Now that the lockout is official it should be interesting to see if some more players turn to the CIS. We have already seen a number of NHL-calibre players be sent to the AHL, which should push some AHL players down to the ECHL or CHL. This might lead to some ECHL/CHL players being released, junior guys having a harder time making a roster if they signed this past summer, or guys who just finished junior having a harder time finding a pro offer.
Good point made here, but most teams already have their recruits in place. A coach would certainly lose credibility for bring in a player or two at the expense of some guy already promised a spot on the team.
Good point made here, but most teams already have their recruits in place. A coach would certainly lose credibility for bring in a player or two at the expense of some guy already promised a spot on the team.
I would tend to agree. However there are likely to be more January recruits this year if the lockout lasts.
Anyway, the problem is the rule. It was fair enough upon the Eirran Rigby appeal, when it changed and to what it changed to, is a recipe for the ruination of the league and it will need to be reigned in. Otherwise this stuff will just get worse, and I don't care who is doing it.
I think we'll see less of this with the roster cap. Coaches will be less likely (I believe) to take a 5th year transfer vs ice-time for a rookie or sophomore.
This is a pretty small issue - I think Christmas additions are more of a problem than these transfer. At least the transfer is here in September committed and ready - the Christmas guys come in and bump someone who was playing for the first half.
Now that the lockout is official it should be interesting to see if some more players turn to the CIS. We have already seen a number of NHL-calibre players be sent to the AHL, which should push some AHL players down to the ECHL or CHL. This might lead to some ECHL/CHL players being released, junior guys having a harder time making a roster if they signed this past summer, or guys who just finished junior having a harder time finding a pro offer.
I would expect such players to have already indicated their intent with their target CIS school. Certainly, it's possible to play until Christmas and show-up on the doorstep, but I'm not sure you would want to do that without first contacting the coaching staff and getting your academic paperwork in order. These are those "He is attending xyz camp and if things don't work out...we'll see him later in the season". The team's nice way of saying - leave him a lone, he's mine (if he goes CIS).
Altogether, Laurier has 14 new faces on the roster, replacing 13 players from last year who are not on the roster. However, of those 13 departures, only 3 (Zach Shepley -Plymouth OHL, Thomas Middup - Gatineau QMJHL, Alex Poulter - Prince George WHL) were players who I would have considered "regulars" and would have played if all members were healthy. Laurier had so many injuries and players leaving last year, that the remaining 10 were primarily walk on players.
When I saw 14 recruits announced, I figured many players quit, but instead, the team has replaced the excess walk-on players with recruited players, leading to a large roster size of 16 forwards, 10 defencemen and 2 goaltenders for 28 total. I was initially afraid 7 recruited defencemen would indicate the "core" was leaving, but it seems that the coaching staff has considered it prudent to carry a large number of players from the beginning to combat injuries/departures/suspensions etc, rather than scrambling to find already enrolled students with some hockey background like last year when 2 of their 6 defencemen were Jr.B walk-ons.
Of the announced recruiting class, 2 players did not report in defenceman Matt Sollows (Vaughan - OJHL) and goaltender Brandon Foote (Guelph - OHL). Foote was likely the highlight recruit, and one of the best overage goaltenders available not going pro. While he may not have started a ton this year due to current 4th year starter Ryan Daniels, he would have carried the team going forward for the next 3. Laurier must secure a major junior goaltender next summer as a result. His failure to report is quite dissapointing. Sollows is an offensive defenceman, but likely would have slotted in as between 7th and 9th on the depth chart.
I have been skeptical of Coach Puhalski during his second season due to the large number of players leaving the program, however, my hat is off to him for an effective offseason. Laurier returns 8 of their top 10 forwards, adds 2 more with OHL experience, and a collection of Junior A/B forwards who were captains/alternates and among the leading scorers on their respective teams to fill the remaining 2 spots and fill in for injuries. On defence, 3 of the top 4 core are returning, with 3 major junior defencemen added, for 5 of 6 in total having major junior experience. In my estimation, 2 former AJHL alternate captains are currently sitting as #7 and #8 on the depth chart. Last year Laurier carried 5 defencemen until after Christmas, 2 having only played Jr. B.
Laurier has not been able to address a lack of top end talent required to really compete with Western or Lakehead in my opinion, but has addressed their biggest problem - depth, at least at this point in the season, which should make all their games, win or lose, more exciting than last year.
Scratch prior post, as Brandon Foote is now on the roster and played amazingly well tonight against Windsor in Laurier's 4-2 loss, stopping 41 of 45 I believe.
I don't know if this has been mentioned yet but Brandon Biggers has left UPEI after 3 seasons and will be playing for Nipissing this year...his transfer was just approved so he doesn't have to sit out a year.
I don't know if this has been mentioned yet but Brandon Biggers has left UPEI after 3 seasons and will be playing for Nipissing this year...his transfer was just approved so he doesn't have to sit out a year.
SF Bulls article on the club signing former AUS players Jordan Clendenning (UNB) and Dean Ouellet (Moncton)...maybe Clendenning can convince Tam to come back to UNB...
I was just checking out the SF Bulls roster.... quite few CIS alums on it... Deaner, Clendenning, Bowers, Kevin Baker (the Western one), Matt Carter, Jordan Morrison...
Maybe you need to start an "unrecruiting" thread. You could call it "Departures".
I was actually referring to accidentally putting the Western/McGill score here. I like to put the news of CIS guys signing pro contracts in this thread since it seems to be much more active than the actual stickied "Going Pro" thread....I look at this as an all encompassing thread for any kind of CIS off-season news, until the regular season thread gets started. Just trying to keep as much stuff as possible in one place.
I was actually referring to accidentally putting the Western/McGill score here. I like to put the news of CIS guys signing pro contracts in this thread since it seems to be much more active than the actual stickied "Going Pro" thread....I look at this as an all encompassing thread for any kind of CIS off-season news, until the regular season thread gets started. Just trying to keep as much stuff as possible in one place.
I think of the 'Going Pro' thread more as an NCAA thread, so I don't check it. I find it better to post the CIS departures in here...
Scott Brannon has left St. FX after two seasons to play for Grand Rapids (ECHL). Jeff Lee (UNB) and Neil Conway (SMU) are also playing there this year. Their goalie is former X netminder Danny Battochhio.
Plenty of guys have recently been released from their AHL/ECHL tryouts as teams finalize opening night rosters. I wonder if we will start to see some of them surface in the CIS in the coming months.
Plenty of guys have recently been released from their AHL/ECHL tryouts as teams finalize opening night rosters. I wonder if we will start to see some of them surface in the CIS in the coming months.
The crease just got more crowded in Guelph as they add Brandon Maxwell http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/p...php?pid=120922 bringing their goalie group up to 3 goalies who played their junior in the OHL. A solid recruit for Guelph who despite their depth, have received sub .900 goaltending from their starter the past 2 years and thus far this year.
"Busniuk said Thunder Bay’s Kale Kerbashian is close to signing with Lakehead. Kerbashian, 22, who played one full season of pro hockey in the ECHL, would have to sit out this season and perhaps some of the fall semester if he enrolls."
I forget the rules. How long would he actually have to sit out?
"Busniuk said Thunder Bay’s Kale Kerbashian is close to signing with Lakehead. Kerbashian, 22, who played one full season of pro hockey in the ECHL, would have to sit out this season and perhaps some of the fall semester if he enrolls."
I forget the rules. How long would he actually have to sit out?
365 days from his last pro game (when he appeared on the official game sheet).
