OHL poised to lose a TON of talent to USHL/BCHL, CHL is sweating bullets.

[Donnie740]

Makar, Quinn Hughes, Fox, Brady Tkachuk, Larkin, Kyle Connor, Boldy, Faber, Caufield, Gaudreau, Keller, Werenski, Thompson, Kreider, and probably a ton of others are all apparently garbage players who played in the NCAA huh? Lol, get real.

Zachy Wacky Werenski? You can’t be serious with that comment. Pleas tell me you’re just joking about ranking him among the best players in the NHL. Chris Kreider and Dilly Larkin are almost as embarrassing.

Other than maybe Cale Makar, there’s not a single player on your list of “elite” NCAA talent that can compare to McDavid, MacKinnon, Draisalt, Crosby or any of the other CHL alumni that I mentioned.

 

[cg98]

Zachy Wacky Werenski? You can’t be serious with that comment. Pleas tell me you’re just joking about ranking him among the best players in the NHL. Chris Kreider and Dilly Larkin are almost as embarrassing.

Other than maybe Cale Makar, there’s not a single player on your list of “elite” NCAA talent that can compare to McDavid, MacKinnon, Draisalt, Crosby or any of the other CHL alumni that I mentioned.

All of those guys are legitimate full time NHLers no matter how much you whine and cry about it and they were developed in the NCAA. Makar didnt even play in the "BCJHL" (its actually just BCHL) and played in the 'lowly' AJHL over the WHL. No one is denying the CHL leagues abilities to produce NHL players and superstars, generational talents even.

That still doesnt change the fact that the NCAA level of play is higher than the CHL leagues, no matter how much it upsets you

 

[cg98]

Zachy Wacky Werenski? You can’t be serious with that comment. Pleas tell me you’re just joking about ranking him among the best players in the NHL. Chris Kreider and Dilly Larkin are almost as embarrassing.

Other than maybe Cale Makar, there’s not a single player on your list of “elite” NCAA talent that can compare to McDavid, MacKinnon, Draisalt, Crosby or any of the other CHL alumni that I mentioned.

Guys that have 30+ goals and 70+ points in the NHL are apparently "garbage" because they played in the NCAA. Lol. Thats how we all know you are a troll, pls get real

 

[Gaylord Q Tinkledink]

A lot of players will say they want to go to the NCAA to try and avoid getting selected be certain OHL teams, so there could always be that.

 

[ItWasJustified]

That still doesnt change the fact that the NCAA level of play is higher than the CHL leagues, no matter how much it upsets you

Every NCAA teams would get blown out by European 3rd tier teams.

 

[Breakfast of Champs]

A lot of players will say they want to go to the NCAA to try and avoid getting selected be certain OHL teams, so there could always be that.

This has been a play for years now, and was once seen as a "diva move" however I think most people have come to their sense and recognise it for what it is - smart career management.

I've said it a few times on this site but name another sport where the top 15 year old players get drafted and are handcuffed to a certain team...there aren't any. It makes total sense if you're a genuine nhl prospect to take some control of your own situation.

If you have to choose between a perpetual bottom feeder type chl organization with limited funds, or go to a high calibre ushl team with significantly more resources and a better track record the decision is easy. It's not "fair " but life isn't fair. High-schools in America constantly see the top recruits transfer to the best schools, sucks for the small schools but that's the way it goes. I don't blame any high end kid who uses their leverage to get to a certain market or otherwise shun thr CHL route altogether.

It's a bit of an outdated model , and as much as people want this league to be fair and square, the reality is that when you're dealing with 15 year olds who want to do what's best for their potential career, you're going to have to deal with the fact that they will explore every single option rather than blindly accept the team that drafts them. In the 80s it might have been "the right thing to do" but in todays world these kids have a lot of power and rightfully so. It's their career

 

[Isaac Nootin]

Seeing where some of these kids got drafted, it looks like alot of them weren't bluffing and intend to fulfill there USHL/BCHL commitments.

Most interesting to me is if Fitzgerald and Valentini can be convinced to sign in the CHL.

Especially Fitzgerald, the Petes took a big swing at #3

 

[WarriorofTime]

Seeing where some of these kids got drafted, it looks like alot of them weren't bluffing and intend to fulfill there USHL/BCHL commitments.

Most interesting to me is if Fitzgerald and Valentini can be convinced to sign in the CHL.

Especially Fitzgerald, the Petes took a big swing at #3

Peterborough is one of the best orgs in ohl and I doubt they’d take a kid third if they didn’t think he’d come. He is part of their minor team as well.

 

[WarriorofTime]

Unlike proven burn-outs such as Eamon Powell

To highlight the ridiculousness here, there are exactly 18 Defensemen younger than Eamon Powell that have played in a minimum of 1 NHL game this season. A few of those are at exactly 1 game, such as Scott Morrow who was literally playing NCAA Hockey this season.

If you expand it to 20 NHL games, a more reasonable number for having held down a spot for some time, there were only 10 NHL Defensemen younger than Eamon Powell this season.

So "proven burnout" is a grossly inaccurate statement.

 

[bobber]

They aren't getting paid in BCHL or USHL so them getting paid in CHL would be a strong motivator. Not that difficult.

As is, NCAA just is far more attractive than slave labor in CHL.

First the CHL players get an expensive education package free. Get free lodging and food. Best facilities in hockey. Plus the chances of making pro out of the CHL which many are interested in is 8.5%. Compared to NCAA at 2.6%. Players have choices. They go where they want. No one is holding their feet to the fire. It is simple. Don't want the CHL go somewhere else if you have the ability.
Neither league takes every player available and all don't get the top benefits. Not really anything to debate if players are free to go where ever they want.

 

[Isaac Nootin]

Peterborough is one of the best orgs in ohl and I doubt they’d take a kid third if they didn’t think he’d come. He is part of their minor team as well.

Similar to the Mason McTavish situation where the Petes were able to finally convince him to come.

Fitzgerald might be a tougher sell, but I can see it.

 

[bigdog16]

First the CHL players get an expensive education package free. Get free lodging and food. Best facilities in hockey. Plus the chances of making pro out of the CHL which many are interested in is 8.5%. Compared to NCAA at 2.6%. Players have choices. They go where they want. No one is holding their feet to the fire. It is simple. Don't want the CHL go somewhere else if you have the ability.
Neither league takes every player available and all don't get the top benefits. Not really anything to debate if players are free to go where ever they want.

NCAA provides the same thing except significantly better facilities lol

 

[Donnie740]

Similar to the Mason McTavish situation where the Petes were able to finally convince him to come.

Fitzgerald might be a tougher sell, but I can see it.

There’s not a chance in hell that Fitzgerald goes to the NCAA instead of signing with the Petes. He’s from Peterborough and his father played in the OHL.

There’s a better chance of Eamon Powell playing in the NHL than there is of Fitzgerald playing in the NCAA.

 

[Corso]

From what I have seen online, many first round talents in the upcoming OHL draft are poised to forego the OHL in favour of going to the USHL and BCHL.

Zachary Nyman
Adam Valentini
Colin Fitzgerald
Caleb Malhotra
Logan Hawery
Callum Croskery
Jett Kwajah
Alexander Hage
Beckham Edwards
Jacob Xu
Jude Bray
Thomas Vandenberg

All players that should go in the first two/three rounds of the OHL draft on Friday and all are rumoured to be going elsewhere. With this much talent looking elsewhere, should the CHL hit the panic button?

So...draft has taken place and some of the dust is beginning to settle....I'm merely speculating here but speculation done with some research and talking to some people in the know

Zachary Nyman.... 5th round pick of the Steelheads...chances of reporting 25%,..... chances of following through on his tender to the BCHL and NCAA...75%. Probably the 2nd best D man in the draft. Nyman has family in B.C. and is serious about playing college hockey.

Adam Velentini....1st round pick of the Steelheads...local Toronto boy who has never visited any USHL team, BCHL team or even NCAA team for that matter.....90% chance he will report to his OHL club. Probably the 3rd best player in the draft.

Colin Fitzgerald....1st round pick...local Peterborough lad selected by his hometown team....95% chance he reports to his OHL club....5% chance he keeps his commitment to G.B. and the USHL. He's a legit top 10 talent in this draft with legit NHL upside.

Caleb Malhotra....1st round pick of the Fronts....75% chance he reports to his OHL club and a 25% chance he keeps his commitment to the BCHL....a legit top ten talent in this draft

Logan Hawery....1st round pick of the Knights...99% chance he reports to his OHL club...a legit top 10 talent in this draft

Callum Croskery...2nd round pick of the Greyhounds...best D prospect in this draft 60% chance he reports to his OHL club and a 40% chance he keeps his commitment to the Chicago Steel of the USHL. Greyhound staff have had extensive conversation with the family ad Croskery's father is from the Soo


Jett Kwajah 6th round pick of Owen Sound....20% chance he reports to his OHL club and 80% chance he keeps his commitment to Capitals of the USHL...late 1st round early 2nd round talent in this draft

Alexander Hage 6th round pick of the Petes.....25% chance he reports to his OHL club and 75% chance he keeps his commitment to the BCHL. A late 1st round early 2nd round talent


Beckham Edwards 3rd round pick of the Sting 50 % chance he reports and 50% he keeps his commitment to Youngstown....he is from the Sarnia area and is a legit top 15 talent in this draft

Jacob Xu 8th round to Kitchener...has no commitments to either the BCHL or USHL but only 20% chance he reports....a late 2nd early 3rd round pick


Jude Bray...10th round to Kitchener...only 10% chance he reports and keeps his commitment to the BCHL....a 2nd round pick in this draft

Thomas Vandenberg 5th round pick of Ottawa 67s....this one is 50/50 as he is a local Ottawa kid. A 2nd round pick in the draft

So of the really high end kids the OHL has more than likely lost Nyman and that's about it. Valentini, Fitzgerald, and Croskery will more than likely end up in the OHL.

Of the really good talent, only Edwards stands on the knifes edge and can go either way

Xu, Bray and Vandenberg are all good players but their losses would not be all that much cause for concern

What the OHL is certainly losing is the battle for the top U.S born talent and losing it by a wide margin.

 

[scoutman1]

CHL players get an allowance....rookies when i was in the league where getting $50 a week...then it went up 2nd year players got 100 per week....3rd year 150, 4th year 200 and overagers 250...this is one top of having their accommodations and food paid for with billets

 

[LeProspector]

So...draft has taken place and some of the dust is beginning to settle....I'm merely speculating here but speculation done with some research and talking to some people in the know

Zachary Nyman.... 5th round pick of the Steelheads...chances of reporting 25%,..... chances of following through on his tender to the BCHL and NCAA...75%. Probably the 2nd best D man in the draft. Nyman has family in B.C. and is serious about playing college hockey.

Adam Velentini....1st round pick of the Steelheads...local Toronto boy who has never visited any USHL team, BCHL team or even NCAA team for that matter.....90% chance he will report to his OHL club. Probably the 3rd best player in the draft.

Colin Fitzgerald....1st round pick...local Peterborough lad selected by his hometown team....95% chance he reports to his OHL club....5% chance he keeps his commitment to G.B. and the USHL. He's a legit top 10 talent in this draft with legit NHL upside.

Caleb Malhotra....1st round pick of the Fronts....75% chance he reports to his OHL club and a 25% chance he keeps his commitment to the BCHL....a legit top ten talent in this draft

Logan Hawery....1st round pick of the Knights...99% chance he reports to his OHL club...a legit top 10 talent in this draft

Callum Croskery...2nd round pick of the Greyhounds...best D prospect in this draft 60% chance he reports to his OHL club and a 40% chance he keeps his commitment to the Chicago Steel of the USHL. Greyhound staff have had extensive conversation with the family ad Croskery's father is from the Soo


Jett Kwajah 6th round pick of Owen Sound....20% chance he reports to his OHL club and 80% chance he keeps his commitment to Capitals of the USHL...late 1st round early 2nd round talent in this draft

Alexander Hage 6th round pick of the Petes.....25% chance he reports to his OHL club and 75% chance he keeps his commitment to the BCHL. A late 1st round early 2nd round talent


Beckham Edwards 3rd round pick of the Sting 50 % chance he reports and 50% he keeps his commitment to Youngstown....he is from the Sarnia area and is a legit top 15 talent in this draft

Jacob Xu 8th round to Kitchener...has no commitments to either the BCHL or USHL but only 20% chance he reports....a late 2nd early 3rd round pick


Jude Bray...10th round to Kitchener...only 10% chance he reports and keeps his commitment to the BCHL....a 2nd round pick in this draft

Thomas Vandenberg 5th round pick of Ottawa 67s....this one is 50/50 as he is a local Ottawa kid. A 2nd round pick in the draft

So of the really high end kids the OHL has more than likely lost Nyman and that's about it. Valentini, Fitzgerald, and Croskery will more than likely end up in the OHL.

Of the really good talent, only Edwards stands on the knifes edge and can go either way

Xu, Bray and Vandenberg are all good players but their losses would not be all that much cause for concern

What the OHL is certainly losing is the battle for the top U.S born talent and losing it by a wide margin.

Don’t know where you got those percentages. Only one I’m extremely confident will report is Hawery.

 

[OSA]

Decided to do a little research to see what a would-be London Knights roster of 18-23 year olds would look like. Pretty impressive

Connor McMichael
Luke Evangelista
Easton Cowan
Antonio Stranges
Denver Barkey
Ruslan Gazizov
Kaspar Halttunen
Ryan Winterton
Max McCue
Jacob Julian
Landon Sim
George Diaco


Sam Dickinson
Oliver Bonk
Logan Mailloux
Isaiah George
Jackson Edward
Ben Roger

Brett Brochu
*Michael Simpson



Still eligible, NCAA age-wise: Connor McMichael, Liam Foudy, Ryan Merkley, Alec Regula

 

[Donnie740]

Don’t know where you got those percentages. Only one I’m extremely confident will report is Hawery.

Those “percentages” are nothing more than a wildly random guess.

Guys taken late in the 8th and 10th rounds like Jake Xu and Judy Bray are going to see the writing on the wall that they have little to no chance of making an OHL roster so they’ll go to the NCAA or BCJHL where there’s less talent and they can play right away.

We can pretend guys like that are “top prospects” or “huge talents” and proclaim they’re a massive loss to the OHL. But let’s check back in six or seven years and see if guys like Xu and Bray are still bumbling around in the NCAA or BCJHL. Or if they’re completely out of hockey.

 

[bigdog16]

CHL players get an allowance....rookies when i was in the league where getting $50 a week...then it went up 2nd year players got 100 per week....3rd year 150, 4th year 200 and overagers 250...this is one top of having their accommodations and food paid for with billets

That is nothing. That basically pays for gas money, a couple Chipotle meals, and a 12 pack for the weekend.

 

[kyle44]

Those “percentages” are nothing more than a wildly random guess.

Guys taken late in the 8th and 10th rounds like Jake Xu and Judy Bray are going to see the writing on the wall that they have little to no chance of making an OHL roster so they’ll go to the NCAA or BCJHL where there’s less talent and they can play right away.

We can pretend guys like that are “top prospects” or “huge talents” and proclaim they’re a massive loss to the OHL. But let’s check back in six or seven years and see if guys like Xu and Bray are still bumbling around in the NCAA or BCJHL. Or if they’re completely out of hockey.

They were taken in the 8th and 10th rounds because they told teams they have commitments elsewhere; not because of their talent. I'm not proclaiming they are going to be NHL star caliber players, but they were certainly 2nd-3rd rounders for the OHL draft at worst.

 

[WarriorofTime]

Fairly embarrassing to be calling out random 15 year olds by name on an active multi-national forum because they don’t want to play in your junior league of choice. I know it’s the futures forum and all but there’s a limit to that stuff.

 

[Bonin21]

Every NCAA teams would get blown out by European 3rd tier teams.

Not true

 

[Coaches Coroner]

There's good reasons for both, it's very funny that 1 guy got everyone so mad and off track lol.

 

[Torts]

First the CHL players get an expensive education package free. Get free lodging and food. Best facilities in hockey. Plus the chances of making pro out of the CHL which many are interested in is 8.5%. Compared to NCAA at 2.6%. Players have choices. They go where they want. No one is holding their feet to the fire. It is simple. Don't want the CHL go somewhere else if you have the ability.
Neither league takes every player available and all don't get the top benefits. Not really anything to debate if players are free to go where ever they want.

As a fan of both (CHL/NCAA), this couldn't be further from the truth. Just YouTube Spittin Chiclets NCAA arena tours. The NoDak one will blow you away. Their weight room is legendary. Couple that with the fact I've been in a few OHL lockers rooms, the NCAA facilities are a tier ahead.

We've seen more Canadians go the non-CHL -> NCAA route over the past couple of years. I'm less bothered by it now than I was before. If I was in their shoes, would playing two seasons in a city like Chicago (USHL) then playing on campus the likes of Notre Dame, Michigan, BU/BC be better than spending 3-4 years in Sudbury, Prince George, Mississauga, etc..

Especially now that the end result - get drafted and chance at an NHL career is virtually the same. Similar exposure & opportunity while you make the calls. Doesn't sound terrible to me!

 

[Bonin21]

First the CHL players get an expensive education package free. Get free lodging and food. Best facilities in hockey. Plus the chances of making pro out of the CHL which many are interested in is 8.5%. Compared to NCAA at 2.6%. Players have choices. They go where they want. No one is holding their feet to the fire. It is simple. Don't want the CHL go somewhere else if you have the ability.
Neither league takes every player available and all don't get the top benefits. Not really anything to debate if players are free to go where ever they want.

A lot to unpack here but wow is most of it wrong lol