Import Draft (maybe?)

[Generalsupdates]

most teams have their guys before the draft. it will just be a matter of if & when they can come. if they can’t, they stay home and play until they can come here. I doubt we’ll see any actual signings until there is more news.

But for the import draft, a lot of it is based on an NHL team wanting their prospect to play in North America instead of Europe, before they make the jump to the AHL. Unless you take an older player, you're drafting without even knowing which team has selected the player you want, so how could you ever know if his team wants him in NA or not if he doesn't even have a team yet

 

[MatthewsMoustache]

But for the import draft, a lot of it is based on an NHL team wanting their prospect to play in North America instead of Europe, before they make the jump to the AHL. Unless you take an older player, you're drafting without even knowing which team has selected the player you want, so how could you ever know if his team wants him in NA or not if he doesn't even have a team yet

that’s fair. with the uncertainty of when the draft will even be however, it might be on the players and their agents to make what they think is the best call. if the draft’s in September, the European leagues have already started, so it will be expected that if an NHL team is going to draft a player, he has plans or has already started his season

 

[NOA]

But for the import draft, a lot of it is based on an NHL team wanting their prospect to play in North America instead of Europe, before they make the jump to the AHL. Unless you take an older player, you're drafting without even knowing which team has selected the player you want, so how could you ever know if his team wants him in NA or not if he doesn't even have a team yet

Let’s say the OHL delays for the NHL draft.. which could happen in September/October if they are waiting on completion of current NHL season

If the OHL waits that long and they are able to resume practice/play by the later fall, that means that the import draft would basically be at the start of their season. You could argue it means players have no chance of coming here with that short notice and the circumstances of the season

The OHL season is already in an uphill battle to even play. So it’s going to impact imports REGARDLESS of when the draft is held. At least holding it now allows teams to have contact with their draft imports and give them a better plan and recurring updates when they know more. Imo it’s the best way to entice any of these players to maybe come over once the OHL starts back up.

I just don’t get the continued big stink about it by you and others.

My stance is “who the hell cares..”

Sorry but times are unprecedented. The OHL will be lucky to have a half season. Hell they will be lucky to have any type of season. Life is abnormal right now. They already canceled the playoffs. Why the stink about having an import draft now vs later?

Adjust the rules if that’s what it takes. Allow teams more flexibity on import draft selections/holding the rights of guys. And if not, still my stance would be who the hell cares. Nothing can be normal right now anyways

If you think holding the import draft after the NHL draft (after the nhl season) will somehow make things “normal” with imports signing, you are delusional. Just get the draft over with and allow OHL to plan accordingly with their assumed thought process of the season starting by late fall/early winter

 

[AttackSound]

At this point the CHL having anything more/less then the CHL import draft is something that will either happen or it won't.

Really has very small part connected to the NHL draft yes NHL teams sway the talented players to report to CHL/North American leagues but this will be something that will decided on if /when travel arrangements can be safely made for all involved and has very little beyond that point. If the NHL does hold an entry draft this year then will see players follow suit to what their NHL team decides as always but until then it will very much be in limbo.

 

[HockeyPops]

Seems like a larger than normal number of imports are not returning to the OHL next season. Here is a list of the ones I am aware of, only considering those born in 2001 or later:
KIT - Ville Ottavainen - as per Elite Prospects
OTT - Marco Rossi - as per rumours
SOO - Nick Malik - as per Elite Prospects
SBY - Kalle Loponen - as per Elite Prospects
WSR - Kari Piironen - as per Elite Prospects
WSR - Ruben Rafkin - as per Elite Prospects
I wonder if there will be any more added to the list between now and the import draft?

 

[OHLTG]

Rafkin was confirmed in April; signed with TPS in Turku.

 

[MatthewsMoustache]

Seems like a larger than normal number of imports are not returning to the OHL next season. Here is a list of the ones I am aware of, only considering those born in 2001 or later:
KIT - Ville Ottavainen - as per Elite Prospects
OTT - Marco Rossi - as per rumours
SOO - Nick Malik - as per Elite Prospects
SBY - Kalle Loponen - as per Elite Prospects
WSR - Kari Piironen - as per Elite Prospects
WSR - Ruben Rafkin - as per Elite Prospects
I wonder if there will be any more added to the list between now and the import draft?

can’t speak for the others, but Ville Ottavainen signed in Finland as a safety net if he is unable to come over here to play this season. judging by that, I’m sure there are at least some of these guys who plan on coming back to their respective OHL clubs but know that there’s no guarantees.

 

[Tarantula]

Is there a link to the Protected List, or do some reporters have a source?

 

[Generalsupdates]

Is there a link to the Protected List, or do some reporters have a source?

I've never seen a protected list released but the CHL site gets updated the night before the draft so you can tell who's protected based on who's passing their pick

 

[HockeyPops]

It is updated now.

CHL

 

[HockeyPops]

This article says teams can protect players that didn't report last year:
Uncertainty surrounds CHL Import Draft, but Wolves sticking to plan

This article confirms that protecting OA imports is a Covid-19 rule:
Blades ready to 'swing for the fences' with 2020 CHL Import Draft pick | The Star Phoenix

 

[AttackSound]

This article says teams can protect players that didn't report last year:
Uncertainty surrounds CHL Import Draft, but Wolves sticking to plan

This article confirms that protecting OA imports is a Covid-19 rule:
Blades ready to 'swing for the fences' with 2020 CHL Import Draft pick | The Star Phoenix

It has been well known that teams across the CHL have a so many player protected list that teams can utilize for a player(s) who are top end talent who are NHL draft who may or may not return to the CHL the following year but are still league eligible to if need be. I can't completely confirm if this has happened in recent years around the league but I am aware that in the 2011-12 off-season Owen Sound had swung a deal with the London Knights that saw this players rights be moved to the Forest City.

Long story short, a short time after this deal was made the player's statement a public and social media statement that "I am an Owen Sound Attack player" and to further that he would go on to state that "I refuse to report to London." JH

He would not go to London and yet followed his dream of making the NHL before concusions would force him to take a step back and now is Owen Sound's Assistant Coach and Assistant GM.

Days after Owen Sound Sun Times released a news article saying that the team had currently released his rights to the team from the teams protected list of eligible players to allow for future players to be given a chance to make the team ahead of that training camp. I would imagine that this rule of protected players is a CHL wide rule not a Covid-19 rule as you suggest and that it would cover all players in the CHL not just import players.

 

[Square Corners]

It has been well known that teams across the CHL have a so many player protected list that teams can utilize for a player(s) who are top end talent who are NHL draft who may or may not return to the CHL the following year but are still league eligible to if need be. I can't completely confirm if this has happened in recent years around the league but I am aware that in the 2011-12 off-season Owen Sound had swung a deal with the London Knights that saw this players rights be moved to the Forest City.

Long story short, a short time after this deal was made the player's statement a public and social media statement that "I am an Owen Sound Attack player" and to further that he would go on to state that "I refuse to report to London." JH

He would not go to London and yet followed his dream of making the NHL before concusions would force him to take a step back and now is Owen Sound's Assistant Coach and Assistant GM.

Days after Owen Sound Sun Times released a news article saying that the team had currently released his rights to the team from the teams protected list of eligible players to allow for future players to be given a chance to make the team ahead of that training camp. I would imagine that this rule of protected players is a CHL wide rule not a Covid-19 rule as you suggest and that it would cover all players in the CHL not just import players.

Each team has a list of players/draftees that they can protect (believe it's 40 or 50) and in terms of import you get your 2 that are on your team and then you can draft a third player if:
1- one of your picks is a first rounder to the NHL
2- one of your picks has signed his ELC
3- one of your picks is going to be an OA next year (this is new this year as a covid rule to help teams in case they draft someone and then they cant/wont come because of covid and I assume it'll be gone next year)

 

[HockeyPops]

4- if one of your import players is kept from last season who hasn't yet reported - this appears to be a covid rule

1 b- since there hasn't been an NHL draft this year, if your player is projected to go in the first round you can pick again (Marco Rossi)

 

[Square Corners]

4- if one of your import players is kept from last season who hasn't yet reported - this appears to be a covid rule

1 b- since there hasn't been an NHL draft this year, if your player is projected to go in the first round you can pick again (Marco Rossi)

re; 1B you sure? Mysak is projected to go in the 1st round (all 7 publications on his elite prospects page have him as a 1st rounder) and HAM is only allowed to pick once this year. So that would go against the 1b- one

 

[HockeyPops]

Nope, not sure at all but it sounded like there was some way Ottawa was protecting Rossi still. Hmmmm.

 

[pgfan66]

re; 1B you sure? Mysak is projected to go in the 1st round (all 7 publications on his elite prospects page have him as a 1st rounder) and HAM is only allowed to pick once this year. So that would go against the 1b- one

The rule does exist. Rossi is the only one. The league decided this, all GMs approved.

 

[Square Corners]

The rule does exist. Rossi is the only one. The league decided this, all GMs approved.

Source? Proof?


If this is true, Hamilton really got f***ed. Almost every single publication has Mysak as a first rounder as well.

 

[OMG67]

Regarding Rossi, he has said he is playing in Europe next year and won’t return to the 67’s regardless.

There is only one scenario I can see Rossi suiting up for the 67’s. The OHL season starts prior to the NHL draft and Rossi suits up for the 67’s at the beginning of the season staying in North America. He then goes to NHL camp. If he makes the NHL club, great. If he doesn’t, he signs in Europe and plays there next year.

The other possibility is the NHL club encourages him to stay in North America. I think that is highly unlikely.

 

[pgfan66]

Source? Proof?


If this is true, Hamilton really got f***ed. Almost every single publication has Mysak as a first rounder as well.

A league staffer. Just need to take my word for it (or not).

 

[Otto]

It has been well known that teams across the CHL have a so many player protected list that teams can utilize for a player(s) who are top end talent who are NHL draft who may or may not return to the CHL the following year but are still league eligible to if need be. I can't completely confirm if this has happened in recent years around the league but I am aware that in the 2011-12 off-season Owen Sound had swung a deal with the London Knights that saw this players rights be moved to the Forest City.

Long story short, a short time after this deal was made the player's statement a public and social media statement that "I am an Owen Sound Attack player" and to further that he would go on to state that "I refuse to report to London." JH

He would not go to London and yet followed his dream of making the NHL before concusions would force him to take a step back and now is Owen Sound's Assistant Coach and Assistant GM.

Days after Owen Sound Sun Times released a news article saying that the team had currently released his rights to the team from the teams protected list of eligible players to allow for future players to be given a chance to make the team ahead of that training camp. I would imagine that this rule of protected players is a CHL wide rule not a Covid-19 rule as you suggest and that it would cover all players in the CHL not just import players.

Except it didn't happen that way at all... The Attack released Hishon at the OA deadline in January to get to the 3 OA limit.. wasn't before training camp and wasn't in order to make room for new players. Hishon was hurt, the Knights took a chance that a) he would be good for the playoffs and b) that Colorado would send him to London if he was ready.

Hishon was with the Avalanche when he got hurt, Knights were hoping they would send him back to junior

 

[Generalsupdates]

The Import Draft is nearly impossible to project what will happen but here is a brief look 64 2001 NHL drafted players who are eligible to be taken and another 28 2002 born eligible players

 

[Brock]

My annual review of the draft: OHL Prospects: 2020 CHL Import Draft Review

 

[EON]

My annual review of the draft: OHL Prospects: 2020 CHL Import Draft Review

Thanks Brock, always a good read.

With regards to Erie taking Kolosov, it certainly sounds like they have a very good chance to land him. Minsk may be loaning him to Erie (assuming there's a season). More info on that here: Google Translate

 

[NOA]

Thanks Brock, always a good read.

With regards to Erie taking Kolosov, it certainly sounds like they have a very good chance to land him. Minsk may be loaning him to Erie (assuming there's a season). More info on that here: Google Translate

Also, Murphy was never going to be an option in Erie given their other OAs so not much of a curveball that they selected a goalie. Surprised Brock didn’t know this with one quick look at the OA roster. Someone new was going to have to pair up with Campbell

Kolosov will be in OHL if they actually play this year