How to get a tryout as a European in the CHL?

[canuckster19]

My godson is a dominating physical specimen, 6'4, 220 at only the age of 17. Plays defence, and I'm afraid the European style is stifling his gifts, he's not being encouraged to be physical and his teammates and opponents are taking advantage of this. He's also always been the top scoring dman on his team and has always been playing with the agegroup above him because of his size. I want him to go to Canada and learn our game (yes I'm Canadian living in Sweden), because IMO that's his best chance of making it. I've suggested this to him and his parents before but I've been negged at the thought of it. I was hoping maybe I could make a call on his behalf to a team or two, or if there was some other way I could get him noticed? I feel like if I could make a more compelling pitch to him and his parents that maybe they would go for it but I need help and suggestions on how to accomplish this.

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[hockeyguy0022]

Play midget AAA in Canada somewhere, the Euro draft for the CHL is 18 years old (adult age). However, nothing technically stopping him from playing a lower level (you can play midget AAA as a 17 year old) Would be good, as he's older, but will get lots of physicality.

I would suggest SMAAAHL (Saskatchewan). It's the top, or top 3 leagues, nearly 50% of the last national champions. Large MACS tournament success etc.. It's basically a junior league, and likely one of the most physical.

Will get LOTS of eyes/scouts on him.

I probably wouldn't drop him into any of the western Junior A leagues...BCHL produces most NCAA commits, but it's a lot of family $$$ talking and isn't any better then alberta/sask. You're also playing against seasoned 18-20YO.

I would heavily suggest Midget AAA for a year as a 17 YO euro aiming to get drafted in the CHL draft.

 

[canuckster19]

Play midget AAA in Canada somewhere, the Euro draft for the CHL is 18 years old (adult age). However, nothing technically stopping him from playing a lower level (you can play midget AAA as a 17 year old) Would be good, as he's older, but will get lots of physicality.

I would suggest SMAAAHL (Saskatchewan). It's the top, or top 3 leagues, nearly 50% of the last national champions. Large MACS tournament success etc.. It's basically a junior league, and likely one of the most physical.

Will get LOTS of eyes/scouts on him.

I probably wouldn't drop him into any of the western Junior A leagues...BCHL produces most NCAA commits, but it's a lot of family $$$ talking and isn't any better then alberta/sask. You're also playing against seasoned 18-20YO.

I would heavily suggest Midget AAA for a year as a 17 YO euro aiming to get drafted in the CHL draft.

He'll be 18 by the time the 22-23 season starts, he turns 18 in April. Will he be eligible for the 2022 Euro draft?

I doubt he'll get drafted to the NHL next summer.

 

[hockeyguy0022]

He'll be 18 by the time the 22-23 season starts, he turns 18 in April. Will he be eligible for the 2022 Euro draft?

I doubt he'll get drafted to the NHL next summer.

Then the CHL Euro draft is the thing to look out for. You could send highlight videos to CHL teams, much like players.

Otherwise, any top 5 "Junior A" league is great. BCHL,SJHL, AJHL, Ontario etc..

Send highlights and tell them he's interested etc.. Market him like NCAA players do to schools.

He's now lined up to either go NCAA Div 1 if he's good enough, or whatever.

 

[Box Score Watcher]

He'll be 18 by the time the 22-23 season starts, he turns 18 in April. Will he be eligible for the 2022 Euro draft?

I doubt he'll get drafted to the NHL next summer.

What league is he currently playing in in Sweden? If he’s dominating like you say at the highest possible level, CHL scouts already know who he is and would have likely talked to him to gauge his interest in coming to Canada next season

 

[canuckster19]

What league is he currently playing in in Sweden? If he’s dominating like you say at the highest possible level, CHL scouts already know who he is and would have likely talked to him to gauge his interest in coming to Canada next season

He's currently playing in a tier 3 mens team as a 17 year old.

 

[Box Score Watcher]

He's currently playing in a tier 3 mens team as a 17 year old.

I’m not very familiar with the different tiers. Is this league he is in a league that CHL teams typically scout and pull players from? If it is not, I would recommend getting him in to a league that seems to produce players that CHL teams covet.

 

[J bo Jeans]

Play midget AAA in Canada somewhere, the Euro draft for the CHL is 18 years old (adult age). However, nothing technically stopping him from playing a lower level (you can play midget AAA as a 17 year old) Would be good, as he's older, but will get lots of physicality.

I would suggest SMAAAHL (Saskatchewan). It's the top, or top 3 leagues, nearly 50% of the last national champions. Large MACS tournament success etc.. It's basically a junior league, and likely one of the most physical.

Will get LOTS of eyes/scouts on him.

I probably wouldn't drop him into any of the western Junior A leagues...BCHL produces most NCAA commits, but it's a lot of family $$$ talking and isn't any better then alberta/sask. You're also playing against seasoned 18-20YO.

I would heavily suggest Midget AAA for a year as a 17 YO euro aiming to get drafted in the CHL draft.

BCHL isnt any better than Alberta or Sask? The SJHL is basically a glorified jr B league. The AJHL is better than sask but not as good as the BCHL. Kids from all over Canada go to play in the BCHL cause its the best Jr A league in Canada and produces the most NCAA commits.

 

[hockeyguy0022]

BCHL isnt any better than Alberta or Sask? The SJHL is basically a glorified jr B league. The AJHL is better than sask but not as good as the BCHL. Kids from all over Canada go to play in the BCHL cause its the best Jr A league in Canada and produces the most NCAA commits.

That's just because of lower mainland money... no other reason. They just like to look superior.

Just BCHL parent hype to get better NCAA commits/scholarships.

I'm not saying there's anything wrong with that, don't get me wrong. It all just has nothing to do with the quality of hockey.

Like, almost over 50% of the last MAAA winners/finalists in the last 20 years come from the SMAAAHL.... which supplies nearly 80% of the SJ players, and I'm sure its 60-70% for the MACS tournament for medal winners.

It's simply not reality, like I said. The talent pool is simply too high overall to make a statement like the BCHL is superior just because of NCAA commits. Means nothing, means people have money.

Once again, nothing wrong with that/wanting that. but it's not hockey related.

 

[J bo Jeans]

That's just because of lower mainland money... no other reason. They just like to look superior.

Just BCHL parent hype to get better NCAA commits/scholarships.

I'm not saying there's anything wrong with that, don't get me wrong. It all just has nothing to do with the quality of hockey.

Like, almost over 50% of the last MAAA winners/finalists in the last 20 years come from the SMAAAHL.... which supplies nearly 80% of the SJ players, and I'm sure its 60-70% for the MACS tournament for medal winners.

It's simply not reality, like I said. The talent pool is simply too high overall to make a statement like the BCHL is superior just because of NCAA commits. Means nothing, means people have money.

Once again, nothing wrong with that/wanting that. but it's not hockey related.

You know the truly elite hockey players dont play minor hockey after minor midget AAA?
There are zero current NHL players from the SJHL. There are 31 players from the BCHL. The SJ for the player it pool it draws from is an excellent league. But if youre not biased its not hard to see that the BCHL is better, as well as the AJHL, OJHL and CCHL. They just have far bigger talent pools.

 

[hockeyguy0022]

You know the truly elite hockey players dont play minor hockey after minor midget AAA?
There are zero current NHL players from the SJHL. There are 31 players from the BCHL. The SJ for the player it pool it draws from is an excellent league. But if youre not biased its not hard to see that the BCHL is better, as well as the AJHL, OJHL and CCHL. They just have far bigger talent pools.

Because there is no minor midget in Sask....

You don't even know how it works. BC has like 5X the people and a ton more money!

Your points are correct, I'm 100% with you there, but don't have any bearing on the entire league/quality of hockey as a whole. It's simply more $$$ and population for these reasons.

I'm not saying it's one of the top 3 or anything crazy, it is, but it's about 5% of that reputation and the other 95% is marketing hype for rich people.

I mean, this coming from lots of friends/teammates who played in BOTH leagues over the last 15 years, many of which went to NCAA from both leagues. They won't say there's any difference aside from what you pointed out.

 

[wings5]

My godson is a dominating physical specimen, 6'4, 220 at only the age of 17. Plays defence, and I'm afraid the European style is stifling his gifts, he's not being encouraged to be physical and his teammates and opponents are taking advantage of this. He's also always been the top scoring dman on his team and has always been playing with the agegroup above him because of his size. I want him to go to Canada and learn our game (yes I'm Canadian living in Sweden), because IMO that's his best chance of making it. I've suggested this to him and his parents before but I've been negged at the thought of it. I was hoping maybe I could make a call on his behalf to a team or two, or if there was some other way I could get him noticed? I feel like if I could make a more compelling pitch to him and his parents that maybe they would go for it but I need help and suggestions on how to accomplish this.

He can contact a Jr.A team in Canada for a tryout, he can still try without one but it will help tremendously if he has a recent short highlight tape ready. If you or his parents can go out, film and make one for him his chances will increase tremendously. At his age I assume he's an 04. I would suggest contacting teams in the BCHL, AJHL, OJHL, CCHL. In the US he can contact teams in the NAHL, after this a CHL team can give him a look if he's good or he can go NCAA after playing Jr.A . Good luck !

 

[Scout91]

He can contact a Jr.A team in Canada for a tryout, he can still try without one but it will help tremendously if he has a recent short highlight tape ready. If you or his parents can go out, film and make one for him his chances will increase tremendously. At his age I assume he's an 04. I would suggest contacting teams in the BCHL, AJHL, OJHL, CCHL. In the US he can contact teams in the NAHL, after this a CHL team can give him a look if he's good or he can go NCAA after playing Jr.A . Good luck !

If the kid doesn't have North American citizenship, he can't play Jr. A hockey in Canada.

 

[Strummer53]

Simple. Find an agency to represent him and make contacts because that is basically how the chl import draft works (scouts/agency contacting find about who they got).
If he is good enough and/or the agency is good enough, he will get selected... especially if he's up front about reporting to whatever team drafts him.