LW David Levin - Sudbury Wolves, OHL (2018 undrafted)
- Thread starter EON
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Samsquanch
Raging Bull Squatch
Why are we hearing from other sources that other pro athletes from Israel have tried and ultimately failed to get exempt from service?
Soccer player Ben Sahar was a pretty famous example of this, and had to go serve on the military base that he was assigned to whenever he returned home to visit.
Tom Maayan is another example. He was a basketball player who had to return home after playing just a few games of college B-Ball, or else face jail time.
Im no expert in law, but that doesn't sound like a "right of passage" to me...
It's not. There are plenty of Israelis that claim exemptions, but it's difficult to assign a percentage value to it. There are examples of exceptional sports stars being granted exemptions though, so its not out of the realm of possibility, but rare.
The only 100% avoidance would be for him to be granted permanent resident/citizenship status in Canada. At the point, it's just a matter of presenting a waiver every time he goes back to Israel. Entirely possible over the next two years before he's 18. Should he be drafted, the example of Pe'er is useful because she was drafted, but it was heavily truncated service and only when she wasn't participating in tournaments.
Samsquanch
Raging Bull Squatch
Either way, I'm not saying that it's going to be impossible for him to overcome this hurdle, only that others in his situation have failed.
If I were Levin, I would be saying goodbye to my citizenship there if I was being forced to serve.
Saying goodbye to your homeland would be tough, and the family even tougher.
But on the other hand, hes got a bright future here in North America as a pro hockey player, and some family here already. The rest can always visit/move here anyhow.
And no offense to Israel, but it's a hell of a lot more safe here, and a pretty good place to be even if hockey doesn't work out for him.
UsernameWasTaken
Let's Go Hawks!
So if he gets permanent residence/citizenship in Canada he will be able to later go back to Israel without being arrested?
Yes. The cutoff is age 16 to move abroad and avoid the draft I believe, so he would be fine. I was born in Israel, but grew up in the States. Every time I visited up until probably 26 I would present a waiver at passport control essentially confirming I was living outside of Israel. After that, they don't care because you're beyond the age where they want to draft you.
People here are talking about renunciation, but that's not an option without secondary citizenship. His options are pretty much Canadian residency, a sporting exemption, or some kind of modified service.
He was playing inline hockey until 2012 and was the #1 pick in the OHL draft three years later? Holy ****.
Samsquanch
Raging Bull Squatch
Yup. Insane hands. He's already a more than adequate skater too after just a handful of years on the ice. Huge talent.
It's quite the story for sure, especially considering where hes come from. It should be getting more attention imo, but he was on a putrid team last year.
I'm pretty excited to see what he can do next year, and if he can make an NHL career out his talent.
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He had skated before making the occasional trip to the ice rink in Israel, but it is an amazing story. Will be interesting to see the hype and news coverage if he becomes a top 10 pick or even a first rounder. American media will love this story, pretty sure NYT already picked up on this story earlier this year.
I have zero confidence in Sudbury's ability to develop him, he does have a great work ethic though.
UsernameWasTaken
Let's Go Hawks!
This is good news for him...
Sudbury Wolves forward David Levin gets relief from Israel military obligations
Sudbury Wolves forward David Levin gets relief from Israel military obligations
Good news, no idea what can be done though unless they give him summer time service like the Finns. Its an interesting situation to follow. Last time I remember something similar was the huge dispute between Chistov/Svitov and Russia, when teams tried to use it to keep them.
Hammer Slammer
Registered User
Some of the clips are iffy quality because Sudbury doesn't have the best video. Camera misses a couple goals but I included them anyway.
He is now a center, bit of a slow start with 9 pts in 16 games and a bit weak at faceoffs but he is adjusting to a new position in only around his 3rd or 4th season of playing ice hockey. Hopefully he will get used to the changes of being a centerman.
Maybe, I know Sudbury is a mess, but watching him I don't think he's a 1st rounder. There are quite a few 99's ahead of him in the OHL alone (I know some of them are in the 2017 draft).
Hammer Slammer
Registered User
Slow start to the season but a good game as far as stats go on Sunday.
Maybe he'll start picking it up. The assist is a thing of beauty.
Maybe he'll start picking it up. The assist is a thing of beauty.
What are you basing this off? Last year we were the CHL's, yes, CHL's team with the most NHL players over the past 25 years.
We're going to make a lot of people eat a lot of words.
In fairness, Sudbury's recent track record of dysfunction has really hurt their reputation and if we're being honest, there's a reason some people don't have confidence in the organization at the moment.
Having said that, this year's version with the new people in place has actually shown signs of coming around a bit. Here's hoping. They need to restore that franchise to the power it once was.
Well, he posts in our thread asking questions about Levin. Then he comes onto this thread spewing negativity claiming he knows about his work ethic. Comical.
I don't disagree with your points though Tim. I think if this individual would have made those points prior, I could swallow that pill. I believe in this team so when somebody says they have zero confidence without providing any sort of argument, especially when they're asking questions on our threads, I'm going to call them out on it.
I don't disagree with your points though Tim. I think if this individual would have made those points prior, I could swallow that pill. I believe in this team so when somebody says they have zero confidence without providing any sort of argument, especially when they're asking questions on our threads, I'm going to call them out on it.
Which questions are you even talking about? The update about the play this season? Check out when I posted I have zero confidence in management. It was last season when I watched the team more often, under Burgess. Obviously you haven't followed Sudbury recently since this stat from the past 25 years has you convinced that they are great at developing talent. Fact is you are not looking at the recent results the recent management team. Under Fixter and Cull the team was coached horribly, even when there was talent to work with, and the team was also managed horribly under Burgess. If you checked when I posted that, it was before the new management changes, which to this point, it is yet to be determined how proficient this new group is, though it is almost impossible Zulich will manage worse than Burgess.
I've watched the Wolves for over 25 years but if spreading lies on a message board makes you feel better, by all means.
Hammer Slammer
Registered User
Wolves, he wasn't the one asking questions in this thread. He's been here since the start of the thread periodically bumping it providing info and video.
Can you maybe expand on these "lies" that are being spread?
Can you maybe expand on these "lies" that are being spread?
