History of OA's in the OHL

[Otto]

I am doing some work for a radio interview on Wednesday and I am looking to add a little more information. Does anyone know the history of the Overage Player rule in the OHL? Was there ever a time when the limit was lower than 3 and if so does anyone know what season(s) the rule changed?

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[Petes1987]

The history of overage players is that until the 1985-1986 season teams were allowed to carry 1 overage. In the 1985-1986 season that changed to 2 overage players. In the
1998-1999 season they changed the rule to allow 3 overage players. The reason for the change to 3 overage players, as I understood it was to bring the number to amount the WHL and QMJHL allowed which was 4.

 

[Otto]

Thanks!

 

[dirty12]

You will have to do the research; but, I think OA started with a change to the NHL draft. If I remember correctly, there were 20/21 yr olds playing in the OHA mid 70's. There was not nearly as many minor league pro teams then, or NHL teams for that matter
Maybe not, I just checked three players that I thought had played at 20, were pro in 20-21 year

 

[cujoflutie]

I'm not sure if the two are connected or not but the year that the number of overagers was increased from 2 to 3 was also the same year of the last OHL expansion (Brampton and Mississauga) so it's possible that the increase was to offset a dilution of the talent pool from expansion.

 

[Otto]

I'm not sure if the two are connected or not but the year that the number of overagers was increased from 2 to 3 was also the same year of the last OHL expansion (Brampton and Mississauga) so it's possible that the increase was to offset a dilution of the talent pool from expansion.

Good call, makes sense

 

[EvenSteven]

I may be wrong but it may have been around that time too that import player quotas went from 1 to 2 and the number of 16 year olds increased as well.

 

[cujoflutie]

I may be wrong but it may have been around that time too that import player quotas went from 1 to 2 and the number of 16 year olds increased as well.

I'm pretty sure teams have been allowed 2 imports since they were brought in 1992.