Ncaa Vs Chl

[ktownhockey]

And how many supremely talented 16 year olds are out there other than Crosby? Why would a US kid want a scholarship to play hockey at a University in Canada...they might as well play in a beer league it's the same competition.

Your ignorance proceeds you with that un-educated comment.

alot of OUA teams go down and play division I programs and win some games.

their are alot more universities and PEOPLE in the states so their obviosuly gonna have good teams. especially cause they are giving full rides. The CIS players are theor for an education and to playt competitive hockey. any year western, U of A , UQTR on a good day can give a division I school a good game.

 

[college hockey]

alot of OUA teams go down and play division I programs and win some games.

.

When? OUA teams were 0-21 against NCAA teams this past year and I probably misssed a few more of their losses. And most of those games were against bottom feeder NCAA teams as well.

 

[stockwizard*]

This was definetely a great draft year for Americans.
It would be interesting to break down where the U.S. born players were playing when they were drafted.
Schremp was the most talented forward.

 

[eye]

Reference NCAA exhibition games you forgot to mention that NCAA teams use players that normally don't get alot of icetime if any at all during the regular season against Candadian Univsiity teams and also use their 2nd string goalie in most games. The NCAA have won over 95% of all exhibition games played over the years. Miracle was about 20 NCAA players beating what some feel was the best team of all time in 1980. I just can't imagine the CHL putting together a team capable of accomplishing that no matter what era were talking about.

VOB, you and I always seem to get caught up in this debate. You claim to be an american and claim to be a fan of the NCAA. My guess is that you actually work for the Sault St. Marie Greyhounds of the CHL. Am I right? I went to a couple of Greyhounds games this past year and quite enjoyed myself but other than Jeff Carter and maybe the little speedy kid Kennedy? and a Defenseman I forget his name it might have been Smith, I didn't see another player on your team that could make the Golden Gophers roster. I will search for last years list of ex-players kids that chose the NCAA from which you participated in so I'm suprised you ask the question once again.

 

[MikeC44]

The NCAA-CIS argument is a lot like the CHL-NCAA argument. There is more younger, high-end talent in the NCAA, but the CIS has older, more experienced players.
Anyone who says CIS hockey is beer league hockey should come watch the AUS. It is by far the best hockey in the area. When the WJs were held in Halifax, an AUS All-Star team played the team Canada to a couple of very close losses.

 

[Lard_Lad]

Miracle was about 20 NCAA players beating what some feel was the best team of all time in 1980. I just can't imagine the CHL putting together a team capable of accomplishing that no matter what era were talking about.

The Toronto Marlboros, with four players picked up from other teams, lost 7-6 to the Soviet National Team in 1975, and were tied going into the third. The Montreal Junior Canadiens, with Jacques Plante coming out of retirement to play goal for them, beat the Soviets in the late 60's.

 

[Sam]

That happened to be the year that TSN re-rated. Their basis is that you have to wait 5 years to see how the players pan out. If they do other draft years, I'm confident the ratio will hold up. Without even going through the details, it seems to me that there is more likelyhood of late round pick out of the NCAA surprising than a CHL player. If anything, the truth is the exact opposite of what the poster stated. NCAA products are much underrated on draft day, overall, and CHL products are much overrated on draft day overall. Euros are somewhere in between.

Ok lets do 1998:

1. Vincent Lecavalier - CHL (QMJHL)
2. Brad Richards - CHL (QMJHL)
3. Alex Tanguay - CHL (QMJHL)
4. Pavel Datsyuk - Russia
5. Brad Stuart - CHL (WHL)
6. Simon Gagne - CHL (QMJHL)
7. Scott Gomez - CHL (WHL)
8. Andrew Raycroft - CHL (OHL)
9. Robyn Regher - CHL (WHL)
10. Dmitiri Kalinin - Russia
11. Michael Ryder - CHL (QMJHL)
12. Mike Riberio - CHL (QMJHL)
13. David Legwand - CHL (OHL)
14. Tyler Arnason - USHL
15. Andrei Markov - Russia

WOW look at all those NCAA players.

The best NCAA player would probably be Erik Cole.

Out of the 15

11 - CHL
3 - Europe
1 - USHL

Good job db23

I know this post was a little while ago, but I'd like to make a point. This list would do little or nothing to disprove db23's point of the overrating or underrating of players coming out of specific leagues since, out of the top 15 in the 1998 draft, there were 13 players from the CHL and 2 players from Europe. Instead, the list from this particular draft year would support that the CHL still produces most of the best NHL players.

 

[VOB]

VOB, you and I always seem to get caught up in this debate. You claim to be an american and claim to be a fan of the NCAA. My guess is that you actually work for the Sault St. Marie Greyhounds of the CHL. Am I right? I went to a couple of Greyhounds games this past year and quite enjoyed myself but other than Jeff Carter and maybe the little speedy kid Kennedy? and a Defenseman I forget his name it might have been Smith, I didn't see another player on your team that could make the Golden Gophers roster. I will search for last years list of ex-players kids that chose the NCAA from which you participated in so I'm suprised you ask the question once again.

No, I am on the wrong side of the border and the wrong nationality(don't have a visa to work in Canada) to work in Ontario or for an Ontario based OHL club. I watch alot of OHL teams and have what you may call "connections" with many of the organizations. As to your point about the Greyhounds and the Gophs, well Carter would be one of the better players if not one of the dominant players in the NCAA had he chosen that route. You are probably refering to Jason Smith, a hard nosed defensemen. The only Greyhounds who could not have cracked an NCAA roster this year were the two 16 year olds Chris Lawrence and David Jarram. They would both be considered "blue chip recruits" by NCAA standards and the Gohphs would have loved to landed either one. If you really did see the Hounds play, then you would have known that players such as Dobben, Doyle, Larsh, Pitton, Desjarden, Good as well as Carter, Smith and Kennedy were every bit as good as a Harrignton, Sertich, Irmen, Waibel ect ect and could have made the Gophs.

 

[stockwizard*]

You people should listen to VOB from now on. He knows what he is talking about.

 

[eye]

No, I am on the wrong side of the border and the wrong nationality(don't have a visa to work in Canada) to work in Ontario or for an Ontario based OHL club. I watch alot of OHL teams and have what you may call "connections" with many of the organizations. As to your point about the Greyhounds and the Gophs, well Carter would be one of the better players if not one of the dominant players in the NCAA had he chosen that route. You are probably refering to Jason Smith, a hard nosed defensemen. The only Greyhounds who could not have cracked an NCAA roster this year were the two 16 year olds Chris Lawrence and David Jarram. They would both be considered "blue chip recruits" by NCAA standards and the Gohphs would have loved to landed either one. If you really did see the Hounds play, then you would have known that players such as Dobben, Doyle, Larsh, Pitton, Desjarden, Good as well as Carter, Smith and Kennedy were every bit as good as a Harrignton, Sertich, Irmen, Waibel ect ect and could have made the Gophs.

I looked it up. It was Jordan Smith. I go to games quite often with an NHL scout friend of mine and that's why I went to the Sault a couple of times. Your over-rating your players IMO. The long drive home gave us time to do the comparrison and it was a consensus between the two of us that no more than 3, the 3 listed, could have contritbuted to the Golden Gophers lineup. Lawrence might in about 2-3 years but the others you mention all had too many flaws in their games to be worthy of a full ride to U of M. As for working for the club you could be a US based scout for them could you not? How else, all the so called connections and why do you always refuse to say anything positive about the NCAA since you claim to be a NCAA fan?

 

[VOB]

eye, I would certainly question the ability of your "NHL scout" if he stated only three players were worthy of making the MN Gophs. You give far to much credit to players such as Harrington, Waibel et al if you really think that they are better than just about every player on the Soo Greyhounds. And no, I am not a U.S. based scout for the Hounds.

As for the NCAA, I have always said it is a good league but no better than the CHL and that is what rankles pro NCAA people such as yourself. In terms of top to bottom talent, sorry but that is where the CHL pulls rank.

 

[TheZodiac]

Recently Michigan State made a full court press for a young 16 year old player named Myles Applebaum, considered by many, including the NHL CSB, to be one of the top 16 year old player in Ontario. Applebaum told any OHL team that was listening that he was really impressed with the college game, loved the college atmosphere and planned on playing in the NCAA. Music to the ears of the big schools like Michigan and Michigan State. State offered him a full scholy and he gave his verbal commitment. The Kitchener Rangers took what everybody thought was a flier on the player with one of their two fifth round picks. He signed with Kitchener last week! The only good thing for Michigan State is that at least now they can bring that scholarship into play for someone else but this is just one example of what recruiting in Ontario is like today. Most of those players want big ticket rides and use the OHL as a bargaining chip in their favor.
As a result some (and I believe it is a growing number) have indeed backed off recruiting in that area and will only scout the 19 and 20 year olds who no longer have the OHL ploy in their favor.

Myles Applebaum had ZERO intention to play NCAA, he is part of the Kitchener Rangers SCAM to get top rate players later in the OHL draft. Kitchener has done this 3 years in a row.

86 - Evan McGrath
87 - Devereaux Heshmanpour
88 - Myles Applebaum

All these boys played the I'm going NCAA card, don't waste your pick on me, and then suddenly appear in Kitchener draft.

 

[VOB]

Myles Applebaum had ZERO intention to play NCAA, he is part of the Kitchener Rangers SCAM to get top rate players later in the OHL draft. Kitchener has done this 3 years in a row.

86 - Evan McGrath
87 - Devereaux Heshmanpour
88 - Myles Applebaum

All these boys played the I'm going NCAA card, don't waste your pick on me, and then suddenly appear in Kitchener draft.

Ah yes the old "Peter the Cheater" conspiracy syndrome has once again reared its head. The fact of the matter is that Evan McGrath was 90% committed to attending Michigan and had a team such as Sudbury drafted him, he would be debuting for the Maize en Bleu this fall. I will concede on Heshmanpour, he had very little intention of going the NCAA route. The Applebaum scenerio is very similiar to McGrath. He was very serious about wanting to play in the NCAA and even gave a verbal commitment to Michigan State. So why did he reneg?

Do you know anything about the Kitchener Ranger organization Zodiac? It is first class!!!!! Few U.S. colleges can compete against them successfully. Here you have a winning organization with a modern facility and two elite schools in its backyard that can change the mind of most young men entertaining the thought of going the NCAA route. They don't always get what they want though Zodiac, Matt Aufrey is one example of that.

 

[TheZodiac]

Ah yes the old "Peter the Cheater" conspiracy syndrome has once again reared its head. The fact of the matter is that Evan McGrath was 90% committed to attending Michigan and had a team such as Sudbury drafted him, he would be debuting for the Maize en Bleu this fall. I will concede on Heshmanpour, he had very little intention of going the NCAA route. The Applebaum scenerio is very similiar to McGrath. He was very serious about wanting to play in the NCAA and even gave a verbal commitment to Michigan State. So why did he reneg?

Do you know anything about the Kitchener Ranger organization Zodiac? It is first class!!!!! Few U.S. colleges can compete against them successfully. Here you have a winning organization with a modern facility and two elite schools in its backyard that can change the mind of most young men entertaining the thought of going the NCAA route. They don't always get what they want though Zodiac, Matt Aufrey is one example of that.

I am not saying Kitchener is anything but first class organization, all I am saying is do you think the other 19 teams are so stupid as to pass up on these players? Why do none of the other 19 teams have such players in their lineup? i can see this happenening 1 year, okay I'll give you 2 years, but 3 years in a row???????

 

[CharlieGirl]

I am not saying Kitchener is anything but first class organization, all I am saying is do you think the other 19 teams are so stupid as to pass up on these players? Why do none of the other 19 teams have such players in their lineup? i can see this happenening 1 year, okay I'll give you 2 years, but 3 years in a row???????

Not again........

As outlined earlier, getting McGrath to Kitchener was a very difficult task, and it came down to the wire -- he finally signed a few days into training camp.

As far as Hesh goes, he was selected dead last in the first round -- every other team had the chance to draft him and didn't.

Applebaum took the world and then some to get him signed, and it took "Peter the Cheater" (how stupid is that name?) almost 3 months to convince him to sign with the Rangers. He was going the NCAA route.

Kitchener's history, location (2 universities, which is what finally got McGrath), and excellent program and coaching is what gets these players to play in the Kitchener.... and a coach/GM who isn't afraid to take that risk.

 

[VOB]

I am not saying Kitchener is anything but first class organization, all I am saying is do you think the other 19 teams are so stupid as to pass up on these players? Why do none of the other 19 teams have such players in their lineup? i can see this happenening 1 year, okay I'll give you 2 years, but 3 years in a row???????

Kingston took a chance on Wes O'Neil and had they landed him, would you be saying that they cheated? Brampton took a chance on Lynes and Geofrion this year and they stand a good chance of convincing both to play in Brampton. If both sign, are they cheating? Kitchener drafted Applebaum in the fifth round. Other teams had as much opportunity in picking him before the Rangers did and it is not the Rangers problem that the Soo Greyhounds do not have the ability to land players who are sitting on the proverbial fence. Kitchener took the chance on Applebaum and convinced him to give up a full ride scholarship to Michigan State and sign with them.

 

[ktownhockey]

thats the whole argument tho

I looked it up. It was Jordan Smith. I go to games quite often with an NHL scout friend of mine and that's why I went to the Sault a couple of times. Your over-rating your players IMO. The long drive home gave us time to do the comparrison and it was a consensus between the two of us that no more than 3, the 3 listed, could have contritbuted to the Golden Gophers lineup. Lawrence might in about 2-3 years but the others you mention all had too many flaws in their games to be worthy of a full ride to U of M. As for working for the club you could be a US based scout for them could you not? How else, all the so called connections and why do you always refuse to say anything positive about the NCAA since you claim to be a NCAA fan?

 

[ktownhockey]

thats the whole argument tho

I looked it up. It was Jordan Smith. I go to games quite often with an NHL scout friend of mine and that's why I went to the Sault a couple of times. Your over-rating your players IMO. The long drive home gave us time to do the comparrison and it was a consensus between the two of us that no more than 3, the 3 listed, could have contritbuted to the Golden Gophers lineup. Lawrence might in about 2-3 years but the others you mention all had too many flaws in their games to be worthy of a full ride to U of M. As for working for the club you could be a US based scout for them could you not? How else, all the so called connections and why do you always refuse to say anything positive about the NCAA since you claim to be a NCAA fan?

Around half of these kids when they are 20 would be good enough to get scholarships if they werent so bored of playing JR A hockey and still had a commitment to the game.

 

[eye]

Around half of these kids when they are 20 would be good enough to get scholarships if they werent so bored of playing JR A hockey and still had a commitment to the game.

I leave you with my parting thoughts. Your supporting my top NCAA teams theory as being better than the average CHL team ktown and your almost right. I would say about 40% or so would be good enough for my favourite NCAA team the Golden Golphers but guess what 100% of the current Gophers are good enough now. My favourite CHL team for years has been Wheat Kings so I am a fan of the league but have a slight preference to the NCAA. e.g. the 2 games I went to in the Sault the fans were quiet, half the seats were empty, there was no band to get things going and the players didn't play with the playoff intensity we see every game in Minny. Getting back to my last thoughts on the Greyhounds VOB, other than Carter and possibly the Lawrence and Smith kids the rest of the Greyhounds seem destined for the ECHL, Central Hockey League or Canadian University while a dozen or more current Gophers will go directly to the AHL or NHL which kind of makes the CHL sure thing route arguement very weak. Other than the 3 out of 100 sure shot blue chippers that I agree should take the CHL route at 16 years of age, the vast majority of CHL players should take the NCAA route if they can get a full offer but I doubt that they can. Last time anyone did a study less than 10% of CHL grads actually end up collecting their education packages and actually go back to University. Enough said.

 

[ktownhockey]

I leave you with my parting thoughts. Your supporting my top NCAA teams theory as being better than the average CHL team ktown and your almost right. I would say about 40% or so would be good enough for my favourite NCAA team the Golden Golphers but guess what 100% of the current Gophers are good enough now. My favourite CHL team for years has been Wheat Kings so I am a fan of the league but have a slight preference to the NCAA. e.g. the 2 games I went to in the Sault the fans were quiet, half the seats were empty, there was no band to get things going and the players didn't play with the playoff intensity we see every game in Minny. Getting back to my last thoughts on the Greyhounds VOB, other than Carter and possibly the Lawrence and Smith kids the rest of the Greyhounds seem destined for the ECHL, Central Hockey League or Canadian University while a dozen or more current Gophers will go directly to the AHL or NHL which kind of makes the CHL sure thing route arguement very weak. Other than the 3 out of 100 sure shot blue chippers that I agree should take the CHL route at 16 years of age, the vast majority of CHL players should take the NCAA route if they can get a full offer but I doubt that they can. Last time anyone did a study less than 10% of CHL grads actually end up collecting their education packages and actually go back to University. Enough said.

I agree that the top end NCAA teams are excellent hockey clubs. I want a link to that 3 % theory for CHL players playing in the NHL.
what's the percentage in the NCAA im sure it's far less. I love hockey in general and I refuse to be biased , so If my comment sound like it it is not the way i mean to come across.

however ive grown up with the OHL and CHL ... and i've watched a bit of NCAA when going on tours of American Univ's with my hockey teams and I can tell you that the CHL is a better immediate ground to start your hockey career. Who knows if you'll make it to the NHL but the majority of these guys do end up playing somewhere professionally.. and its something they love to do. they can always go back to school and use their education packages.

anyways this thread has enlightened me in some ways and I'm glad I was part of it..
thansk ktownhcokey

 

[VOB]

Getting back to my last thoughts on the Greyhounds VOB, other than Carter and possibly the Lawrence and Smith kids the rest of the Greyhounds seem destined for the ECHL, Central Hockey League or Canadian University while a dozen or more current Gophers will go directly to the AHL or NHL which kind of makes the CHL sure thing route arguement very weak. Other than the 3 out of 100 sure shot blue chippers that I agree should take the CHL route at 16 years of age, the vast majority of CHL players should take the NCAA route if they can get a full offer but I doubt that they can. Last time anyone did a study less than 10% of CHL grads actually end up collecting their education packages and actually go back to University. Enough said.

First off eye, please provide the link of your 10% of CHL grads collecting their education packages (tald is cheap eyes!) According to the OHL website, there were over 200 former OHL players in the CIS last year. This number does not include those that went on to trade schools or community colleges nor does it include those who simply go to school and not play hockey. In the WHL, over 1400 players have collected on their scholarship monies over the past ten years.

Secondly, there is no disputing that the CHL produces more pro players than the NCAA.

As for the dozen or so Gophs making it to the NHL/AHL, well going back five years to 1999, only four Gophs from that squad have actually played in any NHL games. The same number holds true for the 1999 Greyhound squad. So no real advantage there.

If you are going to compare programs, why use the Soo Greyhounds as an example? Let me start by saying that the majority of the Hounds could have landed spots on this year's Goph squad but you are comparing a successful program to one that has struggled. One program that won the WCHA championship and made it to the final 8 of the NCAA (indicative of college hockey supremacy) compared to another that had an under 500 season and failed to make the playoffs under a format where 80% of the teams make the playoffs. Yet you at the very least concede that almost half of those Hounds, who come from a bottom placed team in their league, could have made the Gophs (actually I think the number is much higher than that!). What does that tell you.

Compare the Gophs to a winning program like the London Knights and less than half of the current Gophs team could have cracked the Knights roster as junior aged players and not all of the Gophs, even though they are significantly older, could have made the Knights this year.

 

[Brad Coccimiglio]

My favourite CHL team for years has been Wheat Kings so I am a fan of the league but have a slight preference to the NCAA. e.g. the 2 games I went to in the Sault the fans were quiet, half the seats were empty, there was no band to get things going and the players didn't play with the playoff intensity we see every game in Minny.

The problem I have with part of this statement is that you're talking about just two games out of 34 home games. The team came into this season under turmoil from the end of the previous season and the fans have slowly started to come back and watch games. The last two season for the team have been tough and getting the fans back has been tough as well.

As for playoff intensity, again, we're talking about just two games from the entire season (and I'm under the asssumption that they were the only two Hound games you saw during the season).

As a general comment, when comparing NCAA hockey to the CHL, it's very tough to do because the styles of play are so different. When you watch the CHL, you're looking at a more NHL-style game while college hockey, while it is top notch as well, provides players with a place to play as well as a quality university education (many CHL players are not affected by university education as they generally go to university after their days in the CHL are over).

Just a few thoughts

 

[eye]

This thread is going nowhere. We all have our own opinions and can make stats say what we want them to say. I'm not going to spend an hour disproving your latest stats VOB. Golden Gophers grads almost all go directly to the AHL or NHL. Can the Greyhounds or Saginaw Spirit claim the same? I got involved in this discussion because some ill informed posters made some rediculous statements about Kessel and the CHL being the only way to the NHL. Saginaw continues to go through coaches and GM's while the Wisconsin Badgers have one of the best development coaches in the business and are supported by some of the wildest fan bases around anywhere. The atmosphere in Madison is far superior to the atmosphere in Saginaw or any other CHL city I have visited, plain and simple. Finally, Brad the NCAA heavy checking and interference style and their year round heavy workout routine more closely resembles the NHL than you may think. There are reasons why it is a lot harder to score and put up points in the NCAA than the CHL just like the NHL has the same problem. Smothering systems, intense checking and most teams have great goaltending.

 

[VOB]

This thread is going nowhere. We all have our own opinions and can make stats say what we want them to say. I'm not going to spend an hour disproving your latest stats VOB. Golden Gophers grads almost all go directly to the AHL or NHL. Can the Greyhounds or Saginaw Spirit claim the same? I got involved in this discussion because some ill informed posters made some rediculous statements about Kessel and the CHL being the only way to the NHL. Saginaw continues to go through coaches and GM's while the Wisconsin Badgers have one of the best development coaches in the business and are supported by some of the wildest fan bases around anywhere. The atmosphere in Madison is far superior to the atmosphere in Saginaw or any other CHL city I have visited, plain and simple. Finally, Brad the NCAA heavy checking and interference style and their year round heavy workout routine more closely resembles the NHL than you may think. There are reasons why it is a lot harder to score and put up points in the NCAA than the CHL just like the NHL has the same problem. Smothering systems, intense checking and most teams have great goaltending.

This is perhaps one of the most misinformed posts you have yet made eyes. When have you ever been to Saginaw and what specific game have you seen? I have been to both Madison and Saginaw and let me tell you FLAT OUT that the Saginaw fans are everybit as rabid as those in Wisconsin. As for coaching, yes Saginaw has made some changes but so what. Mancini will be a great G.M and as for Eaves in Wisconsin (who by the way was only hired two years ago), I am sure Leavitt (you know the player Eaves physically assualted and cost the universtiy over $50 000 to settle!!!!) would have a totally different view of the great coaching staff in Madison.
Look it, I am not saying that Eaves is a bad coach, but spare me your rhetoric on the superior coaching found in the NCAA because it is simply not true.

Your comment on how all Gophs go on to the NHL/AHL shows that you have not adequatly taken the time to really review this topic before wading in with your comments. If we take a look at the 1998-99 Goph squad (this goes back far enough to see who are legit prospects and are not), several players failed to advance as far as you claim. In fact 18 players on that team either played in the ECHL/UHL/CHL or did not go pro. That is a far cry from "Golden Gophers grads almost all go directly to the AHL or NHL."

 

[Brad Coccimiglio]

Finally, Brad the NCAA heavy checking and interference style and their year round heavy workout routine more closely resembles the NHL than you may think. There are reasons why it is a lot harder to score and put up points in the NCAA than the CHL just like the NHL has the same problem. Smothering systems, intense checking and most teams have great goaltending.

I realize that, but I'm looking at it from the standpoint that the CHL sets their rules similar to that of the NHL specifically because their entire reason for being a league is to develop players for the NHL, which is what they are doing. I have no doubt that the NCAA resebles the NHL in a number of ways too. The NCAA, which also develops players really well for the NHL, is geared for players to get their education as well as play hockey.

This was a clip from an interview I did with Mike Van Ryn during his only season with the Sarnia Sting. He had good things to say about both college hockey and the OHL. The interview was done nearly five years ago and I realize things have changed since then, but it kind of summarizes my thinking when I said that I find the CHL to be more of a pro-style game than NCAA.

In the OHL game it's more of a pro-style game, with the number of games you play. In college, because I played in the World Juniors I only played in the high 30's in terms of games. I've only played about 38 games a season. In two seasons there I played just over 70 games there. This year alone, with playoffs, I'll end up playing over 70 games I'm hoping. It's more of a pro game with the number of games. There's always the intimidation factor and just the way the game is played. A lot of the systems are the same as the pro systems. I know our coaches here (Jeff Perry and Rich Brown) have both coached in the American Hockey League so they are very aware of the new systems that are in place in the NHL and that's what they try to do with our team

Here's a link to the rest of the article, just in case people want to read it: http://www.hockeysfuture.com/article.php?sid=593

The key here is that both leagues have advantages and disadvantages. There is no right or wrong decision in regards to whether you choose NCAA or CHL, either way you're going to be playing at a high level of hockey and still have some sort of shot at a professional contract down the road.