Help Me Choose a CHL Team!

[akacesfan]

Hello, hello! After playing with the CHL in NHL 13, I'm actually interested in following the league, mainly because I want to see future prospects before they come crashing into the NHL. I want to keep the post fairly short, so I guess these are just a couple things to keep in mind to (hopefully) help you make an argument for your team.

1. Future Leafs

As a Leaf fan, I want to be able to root for our future prospects, so that's a plus. On the flip side, if a team is loaded with Montreal, Boston, or Ottawa prospects, I won't be happy. I'll root for them anyways, but I won't feel good about it if I'm basically rooting for a guy who is soon to become our enemy. The star attraction shouldn't become a future Hab/Bruin/Senator. It won't work.

2. Time Zone

This is a big factor, unfortunately. Since I live in Alaska, I'm four hours behind EST and five hours behind AST. I would be willing to make an effort to watch them, but it would definitely be nice if the team I'm rooting for is fairly close by.

3. Style of Play

This is pretty simple. I don't want to root for a team reliant on finesse. I've always rooted for teams that are known for being tough and nasty (such as UAA, the Leafs, etc.). I wouldn't have it any other way.

4. Is the team good?

This is also pretty simple. I'm a fan of UAA hockey. They only won four games last year, and I don't want to suffer through something similar. Please don't give me a team that's the CHL's equivalent of them. I don't necessarily care if the team is a championship contender or not, I just don't want the team to be extremely bad.

5. Fanbase

The last thing I care about is the fanbase. If the fanbase is nonexistent or weak, I'm going to have a very hard time rooting for them. The more passionate the fanbase, the better.


Thanks for the help, seriously. I really want to pick a team, but I just don't want to pick one, as I feel like I would make a poor, uninformed decision. I'm hoping that someone here can make a case/argument to recruit a new fan. I really want to get into the CHL, but I don't know where to start, and this is one way that I'm hoping I can find a place to do so.

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[nosl]

Les Troupes

Start fresh with a new team. The North Bay Battalion of the OHL.

I'm just starting to get acquainted with them, but the team is starting to play in a new home this fall in North Bay, in Northern Ontario (situated in the Eastern time zone). The community of about 60 000 sold 2000 season's tickets for this team in less than week. I can assure you "Les Troupes" are the talk of the town.

The Battalion were middle of the pack last year finishing 4th in the Eastern conference (of ten teams).

I can't predict who the star attraction will play for, nor can I really explain the style of play (again, new team starting to play here) but if I was to recommend you a team to root for, start fresh with with basically a new team in a tradition filled market place.

Here's a little montage that I put together a few months ago that gives a synopsis of what's happened here. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZWd2FkhnUf0

Anyway, hope that helps in your selection process.

 

[johnnydrum]

Hello...
Well, I tune into the CHL from the UK, and have followed several teams:
These were the ones I spent many late nights listening into, and always provided tons of entertainment.
I may be way off base with my assesment of the teams, I am simply conveying my own thoughts, as a "far away fan", on the teams I enjoyed last year.

Sarnia: OHL....Tremendous fun in the Yakupov and Galchenyuk days, but played a more solid overall game last year. Always "something going on" within the organization, always plenty of bad blood between its rivals, and the most comical involved fan base in the league...not sure what the Sting will be like next year, but I imagine there will be some drama....and well worth listing into.

Soo: OHL....Bunch of real "cheeky moneys", who just somehow rub everyone up the wrong way. With dynamic, super skilled Sergei Tolchinsky returning and the continued emergence of Darnell Nurse, the Soo can beat you with both slippery skill and some serious snarl....bunch of bloody rascals...lol...but always entertaining!

Windsor: OHL....Everything that could have went wrong last year, really did go wrong.
Firstly there was the "botched" import draft, a plague of injuries, and poor starts; so although the Spitfires may not be contenders next year, they could be on a quick route to return to the playoffs.
Expect them to make a push for one of the top prestige Imports, and expect a stronger season from the electrifying Josh Hoo-Sang.
Windsor despite its shortcomings, always seems like im following an NHL team.
They just have a element of prestige.

Seattle: WHL...If you like your hockey "rough", then the Dub is the place to be, and I expect the T-Birds, who finally made the playoffs last year, to be stronger in 2013-14
Super prospect Martin Barzal will make his WHL debut, so it could be interesting to follow this already gritty team, as well as young Barzals career.
If you like the underdog, that has considerable size, the emergence of Latvian Roberts Lipsbergs last year, as well as Barzals debut, then the T Birds could be your team.

 

[NTDP]

Based on your location, your best bet is to follow the WHL. Know as a tough league that produces some of the best defensive prospects evey year. My favorite team in the entire CHL is the Plymouth whalers of the ohl. There are many teams that are likable, as some have great arenas with wide fan bases. I've heard people say that when attending out of market CHL games it's almost hard to root against the home team. I guess that's the magic of small town junior hockey. My favorite whl team however, is the Brandon Wheat Kings. This team bleeds small town Canada. (as does other teams like Swift Current) The whole city of Brandon, Manitoba gets behind the team and since the 2010 mem cup I have followed them in the dub. They will be good again soon, they did very well in the bantam draft selecting Kale Clague, who should be a stud defensively soon. They got another top pick in the recent draft as well..forgot who it was though.

On a side note, whl live has the best video quality out of the 3 leagues so if your looking to watch games online, (which is the best way to follow it if your not from an area that has a team) this league is the best for it as of now. But yeah I'd say follow the Wheaties of Brandon, Manitoba. Always been a fan of their white jerseys as well. Good Luck!

 

[akacesfan]

At this point, I've narrowed it down to three teams, all from the WHL.

1. Seattle
2. Everett
3. Tri-City

 

[Loosie]

Hello, hello! After playing with the CHL in NHL 13, I'm actually interested in following the league, mainly because I want to see future prospects before they come crashing into the NHL. I want to keep the post fairly short, so I guess these are just a couple things to keep in mind to (hopefully) help you make an argument for your team.

1. Future Leafs

As a Leaf fan, I want to be able to root for our future prospects, so that's a plus. On the flip side, if a team is loaded with Montreal, Boston, or Ottawa prospects, I won't be happy. I'll root for them anyways, but I won't feel good about it if I'm basically rooting for a guy who is soon to become our enemy. The star attraction shouldn't become a future Hab/Bruin/Senator. It won't work.

This really should not be a priority when picking a junior team. Most teams are likely only to have a handful of drafted players. Also it is very unlikely for one junior team to be 'loaded' with prospects from one NHL team. Also you would be changing your allegences regularly.

If you are wanting to keep an eye on Leafs prospects I would suggest just keeping an eye on the teams they play for whil still cheering for 'your team'.

Morgan Reilly played for the Moose Jaw Warriors but he's un;ike;y to return as I believe he is eligible for the AHL next year.

 

[12Gage09]

London Knights are the class of the OHL. they draft A LOT of current and future NHLers. Nazem Kadri/Dave Bolland(Leafs) played for the Knights. Knights are very skilled with twins who are known to fight and aggitate the other team. They have been around 50 wins out of 82 games for the last several seasons. Back2Back OHL champs and will make a 3rd Memorial Cup championship tournament in a row this year. Fan base is very passionate. 9,000 seat building is full every night