Quote of the week...
| "We do not exist to place players in the USHL and believe with the preponderance of players we can develop and place them as well or better." - Interim NAHL Commish Mark Frankenfeld, in a letter voicing concern over the current compensation system between the NAHL and USHL. I'll give you the first half of that one, Frankie... but the rest? That's a pretty bold claim, and more power to ya if you believe it... but it's just not supported by the data. In other news... Hmmm, the Market Wire is an odd place to find info on a junior hockey league, but finding this nugget on the new Junior WHA sparked my curiosity... which led me to discover this foreboding announcement... Adrian Fure hired as assistant in Marquette, filling the final gap there... MTS Centre experiment sign of things to come for MJHL? Gretzky partner Bitove makes play for the IceDogs.... Stop me if you've heard this one before. Mississauga IceDogs seek move to Niagara Falls. |
posted by Marc Foster at 1/11/2007 09:49:00 PM
Comments on "Quote of the week..."
-
Anonymous said ... (12:00 AM, January 12, 2007) :
-
Anonymous said ... (11:20 AM, January 12, 2007) :
-
Anonymous said ... (3:16 PM, January 12, 2007) :
-
Anonymous said ... (3:55 PM, January 12, 2007) :
-
Anonymous said ... (9:51 PM, January 12, 2007) :
-
Anonymous said ... (9:55 PM, January 12, 2007) :
-
Anonymous said ... (4:48 PM, January 13, 2007) :
-
Anonymous said ... (6:41 PM, January 13, 2007) :
-
Anonymous said ... (8:38 PM, January 16, 2007) :
post a commentSaw the WHA press release on the BCHL message board. Also saw a more recent press release that shows that venture capital company is still on good terms with the league, suggesting that the 'drastic' release you listed might be just a procedural thing and should be kept in perspective.
I thought it was more newsworthy that the WHA wants to expand from 6 to 16 teams, with 3-4 of them being targeted for Washington.
I just read ALL the press releases on the WHA website. I agree that Foster took a cheap shot at them.
I heard that at least one NorPac team has asked about jumping to the WHA. I've seen games in both leagues, and that would be a step up for them. Maybe this is where some of the Washington teams would be coming from.
If you talked with anyone in the southest (wha/wha2 etc.) you might have a different outlook. This guy has caused problems before, so buyer beware...
just what north america needs.... even MORE watered down junior A product
The current owner bought the WHA rights from those who tried to make a go of it in Florida. He seems to have his act together more than they did.
A more watered down Jr A product?
And just how is hockey supposed to grow in the USA if there aren't enough quality rosters to grow into?
That point aside, the WHA doesn't advertise itself as any classification. Players come, get coached --- this year by the likes of former NHL players Gary Unger and Dennis Sobchuk --- and let the scouts determine where they fit.
go watch a junior A hockey game- its not what it used to be. the last thing needed is more expansion. there just aren't enough elite players. See-junior B (wshl, nor pac)level games in which half the players can hardly skate. it is HORRIBLE. it isnt as drastic as the watering down of jr A-yet. but there are players at the junior A level that wouldnt have been there a couple years ago if not for the large expansion, and addition of leagues
If Jr A hockey is that horrible these days, then it's an indictment of the youth coaching and development programs in this country.
Do you mean that the USA cannot stock quality talent in a 12-team Tier I league and a 17-team so-called Tier II league after all the time USA Hockey has had to grow and improve this sport?
If youth hockey is that stagnant, then higher-level junior hockey is the only way forward, assuming that is where better-financed business people are going to demand as their entry point.
And if there isn't enough qualified business interests to step forward, then your line of thinking is admitting, "Let's just open the door to the Canadians to provide us with our hockey fix."
Anonymous said...
I just read ALL the press releases on the WHA website. I agree that Foster took a cheap shot at them....
You agree? With who? You're the only who said Foster cheap-shoted them. Where did he do that? He posted links to two articles, with very little commentary, certainly nothing either yea or nea.
I have seen first-hand what the WHA2 did to hockey in the Southeastern U.S. and what the so-called WHA Super Junior tried to do in Florida. I do not support those people, but I will say that, as a Canadian-based company, they are where they need to be.