Playing in all 3 major junior leagues

JMCx4

Censorship is the Sincerest Form of Flattery
Sep 3, 2017
13,759
8,589
St. Louis, MO
I'd be surprised - but intrigued - if anybody comes up with such a player. There's not much more than a loose affiliation among the 3 leagues, and each league has had different policies regarding player eligibility for post-play educational stipends. So unless a player was trying to position himself for a better shot in the NHL draft as his few years of major junior eligibility moved along, I fail to see the advantage of league-hopping. :popcorn:
 

JMCx4

Censorship is the Sincerest Form of Flattery
Sep 3, 2017
13,759
8,589
St. Louis, MO
USHL is not typically considered "major junior" in North America; it's referred to as "Tier 1 juniors" under the USA Hockey organization. The term "major junior" is confined to the three CHL member leagues (WHL, OHL, QMJHL).
 
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MiamiHockey

Registered User
Sep 12, 2012
2,087
187
Protected Lists depend on level (Junior A vs Major Junior).

It's driven by place of residence, not birth place. So players can choose to relocate themselves to live with family in different, if they wish. Those sorts of things happen mostly at Junior A.

Yes, there are constraints on trades and territorial rights up to the end of their "18 year old" year. In Major Junior and Junior A, players can't have their rights traded outside of their area until they are 19.

The reality is this in Major Junior: if a player is talented and not a head case, a team will want to hold on to that player's rights, because in all likelihood another team in their league would be willing to give up something in a trade. It's thus quite a feat to play in all three Major Junior leagues, because you have to be sufficiently talented that Major Junior teams will want you, but also sufficiently problematic that teams in your own league won't because your reputation precedes you.

Junior A is a bit more of the wild west. Once they hit 19, players can go to the USHL or NAHL, which they use as leverage to get a trade to another league in Canada. That's why you'll often see 19 year olds on Junior rosters from outside the province.
 

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