October / November OOTS

[Madcombinepilot]

I bet Phoenix is wishing they had a Little Veteran Leadership in the room (namely Doan) to help the kids there keep a level head...

[Chef Boi RD]

American hockey is trending - Matthews, Keller, Wetenski, Gaudreau, Eichel, McAvoy, Tkachuk, Boeser etc while Canadians are busting badly Reinhart, Bennett, Dal Colle, Strome, Virtanen, McKinnon, Dubios, Hayden Fleury. It's just McDavid all by himself against American hockey

Horrible post

Ekblad vs Hanafin, MacAvoy, Werenski, Gostisbehere, Trouba, Jones

[nuckster]

Was watching a portion of the Oiler-Capital game earlier tonight, and was really paying attention to how McDavid rolls and how their offence works, or doesn't. In some respects, it must be a bit of a curse sometimes to be his team-mate. It appears to be the case that his team-mates are directed to just get the puck to him, and the play lives and dies on his stick. A good portion of the time the play dies on his stick, cause hey, he's the 'Oiler superstar' and you wannah bet the other team has him covered. Then when you look at a system like Green has, the team really works together to get the puck into the offensive zone and then we have hard skating and fore-checking that involves a system that utilizes our defense - all a part of a system.

Didnt see much of a system with the Oil, at least not an effective one. Ya got to wonder what it's like for McDavid's linemates to be a part of a system where everything lives an dies on the stick of McD? Sure, every now and then there's going to be a highlight play by Mr D, but too often his team-mates are under utilized and too much emphasis is given on a singular player vs the collective as a system. I'm grateful that at least for now, we don't have a BIG star, but we have what seems to be a decent collective that's emerging under Green's direction. Hopefully the Oil won't catch on until it's too late .. probably wishful thinking, but i would love to see them miss the playoffs , and the not so media-sexy Canucks make it in.

[Mickey107]

And; Taylor Hall says hi from New Jersey.

[Chef Boi RD]

I see a lot of similarities between McDavid and Bure. Always trying to score the spectacular goal, individualism, nobody can play with them, just trying to keep up. Until McDavid can wind it down and play a well rounded game, Austin Matthews will be the better player. Matthews can generate offence in many different ways, not to mention he uses his linemates way better. Connor is gong to have to do a lot more than just being the thousand mile an hour human highlight reel. It's a team game.

[Blob Mckenzie]

Canadian Hockey is doomed. The Americans are far better right now and the gap will only get bigger

[Chef Boi RD]

Canadian Hockey is doomed. The Americans are far better right now and the gap will only get bigger

Not doomed, just the Americans gaining ground and passing. We will always put up the good fight here and there.

What forward you pick at 3, Blob. In what order? Dubios, Puljiarvi, Tkachuk or Keller?

BTW, scouts are saying there is a good chance not one Canadian will be selected in top 10 of the 2018 draft. Could see half the top 10, Americans

In 2019 American Jack Hughes, now considered generational will go first overall. Word is it's not looking good for Canadians in 2019 as well. Just saying jabrone

Canucks need more Boesers

[Mickey107]

In our junior system, your education is up to you. It isn't easy.
Our college hockey program can't hold a candle to the US.
From Midget down, we are better.
Now that hockey has become a far bigger deal in the US, they are using the same system they use in the other
three major sports.
What can you do?

[Chef Boi RD]

The CHL needs help, it's looking very bush league, buildings are getting old, seats are getting emptier and U.S.colege league is luring more Canadians. Ever try watching a CHL game on tv. It's awful, amateur hour. Might as well be watching Don Taylor's favourite - the Vancouver salmon bellies on channel 4. Not to mention hockey enrollment in Canada is slipping while south of the border it's going through the roof in not just your typical north eastern states, Michigan an Minnesota. Hockey is booming in places likenIllinois because of the Blackhawks recent success, rinks going up everywhere

The Bettman plan, it was inevitable

[Blob Mckenzie]

So ....... take a bat to Canadian Hockey regardless of whether they win the majority of best on best when it’s being played by men. Let’s put the boots to Canadian Juniors regardless of whether they have won the huge majority of gold medals during the world tournament’s existence. Fail to either understand or acknowledge that goaltending derailed a five year string of golds and prevented it from being 7 or 8. Pump up US Hockey at all costs.

But don’t ever, ever criticize a single move by Jim Benning.

[Blob Mckenzie]

Sorry should have dropped the mic.... I guess I was distracted after drop kicking Pacific Blue the Yankee lover

[olpaddy]

The CHL needs help, it's looking very bush league, buildings are getting old, seats are getting emptier and U.S.colege league is luring more Canadians. Ever try watching a CHL game on tv. It's awful, amateur hour. Might as well be watching Don Taylor's favourite - the Vancouver salmon bellies on channel 4. Not to mention hockey enrollment in Canada is slipping while south of the border it's going through the roof in not just your typical north eastern states, Michigan an Minnesota. Hockey is booming in places likenIllinois because of the Blackhawks recent success, rinks going up everywhere

The Bettman plan, it was inevitable

Maybe u should put your hard earned dollars where your mouth is an support the CHL live like some of us do... would it kill u Pacific Blue to FORGO THE booze for some tickets to support the kids...

[Meds]

CHL is losing kids to the NCAA because they can get their college education AND play hockey at a high level.

In the CHL you play during high school, and you can get college tuition after hockey is done (unless that's changed).

I would say that more 16-18 year olds are getting better advice from parents who can show them that a hockey career in the NHL happens for less than 1% of junior players in Canada, and that a hockey career outside of the NHL leaves you with nothing by the time you are 40.

Go the NCAA route and you can opt to finish your education even after you are drafted, and you also end up having more control over your future and where you will start your career under certain conditions (see Justin Schultz for one).

Is it really worth the cost of pushing/promoting a hockey career to a youth unless you are the parent of a kid with skills like McDavid or Matthews and you are a pretty safe bet that it will pay off?

[Mickey107]

Great Post !

[SKYO]

They should lower the age at which a CHL player can go to the AHL to like 18 or even at least 19, as junior players start to outgrow the competition in juniors, plus they can get their bigger paychecks quicker, additionally playing in the AHL at 18/19 will help them develop faster for the NHL pros.