No cis would not destroy a major jr team it could be a close game but some major jr teams get very good attendance and this could work aginst some cis teams who may get less then 500 fans a game.
As was stated earlier, CIS teams can hold their own with Team Canada in warm-ups to the World Junior Championship. Don't beat them very often, but can play with them. Get that - a single CIS team playing a Major Junior ALL STAR TEAM. So yes, Alberta or Manitoba or UNB might "destroy" your favourite Major Junior team. We'll probably never prove it to you, because Major Junior teams won't play exhibition games against CIS teams.
Last season the GM of now-defunt Lewiston was asked why they wouldn't play an exhibition game against UNB. To paraphrase him, he said UNB would destroy them, as no way his 16 and 17 year olds would be able to deal with UNB's 22 year old power forwards and defenceman.
No cis would not destroy a major jr team it could be a close game but some major jr teams get very good attendance and this could work aginst some cis teams who may get less then 500 fans a game.
Maybe I am missing something but I don't understand what attendance has to do with anything in terms of how a CIS team would fare against a CHL team? The high-end CIS teams are almost entirely made up of Major Junior grads, who would be more than used to playing in front of the same big crowds from their own junior days....not to mention some teams have many players who have attended NHL training camps and have played in NHL/AHL pre-season games.
Maybe I am missing something but I don't understand what attendance has to do with anything in terms of how a CIS team would fare against a CHL team? The high-end CIS teams are almost entirely made up of Major Junior grads, who would be more than used to playing in front of the same big crowds from their own junior days....not to mention some teams have many players who have attended NHL training camps and have played in NHL/AHL pre-season games.
How a team would do vs major jr attendance has little to do with it but if your talking about what league is better over all you should take in all factors attendance/skill of players/broadcaste etc.
How a team would do vs major jr attendance has little to do with it but if your talking about what league is better over all you should take in all factors attendance/skill of players/broadcaste etc.
We aren't talking about which league is the 'best' OP asked about the strenght of the hockey itself, and I'm pretty sure that if more people were exposed to it, CIS hockey would have a much bigger following.
What do you call that 2003 team in Halifax? worthy of a CIS ALL STAR team, despite being from one conference, "Don't beat them very often, or the Major Junior teams won't play exhibitions against CIS Teams", which is it? the allstar vs allstar contests? No, the CIS has never beaten them, to my knowledge Manitoba was the only CIS team, allstar or individual, to ever defeat Team Canada Junior in some 25 years I have followed it. Besides who cares? If the CIS is as good as we say, what should it matter which team? We would destroy them remember? destroy them not just beat them by a goal or two. So while we are willing to argue to the teeth a CIS team would destroy any given Major Junior team, we have absolutely no evidence, darn right no proof. I'll reserve comment on Billy Schurman.
Last edited by Island Husky: 10-04-2011 at 09:19 PM.
What do you call that 2003 team in Halifax? worthy of a CIS ALL STAR team, despite being from one conference, "Don't beat them very often, or the Major Junior teams won't play exhibitions against CIS Teams", which is it? the allstar vs allstar contests? No, the CIS has never beaten them, to my knowledge Manitoba was the only CIS team, allstar or individual, to ever defeat Team Canada Junior in some 25 years I have followed it. Besides who cares? If the CIS is as good as we say, what should it matter which team? We would destroy them remember? destroy them not just beat them by a goal or two. So while we are willing to argue to the teeth a CIS team would destroy any given Major Junior team, we have absolutely no evidence, darn right no proof. I'll reserve comment on Billy Schurman.
Regina/Saskatchewan combination I believe 2 years ago had a victory as well.
While there are some very good teams in the cis i don't think i would go as far as saying every team even the worst would beat any major jr team.If you look at the big picture which includes attendance etc major jr is better for the most part that is not to say cis is a bad leagues its not.
The worst major junior teams would pummel the worst CIS teams. Hollywood hit the nail on the head that the discrepancy in CIS between best and worst is huge, while in major junior, while a gap is still there, the league does attempt some form of parity with rules such as the bantam/midget drafts. Unless games are played on a large scale, I think the CIS/major junior level of play will be debated forever. Given my understanding and what I have watched, I tend to be of the opinion that teams like Alberta/UNB etc would beat their nearest Major Junior city counterparts as they tend to be comprised of almost all of former major junior captains/alternates on the blueline, and 60+ point players on almost all 4 lines up front. As Bob Stauffer illustrated before, the Alberta Golden Bears did beat the Oil Kings I believe 8-1 the last time they played. However, I would say the OUA conference is likely a step down from Major Junior, as would games played against the weaker opponents in the AUS/CW such as Regina or UBC. I would be very surprised if Laurier could best the Rangers, University of Windsor beat the Spitfires, or UBC beat the Giants in a best of 7 series. The perennial bottom dwellers like UofT or Queen's would likely get demolished by the Majors or Frontenacs I would think more often than not.
Regina/Saskatchewan combination I believe 2 years ago had a victory as well.
Could have been yup, I do the remember the Manitoba one for sure. My point is there are so many good factors on both sides, that there is enough common ground. No they are not as mature as CIS, but they play three times or more the games, so game shape they are in and in a huge way. Both have the same calibre of coaching, It goes on and on, they have this, but we have that... But regardless of who plays whom, if the CIS is so much better, shouldn't our best beat the best of the Junior? Yes, any one conference, it is the only evidence we have.
UNB routinely has beaten the pro team rookies too, so have SFX, and Alberta? it really doesn't prove they are better, What it does mean is both are pretty good calibres of hockey.
Manitoba split a pair of games against Team Canada. Calgary/Lethbridge beat them. Regina/Sask also beat them. The two combined teams did not practice together and did not know the guys from the other team. IMO a single team from CW would be better than a combined team.
IMO Team Canada would beat all but a very high level CW team, e.g. Alberta in a strong year, most times. Basically, I would compare the CW 1 through 7 to the world juniors 1 through 7.
