THN.com Blog: Removing Euros from CHL would be a mistake
Mikkel Boedker, who played last season with the Kitchener Rangers of the OHL, was drafted by the eighth overall by the Coyotes in 2008. (Photo by Andre Ringuette/Getty Images)
Ryan Kennedy
2008-08-21 10:24:59
The Canadian major junior world is strongly considering doing away with the CHL’s import draft and eliminating European players.
I strongly suggest they re-consider.
While teams critical of the draft argue it is becoming too difficult to sign the European players selected and that those who do come over aren’t good enough, I say do your job better.
Let’s tackle the second inaccuracy in the aforementioned statement first: To say major junior has not graduated/developed enough elite Euro talent lately is a farce. Mikkel Boedker was a top 10 pick this summer and this season his Kitchener Rangers could face fellow blue-chipper Nikita Filatov, should the gifted Russian suit up for the Sudbury Wolves instead of the NHL’s Columbus Blue Jackets. Of course, Boedker may not be available because the Phoenix Coyotes already want him on their roster, once again proving the young Dane’s development has been coming along just fine.
And Juha Metsola, Riku Helenius and Ivan Vishnevskiy played significant roles on their respective junior teams last season as well.
Other recent CHL Euro grads include Martin Erat, Andrej Meszaros and Sergei Kostitsyn, as well as Atlanta rookie goaltender Ondrej Pavelec and the recently defected Alexander Radulov.
Have there been busts? Of course. But considering there is a maximum of two Europeans per team, it’s not exactly Russian roulette for a GM. Think about it: How many North American players per team go from junior to the NHL? A couple at best, sometimes none at all.
If you think they’re taking away jobs from North American boys, just remember they’re only taking spots from players at the bottom of the depth chart; kids who are more suited to play Jr. A or Jr. B.
As for the issue of signing European players, well, yeah, junior hockey is at a disadvantage. The prospect’s NHL team usually doesn’t mind if he wants to hone his craft back home in Sweden or Slovakia, just as long as he comes over when it’s time to play with the big boys.
So think of the import draft as a wish list. If the Wolves land Filatov’s services, it’s a great day in Sudbury. If not, they still have Jared Staal, Eric O’Dell and John MacFarlane. Planning means everything in success.
This is no more truer for Europeans as it is for some of the best North American kids who wrestle with the decision to play NCAA instead of major junior and vice versa: The Plymouth Whalers took a hit this week when Carolina pick Zac Dalpe reiterated his commitment to Ohio State, while Denver lost a hot prospect to the WHL when Kelowna signed Stepan Novotny.
The Windsor Spitfires won’t be getting Richard Panik of Slovakia this year, but the Spits still have a stacked lineup and weren’t counting on Panik to make or break their 2008-09 campaign. Again, planning means everything.
Finally, many of these kids want to come over. They love the level of competition and they love the opportunity to learn English and bond with their future potential NHL rivals.
Canadian major junior is the highest level of teen hockey in the world; why abandon an import draft that plays a part in making it that way?
Ryan Kennedy is a writer and copy editor for The Hockey News magazine, the co-author of the book Hockey's Young Guns and a regular contributor to THN.com. His blog appears Thursdays, his column - The Straight Edge - every second Friday, and his feature, The Hot List appears Tuesdays.
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Flyer guy 16 (Posted 2008-08-24 22:30:22)
If we're going to allow imports, Kevin's idea makes sense. At least how much money a team has won't be a factor.
Kevin Smith (Posted 2008-08-24 20:27:26)
I feel they should abolish the Import Draft, for the reasons they have mentioned. However, I also think they should keep the rules where they can only have 2 imports per team. The way I think they could do it is strangely taken from Major League Soccer in the US. The players who want to come over sign with the CHL itself, and then they use an allocation list to determine who gets first shot to sign the player. The order could start with the previous years combined standings (in reverse of course), and then teams can either pass over a player, maintaining their spot, or trade the spot with another team.
Flyer guy 16 (Posted 2008-08-23 15:52:07)
Sorry about that"your brainless" My 3 year old has just informed me that "yada yada wah wah" is a popular song by The Doodlebops. My mistake.
Flyer guy 16 (Posted 2008-08-23 15:41:14)
Intelligent reply.
Your Brainless (Posted 2008-08-23 11:00:53)
YADA, YADA, WAH-WAH
Flyer guy 16 (Posted 2008-08-22 18:30:49)
Speaking of brainless, it would be "You're brainless, not your brainless"
Flyer guy 16 (Posted 2008-08-22 13:03:27)
What bias? I'm talking about the American gvt. and it's protectionist policies. This topic came up because NAFTA made the comment about Canadian protectionism being at work. The fact that you think my being a Canadian is a problem shows something about your bias as well. I clearly said let's not turn this into big Canada vs. U.S.A. thing, the comment is relevant to the story. Are you going to deny that the Bush admin. has taken protectionism to new levels? I know this has nothing to do with hockey but NAFTA took it in that direction and I am responding to his ill informed comment. Sorry if that's a problem for you.
Your Brainless (Posted 2008-08-22 10:06:50)
Flyer Guy 16 - To make the statement "I'm Assuming your american, if not I apologize" has to been one of the dumbest statements, You son HAVE TO BE CANADIAN, and for that "I don't apologize, as that IS YOUR PROBLEM! Contribute something to the topics, have an opinion but keep your "BIAS" at home.
The Robb Hunter (Posted 2008-08-22 09:31:21)
I'm not going to weigh in on the Euro or no Euro argument but would like to say the argument that Euro’s only take spots from guys who only deserve to play Jr. A or Jr. B is totally bunk. Let’s for argument sake say the European coming over has the skill of an Erat or Radulov. Yes, when he takes a roster spot on a CHL team the player at the very bottom of the depth chart is bumped off the team and has to continue his hockey career in Jr. ‘A’ or ‘B’. However if I’m a talented Canadian who is say the first line centre on the CHL team and now I’m competing with this European for quality minutes and powerplay time and if I lose out it’s my development that suffers. Sure I could now be a quality 2nd line centre but how much better would I be after a year of being the 1st line guy? Same goes for the centre who moved from the 2nd to the 3rd line and then 3rd to 4th. All three of the other centre’s development suffers in addition to the poor guy who isn’t even on the team anymore.
John Anderson (Posted 2008-08-22 00:58:20)
Who's the commissioner of the CHL? Dave Branch or Don Cherry?
If it's Branch, European players are welcome to play in the CHL!!!
If it's Cherry, then they are allowed to play in the CHL, however they will be under the microscope and will be disciplined by Cherry for not being Canadian and for not being as inelligent or skillful as a Canadian Kid!!!
... (Posted 2008-08-21 19:23:10)
I thought that the CHL was planning on eliminating the European draft and just mix the draft eligible players in with the players from North America, similar to the NHL. This would make more sense, I think.
The Rat (Posted 2008-08-21 18:23:57)
There have been Euros and Canadians in the USHL, NAHL, etc. St. Cloud State forward/Flyers prospect Andreas Nodl is one...born in Austria, played with the Sioux Falls Stampede before going to St. Cloud. Jacob Micflikier is from Winnipieg, and he also played with Sioux Falls before going to the University of New Hampshire. Not sure how many there are, and it doesn't happen all that often, but it does happen. As for North Americans going to Europe, I think Avalanche prospect T.J. Galiardi was considering Europe after he left Dartmouth, until his WHL rights were traded to the Hitmen.
Jim Goodwin (Posted 2008-08-21 17:59:03)
It is already too much to have 16 year old boys leave their homes to play junior hockey never mind countries and continents. These young men should all play their junior as close to home as possible. I would even like to see the top two players out of an area be protected by the local teams as once was done in the past. There is plenty enough time for the European players to come here to play after they are pros. I mean look at Radulov, eventually they all get homesick.
Steve (Posted 2008-08-21 17:05:36)
I just have a few really dumb, protectionist questions about the whole thing...doesn't Europe and the US have their own junior leagues? Exactly how many Canadian hockey players are welcomed into their player development systems? What may come across to some people as protectionism is just the manifestation of our sence of fairness and equality.
John (Posted 2008-08-21 13:46:54)
The issue isn't planning, the issue is money. Agents hold teams hostage and expect them to pay large sums of money to get these players over. Some teams can easily afford to do so, smaller market clubs can't. The playing field isn't level. Keep in mind, this is jr.hockey, not the pros. There is no salary cap or floor. Small market teams are being held hostage by the agents and that is what has changed. This isn't the pros, if the playing field isn't fair then it should be done away with.
Flyer guy 16 (Posted 2008-08-21 13:10:17)
NAFTA, I'm assuming your American, if not I apologize, but no American has any right to talk about Canadian protectionism. The current administration has re-written that book. And please, let's not turn this into a big Canada vs. U.S.A. thing.Just out of curiosity, are there any junior leagues (America,Europe) that allows foreign players?
NAFTA (Posted 2008-08-21 12:33:50)
Typical protectionist reaction that you see across the board with the Canadian economy - kudos for call BS on it, Ryan.
dave (Posted 2008-08-21 12:02:57)
to jensons comment: I hope Nikita Filatov gets sent down to the OHL, i always watching them play in the OHL and then see them play in the NHL.
Nikolaj Jensen (Posted 2008-08-21 11:54:43)
Eliminating European players from playing in the CHL is not going to improve the conditions for Canadian prospects. The level of competition in the CHL is very high which helps the prospects develope. If you reduce the level of talent you are going to reduce the quality of the league and make it harder for CHL players to prepare for the NHL. You are not going to replace NHL level talent like Mikkel Boedker, Jan Mursak, Panik, Filatov with Canadian players of similar talent because those players are already in the CHL, you are going to replace them with players who right now player in lesser leagues, players who have little chance of ever making the NHL.
dave (Posted 2008-08-21 11:38:35)
i agree....let them play!
Matt F. (Posted 2008-08-21 11:26:28)
Great points. Having European players in the CHL adds variety and gives those guys just as much of a chance as the next Canadian kid - all two of them [per team like you say], of course. Giving them the opportunity to play in one of the CHL's leagues helps: adapt to the North American style of play, improve with the spirited competition in the CHL, get noticed, and hopefully get drafted. The list could go on.
Off topic - as a student at The Ohio State University, Ohio native, and [huge] Columbus Blue Jackets fan, I'm glad to see Zac Dalpe choose to play at OSU. Hopefully, along with many other talented guys on that squad, he can make Ohio State a legitimate threat in the CCHA. I'm also glad to see that the Jackets have a potential star in Nikita Filatov. I can't wait to see this guy play at Nationwide, whether it's this season or next, I'll be following every stat this guy puts up. Another Jackets draftee and CHL import: Jakub Voracek. He shined this year in the major juniors and hopefully he can shine brighter in the NHL.
My point in discussing Filatov and Voracek, besides them being Jackets draftees, is that the CHL Import Draft is, simply put, worth it.
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