Hawks and blues get to play at wrigley in 2025.

Def gonna have to make the trip up for that.

Too early to give Hawks the Winter Classic imo, but they should be at least mildly interesting next year if they can stay healthy. T. Hall and AA back, Nazar possibly turns pro, hopefully Reichel bounces back, year 2 of Korchinski, Bedard and Vlasic, maybe C. Dach makes the team plus a likely top 4 pick from this draft. Lots of 'ifs' but too early to write it off as a flat out terrible matchup

Jason Spezza's younger brother Matthew died of an accidental overdose. My heart goes out to the Spezza family, what a tragic situation

The #NYR have placed Nick Bonino on unconditional waivers for the purpose of contract termination.

Watch him end up back in Pitt

Sorry for long post…but this is a huge story.

There has been talk over the last couple of years, since NIL rules were loosened, that eventually NCAA may allow CHL players. Yesterday, 32 Thoughts reported that NCAA may vote at end of season in allowing CHLers or not. I do not believe any vote would be binding as NCAA still has to deem CHL as an “amateur league”. But it continues momentum towards what will likely be some path for CHL players to enter NCAA.

But if this moves forward, the impact, both up river and down river, would be significant. First, the NHL entry draft rules will likely be rewritten. Right now, teams own drafting rights for different lengths for players in CHL vs players on NCAA path (2 years vs 4/5 years). It may even spur the ‘change draft age to 19’ idea back to life. Second, the current hierarchy of junior leagues will be reshuffled as the major selling point of USHL and Canadian Junior A leagues has been their amateur status (allowing, as they often say, “the best of both worlds” by offering kids a junior hockey experience that could still be followed by NCAA). Should they lose this differentiator, their ability to recruit NCAA players, especially from Canada (such as Makar, Johnson, etc) will be harmed. USHL will have less of an adjustment. It may end up hurting some teams more than others as they become less appealing destination for players like Power, Celebrini (who probably stay in CHL then go to NCAA).

I imagine CHL owners will respond to block their players from NCAA…which could further impact future Canadian and US player development. One tool they have would be to force players to commit until they age out of juniors (this could walk us backwards from the Shane Wright rule, the exemption allowing a CHL into AHL) or until the age out of their amateur status.

The idea that I have seen that makes the most sense…is NCAA recognizing any u18 junior player as “an amateur” and should they continue past 18th birthday to play in CHL, they would have to preserve their amateur status. CHL now offers standard player agreements to all players that include payment that makes them ineligible for NCAA. They would have to allow “amateur contracts” as an alternative (which will further complicate their own entry draft rules).

This could also ultimately path the way for a few ideas that have often be discussed, but are practically unworkable now due to current rules in both counties. One has been creating a formal link between CHL and USHL. Another, follows the idea that the numerous court battles underway to dismantle NCAA powers will ultimately succeed and there could be an alignment of Usports with US-based schools.

Big changes could come from this. It is a story worth following.

So apparently teams are kicking tires on him now that he doesn't have a contract. He was on waivers 2 weeks ago, why wouldn't a team just claim him? They are actually going to pay him more even if they sign him to league minimum.

maybe cuz they only thought he was bad because he's just bad, now he could just be bad because hes in the wrong place or something

Can you simplify this? Or is this as simplified as possible

Very interesting. Lots of changes to junior hockey these days I guess (recently there was a big thing in Canada junior A where 5 Alberta teams left the AJHL for the BCHL, which is independent from hockey Canada)

Now - CHL players cannot play NCAA
Later - CHL players will be allowed to play

US and Canadian systems converging.

Winners - NCAA and NCAA-bound Canadians
Losers - Junior A, CHL owners

Thank you...

Makes sense for the NCAA and for the guys who realize they might not be a 1rst rounder in the NHL but still want to get something out of hockey

Lol OF COURSE Lindholm scored his first as a Canuck in the first period in Carolina but hey we like the group right Don?

Both Kuzmenko and Lindholm have scored in their first games with their new teams

Every single former cane scores in their return to PNC. It’s a tradition. I’m pretty sure the even the former water boy will find a way to score too

And there’s another one for Lindholm. Heheh it would sure be nice if the canes had a guy like that! But I forgot, we like our group. Get rid of Waddell, please. Most overrated GM in hockey

(gotta at least buy the water girl dinner first)

Possibly related; as CHL was very threatened by the BCHL "defection" and later expansion into Alberta.

I think the CHL will push for the AHL to lower their age limit to allow kids to stay in CHL and then go pro rather than to the NCAA. The current ELC and the impact of NIL is largely untested within the NCAA so it is a very complex and dynamic situation.

I, for one, think that the Hockey Canada scandals, travel/billeting issues, etc create a big opportunity for U-Sports to take a step up in Canada and possibly affiliate with the NCAA but that is probably adding even more complexity to an already complex one.

The flames looked really good last night. They’re interesting.

Of the blues, flames, kings, kracken, predators, wild and coyotes only 2 survive.

I guess to start the season my guess would have been Kings and Kracken with coyotes as wildcard.

But maybe it ends up being the flames and blues?

Lotsa average teams.

It will be interesting to see what the Coyotes do; they had a good start to the year but have leveled off and they have pretty good "deadline assets" if they decide to sell or lots of cap space and futures (picks, prospects) to us if they want to buy. If they are serious about playoffs this year they should make moves soon to have a chance to climb the standings rather than wait.

They already have a forward logjam when Hayton comes on IR and signing Ruzicka so they could move F for needed help at D.

The Flames could be a playoff team after having 3+ 1st round picks

Always figured some kind of eligibility penalty for players that stay in the CHL past 18 then go NCAA might work. Shave off a year of NCAA for every 18+ season in CHL. Might make things a little easier on the NHL rights side in that they could just tack on an extra year for the rights holder if the player goes CHL->NCAA after being drafted. Obviously things would start to get complex and I'd guess any review of post draft rights will see some push from the PA to shave off years that rights are held across the board

They should sell off the UFAs and call it a success that they were in the mix this long. Earlier was the time to add if they were going to add. They are slipping down and have been banged up with injuries.

Zucker and Dumba will both have a market. Use one or both to bring back NHL- ready D or picks to ship for NHL-ready D. Stetcher has been surprisingly very solid this season. Was not impressed last season, but they really like him. There might be another opportunity to flip him again and resign him this summer. Brown and Dermott might find interest. Boyd might be back in time for the playoffs. Carconne might draw interest, signed through next year at league minimum everyone can find room for him. Bjugstad would draw interest if they made him available. Lots of pieces they can dangle to try to get a young defenseman or two.

Agree on all your points. Stecher seems to be one of those "yo-yo" guys that has every other year good/bad.

Liam O'Brien is another guy that plays "playoff style" hockey that could draw interest.

The one player that I really wonder about for Yotes is Jack McBain. Is he a "core piece" or not; his deployment over the past few years has been chaotic. If he's not a part of the core, you gotta think lots of teams would be in on him at that contract and with his game that can go up or down the lineup.

One thing that is interesting to me about the coyotes is their contracts:

They’ve collected so many nhl caliber prospects and near term picks that they simply will not have the contracts to retain them all. For example, they have —-10—- second round picks the next 3 years ontop of all that they already have.

Some speculate that last years ari first round drafts picks were made simply because the specific skaters would have a natural delay to needing a contract slot due to being Russian. Some opinions are that the coyotes may have had some guys climb their draft board -because- of that delay in contract.

So if they become sellers, which I think is a reasonable possibility, they’re going to be motivated to take quality over quantity. Sooner or later; it seems they will have to deal away some talent.

Due to this, I wouldn’t be surprised if they made a rental transaction and acted as buyers. What’s the value of 2 2nd round picks if you won’t have the contract space to sign those players in the future? One lucky gm is gonna prob catch some value due to this. Imma guess it’s Montreal. They’re wizards at stuff like this.

I’d suspect that you won’t see many more deals where the coyotes get a ton of futures for a single asset going back. And I think if I were a gm id be trying to sell them stuff cause there’s a jackpot waiting there for somebody.