Proposal: Crazy Notion to Give the Leafs an Edge

[Drew75]

I was thinking of something, and I can't see why this hasn't been done yet considering our financial resources - so maybe someone knows of rules or regulations I don't ...

What if MLSE was to buy an SHL Team? It would technically be a separate entity from the Leafs, but they would have full control, and it would pay huge dividends as a talent discovery and development tool.

• Say we draft Strome / Marner, and they are too good for the OHL, but not quite ready for prime time (which is a trend happening more, and more). Too young to play in the AHL, we could sign them to a one year deal with our SHL team (no age restriction), retain full control over their development, and have them play in a more competitive environment.
• We could sign a bunch of undrafted talent to our SHL Team (CHL undrafted / College undrafted / European undrafted), having full year evaluations on these guys, without their contracts counting against our 50 contract limit.
• We'll have around the clock, in depth scouting in one of the best leagues in the world - as the coach and management of the team will be MLSE staff, selected for the purpose of providing detailed scouting of talent not only on our team, but the rest of the league.
• We could sign reclamation projects to the SHL Team - guys who need find their game again (think great coaching, world class facilities, etc) - without it counting against our contracts, and if they succeed, they will be already biased towards the Leafs for giving them the chance.
• The SHL team could make deals to bring in our Engvall's and Johnson's - giving us full control over how their development goes (what situations they play in, how they work out off the ice, etc) - as well as the fact that if we feel one is ready for the Marlies, the team will be free to let them out of their contracts with no or minimal penalties (depending on the transfer rules - but it would be nice if their SHL team ALSO wanted them with the Marlies)!

So - is there is a reason this hasn't been done? It just makes too much to me, so I thought I'd share....

Click to read more...

 

[SprDaVE]

It's not a very good money making business decision. You're likely to lose far too much money for the investment. There's a reason why not a single team has done this before and it's likely to work out at all.

The Leafs have, however, created affiliations (or development programs) with one or two German teams if I recall correctly. This is why we usually see a few German players come over to our offseason prospect camp, rookie tournament and even regular training camp.

 

[SeaOfBlue]

Not an awful idea, but not a great one either. If the Leafs wanted a buy low proposition, go over to the KHL. Even then though, money comes in and I doubt the Leafs make back their investment.

 

[IWD]

I'd think the goal would be to look at owning a foreign club as a loss leader, although I think it'd be hilarious if they made the logos identical to ours, except for the city and local language equivalent of Maple Leafs.

 

[SeaOfBlue]

It's not a very good money making business decision. You're likely to lose far too much money for the investment. There's a reason why not a single team has done this before and it's likely to work out at all.

The Leafs have, however, created affiliations (or development programs) with one or two German teams if I recall correctly. This is why we usually see a few German players come over to our offseason prospect camp, rookie tournament and even regular training camp.

It's a Swiss team. ZSC, which is where Fabrice Herzog is going to play next year. That may also influence our decision to maybe draft Jonas Siegenthaler or Denis Malgin.

 

[achtungbaby]

The AHL needs to allow exceptional status 18 year olds to play in their league.

 

[johnny_rudeboy]

Better to buy an FEL team. Finland have smaller rinks then Sweden and their style is a bit more gritty so should prepare them for the NHL more.

But Leafs can always send a player out on loan if they want to. Dont have to buy a whole franchise for that.

 

[deletethis]

The thing is that the Leafs could invest all of these resources into this team of prospective draft picks or free agents but nothing would stop other NHL teams from drafting or signing these players ahead of the Leafs.

Maybe the Leafs could accomplish more by assigning Thommie Bergmann an underling or two.

 

[Drew75]

The AHL needs to allow exceptional status 18 year olds to play in their league.

The AHL does not have exceptional status - it's only an agreement with the CHL that states not kid under 20 can play there until he's done - I believe, 4 years with his Junior team.

There are no age rules for kids from Europe or US Hockey.

 

[ACC1224]

Sending kids who aren't ready back to jr helps the jr league. No Team would send their kids back if the rule didn't force them to.

 

[Durkin67]

I'd think the goal would be to look at owning a foreign club as a loss leader, although I think it'd be hilarious if they made the logos identical to ours, except for the city and local language equivalent of Maple Leafs.

I think that's actually quite ingenious. Pay top dollar for training facilities, employ the best european trainers, coaches, skating instructors, nutritionists, etc, and develop those players according to your system and philosophy. A pipeline between the best of the European prospects and the NHL parent club takes all the guesswork out of scouting and development of European assets. This is a stroke of reliance IMO. Kudos to the OP.

The only question is: what keeps your opponents from scouting and drafting your hand raised talent pool?

 

[deletethis]

The agreement with the CHL is solely for the business benefit of the CHL teams who wouldn't want to lose their best players at 18 or 19. I'd argue that few of the better prospects benefit from being stuck at the same level for 4 straight seasons. I think it develops bad habits. Big guys go around unchallenged physically, fast skilled guys dominate on the puck instead of learning how to play a game where puck touches are short and fleeting.

The solution is simple. Drop the limit from 4 seasons to 3 seasons and eliminate the overage year. In essence make the CHL leagues younger leagues by 1 year. This would also have the side benefit of making the drafting of 18 year olds less guess work because the players will have bigger roles at younger ages.

 

[Bluelines]

It's a Swiss team. ZSC, which is where Fabrice Herzog is going to play next year. That may also influence our decision to maybe draft Jonas Siegenthaler or Denis Malgin.

We had one with a German team a few years back too

Not sure Gary would look kindly upon one of his owners helping out a league that would be considered a competitor for talent. I'm sure there would be some politics involved.

 

[WTFMAN99]

The AHL needs to allow exceptional status 18 year olds to play in their league.

I think a cool thing would be to maybe allow a team to have 1 player in their organization at 18-19 to play in the AHL but with the rule being they can not recall them to the NHL (just like as if they were in JR hockey).

 

[deletethis]

I think a cool thing would be to maybe allow a team to have 1 player in their organization at 18-19 to play in the AHL but with the rule being they can not recall them to the NHL (just like as if they were in JR hockey).

Sounds like an excellent compromise.

 

[Bluelines]

I think a cool thing would be to maybe allow a team to have 1 player in their organization at 18-19 to play in the AHL but with the rule being they can not recall them to the NHL (just like as if they were in JR hockey).

The reason why they don't do that, is the belief it would hurt CHL hockey.. Branch carries a big stick (pun intended) with the hockey world.

 

[Rare Jewel]

I think a cool thing would be to maybe allow a team to have 1 player in their organization at 18-19 to play in the AHL but with the rule being they can not recall them to the NHL (just like as if they were in JR hockey).

I like it up until you cannot recall them.


I think if they're a top ten pick in the draft, They can play in the AHL at 19. If they're a late birthday they can play in the AHL right away(likely played 3 years). Then there's some sort of development fee paid out to the junior for that.

 

[WTFMAN99]

The reason why they don't do that, is the belief it would hurt CHL hockey.. Branch carries a big stick (pun intended) with the hockey world.

I know he does, but if you capped it at NHL teams being able to only pull 1 player in their entire organization from the CHL, it is a decent compromise.

Plus consider the fact that it is not often you have a guy who is too good for Jrs but not ready for the NHL.

You may miss out on 1-5 guys a year in the entire CHL.

 

[IWD]

I think that's actually quite ingenious. Pay top dollar for training facilities, employ the best european trainers, coaches, skating instructors, nutritionists, etc, and develop those players according to your system and philosophy. A pipeline between the best of the European prospects and the NHL parent club takes all the guesswork out of scouting and development of European assets. This is a stroke of reliance IMO. Kudos to the OP.

The only question is: what keeps your opponents from scouting and drafting your hand raised talent pool?

That really is the question. It would make little sense to invest all that time, money, and emotion into players just to have them poached away and iced against you. I like the idea of developing our own players, and basically having a European branch of the Leafs in a major league. The Europeans aren't generally thrilled with this kind of thing, though, as they'd probably view it as the NHL trying to gain a foothold for expansion.

 

[-DeMo-]

I think a cool thing would be to maybe allow a team to have 1 player in their organization at 18-19 to play in the AHL but with the rule being they can not recall them to the NHL (just like as if they were in JR hockey).

I think the NHL should adopt the NBA/NFL way of players opting to go into the draft, and once they do that they can no longer play in the CHL, they have to go to the AHL/NHL, so a lot of kids might wait till there 20 to opt into the draft for that reason.

 

[WTFMAN99]

I think the NHL should adopt the NBA/NFL way of players opting to go into the draft, and once they do that they can no longer play in the CHL, they have to go to the AHL/NHL, so a lot of kids might wait till there 20 to opt into the draft for that reason.

This would never happen because CHL would put up a huge stink about this, and I could see a LOT of top prospects going the NCAA route if this change happened.

 

[Stephen]

I think that's a good idea. I'd also be inclined to buy an OHL, WHL and QMJHL team and have those organizations report back to us on the league, bantam drafts etc. vastly expanding the scope of understanding minor leagues in different regions.

 

[Drew75]

That really is the question. It would make little sense to invest all that time, money, and emotion into players just to have them poached away and iced against you. I like the idea of developing our own players, and basically having a European branch of the Leafs in a major league. The Europeans aren't generally thrilled with this kind of thing, though, as they'd probably view it as the NHL trying to gain a foothold for expansion.

There will always be a risk of a player being poached - but you would have to assume that if you run a first class organization & player experience, you will at least get an inside track and slightly bias these players towards the Leafs.

That is on top of having better European scouting and player development for your own guys (Leaf Property).

 

[-DeMo-]

This would never happen because CHL would put up a huge stink about this, and I could see a LOT of top prospects going the NCAA route if this change happened.

why would they go to the NCAA? players generally don't go to the NCAA until there 17-18 so why wouldn't they go to the CHL when there 16? instead of waiting and playing tier 2 till there draft year like what Kyle Turris did? that doesn't seem like a good idea to me, not saying it's a bad method but I don't think it would the smartest way. a lot of the reason why players play in the CHL imo is because A) it's Canadian B) it's more of a pro style league and that wouldn't change. so I don't think it would have any effect on getting more players to play NCAA. in all seriousness the system right now imo leads to players going to the NCAA, you can get drafted and then at 19 leave school and play in the AHL, earlier then you can if you went to the CHL. so why would this lead to more going the NCAA route?

also for the CHL your probably not losing players much earlier, a guy like say Nicolas Petan, he would still probably be playing in the CHL right now, because he hasn't been ready to take the next step so he wouldn't have opted into the draft until this season.

 

[IWD]

There will always be a risk of a player being poached - but you would have to assume that if you run a first class organization & player experience, you will at least get an inside track and slightly bias these players towards the Leafs.

That is on top of having better European scouting and player development for your own guys (Leaf Property).

I'm referring more to being poached via the draft. It wouldn't make sense to develop players and then have someone else draft them.