

[Kingpin794]

If I were the OHL commissioner, I would be trying to find potential investors to buy out the Muskegon ownership group and move the team to Detroit and set up some type of affiliation with Little Ceasars and the Red Wings. I would definitely look at getting a team in Buffalo, preferably with some association with the Sabers and I would look at allowing Youngstown in with the intent of moving them to Columbus. Why? Because having NHL affiliations in the U.S. will go a loooooong way in raising the profile of your league in the U.S.
And yes, I would also approach the Steel (who are owned by the same company that owns the Blackhawks) and invite them into the league.

All of that sounds like the exact wrong thing to do outside of get a team in Buffalo and there's no arena there right now for an OHL team. CHL thrives in those communities in the 50,000-100,000 range for the most part. Detroit metro isn't a junior hockey area. Its a wings town. Columbus? Zero chance anyone there wants to see OHL hockey not to mention there is no opponent that's close (by OHL standards). Chicago? Again, not a junior hockey market.

Muskegon and Youngstown already have a base and should latch onto the better form of junior hockey quickly. Much better to have teams hold in the small towns vs having teams in large metros that leave after 5 years.

 

[OSA]

Toledo would be another consideration.

Good building, strong fanbase.

OHL >>> ECHL

 

[OMG67]

Toledo would be another consideration.

Good building, strong fanbase.

OHL >>> ECHL

I have trumpeted the virtues of Toledo for quite some time but I doubt they manage to make that happen.

 

[donjohnson]

Detroit is a bad idea, it would be Missisauga/Brampton just in an American city. Plymouth Whalers had really good teams and only drew like 2500 fans a night on average.

 

[Corso]

All of that sounds like the exact wrong thing to do outside of get a team in Buffalo and there's no arena there right now for an OHL team. CHL thrives in those communities in the 50,000-100,000 range for the most part. Detroit metro isn't a junior hockey area. Its a wings town. Columbus? Zero chance anyone there wants to see OHL hockey not to mention there is no opponent that's close (by OHL standards). Chicago? Again, not a junior hockey market.

Muskegon and Youngstown already have a base and should latch onto the better form of junior hockey quickly. Much better to have teams hold in the small towns vs having teams in large metros that leave after 5 years.

Not sure I agree. Both Youngstown and Muskegon struggle attracting fans, and I'm not sure changing leagues would do all that much in drawing in more fans. I also don't believe either have the financial resources to compete, successfully, in the OHL. Moving to larger urban areas and associating with a NHL club would give them the media attention they would need to grow a fan base.

 

[frontsfan67]

I'd personally like to see standardization between all 3 leagues in the CHL.
-fighting in all 3 leagues
-Same age for draft year in all 3 leagues.

I'm sure there is more that will come to my head that can improve as well.

Absolutely. I have mentioned this a few times before but I will again- wish they would also have the ability to trade first round picks and 16 year old kids just how the WHL and Q has it.

Never made any sense to me that the O is the only one that can’t do that. Atleast the trading of the draft picks has to happen. Hopefully this new guy fixes it.

 

[frontsfan67]

WOW. Cool. That would be great. Although, I still prefer the unrealistic option of Gatineau!

I was in Cornwall for the Exhibition game. Looks like they dumped a bit of money into the rink. New seats etc. I don’t think the rink as it stands now is suitable for the OHL but I could see a potential renovation project the blows out the South Side of the rink and adds some private boxes and more VIP style seating.

I wonder if the OHL would put that Brampton team in Cornwall. Unless something drastic happens for Brampton like winning the championship and averaging 3000-4000 every night I think Cornwall would be a great option if the steelheads were to relocate once again.

Obviously just have to work on the arena and get that up to OHL standards