The Chicago Pro Hockey League (Now featuring #19)

[ChiHawk21]

I understand the size issue, and she would struggle considering the level of talent being so much higher than she's accustomed to, but I could see her surviving in this league as a 3rd line wing with sheltered minutes. Doesn't matter, it won't happen for her. But 10-15 years down the line, when the NHL continues to move away from size and physicality due to issues with concussions, I could see there being a real discussion about women as skilled as Coyne joining the league.

she is really not even remotely close to being close to being able to play in the nhl. Very good at what she does. Very Good! but no.

 

[Blue Liner]

Your best chance to see a woman play in the NHL may be a goaltender, and even that may never happen or at least be a really long ways off. Your best players in the world currently maybe could hang a bit in the ECHL, and I'm not even sure that's a guarantee. Szabados was considered the best women's goaltender in the world and during that time she was in the SPHL.

As far as skaters go, there just isn't the same power to compete at that level. The best of the best in the world are supremely skilled, but they're still well behind what even the replacement player NHL player does simply from a physical standpoint. If you watch actual game action (not skills competitions) the shots come off less quickly, don't have as much velocity....every minute aspect of the game happens a full step (or more) slower. The US women played exhibition games against Tier III Junior A teams in Florida...Tier III Junior A is a fancy way of saying Junior B, and the level of teams they played there were quite low. Those games were like 8-3 wins, against supremely subpar competition compared to what even a press box NHL'er.

Women's hockey is better than it's ever been and will continue to get better. The best of the best in that world are amazing hockey players and could skate circles around probably 90% of this board, but people really, really need to back off this "so and so should be in the NHL". Doing this would set women's hockey back God knows how far, because they would be utterly out of place at that level and look terrible and it would just smear women's hockey to have the best of the best in your sport fail so miserably. It would be a terrible look and I'd hate to see it.

I'd love to see one of the ladies get a shot in the SPHL or even the Coast. I think that would be much more viable and if they do that well there, then you evaluate moving up the chain. But there is not a woman in the world today that could hang in the NHL, not even close. And that is not remotely a dig at women's hockey, it's an acknowledgement of science and physical capability.

 

[Ace Card Bedard]

Your best chance to see a woman play in the NHL may be a goaltender, and even that may never happen or at least be a really long ways off.

Already seen it, Manon Rheaume.

 

[Hawkaholic]

Already seen it, Manon Rheaume.

According to hockeydb, she never played. Wasn't that more of just a PR stunt?

 

[Blue Liner]

Already seen it, Manon Rheaume.

I mean in modern day, that was 25 years ago. I meant see it as in someone who sticks and actually plays significant games/number of games.

 

[Blue Liner]

According to hockeydb, she never played. Wasn't that more of just a PR stunt?

She played one period of an exhibition game and then one exhibition game the following season after that. She then played roughly 25 or so (I think?) professional games in various leagues the following few seasons, mostly in the ECHL and IHL.

 

[Pez68]

I've only watched the last ten minutes of game 2's 1st period so far (hoping a highlight video will be released later). A few things of note from those 10 minutes:

• Jokiharju and Schmaltz seem to be not playing tonight.
• Kendall Coyne looks better than most out there. Fast, great stick handler. Honestly think she could play in the NHL in a middle 6 role.
  
• Oesterle scored off a beauty pass by Hino.
• Speaking of Vinny, kid's the best player out there. Understandable considering there's only a few NHLers out there, but **** isn't even close.
  
• Roy Radke has impressed me a bit. Moves better than I would've expected given his size.

I hope you're joking about Coyne. Lol. She is 5'1 and MAYBE 100 lbs (the same size as my 11 year old, roughly). I've played with her at open hockey. There is no way she could even play NCAA men's hockey, let alone at the pro level... I was at this last night in person. The large majority of the players were not giving 100%. Hell, most guys were going about 50%. She looked a lot faster than she is, because of this. Vinny was also one of the few guys going hard out there. DeBrincat could have probably scored 10 goals in the first game. He passed up shot after shot after shot trying to set guys up and have fun.

It was fun to watch because of the skill level, but the average level of effort, especially defensively and on the back check, was well below even a B level beer league game.

Bobby was correct, in that there was not a single slap shot taken. Guys that were shooting, were making sure the lane was clear, and if it wasn't, the puck was along the ice. This was highly skilled rat hockey played by a bunch of guys that were having fun and avoiding getting hurt, more than anything.

 

[CallMeShaft]

I hope you're joking about Coyne. Lol. She is 5'1 and MAYBE 100 lbs (the same size as my 11 year old, roughly). I've played with her at open hockey. There is no way she could even play NCAA men's hockey, let alone at the pro level... I was at this last night in person. The large majority of the players were not giving 100%. Hell, most guys were going about 50%. She looked a lot faster than she is, because of this. Vinny was also one of the few guys going hard out there. DeBrincat could have probably scored 10 goals in the first game. He passed up shot after shot after shot trying to set guys up and have fun.

It was fun to watch because of the skill level, but the average level of effort, especially defensively and on the back check, was well below even a B level beer league game.

I wasn't really joking, I'm just saying that she has NHL level talent (speed, hands, brain). I didn't realize that she was only 5ft1 until a poster here mentioned it. Didn't look all that much smaller than other players out there, which is why I made the comment, but the camera angle probably had a lot to do with it.

So let me change my stance from "able to play in the NHL", to "can keep up with NHLers in a non-physical game of hockey".

 

[BK]

I'm just saying that she has NHL level talent (speed, hands, brain).

She doesn't have all 3 though. She has the brain for it but not the speed or hands.

 

[CallMeShaft]

She doesn't have all 3 though. She has the brain for it but not the speed or hands.

I thought she moved pretty well out there and at the olympics. Also don't mind her hands.

But it's a mute point either way. I didn't realize that she was as short as she was (like I said, camera angle last night was deceiving me a bit), so I was clearly wrong thinking she could crack an NHL roster anytime soon.

 

[BK]

I thought she moved pretty well out there and at the olympics. Also don't mind her hands.

But it's a mute point either way. I didn't realize that she was as short as she was (like I said, camera angle last night was deceiving me a bit), so I was clearly wrong thinking she could crack an NHL roster anytime soon.

Oh she skates really well but the NHL and even AHL are whole different animals. There was a sequences where JO was covering her and she was going all out and he was barely skating and she could not shake him.

 

[Hawkaholic]

There was only a handful of actual NHLers playing the game she was playing in last night. So she is keeping up to ECHLers and AAA players.

 

[ChiHawks10]

There was only a handful of actual NHLers playing the game she was playing in last night. So she is keeping up to ECHLers and AAA players.

Who are most likely going at about 50-60%, tops.

 

[ChiHawks10]

I hope you're joking about Coyne. Lol. She is 5'1 and MAYBE 100 lbs (the same size as my 11 year old, roughly). I've played with her at open hockey. There is no way she could even play NCAA men's hockey, let alone at the pro level... I was at this last night in person. The large majority of the players were not giving 100%. Hell, most guys were going about 50%. She looked a lot faster than she is, because of this. Vinny was also one of the few guys going hard out there. DeBrincat could have probably scored 10 goals in the first game. He passed up shot after shot after shot trying to set guys up and have fun.

It was fun to watch because of the skill level, but the average level of effort, especially defensively and on the back check, was well below even a B level beer league game.

Bobby was correct, in that there was not a single slap shot taken. Guys that were shooting, were making sure the lane was clear, and if it wasn't, the puck was along the ice. This was highly skilled rat hockey played by a bunch of guys that were having fun and avoiding getting hurt, more than anything.

Just something to do to pass the time in the summer, while staying on the ice, and giving something for the fans/kids to have fun with.

 

[Pez68]

I wasn't really joking, I'm just saying that she has NHL level talent (speed, hands, brain). I didn't realize that she was only 5ft1 until a poster here mentioned it. Didn't look all that much smaller than other players out there, which is why I made the comment, but the camera angle probably had a lot to do with it.

So let me change my stance from "able to play in the NHL", to "can keep up with NHLers in a non-physical game of hockey".

The speed is deceiving because guys were half assing it out there. Shes has decent speed. She looks fast because she's so small, and is taking so many strides. She does have really good hands, but her shot is mediocre. Extremely accurate, but lacking velocity and release quickness. Most bantam level boys are releasing the puck quicker and harder. She is also a very smart hockey player.

I'm nowhere near the speed I was in my 20s, and I was able to keep up with her in a rat skate 4-5 years ago.

 

[CallMeShaft]

The speed is deceiving because guys were half assing it out there. She's has decent speed. She looks fast because she's so small, and is taking so many strides. She does have really good hands, but her shot is mediocre. Extremely accurate, but lacking velocity and release quickness. Most bantam level boys are releasing the puck quicker and harder. She is also a very smart hockey player.

I'm nowhere near the speed I was in my 20s, and I was able to keep up with her in a rat skate 4-5 years ago.

Okay, I'm convinced. Bowman needs to sign you to a deal pronto. You can replace Hino.

 

[Blue Liner]

At the end of the day, and I've said it before, many people in general grossly underestimate how ridiculously good at hockey even the pressbox NHL'er is. That is directed at no one in particular, just something I observe all the time. What people need to do at least once in life is be at ice-level for a game, or even a practice. If you did this even at the Division I or USHL/CHL level, you'd likely be blown away by the speed, length, and skill of the players, let alone at the NHL level.

 

[djeck42]

Will Vinny and Oesterle still be playing on their teams? I know its only a few weeks but didnt know if the Coyotes would want them out west sooner

 

[Pez68]

At the end of the day, and I've said it before, many people in general grossly underestimate how ridiculously good at hockey even the pressbox NHL'er is. That is directed at no one in particular, just something I observe all the time. What people need to do at least once in life is be at ice-level for a game, or even a practice. If you did this even at the Division I or USHL/CHL level, you'd likely be blown away by the speed, length, and skill of the players, let alone at the NHL level.

Yes. Or better yet, go skate with them. It's an eye opener.

 

[migi]

Yes. Or better yet, go skate with them. It's an eye opener.

When Erik Karlsson and the better of Filppula’s brothers were in Helsinki in lock-out season, it was mind-blowing how good they were vs. the others. Karlsson didnt even train, rumor is he just sat in gym and had coke laughing when others trained. And he won the ”Art Ross” of Dmen in Finnish league. Played only half of the games.

I saw him ice-level. Obviously he was world-class talent then already, but still. I understand what you and @Blue Liner are saying that even the worst NHL’ers are so freaking good players.

But that Karlsson’s skill. Wooooooooooah. Filppula was also easily the best forward there and he and Karlsson played catch most of the times.

I remember Karlsson’s first game. The commentator noticed that Karlsson didnt make even a single mistake with the puck. All passes to tape. All shots through. First shot, goal. He just beat the goalie without screen.

Other players, well did not so well.

This is going off-topic from myself but yeah.

 

[Blue Liner]

Yes. Or better yet, go skate with them. It's an eye opener.

To take it further, seeing how good players are who didn't even make it to the NHL but were AHL guys. My boss was a 2nd Round pick when he was coming up, was a very good OHL player, played in the Top Prospects game, etc and ended up never playing an NHL game but had some good AHL years and was a big goal scorer in the Coast. A guy like him, even if I didn't know he was a pro ahead of time, once I saw him shoot the puck I would have said "that guy played pro somewhere". He's 38, been out of the game for probably seven or eight years I think, yet can still fire the puck at an NHL level. Those pro level guys just have a different "it" when they're on the ice even after they're done playing (if they continue to skate at all).

 

[BobbyJet]

I've said this before but in the 90's I played in a men's summer league and Kevin Maguire was playing shinny in the game before us. Maguire was a tough guy for Leafs at the time and was a (well) below average NHLer. The players he was up against were pretty good but this guy could regularly go end to end with ease whenever he wanted. That was my eye-opener.

 

[CallMeShaft]

Captain Serious has been added. Cue the complaints about him playing in non-contact hockey games during the summer.

 

[Toews2Bickell]

Boyle drops pod complaining about Toews. Month later he commits to attending convention and summer league.

 

[BobbyJet]

Captain Serious has been added. Cue the complaints about him playing in non-contact hockey games during the summer.

Huh.

JT needs to be in top physical condition going into next season/ he is playing more like a guy who is 35, not 30 years-old.

It's good to see JT sticking to off-season training and not exploring the wonders of the world.