Toews Shuns WHL

[Tipped Off]

Center Jonathan Toews, the first-overall pick in the 2003 Bantam Draft by the Tri-City Americans, has apparently spurned the WHL. Toews, a native of Winnipeg, Manitoba, who attends high school in Minnesota, made a verbal commitment to attend the University of North Dakota. Toews is the first No. 1 bantam pick to shun the WHL

 

[mymkovski]

He's shunning the WHL by making a committment to UND?

I think that's called making a decision.

And that's of personal preference. I don't see it as shunning the WHL. He expressed desire to play NCAA hockey. His decision.

 

[Jason MacIsaac]

Good....He will be the next UND drafted by the Devils

 

[ZombieMatt]

Tough break for Tri City.

 

[Mess]

Tough break for Tri City.

Yah too bad for them .. Oh well I guess that is their problem

 

[MontrealSF]

If there is a team in the CHL that I never hear about, it's the Tri-City Americans.

(And the Seginaw Spirit and Everett Silvertips..)

 

[Vinland]

He's shunning the WHL by making a committment to UND?

I think that's called making a decision.

And that's of personal preference. I don't see it as shunning the WHL. He expressed desire to play NCAA hockey. His decision.

You could say he shunned the WHL or he/his family outright lied to Tri city when they promised he would play there before he was picked.
Not off to the classiest start.

 

[WADEugottaBELAKthat]

If there is a team in the CHL that I never hear about, it's the Tri-City Americans.

(And the Seginaw Spirit and Everett Silvertips..)

Then I guess if there's an NHL player you've never heard of its Daymond Lankow (Scott Gomez, Olaf Kolzig)

 

[mymkovski]

You could say he shunned the WHL or he/his family outright lied to Tri city when they promised he would play there before he was picked.
Not off to the classiest start.

I wasn't aware of it. I stand corrected if that's true.

 

[VOB]

You could say he shunned the WHL or he/his family outright lied to Tri city when they promised he would play there before he was picked.
Not off to the classiest start.

Blame Mom and to a lesser extent Dad. Word is that he wanted to play for the Ams this year but mommy said no because they wanted him closer to home. Was put under a lot of pressure by both his parents and the coaching staff at Shattuck.

He will do fine in North Dokata though.

 

[Jovo Cop]

Sounds like another Lindros in the making ....cant these guys cut the apron strings ..ever.

 

[gb701]

I love how so many complete strangers can know exactly what goes on between a family and a team, and within a family, and judge someone else's decision.

Good for the kid for having the ability and success on and off of the ice to create options for himself, congrats on making a decision that I am sure he thinks is in his best interest, and congrats to North Dakota for attracting another star level talent into a great programme. I am sure the Ams management understand their business well enough to handle the pain.

 

[Jason MacIsaac]

Sounds like another Lindros in the making ....cant these guys cut the apron strings ..ever.

Nope, he is allready smarter then Lindros....this kid wan't an education to fall back on if hockey doesn't work. I would never play in the CHL if UND wanted me. No diss to the CHL but education is more important then hockey.

 

[God Bless Canada]

Difference between this kid and Lindros is Eric Lindros got drafted into the OHL, didn't like the team that drafted him, and demanded to go elsewhere in the OHL. This kid decided to pass up the chance to play a starring role in the Dub, so that he can get a collegiate education while playing at a high level of hockey.

The real problem in this situation is the hypocracy of the NCAA. If a kid plays one game of Canadian Major Junior hockey, he forfeits a season of NCAA eligibility. If he plays a certain number of major junior games, he's ineligible to play in the NCAA, period.

Yet, players can play all they want in the USHL - which labels itself as a major junior US league, even though some Canadian Junior A leagues are better - and not lose their eligibility. That is the true problem with this issue. Toews chose education and hockey over the WHL. Why can't he have both?

But hey, we could talk all day about the hypocritical rules that exist in the NCAA.

 

[Jason MacIsaac]

Difference between this kid and Lindros is Eric Lindros got drafted into the OHL, didn't like the team that drafted him, and demanded to go elsewhere in the OHL. This kid decided to pass up the chance to play a starring role in the Dub, so that he can get a collegiate education while playing at a high level of hockey.

The real problem in this situation is the hypocracy of the NCAA. If a kid plays one game of Canadian Major Junior hockey, he forfeits a season of NCAA eligibility. If he plays a certain number of major junior games, he's ineligible to play in the NCAA, period.

Yet, players can play all they want in the USHL - which labels itself as a major junior US league, even though some Canadian Junior A leagues are better - and not lose their eligibility. That is the true problem with this issue. Toews chose education and hockey over the WHL. Why can't he have both?

But hey, we could talk all day about the hypocritical rules that exist in the NCAA.

I was talking about this the other day. Kids in Nova Scotia have to get into a prep school or they are basicly forced to play Ontario junior A or QMJHL. The Maritime junior A system is pretty poor so most prospects make the junp right from Midgett AAA to the QMJHL because they do have to continue their development. This basicly takes away their chance to play NCAA unles they are really special. Its a sad rule that the CHL has.

 

[Roughneck]

This basicly takes away their chance to play NCAA unles they are really special. Its a sad rule that the CHL has.

Its not a CHL rule, its a NCAA rule.

The CHL also pays for university for CHL players if they chose not to pursue a professional career.

 

[Jason MacIsaac]

Its not a CHL rule, its a NCAA rule.

The CHL also pays for university for CHL players if they chose not to pursue a professional career.

If the CHL didn't give out that stupid 50 dollars a week allowence then NCAA would allow them to play. From what I was told NCAA considered CHL to be a semi pro league.

CHL will pay for university (in canada) but that will just take up an additional 4 years of your life. Why not get an education while playing.

 

[nomorekids]

correct. it's that "allowance" that the NCAA considers payment, therefore making anyone playing in the CHL a "professional." There's no such allowance in the USHL...and I don't believe there's one in the lesser provincial leagues(BCHL, etc) which is why you see a lot of college-bound kids coming out of there(Zajac, Chucko, etc) when they probably could have and should have been in a higher league.

 

[Canadian Chris]

The BCHL, AJHL, and SJHL all pay their top players...it's just all under the table.

In the BCHL, Chilliwack, Surrey, Naniamo, Vernon and Salmon Arm - ie - your teams that are always near or at the top and challenging for the league championship pay their players. It is not "common" fact, but I've had 4 friends play 4 years in the BCHL, and each case they recieved what would be considered a "weekly allowance" which raelly is no different than what the WHL does...they just don't hide it...

Personally, I think what the NCAA does it stupid, but it's not in my control to make those decisions, nor is it in my control for the CHL to limit the # of Americans playing....and that's enough of my rant.

 

[nomorekids]

The BCHL, AJHL, and SJHL all pay their top players...it's just all under the table.

In the BCHL, Chilliwack, Surrey, Naniamo, Vernon and Salmon Arm - ie - your teams that are always near or at the top and challenging for the league championship pay their players. It is not "common" fact, but I've had 4 friends play 4 years in the BCHL, and each case they recieved what would be considered a "weekly allowance" which raelly is no different than what the WHL does...they just don't hide it...

Personally, I think what the NCAA does it stupid, but it's not in my control to make those decisions, nor is it in my control for the CHL to limit the # of Americans playing....and that's enough of my rant.

In theory I agree...but I think it's just for consistency. In other sports..it's the same thing. There was a story about some kid, a while back, that played for some low level minor league baseball team for half a season straight out of high school...and then went to college. He later tried out for and made the baseball team...and was kicked off when it came to light that he had once been a "professional" baseball player. I see where they're coming from, though I wish there were a different system.

 

[VOB]

If the CHL didn't give out that stupid 50 dollars a week allowence then NCAA would allow them to play. From what I was told NCAA considered CHL to be a semi pro league.

CHL will pay for university (in canada) but that will just take up an additional 4 years of your life. Why not get an education while playing.

The NCAA considers CHL players pros not because of the stipend they receive but because CHL teams have signed NHL players on their rosters.

As for taking up an additional four years of your life, what do you think they are doing in the NCAA?!? Not every kid can play college hockey at 17 ( and the ones that do have had mixed success, see Pineault) and many college freshmen are 20 years of age today, same as a former CHL player going on to play in the CIS.

 

[Fedz]

The BCHL, AJHL, and SJHL all pay their top players...it's just all under the table.

Just ask G Sebastien Nolet of the Naniamo Clippers how he enjoys his $2,000 a month and rental car. New one every month too.

 

[Jason MacIsaac]

The NCAA considers CHL players pros not because of the stipend they receive but because CHL teams have signed NHL players on their rosters.

As for taking up an additional four years of your life, what do you think they are doing in the NCAA?!? Not every kid can play college hockey at 17 ( and the ones that do have had mixed success, see Pineault) and many college freshmen are 20 years of age today, same as a former CHL player going on to play in the CIS.

It would be the age of 21 they would be entering college and they would be 25 comming out of college. I know I wouldn't want that. I will be done at 20/21 depending how many courses I take. Who cares if a player is signed in the CHL....if the player who wants to go the college route isn't signed then it makes no difference.

 

[gb701]

It would be the age of 21 they would be entering college and they would be 25 comming out of college. I know I wouldn't want that. I will be done at 20/21 depending how many courses I take. Who cares if a player is signed in the CHL....if the player who wants to go the college route isn't signed then it makes no difference.

There are actually a large number of CHL players already doing their college starting at 20/21 depending on birthdays, so it would not be that big of a deal if they could have a second option, but as someone else said it is not going to happen regardless because of both the NHL contracts that are involved, and the stipends/allowances. Lots of people start University after working for a year or two, or travelling, or whatever, so you might change your mind when you get there.

 

[gb701]

The BCHL, AJHL, and SJHL all pay their top players...it's just all under the table.

Hogwash...pure and simple.

There are teams (at least in Alberta and Saskatchewan where I have been involved) who pay very small amounts as living allowances to help out the older players who would otherwise be working...more teams have no budget for this at all...and many of the "top players" are on those teams. There are a couple of teams who are "rumoured" to pay quite a lot more than a living allowance to certain players, but I do not know of any team or player who has actually verified the amounts. The comments are always "I know a player who gets......" which is a BS way to make an argument.