Hockey: G&M — How can the CIS stem the flow of top players?

Online in the Globe and Mail, Allan Maki has a column on CIS hockey. While is great to see the G&M pay any attention to CIS hockey, they seem to be completely off the mark with their intro:

"Up against the NHL production lines of major junior and NCAA hockey, Canadian schools are stuck between a rock and a hard place".

Huh!? When was CIS hockey ever a competitor for Canadian junior-age hockey players? Since when do CIS schools want to stop our "best hockey players from heading south." Maki never really gets into the crux of the whole CHL-CIS partnership which sees former junior players take their education packages to the post-secondary institution of their choice, as an alternative to the NCAA route.

As for his woe-be-gone example player from Toronto? Well, he's going to have to play Junior A (in Canada or the USHL), US prep school, or Minnesota high school hockey before he gets to play for an NCAA team. Good CIS hockey teams recruit exclusively from former Major Junior or Junior A hockey players, and the odd minor pro. That's just the way it is, so why is it news?

Globe and Mail: How can the CIS stem the flow of top players?
Globe misses the point (Always OUA)
Next PostNewer Post Previous PostOlder Post Home

1 comment:

  1. I think his piont is CIS hockey is exclusively the domain of ex Major Junior Players because of the junior scolarship programs offered by the OHL etc. If a non major junior player (by preference not talent) had a choice between US scholarship vs full canadian scholarship then more of the 18 and 19 year old talent may stay in Canada. This wuld upgrade the talent level at the CIS. Same can be said for BBall. There is however no indication that there is anywhere near the amount of financial resources available to make this reality.

    ReplyDelete