Rolf Neilson Suspended by OHL

[Oldbarn Newhay]

Nilson suspended by OHL for 5 years from all team hockey activity. Forfeit this year's first round pick.

Suspension of the owner makes sense, but to forfeit the 3rd pick this year hurts the players more than the owner. Is Branch starting the action that will allow the team to fail?


http://new.ontariohockeyleague.com/...h-ohl-commissioner-concerning-flint-firebirds

Click to read more...

 

[Marc the Habs Fan]

I don't understand forfeiting the pick when the owner is out of the picture for 5 years anyway.

I believe Flint is still going to have a top 5 pick though because of McLeod not reporting, right?

 

[DubCee21]

Delete

 

[HamiltonOHL]

No flint would be great ting the 5th pick which moves to 4th since they lose 3rs overall

 

[MJ5]

Kiss of death for this team.

Flint supported the team well this year, but people aren't interested in giving Rolf our money when his interest in owning this team all revolve around his kid.

There are a few sponsors that won't be back next year, this team may really struggle.

 

[Savard18]

Kiss of death for this team.

Flint supported the team well this year, but people aren't interested in giving Rolf our money when his interest in owning this team all revolve around his kid.

There are a few sponsors that won't be back next year, this team may really struggle.

I feel ya, and you're right. I'm going to assume Rolf's interest in the arena and an OHL team revolve around only one thing here. Hakon Nilsen. The fact that he's staying the owner sucks. Period. I'm going to assume he'll be getting out of the junior hockey business once Hakon is done. Now there's two things the fanbase can do. 1. Protest, not show up and show Rolf he is not wanted. The result of that? Goodbye OHL hockey in Flint and probably ANY legit hockey team for a looooong time. 2. It is what it is, show up and support and show any potential new ownership group that OHL hockey in Flint can be successful and profitable. It's too early for me to decide what I'm going to do. I'll be waiting and watching AT LEAST until after the draft to decide what I'm going to do. The fact of the matter is, we're probably going to end being either the next Belleville/Plymouth or we could be the next Erie. Rolf staying and the Firebirds becoming London West probably isn't going to happen.

 

[Purple Phart]

Does anyone honestly think that the length of the suspension is coincidental to Rolf's son going past his overage elegibility ? Maybe with that element of nepotism removed, the Firebirds will gain an owner who no longer has the inclination to meddle in the day-to-day operations. If the franchise can be demonstrated to be profitable, he can sit back and let the good times and the bucks roll in.

On the other hand, if the league is intent on buying out the current owner, their "hands-on" role in management could have a negative influence on the value of the franchise. The legal implications then become: Who is running the franchise, and toward what end ? If, during the course of the league's stewardship, the franchise loses value, would Rolf have a case in insisting on at least recouping his initial investment ?

 

[CharlieGirl]

I think the loss of the draft pick goes far beyond punishing ownership, and in my mind it's completely unfair to the players, coaches and fans.

The suspension to Nilson is fine, and the league had to do something to make Flint a more attractive destination to potential draftees.

 

[cub]

I think the loss of the draft pick goes far beyond punishing ownership, and in my mind it's completely unfair to the players, coaches and fans.

The suspension to Nilson is fine, and the league had to do something to make Flint a more attractive destination to potential draftees.

I agree with you, Branch is only to blame for this nightmare, he let it festwer in Sudbury, this is even at another level. Why bury the team more, they approved this ownership and are to blame on their due deligence.

 

[Ward Cornell]

I think the loss of the draft pick goes far beyond punishing ownership, and in my mind it's completely unfair to the players, coaches and fans.

The suspension to Nilson is fine, and the league had to do something to make Flint a more attractive destination to potential draftees.

Lets hope if Nilson does sell the team that the OHL will reinstate an extra first rounder back to the Flint.

 

[Torts]

I may be in the minority but I don't see it as a HUGE blow to the players and management that they lost the 3rd pick - their 5th pick now turns into 4th, if anything I see it as a middle ground from their last two picks. If anyone sees it as glass half full it's lucky they are picking at all.

I get that they go from drafting two players to one but I think something had to happen and Branch lowered the boom.

 

[NTDP]

I feel ya, and you're right. I'm going to assume Rolf's interest in the arena and an OHL team revolve around only one thing here. Hakon Nilsen. The fact that he's staying the owner sucks. Period. I'm going to assume he'll be getting out of the junior hockey business once Hakon is done. Now there's two things the fanbase can do. 1. Protest, not show up and show Rolf he is not wanted. The result of that? Goodbye OHL hockey in Flint and probably ANY legit hockey team for a looooong time. 2. It is what it is, show up and support and show any potential new ownership group that OHL hockey in Flint can be successful and profitable. It's too early for me to decide what I'm going to do. I'll be waiting and watching AT LEAST until after the draft to decide what I'm going to do. The fact of the matter is, we're probably going to end being either the next Belleville/Plymouth or we could be the next Erie. Rolf staying and the Firebirds becoming London West probably isn't going to happen.

The answer is pretty simple. You still show up and support the team on the ice every weekend.

 

[Rubbers29]

I may be in the minority but I don't see it as a HUGE blow to the players and management that they lost the 3rd pick - their 5th pick now turns into 4th, if anything I see it as a middle ground from their last two picks. If anyone sees it as glass half full it's lucky they are picking at all.

I get that they go from drafting two players to one but I think something had to happen and Branch lowered the boom.

I agree, I mentioned that on the Flint board, I think it is a lot bigger deal if they don't have that other pick.

Also as mentioned on there, I do believe it stays the 5th and the 6th moves to 4th as it was the comp pick, it is based on where they picked last year, so it isn't affected by this

 

[keepingscore]

Rolf has hired lawyer and past player/agent Pat Ducharme. Rolf has only done what many other OHL teams do every year. There is a long, documented history of nepotism in the OHL and no other team has been penalized to this extent. Is it because of the old boys NHL club, that Rolf does not belong to? If Ducharme is smart, he'll blow it all up. Branch has acted days before the OHL draft, his only interest is to get kids to repot to Flint. He would do better to eliminate all clubs from drafting or signing anyone remotely related to any owner, front office staff, GM, coach etc. That would solve everything. Hundreds of MM players will sit at computers this weekend waiting for their names to be called. There is a reason why they call rounds 10-15 the family and friends rounds. Happens every year.

 

[cujoflutie]

I can’t see how the forfeiture of the first round pick solves anything, it might even be a good thing for Rolf since that pick is one more player who could have fought for a roster spot with Hakon. Isn’t one of the main concerns how Flint can get players to report and ice a competitive team? Docking them a crucial pick gives them one fewer player who could report and hurts the on-ice product.

 

[MXD]

I can’t see how the forfeiture of the first round pick solves anything, it might even be a good thing for Rolf since that pick is one more player who could have fought for a roster spot with Hakon. Isn’t one of the main concerns how Flint can get players to report and ice a competitive team? Docking them a crucial pick gives them one fewer player who could report and hurts the on-ice product.

If said player drafted 3rd overall can't outplay Hakon, he shouldn't have been drafted 3rd overall to begin with.

 

[Otto]

I agree with you, Branch is only to blame for this nightmare, he let it festwer in Sudbury, this is even at another level. Why bury the team more, they approved this ownership and are to blame on their due deligence.

Not the first time I have seen something like this posted. My question then and still is.. what due diligence could have been done that would have uncovered that there was the potential for this situation to arrive

 

[Savard18]

If said player drafted 3rd overall can't outplay Hakon, he shouldn't have been drafted 3rd overall to begin with.

That was kind of the problem. Kids who COULD easily outplay Hakon weren't getting the ice time he was. Tyler Sensky for example was actually cut from the team.

 

[Savard18]

Not the first time I have seen something like this posted. My question then and still is.. what due diligence could have been done that would have uncovered that there was the potential for this situation to arrive

I'm guessing you're right and foreseeing all this happening is probably a little out of the leagues reach but..... It should have easily been seen that Nilsen had a kid who was 17, playing in Michigan who wasn't quite OHL caliber who 20 GM's passed on 15 times the year previous. It seems pretty obvious that Costa Papista knew what was up and that then GM Terry Christensen knew what was going down, so it's not completely out of the realm of possibility that they could have seen it coming. Maybe get some references or look into the past of Rolf? It could be possible that he's known as the type of guy who just ignores the rules and buys his way or does what he wants. You may be right. It's also possible they should have seen this coming. I'm not Magnum PI or the NSA, so I can't tell you which one.

 

[keepingscore]

And what is the difference between what Rolf did and what Barrie did, allowing the hall of famer coach to draft and sign and coach and play his own kid.

Branch is a hypocrite. Rolf has a very good defence, given what goes on in the league.

 

[billoink]

Action should have been taken here in Sudbury when Burgess pulled the same thing with his son. We lost our head scout who quit after Connor was taken in the third round trading a second and a fourth to acquire the pick for a boy who was rated in the 15th round. The coach at the time Cull quit a year later before being fired for not following a set agenda set out by the owner with respect to his sons playing time. Players were healthy scratches on a rotation so the boy could play. The owner then went out and hired a puppet Fixter who sold his soul to the devil and put the boy ahead of what was considered the best interests of the team. He had him on power plays and double shifts at times. The boy recorded a whopping 2 points after 2 seasons with the Wolves. Branch sat idol, did nothing, and allowed this miscarriage to go on. Blame the league for not stopping the cancer in Sudbury and letting gallop right into Flint. The fans are the ones that supported Flint through this mess and the thank you they receive is to be robbed of watching and supporting a high end draft pick. Shame on Branch for this terrible decision.

 

[noobie1]

And what is the difference between what Rolf did and what Barrie did, allowing the hall of famer coach to draft and sign and coach and play his own kid.

Branch is a hypocrite. Rolf has a very good defence, given what goes on in the league.

I must have missed the part where Barrie fired all its coaching staff, rehired them, fired them and the owner was told to stay out of the dealings of the team and then did so anyways... Pretty sure that did not happen in Barrie... a closer comparison, but still not equal would be sudbury...

 

[noobie1]

My Guess is that this is the closest they could get to forcing him out without a large legal battle.... So you keep out of operation of the team, fine him and take away a first round pick... Enough of a deterrent without completely sinking the value of the franchise. The team can still recover at this point because they had the compensatory pick... Tough to swallow if i am a fan losing that pick, but i would be pretty happy with the circumstances, as it might coerce Nilson into selling and getting his interest out...

 

[ohloutsider]

My Guess is that this is the closest they could get to forcing him out without a large legal battle.... So you keep out of operation of the team, fine him and take away a first round pick... Enough of a deterrent without completely sinking the value of the franchise. The team can still recover at this point because they had the compensatory pick... Tough to swallow if i am a fan losing that pick, but i would be pretty happy with the circumstances, as it might coerce Nilson into selling and getting his interest out...

Branch did say in his interview that all parties had agreed to the solution ( although I'm not convinced it is final). They had hammered out a deal with Nelison's lawyer. That is why it was so close to draft day before being announced.

 

[keepingscore]

I must have missed the part where Barrie fired all its coaching staff, rehired them, fired them and the owner was told to stay out of the dealings of the team and then did so anyways... Pretty sure that did not happen in Barrie... a closer comparison, but still not equal would be sudbury...

The point is that there are several, different sets of rules in the OHL regarding nepotism.