Should Euros be able to play in the CHL?

[Big Phil]

Okay this may be controversial but I'm going to start off with asking if its true that they bumped the number of Europeans form a CHL team down form 2 to 1? Someone might know. Anyways on to the topic.

Should we allow European players into the CHL? Now first off forget the Americans, we've got to have Americans because of teams like Seattle, Portland, Erie, Plymouth etc..... so I have no problem with them in the CHL. Plus we play in their US colleges so it evens out. But should we be training European players and grooming them to be great so that they come back and beat us in intrenational tournaments?

Maybe we wouldnt have lost so many WJC's the last few years if we didnt teach the Euros how to be better players. Look at the Czechs! Gold Medal in '00 and '01 WJC. That team both of them were stocked with players being trained in the CHL. Probably close to half of those guys were playing in the CHL. Is that right? Should we have taught a guy like Pavel Brendl how to platy better hockey and then have his team come out that much stronger against us in the WJC? Is it right that we take away jobs from another Canadian kid who went his whole life waking up at 6am to play Hockey just to be told a European took his spot? The Czechs are the worst for this, and the Slovaks too. s the Czech program that ad that they send their guys to Canada too be trained.

Now Canada has turned a corner, and now no one believes we arent the best in the World, but there was a time when he los the '96 World Cup, '98 Olympics, a ton of WJC's, played poorly at the Worlds that made people think we werent the best in the world anymore. It wont get any easier either. The '06 Olympics wont be a cakewalk either. But my question is should we ban Euros form the CHL and train our own kids and then see how they do in international tournaments against each other.

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[Belizarius]

Well controversial...
how can you say Canada is teaching other countries how to play?
The Euros who came and play in Canada were trained in Europe before, and it was thoses skills teached in Europe which are attracting...

Is it right that we take away jobs from another Canadian kid who went his whole life waking up at 6am to play Hockey just to be told a European took his spot?

how about the thousands Canadians taking professionnal spots in Europeans teams, instead of Europeans who woke up at 6am to play hockey only to be told 'sorry, we have a Canadian instead'?

I understand your point of view but, nothing against you, I hate nationalism.

 

[Zine]

But should we be training European players and grooming them to be great so that they come back and beat us in intrenational tournaments?

In your anti-Euro tirade, you're failing to see this is reciprical in nature. The skills many Europeans bring over raises the level of play in the CHL - which, ultimately, is a benefit for the Canadian players as well.

Get rid of the Europeans and those spots are filled with lesser skilled Canadians. The elite level Canadian prospects will not benefit from playing at a lower level of competition.

 

[Vic Rattlehead*]

In your anti-Euro tirade, you're failing to see this is reciprical in nature. The skills many Europeans bring over raises the level of play in the CHL - which, ultimately, is a benefit for the Canadian players as well.

Get rid of the Europeans and those spots are filled with lesser skilled Canadians. The elite level Canadian prospects will not benefit from playing at a lower level of competition.

I totally agree.

The CHL is also benefits Europeans who want to play in the NHL. It gives them an understanding of the North American game.

 

[ZombieMatt]

The CHL should absolutely continue to permit European (and American) players to play in the league. It raises the overall quality of play in the league and creates a more talented atmosphere for Canada's top young players to develop. I would much rather create a better environment for the upper 20% of players than ensure that an extra 2 Canadian kids who have no chance at a professional career get to play 4 minutes a game in a league that they're overmatched.

 

[Seachd]

But should we be training European players and grooming them to be great so that they come back and beat us in intrenational tournaments?

This is where everything goes wrong for you. The CHL has nothing to do with international tournaments.

 

[Epsilon]

Reading this you'd think the CHL was a program run by the Canadian government or something. The primary responsibility of CHL teams is to make a profit for their owners, they are a business just like anything else. Next in order of importance is to produce NHL-caliber players, which of course makes money for the league by way of transfer fees.

 

[Buffaloed]

I have a related question, are North Americans permitted to play for European junior teams?

 

[CharlieGirl]

Reading this you'd think the CHL was a program run by the Canadian government or something. The primary responsibility of CHL teams is to make a profit for their owners, they are a business just like anything else. Next in order of importance is to produce NHL-caliber players, which of course makes money for the league by way of transfer fees.

Very good answer. The CHL is one of the top developmental leagues in the world, and European players benefit from the increased exposure and playing an NHL-type game. It's a win-win situation.

Let's not forget that there is no requirement to have import players, but if it makes a team more competitive in their respective league, where is the problem?

 

[Marshall]

In your anti-Euro tirade, you're failing to see this is reciprical in nature. The skills many Europeans bring over raises the level of play in the CHL - which, ultimately, is a benefit for the Canadian players as well.

Get rid of the Europeans and those spots are filled with lesser skilled Canadians. The elite level Canadian prospects will not benefit from playing at a lower level of competition.

Zine, completely OT - Great avatar

 

[Kvashinator12]

Should Euro's be allowed to play int he NHL?

 

[MS]

In 1992, there were 43 teams in the CHL. In 2005-06 there will be 58.

At 20 players/team, that's an extra 300 positions opening up in the CHL in the last 13 years. At most, 116 Europeans can play in the league. That means that there are 200+ more Canadians playing in the CHL than a little over a decade ago. These imports aren't taking jobs from anyone ... the CHL needed the influx of overseas talent to justify such incredible expansion. In fact, I'd argue the Euro limit should be higher.

 

[Form and Substance]

Should Euro's be allowed to play int he NHL?

that's a BIG NO!

 

[Vikke]

I have a related question, are North Americans permitted to play for European junior teams?

Yeah, they are, as far as I know at least.

 

[Claypool_*]

Maybe we wouldnt have lost so many WJC's the last few years if we didnt teach the Euros how to be better players.

Yeah, those Russians never knew how to play hockey until they could play in the CHL....

 

[Kronblom]

The most hilarious post ever, thank you Big Phil...

 

[Sammy*]

The most hilarious post ever, thank you Big Phil...

Whats hilarious is that some people get their panties in a knot cause its not a pc question, notwithstanding it is a legit question.
The fact is, it does take away jobs & icetime from N.A. kids. Now you can say thats ok or not (I happen to think limiting it to 2 imports is ok) but dont attack the guy for posing a very good question.
I mean , the question could be asked if a team should be able to have an unlimited number of imports, & if not , why not. I happen to think they shouldnt, but the question is no more "hilarious" than the thread title.
BTW, I would be interested to be told by those who have a clue whether in fact Junior Euro leagues allow imports. I would be quite surprised if say, Sweden or Finland would allow say, Russians, particularly in an unlimited number.
Does anyone "know" without simply guessing?

 

[espo*]

Overall i think it's good for the league.The Euro players bring some game over that allows our players to get used to and develop the type of varied game they will need to suceed at the top level of hockey.Sometimes i think it may take ice time away from Canadian kids that are'nt as good but who could become just as good if they got the chance to improve their game by playing in the chl but there is no way to know for sure.I don't think getting rid of European players would be a good thing.

 

[Lowetide]

If a young man wants to come over to Canada and improve his chances of playing in the NHL and making a career out of hockey then there is no reason to deny the opportunity. The idea that Canadian hockey is somehow allowing Euro's to get better and eventually beat us is a massive reach and repugnant.

We're talking 17 year old kids here. Let them compete on an even playing field, higher levels of competition benefit development for all players no matter where they come from.

The CHL is three terrific hockey leagues with some of the best young talent available anywhere. It offers (unlike the ncaa) the opportunity for kids of similar ages to compete. The European pool just adds to the level of competition and makes the overall product and individual players better at a younger rate.

I have no idea how to quantify that, but doesn't that have value? If I were to argue that Joe Sakic is a better player today because he lined up against Mike Modano 20 years ago as a 17 year old, is that far fetched?

imo these young Europeans improve the quality of the game and make the overall talent level better at a younger age.

 

[Sammy*]

If a young man wants to come over to Canada and improve his chances of playing in the NHL and making a career out of hockey then there is no reason to deny the opportunity. The idea that Canadian hockey is somehow allowing Euro's to get better and eventually beat us is a massive reach and repugnant.

We're talking 17 year old kids here. Let them compete on an even playing field, higher levels of competition benefit development for all players no matter where they come from.

The CHL is three terrific hockey leagues with some of the best young talent available anywhere. It offers (unlike the ncaa) the opportunity for kids of similar ages to compete. The European pool just adds to the level of competition and makes the overall product and individual players better at a younger rate.

I have no idea how to quantify that, but doesn't that have value? If I were to argue that Joe Sakic is a better player today because he lined up against Mike Modano 20 years ago as a 17 year old, is that far fetched?

imo these young Europeans improve the quality of the game and make the overall talent level better at a younger age.

I largely agree with what you say, but do you agree that the # of imports should be limited?

 

[espo*]

I largely agree with what you say, but do you agree that the # of imports should be limited?

limited yes,not banned but there has to be a limit of course.

 

[Vikke]

BTW, I would be interested to be told by those who have a clue whether in fact Junior Euro leagues allow imports. I would be quite surprised if say, Sweden or Finland would allow say, Russians, particularly in an unlimited number.
Does anyone "know" without simply guessing?

Sweden allow two non-EU/EEC players, the rest is unlimited.

 

[Lowetide]

I largely agree with what you say, but do you agree that the # of imports should be limited?

No, not on the face of it but I haven't exactly thought the entire thing through. If Finnish hockey or Czech hockey were to express concern for their own development system then imo that's something you'd need to look at in terms of an import limit. I don't know that to be the case, but it seems like an obvious danger.

As an Oiler fan, it seems to me that there are some advantages for both these kids and NHL teams. Oilers Euro drafting is simply horrible, but the CHL Euro's they've drafted (Hemsky, Tesliuk) have been much better. So that's another benefit.

But one thing I want to say is that I don't think the idea of limiting Euro kids or American kids as protectionism for Canadian jobs is a good idea at all. Canadian kids have options like AJHL, BCJHL, OPJHL, plus ncaa. There are all kinds of options and I don't know that a Czech kid is going to get a scholarship to Harvard.

And there are benefits to improving the overall talent pool for all the kids in that system.

 

[Sammy*]

No, not on the face of it but I haven't exactly thought the entire thing through. If Finnish hockey or Czech hockey were to express concern for their own development system then imo that's something you'd need to look at in terms of an import limit. I don't know that to be the case, but it seems like an obvious danger.

As an Oiler fan, it seems to me that there are some advantages for both these kids and NHL teams. Oilers Euro drafting is simply horrible, but the CHL Euro's they've drafted (Hemsky, Tesliuk) have been much better. So that's another benefit.

But one thing I want to say is that I don't think the idea of limiting Euro kids or American kids as protectionism for Canadian jobs is a good idea at all. Canadian kids have options like AJHL, BCJHL, OPJHL, plus ncaa. There are all kinds of options and I don't know that a Czech kid is going to get a scholarship to Harvard.

And there are benefits to improving the overall talent pool for all the kids in that system.

Oh, I gotta disagree with you here. Yeah, theres lots of leagues, but you are hindering the ability of NA players to play at the highest level possible if you allow imports unfettered.. Furthurmore, when a guy who would otherwise play major junior but for imports then goes play in the AJHL, a guy in the AJHL loses a spot & so on & so on.

 

[Sammy*]

Sweden allow two non-EU/EEC players, the rest is unlimited.

Thanks, but I dont understand. What is "unlimited"?