This is Ziggy in 2015, which is (incredibly) 10 years ago. She’s still a pile of fluff, and walking kleenex box with a wagging tail, and my employer. Ziggy reads this blog every day and offers helpful input (“your grammar is poor” and “I don’t think ‘keep your powder dry’ means what you think it means”) as long as the treats keep coming.
Ziggy has read my CPHL article about five times, but it hasn’t come to mind in a few years. So, without delay, here is one of my favourite things in the whole wide world. The CPHL.
The Athletic article today is about Stan Bowman, the summer of 2025, and free agents on the roster. It is here.
THE CPHL
Matvey Petrov is a talented AHL forward. He doesn’t play enough in the parts of the game he should at such a young age. I can hear at least some of you saying ‘he should earn it!’ and I get that, but Petrov should play mountains of minutes when the neural pathways are still being constructed. Perhaps it’s too late for him, and I should be arguing for the next Matvey Petrov. Say William Nicholl.
The leap from junior to the AHL is difficult, especially for players who arrive without the maturity and skill set to force a more experienced player to the bench. In the case of former first-round selection Xavier Bourgault, he was unable to impact the game enough to establish himself as a legit prospect and find his way. Bourgault would have been an alarming choice for the CPHL I envision, but he would have benefitted from it. Pretty sure.
We are going to talk about the CPHL. The Central Professional Hockey League was designed as a feeder league for the AHL. 20-year olds fresh from junior who couldn’t handle the AHL pace would settle in at the ‘Double-A’ level (to borrow a baseball term) and establish themselves.
If the Edmonton Oilers had a second minor league team (completely under their control) management could move young players between the new league and the AHL, ensuring each prospect received a full season’s worth of playing time.
The CPHL forced development in a few ways. Each club carried only 15 players and 10 of those had to be under 23. I’m not sure what the exact numbers were, but two goalies, four defensemen and nine forwards is 15 people. Players in the 1960’s CPHL (like Serge Savard and Jacques Lemaire, Wayne Cashman and Ross Lonsberry) played a ton, developed their skills and had mentors to help in development. It was a fabulous idea, as the kids played at this level without the older AHL players crowding playing time (because they were ineligible).
Now, some Q&A based on your input over the years.
Isn’t this what the ECHL does? No, not really. The Oilers don’t send top prospects to their ECHL team. If you look at the franchise 10 years ago, prospects who spent time in the ECHL included Ben Betker (five games), Joey Benik, Jaedon Descheneau, Zach Pochiro and Mikael Tam. None of them came close to the NHL. The CPHL had higher end prospects, the 1966-67 league housed much of the NHL’s future.
Which Oiler prospects from 2016-17 would have been candidates? Nick Ellis, Kyle Platzer, Greg Chase, Braden Christoffer, Mitch Moroz, Matt Benning. Benning wouldn’t have been there long, he was NHL-ready, but the option to play a bunch is vital for defensemen.
What would be the positives for the players? They’d be getting playing time at the pro level and developing in a league where about 70% of the opposition is in the same age range. Their status as regulars (and the small roster size) would guarantee playing time. We don’t have TOI totals for the AHL, but it is a certainty that someone like Petrov would have played more in the ECHL (and had a bigger role) than he did in the American League in his early NA pro career. A player like James Stefan, who is struggling in the AHL, might be able to get his bearings during a 20-game stay in the ECHL and then move up. That has value to player and team.
What would be the positives for the team? Teams would be able to sign more minor league veterans and therefore have better depth in the organization if injuries occur. The overall quality of the league would be better since the depth would be much better.
Anything else? The batting average might improve in terms of drafting success (fewer failures) and their AHL clubs would be stronger and better able to overcome a rash of injuries. Xavier Bourgault is the player I’m thinking of here, he needed to reinvent his game early as a pro and that meant more playing time, not less. The AHL couldn’t work for him, because he never had the puck, or at least not for long.
Anything else? Yes. I think the second tier might be a good spot for junior players who are overqualified for the CHL but are ineligible to play in the AHL. It would require a rule change, but the NHL does that kind of thing to suit their needs all the time.
What leagues would be affected? Aside from the CHL (mentioned above), the Euro leagues would be impacted at some level since NHL teams would be adding as many as 15 roster spots.
From the current group of Oiler pro players, recent pro signings and CHL/Euro/college bound prospects, which 10 players would you nominate for this season’s experiement? The goalies are already there (Connor Ungar and Brett Brochu) and frankly prove my point. Credit to the Oilers for having four goalies matriculating in the minors during the same season. Not every NHL team does it.
On defense, I think the Oilers could have signed several junior and college kids to fill the role in Fort Wayne. The team has some prospects (AHL contracts) playing for the Komets, but could aim higher. Sign Luca Munzenberger and play him there, that kind of thing. Edmonton doesn’t have many draft picks these days, signing kids for the ECHL could pay off. You only need one player to pop to make the investment worthwhile. Among forwards, James Stefan has played just four games in the ECHL. He should play there until he dominates, as opposed to being a part-time player in Bakersfield.
I’d also play junior kids like Beau Akey and Sam O’Reilly there at times during the season (if the NHL changed the rules). Give these kids an idea about what they’re up against at a time when they can go back to junior and improve.
From the current group of Oiler pro players, which 3 players would you nominate in the “veteran” group for this season’s experiment? G: Collin Delia; D: Phil Kemp F: Cameron Wright. They’re all smart players. They can help mentor the youths.
Which of the prospects would you send there now and next year? Any player under 23 who isn’t in a feature role with the AHL club. That’s Matvey Petrov, Max Wanner (injured now, but he could rehab in Fort Wayne), Jayden Grubbe, James Stefan, Roby Jarventie if he ever gets healthy. If Beau Akey and Sam O’Reilly aren’t in feature roles with Bakersfield early, then send them down. Brady Stonehouse for sure would spend time in the ECHL.
It’s a change of attitude, and I know some will say the ECHL is already there, but the playing time for these kids is the key. Consider it another level between junior and the AHL where minutes played spikes and the overall age of opponent matches the player.
Can you give examples of players who “got away” who might have benefited from this kind of thing? For me, Bourgault is a grand example of it. Kid struggles, puts more pressure on himself, confidence wanes, he doesn’t touch the puck for a month of Sundays. Or he gets hurt. We’ve seen that, remember Tyler Pitlick? Curtis Hamilton same year iirc. And Pitlick didn’t actually turn 20 until the first of November in his first AHL season. Anyone can see the value in having these kids play against skaters their age as they ramp up from junior to AHL.
You know you’re fighting a lost cause here, right? This is worse than your pennants! There are things worth fighting for, worth uncovering and discussing. I think a league that is pro hockey, for ages 19-23, would help these young prospects find their way. If even ONE player emerges in a five-year trial and fills a significant NHL role, well, that has to be worth it.
I agree with the overall sentiment of the article (a need for a developmental, AA league between the AHL and ECHL), but I wonder if it’s possible for the college route to serve this function in the future. I think we’ll see more and more players go to the NCAA and spend more time there before turning pro, particularly given the NCAA’s now done away with the (stupid and anticompetitive) rule denying eligibility to CHL players.
If I’m running a team and my 19 and 20 year old prospects are clearly among the best in their respective CHL leagues, I’d like to be able to encourage them to find a well-run college program they enjoy and spend a year or two in college before turning pro. I know the CBA has rules about collegiate free agency for players who don’t sign with the team who drafted them within X years of being drafted, so that probably prevents this from being done under the current CBA. However, I think we’ll see a big uptick in the depth and quality of college hockey given the influx of players with CHL experience we’re likely to see over the next few years, and the caliber of hockey/playing time for U23 prospects will probably be around what LT is thinking about with the CPHL.
If NHL owners think it is a good idea to have a league with rules similar to those being suggested I would think buying teams in the ECHL – NJ, Minnesota & Utah already own one – and converting the league rules would be the easiest path.
Control & an exciting product imo.
It would make a little money or not cost much to run I would think. There are already 29 teams in the league and most of the other 26 have some affiliation with a NHL team already.
Elias Pettersson with no points in the tournament and played like 10 minutes today.
A couple years ago I thought he was on his way to becoming a top 5-7 center in league.
maybe it just a bad calendar year but he’s not even an impact player except the odd game.
Maybe JT Miller got in his head today?
I thought Pettersson would turn it around once Miller was gone. Sometimes there’s more going on behind the scenes than we know.
Haven’t watched the entire game but, from what I’ve seen, Arvidsson has had a good game.
That’s what I saw too.
Brady Tkachuk took a spill into the net and might have gotten a hip pointer or strain.
My wish for the rest of the game is for the Swedes to take some more chunks out of the U.S. players. Soften them up for the finals!
Before the game, Rakell and Zibenjad were both late scratches with the flu bug running thru the Swedish dressing room.
Mattias Ekholm took the line rushes as the 4th line center alongside Arvidsson. Ekholm was also listed as the only defenceman on the 4th pair. Obviously, he’s a unicorn!
The U.S. scratched Matt Tkachuk, Charlie McAvoy and Matthews for bumps and bruises and flu.
So the U.S. started with 11 forwards and 6 D while the Swedes had 11 forwards and 7 D. Brady Tkachuk is now out for the game and Trochek took a puck in the hand, so the Yanks seem to be down to 9 forwards.
Keep grinding Sweden! Kyle Connor and Jack Eichel have very punchable faces so I hope they get fed some leather.
Summarizing!
Stonehouse struck on the PP for his 11th goal and added an assist. He earned 2nd star honours.
O’Reilly o’registered tw’o o’ssists.
Nicholl scored his 15th of the year.
Day allowed three goals on 36 SOG in a loss but earned the 3rd star.
Clattenburg did not dress.
O’Reilly with both of his assists shorthanded too, he seems to rack up those pts on the pk.
One of them being the common SH empty net goal….
when the CP was a thing, the NHL had 6 teams, and then 12; Arguably great Western or American hockey league teams were pretty close to NHL calibre as I remember it
I have heard that the old WHL (the pro league) and AHL were strong leagues, and there’s all kinds of evidence to suggest it was so. The number of players who made it to the NHL, were sent back for a year or several, and then re-emerged as NHL players is fairly large. Al Arbour and Kent Douglas are two players I’ve read about quite a lot, they both had interesting career paths.
This tournament should been Canada, USA, Scandinavia, and Europe.
The Swedes and Finns didn’t have the depth to compete.
Europe could’ve fielded a lineup that looked like:
Stutzle -Draisaitl – Pastrnak
Fiala – Hischier – Necas
Meier – Kopitar – Ehlers
Protas – Zacha – Peterka
Josi – Seider
Fehervary- Hronek
Moser – Cernak
Dostal / Merzlikins / Vejmelka
To each their own but hard no for me.
Its not a prominent tournament as its only NHL so only four teams but true best on best for country vs. country (yes, best on best for these four nations) was the key.
2016 had the gimmick teams like you suggest and it changes the tournament to something, that at least I would like less.
Starting next year we have true best on best (country vs. country) with 8+ teams every two years and that’s perfect.
I like the idea in that it was a shame to not include so many great NHL players. This is an NHL event after all.
The 8 teams next time are CANADA, USA, Sweden, Finland, Russia, Czech, Germany?, Slovenia?
not sure the latter 3 could be competitive
Switzerland and Slovakia over Slovenia – some sneaky good players.
I’m not sure if Russia will be there by 2028 – we’ll see.
yeah best on best plus Russia. I know Ovie and Putin are bff’s but how is disqualifying Russia changing anything
I would love to answer you, but that’s a blatant political queue…I’d rather not get banned.
It’s precisely *because* Sweden and Finland are weaker that Canada can play such beautiful hockey against them.
There just wasn’t enough space against the equally-matched Americans.
Finland isn’t a part of Scandinavia. They are Nordic but not Scandinavian. While they seem culturally similar their histories are very distinct. Also linguistically Finnish has absolutely no relation to Norwegian/Danish/Swedish/Icelandic/Færøerne. In fact Swedish is a closer relative of Hindi than Finnish.
I stand by the take I had a few weeks ago: In a perfect world, this tournament works best if there are 6 teams: CAN, USA, SWE, FIN, RUS, and Rest of World/Rest of Europe. Making it a truly international event that includes players from outside the NHL, and a true “best on best” with none of the world’s best players sitting at home/on vacation unless they’re injured, raises the stakes and gets more eyeballs on the game/investment in the outcome.
RoW/RoE will have a deep roster that can probably keep things close, if not upset, some of the better teams. Opening it up to non-NHLers probably helps teams with less depth (i.e. Finland) ice a more competitive roster, and would allow for the possibility of elite prospects playing outside the US to make their respective national teams.
Hahahaha. This game is ending well.
Canada playing Finland 5 players to 6 looks a lot like Canada playing the States, 5 on 5.
Based on today, the Oilers should work to acquire Makar!
I’d settle for UFA Bennett this summer
Ekholm and Arvidsson scratched for team Sweden tonight. At least, that’s what I heard on the SN feed. Watching a video of Ekholm, recorded a couple hours ago, where he looks excited to play.
Good news for Oilers.
Bieksa suggested it was because Oilers are playing Saturday afternoon. This gives them some rest before they return to nhl action.
Makes sense gets other players in with Sweden having no chance of moving on. I expect U.S.A to roll over and Sweden will have there way tonight. Please gamble accordingly and responsibly.
Arvidsson ended up playing in the end!
Well, Canada sure looks like they want to play in the final. I like the Finnish team. Their top-end talent is amazing but it drops off pretty quick from there.
For all the armchair GMing people like to do here, I don’t know why people haven’t fantasized about Cale Makar being an Oiler. That sequence with McDavid was magical.
I think it’s seen as impossible, even to the most fantastical. The best we can hope for is for Akey to develop into a Makar-lite.
Could have been a slashing call on Crosby on the puck retrieval but there are no minor penalties in this tournament!
When do they sign Emberson and for how much and how long? I like his game because you don’t notice him good or bad. Ty is a steady eddy he doesn’t miss games he reminds me of Randy Gregg both had a quiet game that eats up minutes with very few miscues.
I would suggest 2-3 years at apx $1.65MM prior to the end of the regular season.
I think I predicted 3 years at 5 million total which would make everyone happy. Wouldn’t this be the appropriate time to get this deal done. Ty is probably laying on a beach right now with not a care in the world if he signs this guaranteed contract.
I hope Ty is getting his ass back to work – they might have practice tomorrow.
Starting Binnington is the absolute definition of Team Canada management not understanding “Sunk cost fallacy”. The offence has exploded so we may not get burned in this elimination game but if have a re-match with the U.S., it may the sole factor in the final result.
He carried a mediocre team to its 1st and only Cup. Along the way he won 2 game 7’s on the road and his back-up Jake Allen only played 90 minutes all playoff. Jordan is a gamer he can handle the big stage there’s no way he’s not starting in game 7 against the Yankees.
Pretty weak second goal against. Gave Finland life with 90 seconds to go. It’s been 6 years since Binnington was great.
Lapses like that will be why we lose against the U.S.
Who would you start against the U.S.A?
I fear Adin Hill much more than Binnington.
If he’s playing the Oilers for sure. The coach bet on the Binnington horse win or lose. I expect Binnington to be focused and razor sharp against the mighty evil empire of the U.S.A.
Anyone but Binnington, maybe Harley or Jarvis as they’re prolly well rested
yes six years ago, yet Zach H has a slow start this year and is not considered sigh.
Man does Toews ever get chances. If only he had the elite finishing touch…he’s a little like Hyman that way.
Mitch Marner has been completely ineffective (except, of course, the big OT goal) – that poor puck play in this defensive slot could have changed the game.
not a money player IMO
I mean, he did score the OT goal against Sweden….
Finland’s team is a fair bit like the American team, just with less horsepower.
McDavid with Point and Stone this game. Chem problem solved perhaps. Both Stone and Point crashing the net for the rebound on that goal.
Mattias Ekholm, get your ass back to Edmonton (take Victor with you) and get a couple days in bed and REST!
I thought Ekholm looked very impressive against Canada. I wasn’t watching Sweden super-closely, but he looked to me like their best defenseman, both defensively and offensively.
He struggled vs. Finland and still sounds absolutely awful – says he feels fine but still sounds awful – its been like 3 weeks.
Glad he’s not playing tonight and then will get 4-5 days back in Edmonton before the next game.
McDavid will have been on the road for, what, 10-12 days with this tournament and then straight to Philly for a 5-game road trip – he’ll be on the road for like 3.5 weeks (give or take).
Sometimes being on the road is a good thing professionally wise as you definitely have less distractions.
I’m going to suggest that McDavid being on the road for 3 plus weeks isn’t a good thing for his game in any area.
I hope he is better than I am when I’m away eating out and not working out. I’m afraid of the scale when I get home.
leave Victor behind
1.CAN McDavid (unassisted)
chemistry problem solved.
McDavid then MacKinnon.
This is the way its supposed to be!
That’s our man! Beauty!
Pitlick, Hamilton & Ryan Martindale were all “late birthdays” who started at age 19 in the fall of 2011. A case of “redundancy doesn’t always help”
Frank Seravalli
@frank_seravalli
Thomas Harley and Seth Jarvis are listed as Canada’s scratched this afternoon.
O’Reiley/Nicholl going 1C/2C for London today.
My memory is bad at times will both these players play in the AHL next year?
They’re both only 18 still, so no. Another year in the O at least.
Correct: Beau Akey will be in the AHL (hopefully along with Munzenburger, LaChance and some others).
Devon Toews is a scratch today…….
I guess that likely means Makar is in but….
John Shannon was WRONG on this. Toews playing with Makar.
Except for goalies: Stuart Skinner.
While I agree the jump from junior to the AHL is large and lots of solid prospects take some time adapting, however, at the same time, if a 20 year old plus prospect cannot adapt to the AHL within the first half season or so (i.e. needs a lower league), the chances of an NHL career for that player is very very slim.
Physical and mental development at those ages varies a lot
Your not going to get an elite player no because they don’t need that in the first place, but I think you might develop more players NHL capable players by giving more appropriate opportunity. Other countries do it across sports
Personally I don’t think you’d see many players that can’t play in the AHL as a 20+ year old make it to the NHL – of course, some but, for me, personally, I don’t think many.
Just my opinion – far from definitive.
Sweden has a second league called the Allsvenskan, it is similar to what I am suggesting. Miles of great players come out of the Allsvenskan. Part of the issue with discussing it is perception. I’m not proposing a secondary league, I’m proposing a feature league for prospects. The AHL would be for veteran recalls.
Per NHL:
Canada will clinch a berth in the 4 Nations Face-Off final:
If it defeats Finland in regulation
OR
If it defeats Finland in overtime or shootout AND any result of United States-Sweden other than a regulation win by Sweden
Finland will clinch a berth in the 4 Nations Face-Off final:
If it defeats Canada in regulation
OR
If it defeats Canada in overtime or shootout AND any result of U.S.-Sweden other than a regulation win by Sweden
Sweden will clinch a berth in the 4 Nations Face-Off final:
If it defeats the U.S. in regulation AND the Canada-Finland game is decided in overtime or shootout
I still think they should have handed the net to Adin Hill in the 3rd vs the USA. It was a meaningless game and Binnington dropped the ball. They are now forced to pick Jordan for an elimination game.
It’s likely Canada will have to outscore a bad goal.
Canada is losing because the forwards are not scoring, not because of Binnington. Some pretty egregious mistakes in front of him on the goals against.
Four questionable, stoppable pucks have passed him in two games. If you’re cool with that, cool.
Fantastic idea. I suppose financial interests of existing pro leagues may be a strong reason why this hasn’t happened
This type of thing is why I am not a Gary fan. It’s all about money for him, to the point that forcing some issues because they are the right thing to do for the NHL and hockey doesn’t happen. It’s why broadcast production is the weakest of the 4 big NA leagues, which is without doubt hampering growth among the young and non traditional fans. Indian pro cricket is more fun to watch, outside of the game itself, sort of chaotic with a pro wrestling vibe
Money is why Gary suppress data from the fans, so he can sell it to companies that feed it to teams that can’t process it themselves, meanwhile we get basic, semi-informative and who knows how accurate data to try to grow our knowledge and fandom with. It’s not always the best plan to squeeze every last nickel out of a business, at some point you need to invest in the future, and your customers
Things change as time marches on. It isn’t possible in anything I can think of to not progress or adapt to realities as they are, and not begin to lose ground, or even fail
Is Canada falling behind in hockey, are other nations catching up, or is it that the other nations have better structures and levels for their developing players? English soccer is a system of levels right up to the top teams, always a level to play at
Having two levels of directly controlled teams also means more room for prospects, more ability to coach them directly and expose them to the NHL team, which can help keep them motivated, when the path is less clear
Which means more chances to develop helpful NHL players, which means a better NHL product. Given the ongoing turmoil at Hockey Canada, this is the perfect time to look at restructuring amateur through pro hockey across the country, standardize, modernize and improve it
Four nations:
1) I want Bennett on McDavid’s left wing. With Marner or Point on the right. My preference would be Point. Bennett is a chaos agent. McDavid would benefit from chaos. And they have played together before.
2) The problem with Canada has been the lack of chemistry of the wingers with both McDavid and MacKinnon.
I like this idea. Marner is of course very talented, but I think too much like Connor. To me wingers that play hard two ways and are more north south, jump into space and can score are ideal. Connor will roam around and do his thing, but I find even on the Oilers too often the other players not named Leon aren’t getting the plot and reacting quickly enough to him
And chaos agents make space and draw attention. More ice and less attention for the other players. I think that is why Maroon worked well with Connor even if less skilled than some – his size and drive to the net demanded attention, and he could score in tight
Bennett and Point
That would leave Marner to play with MacKinnon. Point with McDavid would force Crosby to center.
Bennett McDavid Point
1111111 MacKinnon Marner
Hagel Cirelli Jarvis
222222 Crosby 333333
1 — Marchand
2 — Reinhart
3 — Konecny/Stone
This is thinking of how to play right people in right places. I don’t know if it’s Bennett or Point but it’s finding the right talents.
Yesterday it was mentioned Team Canada would be impossible to beat if they simple loaded up more offensive talent on fourth line.
It just doesn’t work like that. There is lots of types of talent and defensive, intense players have their role. So do speed demons, forecheckers, and you now mention a chaos creator.
A nice Segway back to the Oilers as they circle the perimeter, where is the chaos creator.
Isn’t there some way Canada might win the game today but the USA lets their opposition win big the next game and therefore bounce Canada out of the final game?
I believe that if Canada and Sweden tie for points, the first tiebreaker is head to head results. We beat Sweden so we’d go to the finals.
It is
Frank Seravalli
@frank_seravalli
Closing in on puck drop in Boston.
Canada and Finland:
Regulation win by either team – advances to championship against USA, Sweden is eliminated
CAN or FIN win in OT/SO – winner will be eliminated if Sweden wins in regulation. Any other result, CAN/FIN through.
Elliotte Friedman
@FriedgeHNIC
Based on Team Sweden morning skate, looks like Rasmus Andersson and Leo Carlsson for Mattias Ekholm and Viktor Arvidsson
Olympics planning.
Right shot for a left shot D?
I guess the Big Viking got burned for a couple against Finland.
Arvidson has done nothing and only has just over 9 minutes in both games. Arvidson has not been very good in Edmonton either after what most expected he would bring to this team.
He had a tough game against Finland from what I’ve seen.
He STILL sounds like shit. From accounts he says he feels OK but he’s still sick and it must be approaching 3 weeks now.
The changes may also be due to getting everyone in a game since Sweden chances of moving on are I would say 10% or less.
Not a chance. At the time they announced those two were not playing, the game still had a chance to have meaning (and it almost got there – if Canada/Finland went to OT, the game tonight would have REAL meaning for Sweden).
I presume Arvy was being scratched on merit and Ekholm a combo of merit (poor game vs. Finland) and still being sick – he still sounds like ass.
Is not US college hockey now going to fill this role, with the new eligibility rules?
Can an Oilers prospect play in US College hockey after signing with Edmonton under the new rules? I think the idea of housing prospects in a system, allowing them to play against other players their own age in a pro league is a far better system than college. One of the issues with NCAA hockey is the lack of playing time for freshmen
Another issue is how the majority of coaches coach. Too many systems choke offense, so depending on the program, this experience could stifle an offense-first player’s development. I like the concept you present, and I like the idea of player development on organization that would use the same or very similar system of play at all levels.
Perhaps not a “pro league”, but the changes in NCAA eligibility will likely see a significant number of drafted players opt to spend a year or two playing with and against more age appropriate competition rather than in the AHL.
Cale Makar is a great example of this as he spent two seasons in the NCAA after his time in the AJHL.
In the long run, the AHL may suffer a decline in the number of developing young stars and instead become a league more attuned to fringe vets.
I don’t agree. Prospects like Skyler Brindamour came in after a full stint in the NCAA with a national champion.
He has struggled to find the range. The type of prospects the rule change will help will encourage more Skyler’s with educations. The odd one will make it, but that’s a good thing for the depth of the league imo. The cream will continue to rise and more 6’s and 7’s (and 4’s) will come refined to the AHL imo.
Considering the eligibility changes have not yet taken effect, using an old example is not all that helpful.
The move by the NCAA is already having an impact on junior leagues as the business model of the AJHL and BCHL has been whacked leading just yesterday to the Penticton Vees joining the WHL.
Here’s a good explainer:
https://globalnews.ca/news/10889874/whl-sjhl-u-sports-ncaa-ruling-chl-eligibility-2024/
I would argue that Brind’Amour was never a legitimate prospect, which to be fair, the vast majority of 5th – 7th rounders are in the same boat. He was able to establish himself as a top NCAA defensive centerman, but slow boots and a lack offense will keep him from the NHL. He has a contract with Carolina, but I don’t think anyone would debate the only reason he has an NHL contract is due to his father, not his NHL potential.
Having said this, I took a closer look and the Oilers picked 34 players in rounds 5-7 in the last 10 drafts.
2015 – John Marino, 6th round, 0 AHL GP, 342 NHL GP
2015 – Ethan Bear, 5th round, 139 AHL, 275 NHL GP. Currently in AHL.
2016 – Vincent Desharnais, 7th round, 113 AHL, 175 NHL GP.
2018 – Michael Kesselring, 6th round, 141 AHL, 130 NHL GP.
2017 – Phil Kemp, 7th round, 247 AHL, 1 NHL (2:03 as a winger, not a dman) GP. He has a chance to play more NHL games, he is a UFA next season, so he will be better served pursuing his NHL dream in another organization.
So far that is 5/34 players that have played NHL games in 10 years. Kesselring could have a substantial career with his toolbox.
I would also argue that there are several players with greater NHL potential than I have seen in previous years that have been picked in the later rounds in the last 4 seasons, so more could arrive.
I think all of these players have a better than typical chance than most later round picks to play NHL games:
2020 – 5th rounder Berezkin; 2021 – 6th rounders LaChance & Petrov, 7th rounder Wanner; 2022 – 5th Jonsson, 6th Yevseyev, 7th Määtä; 2023 – 6th Day, 7th Copponi; 2024 – 5th Clattenburg, 6th Sundin, 7th Nicholl.
Going back to the 2000 Draft, 11 players out of 56 played in NHL games, but most were in the same situation as Phil Kemp. While Kyle Brodziak, Matthew Lombardi and to a lesser extent, Juusi Markkanen, had NHL careers.
Just thought this was an interesting rabbit hole journey to share here….
Bennington with the start today against Finland.
No leaks!
That dirty dirty dirty hit by Giavani Smith that put Petrov out with a concussion for a month or so really sucked. Petrov was off his heater but still playing solid 2-way hockey. He has not picked up where he left off since his recent return (but has been OK).
Nice shootout goal last night (although Perrault’s was just sick – and he almost scored an equally sick goal earlier in the game).
Did he have the flu?
This is another reason to bring up Savoie there’s a lot of older nastier players in the AHL that can get away with dirty hits more easily then in the NHL. Savoie is a smaller Winger he’s not playing D or Centre. How miuch is he now developing or learning besides PK time? He’s 21 he needs to be viewed and viewed in a position to succeed. He’s arguably our only prized possession don’t let him die on a vine in the AHL .I hope Bowman is more friendlier then the man he replaced when it comes to youngsters.
1) I do NOT agree that injury prevention is a valid reason, or factor, now should be.
2) I do NOT believe that he cannot develop more at the AHL level – he is developing in real time and continuing to get better in many areas.
3) I do think that he should get a call-up here post Four Nations and see what happens. I’m not sure he will but they will call up a forward – either Philp, Savoie or Hamblin and, for me, time to give Savoie a shot.
I guess we’re going to see what Bowman strategy is. I didn’t like the hiring at first because of optics but I’m warming up to him more and more. Besides getting Holloway&Broberg poached from us I do like his moves and thinking so far.
Prospectizzi!
A statutory holiday means an afternoon of hockey, and a quintet of NAmateurs are doing that thing.
Another four-prospect game beckons as London engages Flint in battle.
O’Reilly hasn’t lit the lamp in 10 games but does have 11 apples in that span.
William
FramptonNicholl has 2+6 his last eight GP. He has more than doubled his point total from last year (44 vs. 20).Day-man maintains a 3.02 GAA along with 89.2 SV%, while Connor Captainburg has 3+2 his last four.
The House of Stone completes the sched, having finally hit double digits in goals recently.
Flint (Day, Clattenburg) @ noon
London (O’Reilly, Nicholl) @ noon
Peterborough (Stonehouse) @ noon
All times are the same time and are also Niton Junction time.
Clattenburg isn’t in the lineup for Flint. Is he injured?
Agree 100% Allan.
Great points LT. I would assume the coaches in every AHL city care more about winning records and moving to the NHL as coaches , a little bit more than developing 20 year old kids or younger from Europe . A lot of the kids going into the A. Never start off on the 1st line or top pp unit, those ones usually go straight into the NHL. A lot of them re coming out of junior where they played those minutes . Some of them were pk guys as well and very good at it. But once they get to the A a lot of them are playing behind vets, thus less ice time.
Now I really don’t know if Gretzky is telling Chaulk “ Hey play these young guys more “. . I really don’t know. But If they aren’t going to get more minutes they should be playing where they are. Pretty sure that is why a lot of kids are sent back to junior in the second year after draft, just to get lots of minutes.
I like the idea of the CPHL. and if not maybe it is a lot better idea to send kids to the E instead of Junior for that 2nd year after draft. As long as the coaches are going to play them. But can you force the coaches to play them?