Russians/Belarusians Allowed Back Into The CHL Import Draft?

[SarniaStingFan]

What is everyone's thoughts on this? There was an interesting note from Wheeler in a tweet below. He said that top 2024 NHL draft prospect Artyom Levshunov preference would have been to play in the CHL

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[DWI Dale]

i don't see why it should be lifted. nothing has changed with russian aggressions that led to the ban, so nothing should change in the ban of their players. to the contrary, now Putin is claiming that Alaska is Russia's. some things are bigger than sport.

 

[dirty12]

There should not have been a ban on 17 yr old boys playing hockey in Canada to lift imo.

 

[HockeyPops]

i don't see why it should be lifted. nothing has changed with russian aggressions that led to the ban, so nothing should change in the ban of their players. to the contrary, now Putin is claiming that Alaska is Russia's. some things are bigger than sport.

Everything has changed with respect to support for Ukraine. Cracks are widening.

 

[SSMHoundsFan]

I say let them, shouldn't punish the kids for just wanting to play hockey

 

[EvenSteven]

There should not have been a ban on 17 yr old boys playing hockey in Canada to lift imo.

I agree. And what does the ban accomplish anyway? Nothing really except penalizing innocent youth hockey players.

 

[DWI Dale]

I'd hate to see another Putin Puppet like Ovechkin is all. Ovy is a scumbag.

At the moment it seems like NATO is closer and closer to engaging in direct combat with Russia so it's hard to imagine things returning to status quo until tensions ease. These 17 year old "children" aren't much different than the 18 year children Russia has fighting on the front lines.

 

[yessir29292]

I don’t really think there should have been a ban in the first place, but I’m okay with it. Lifting it, however, is a win for Russia - who hasn’t changed any of their approach. They gotta stick with it until something changes or the whole thing was for nothing. Lifting in is a bigger plus for Russia than the ban ever was as a negative.

 

[Kingpin794]

I'd hate to see another Putin Puppet like Ovechkin is all. Ovy is a scumbag.

At the moment it seems like NATO is closer and closer to engaging in direct combat with Russia so it's hard to imagine things returning to status quo until tensions ease. These 17 year old "children" aren't much different than the 18 year children Russia has fighting on the front lines.

I don’t buy that. A large portion of those 18 year olds on the front lines dont want to be there. These hockey players aren’t the state. And them playing in their individual capacity for junior teams should be fine. I think they should be banned from representing Russia at international events. No WJC, U18, Olympics. If we really want to start telling teens from nations that do war crimes they can’t play in the CHL, you better tell Mike Levin to stop playing for the Ice Dogs too. Not to mention that the USA regularly does messed up stuff in the name of “defense”. We don’t ban Americans.

 

[cobra9850]

Everything has changed with respect to support for Ukraine. Cracks are widening.

It is very short sighted not to support Ukraine.Putin will not be done with solely annexing the Ukraine and will try to attack many former Soviet satellite countries.He has no regard for killing many innocent civilians and any opposition within his country.If the CHL allows the drafting of hockey players from Russia it might as well be condoning these actions.

 

[OHL4Life]

It is very short sighted not to support Ukraine.Putin will not be done with solely annexing the Ukraine and will try to attack many former Soviet satellite countries.He has no regard for killing many innocent civilians and any opposition within his country.If the CHL allows the drafting of hockey players from Russia it might as well be condoning these actions.

why penalize the kids? what did they do to get banned?

 

[cobra9850]

why penalize the kids? what did they do to get banned?

For the same reason that German athletes were banned from competition during WW2.These and other moves legitimize the tyrannical murderous regime of Putin.If it was Canadians that were dieing at the hands of the Russian onslaught on Canadian soil, would you feel any different.

 

[Albatros]

For the same reason that German athletes were banned from competition during WW2.These and other moves legitimize the tyrannical murderous regime of Putin.If it was Canadians that were dieing at the hands of the Russian onslaught on Canadian soil, would you feel any different.

That is quite incorrect, in fact it was Germany that kept international hockey running during the war and was banned by the IIHF only after it in 1946.

 

[Kingpin794]

For the same reason that German athletes were banned from competition during WW2.These and other moves legitimize the tyrannical murderous regime of Putin.If it was Canadians that were dieing at the hands of the Russian onslaught on Canadian soil, would you feel any different.

Countries were still accepting Germans in their individual capacity in many endeavors. Again it’s fine to punish the state. No international play of any sort because in that you are a representative of the state. Keeping kids out of the CHL isn’t doing what you want it to do.

 

[DWI Dale]

Keeping kids out of the CHL isn’t doing what you want it to do.

it's doing exactly what i want it to. when Russia stops murdering Ukrainian children then Russian children can have the privilege of coming here to play hockey. until then they can stay home.

 

[Kingpin794]

it's doing exactly what i want it to. when Russia stops murdering Ukrainian children then Russian children can have the privilege of coming here to play hockey. until then they can stay home.

And when Americans stop drone striking civilians we can let them play in the CHL too? Or are we just picking and choosing war crimes here? Russia is committing an atrocity but teenage hockey players aren't the state. I'm sure Ukrainians really gives a rats behind about whether junior age hockey players are allowed in the CHL. All they are worried about is whether they get their defense supplies or not. You know the things that have tangible effects on the situation. F Russia but banning Russians is purely performative. Anything that actually needs to be done will occur outside the scope of hockey.

 

[DWI Dale]

you're entitled to your opinion.

anything to make Russia feel consequences is good in my opinion - whether financial or otherwise. i support the continued ban at all levels and wish it went so far as to ship ovechkin home.

 

[Kingpin794]

you're entitled to your opinion.

anything to make Russia feel consequences is good in my opinion - whether financial or otherwise. i support the continued ban at all levels and wish it went so far as to ship ovechkin home.

That's a consistent take. i can respect that.

 

[OMG67]

And when Americans stop drone striking civilians we can let them play in the CHL too? Or are we just picking and choosing war crimes here? Russia is committing an atrocity but teenage hockey players aren't the state. I'm sure Ukrainians really gives a rats behind about whether junior age hockey players are allowed in the CHL. All they are worried about is whether they get their defense supplies or not. You know the things that have tangible effects on the situation. F Russia but banning Russians is purely performative. Anything that actually needs to be done will occur outside the scope of hockey.

I so wanted to go there but didn’t have the nuts to do so. Well done on your side. I find it astounding that many feel this topic is black and white. Nothing usually is. From a political perspective, there is a fair amount of blame to be shared by all parties Involved.

Banning nationalities in the CHL is silly. The NHL has not banned Russians from playing or being drafted. Even the CHL has not banned them from playing, only excluding them from the draft. How does that work to further a cause?

This is my one and only comment. I won’t be responding to others. I think this would get too political If it continues further and that would not be productive.

 

[DWI Dale]

That's a consistent take. i can respect that.

i should add, it's not that i don't feel bad for the kids, i do.

i just feel way worse for the kids ducking russian artillery fire.

 

[bcspragu]

If we are keeping scores on atrocities committed might as well ban Canadians for what they did with residential schools. No one is clean. Punishing kids who can’t even vote is pointless. It only keeps kids playing in russian which I’m sure Putin prefers anyway

 

[billoink]

Keep the players out of politics, what I would like to see is imports should not be allowed to go to AHL or echl at an earlier age than our kids

 

[bigsportsfan]

So most of you believe we shouldn't punish hockey players since they can't control what the country does or does not do. So by that logic, most of the sanctions against Russia should be removed because the sanctions are putting Russia's economy under economic strain, depreciating the ruble and increasing inflation, which is negatively effecting the citizens or Russia. And since the citizens of Russia can't control what the country does, they shouldn't be punished.

Or is it just Russian hockey players that get a free pass?

 

[bcspragu]

So most of you believe we shouldn't punish hockey players since they can't control what the country does or does not do. So by that logic, most of the sanctions against Russia should be removed because the sanctions are putting Russia's economy under economic strain, depreciating the ruble and increasing inflation, which is negatively effecting the citizens or Russia. And since the citizens of Russia can't control what the country does, they shouldn't be punished.

Or is it just Russian hockey players that get a free pass?

Economic sanctions intend to put pressure on the government because of being bad till they make change. Sure this is a “sanction” as well but one that keeps Russian players in Russia is exactly what Putin wants. So we are punishing him by helping him. That makes no sense. Devoiding his cronies teams of young talent would be a wayyy better option in my opinion.

I’d personally allow all Russian players who want to come over and play in North America to come over regardless of contract status in Russia. Tell the Michkovs of the world the nhl will ignore his khl deal and allow him to come over now would be a bigger middle finger to Russia than any chl player ban

 

[Kingpin794]

So most of you believe we shouldn't punish hockey players since they can't control what the country does or does not do. So by that logic, most of the sanctions against Russia should be removed because the sanctions are putting Russia's economy under economic strain, depreciating the ruble and increasing inflation, which is negatively effecting the citizens or Russia. And since the citizens of Russia can't control what the country does, they shouldn't be punished.

Or is it just Russian hockey players that get a free pass?

That's....that's not the same.

Sanctions that effect the economy put pressure on the government. That effects how they fund their efforts, how troops get supplied, and general morale of those involved. It is going after the state apparatus that is conducting the invasion operations. Valid strategy.

Banning junior aged hockey players is performative. Let's say you you have a guy across town you just hate. He runs over people's mail boxes and you want to show that you stand with the neighbors that this guy is terrorizing. Now you could go reinforce their mail boxes or perhaps stand guard for when the a hole comes around again. Or take video to supply evidence to the cops. All good options. But instead you decide to throw an egg at his house...from your own front yard 2 miles away. I suppose you've shown your displeasure but you really haven't egged his house have you? You're just kind of throwing a fit on your front lawn.

We all don't like the guy who knocks over mail boxes. Let's not do something useless and then pat ourselves on the backs too hard.