The CHL is the best way for kids to get the most experience and development in between the ages of 16-18. If you remove it that's a monumental blow for hockey at the professional level. The fact that the CHL needs to ensure talent remains within the league for a given amount of years in order to make the league functional as an operation is hardly problematic with that in mind.

Ensuring NHL teams get full control of their prospects, at the significant sacrifice to the quality of players coming into the league seems foolish.
- ehabs9

I guess I just don't understand why everyone thinks these leagues will fold if the 18 and 19 year olds were to be removed from the equation. Its not like all the 18 and 19 year olds would go anyways. Just the really special talents. Hell, even just letting the 19 year olds go and forcing the hand of the 18 year olds is fine. But as people keep pointing out, there's only very few players who would benefit form being able to go professional at 18 and 19 years old so its not a huge deal. Its not like Sprong or McDavid or anyone's careers are derailed now.

I guess I just don't understand why everyone thinks these leagues will fold if the 18 and 19 year olds were to be removed from the equation. Its not like all the 18 and 19 year olds would go anyways. Just the really special talents. Hell, even just letting the 19 year olds go and forcing the hand of the 18 year olds is fine. But as people keep pointing out, there's only very few players who would benefit form being able to go professional at 18 and 19 years old so its not a huge deal. Its not like Sprong or McDavid or anyone's careers are derailed now.
- Victoro311

I can agree.

In all honestly though, the situations where a player really has nothing left to gain from the CHL and ends up there anyways, are so rare that it becomes a non-point. Drouin was probably the closest to a clear cut example in the last few years. Most times they're somewhere I between the AHL and CHL at best, and will benefit from either.

I think by NOT playing tonight Dominic Simon and JS Dea are making strong cases for their future because this lineup tonight is completely lacking in offensive talent. Sprong is the only one making anything happen. Sundquist looks a step slow and Loney and Biggs are net crashers and complementary pieces, not play makers. These no name guys are killing the Pens tonight, never heard of half of them and after tonight will never hear of them again. Zlobin was left in the oven WAAAAAY too long and he is done. Pouliot is still the best player on the ice though. Murphy still looks good.

You are an idiot if you think that the development leagues players would all go to college Really moron
- holeinone

Why do you still come here? No one likes you and no one listens to what you say. Plus I think Murder She Wrote is on, you don't want to miss that do you?

I think by NOT playing tonight Dominic Simon and JS Dea are making strong cases for their future because this lineup tonight is completely lacking in offensive talent. Sprong is the only one making anything happen. Sundquist looks a step slow and Loney and Biggs are net crashers and complementary pieces, not play makers. These no name guys are killing the Pens tonight, never heard of half of them and after tonight will never hear of them again. Zlobin was left in the oven WAAAAAY too long and he is done. Pouliot is still the best player on the ice though. Murphy still looks good.
- Dcoms

Really like Dea. I hope he finds success one day.

I'd take your slight at my intelligence a little more seriously if you figured out punctuation. Relax man, there's no need to get personal here. And why wouldn't they? If the junior leagues folded like you seem so sure they will if the transfer rule were to be done away with, some would go to Europe but for those who want to play at a higher level in NA, the NCAA is one of the very few options. That's how it works in basketball and football, I don't see what's so different about hockey that they should have a special arrangement.
- Victoro311

I don't like to disagree with you but on this one I do. Most of the players that fill out the CHL are Canadian players, thats the difference. Yeah the NCAA is taking all of our basketball players because that is the best route for them. Canadian students have to jump through hoops literally to go to school in the US, I just don't see there being that many Canadian players willing to go through all of that or the schools willing to bring them in unless they are a sure thing. The CHL will never fold in Canada, people here are united under 1 sport and one sport alone and support it vigorously at every level. If 18 year olds are all allowed to leave then there will be much more 14 year olds moving in to take their place and uprooting 14 year old kids and having them have to go through being traded across province and have to deal with all of that isn't fair either. I know my thoughts are jumping all over the place I just don't see the rule getting abolished all together except for what I mentioned earlier with each team getting to graduate 1or 2 players into the AHL every year.

I think by NOT playing tonight Dominic Simon and JS Dea are making strong cases for their future because this lineup tonight is completely lacking in offensive talent. Sprong is the only one making anything happen. Sundquist looks a step slow and Loney and Biggs are net crashers and complementary pieces, not play makers. These no name guys are killing the Pens tonight, never heard of half of them and after tonight will never hear of them again. Zlobin was left in the oven WAAAAAY too long and he is done. Pouliot is still the best player on the ice though. Murphy still looks good.
- Dcoms

Sheary too actually

Wow, does Connor Sheary look like Ryan Phillepe or what?

I don't like to disagree with you but on this one I do. Most of the players that fill out the CHL are Canadian players, thats the difference. Yeah the NCAA is taking all of our basketball players because that is the best route for them. Canadian students have to jump through hoops literally to go to school in the US, I just don't see there being that many Canadian players willing to go through all of that or the schools willing to bring them in unless they are a sure thing. The CHL will never fold in Canada, people here are united under 1 sport and one sport alone and support it vigorously at every level. If 18 year olds are all allowed to leave then there will be much more 14 year olds moving in to take their place and uprooting 14 year old kids and having them have to go through being traded across province and have to deal with all of that isn't fair either. I know my thoughts are jumping all over the place I just don't see the rule getting abolished all together except for what I mentioned earlier with each team getting to graduate 1or 2 players into the AHL every year.
- Dcoms

And if the NHL/AHL tore up their CHL agreement, the CHL could just respond by upping their eligibility age to 22 and go into direct competition with the AHL. That's not a battle the AHL would win.

I used to have such hope for Harrison Ruopp but it's fading quickly. He just doesn't get it and if he spends most of the year in Wheeling like there is a good chance he will then consider him a non factor moving forward.

And if the NHL/AHL tore up their CHL agreement, the CHL could just respond by upping their eligibility age to 22 and go into direct competition with the AHL. That's not a battle the AHL would win.
- hardnosed

I'm not saying tear it up, just modify it. It really is no good for the player to be playing down to their competition for a season or even 2.

Marner vs Seymour= Kessel vs Scott, slow down there Mitch slow down.

IF Danieal Sprong ended up on a line with Crosby and Kessel for an exhibition game or 2 I wouldn't complain one bit. I think that would be fun.

IF Danieal Sprong ended up on a line with Crosby and Kessel for an exhibition game or 2 I wouldn't complain one bit. I think that would be fun.
- Dcoms

Won't he be playing the pre season games with the big boys. If so he may very well get his chance!

Leafs blog in the comments on page 4 has a couple of the Leafs goals if anyone hasn't seen them. Looks like they were waiting for this game to play their young stars!

I don't like to disagree with you but on this one I do. Most of the players that fill out the CHL are Canadian players, thats the difference. Yeah the NCAA is taking all of our basketball players because that is the best route for them. Canadian students have to jump through hoops literally to go to school in the US, I just don't see there being that many Canadian players willing to go through all of that or the schools willing to bring them in unless they are a sure thing. The CHL will never fold in Canada, people here are united under 1 sport and one sport alone and support it vigorously at every level. If 18 year olds are all allowed to leave then there will be much more 14 year olds moving in to take their place and uprooting 14 year old kids and having them have to go through being traded across province and have to deal with all of that isn't fair either. I know my thoughts are jumping all over the place I just don't see the rule getting abolished all together except for what I mentioned earlier with each team getting to graduate 1or 2 players into the AHL every year.
- Dcoms

Haha no big deal. We agree on enough stuff. Our ration is still positive

By the way Sprong is a RW. Unless he can play his off wing, we will not be seeing him on a line with Crosby and Malkin.

Well the countdown to training camp has officially begun! It's gonna be all about hockey(finally) in the next few weeks. There will FINALLY be something to talk about!!!

Won't he be playing the pre season games with the big boys. If so he may very well get his chance!
- Aussiepenguin

I hope swo! I hope he makes it that far without being cut. He's exceptionally talented, maybe more so than Kapanan, definitely looked that way in the head to head we just watched.

I guess I just don't understand why everyone thinks these leagues will fold if the 18 and 19 year olds were to be removed from the equation. Its not like all the 18 and 19 year olds would go anyways. Just the really special talents. Hell, even just letting the 19 year olds go and forcing the hand of the 18 year olds is fine. But as people keep pointing out, there's only very few players who would benefit form being able to go professional at 18 and 19 years old so its not a huge deal. Its not like Sprong or McDavid or anyone's careers are derailed now.
- Victoro311

The CHL wouldn't fold if they changed the rule it would just lower the quality of competition which would hurt the development of younger players such as the 16 17 and 18 year olds. Imagine Connor McDavid this year if all the good 19 and 20 years had left to go play in the AHL. It would of been a waiste of time for him just waiting to be drafted. If they are going to change the rule maybe just allow exceptions for top 10 picks since you rarely get situations line Drouin but when you do they're usually early draft picks.

The CHL wouldn't fold if they changed the rule it would just lower the quality of competition which would hurt the development of younger players such as the 16 17 and 18 year olds. Imagine Connor McDavid this year if all the good 19 and 20 years had left to go play in the AHL. It would of been a waiste of time for him just waiting to be drafted. If they are going to change the rule maybe just allow exceptions for top 10 picks since you rarely get situations line Drouin but when you do they're usually early draft picks.
- HealthyScratch6

It would only be the best players, not every 19/20 year old. There is less than one per team that would be better off in the AHL. Maybe it means the younger ones don't get the experience playing against elite 20 year olds, but it also means that those 2nd fiddle guys get more responsibility and more opportunities earlier.

It's just as likely to lead to better players as it is to worse, and it benefits the kind of guys that are going to be impact NHLers.

I'd be happy if they just moved it a year back.

Did I just see a Leaf fan Toronto Say the are the middle of the hockey Universe? I guess maybe if the universe has a big black hole in the middle that is devoid of any Stanley Cups....and the Toronto media can get bent as far as I'm concerned.

Breaking news......................Australia has a new prime minister! . The old budgie smuggler wearing frog lipped fool got slotted by his Banker minister of communications! Bout (frank)ing time!

Did I just see a Leaf fan Toronto Say the are the middle of the hockey Universe? I guess maybe if the universe has a big black hole in the middle that is devoid of any Stanley Cups....and the Toronto media can get bent as far as I'm concerned.
- Emperor Filonius

To be fair, Toronto is hockey obsessed. They're not the middle of the hockey universe as far as success goes like the Blackhawks but they are the middle when it comes to fandom. Makes me wonder how they've been so bad for so long

I think that the best compromise would be to allow NHL teams to have one (MAYBE TWO) of their CHL-drafted players added to an AHL roster. Rhe NHL parent club would have to pay them compensation (say, twice the NHL ELC, bonuses included) in exchange for taking away what may be the best player on the team. Also, if you have a 19-year-old playing in the AHL, their ELC should kick in starting that season.

But, in all likelihood, this will never change, and it makes total sense (for the CHL).

To be fair, Toronto is hockey obsessed. They're not the middle of the hockey universe as far as success goes like the Blackhawks but they are the middle when it comes to fandom. Makes me wonder how they've been so bad for so long
- Victoro311

It is a rabid fan base where the NHL's war room is located, and it is the home of the IIHF/NHL HHOF. So, yeah, it basically is.