Reply To: 2010-2020 Coach Discussion Forum

[Tom Molloy]

Require 3 U19 Players in the CIS and Canadian College Hockey

I have spent 17 years coaching in the Canadian university and college leagues. Three times I went to the CIS finals in Toronto with the U of Calgary and coached in the Alberta Colleges men's league four years and women's league five seasons.

On the female side it is the highest level most of the girl's will ever play and they enter right after high school.

The men's side is different. A boy right out of U18 Midget AAA has almost zero chance of making the varsity team. He has to play at least Jr. A and for the CIS teams it is usually Major Jr. before he will even be considered. Even Div. 1 NCAA is going this way. One of my friends son has a full ride to and eastern NCAA school but not until he finished another year of Jr. A. They aren't interested in development but want a player who can contribute right away.

So you get players who are very good but they have gone through the draft and played a few years after and will graduate at 24-25+, then go to work or some play in the low minors or Europe (I have helped over 15 of my former players get contracts in the lower leagues in Europe).

Change the rules so that at least 3 freshman per season must be U19 and then the CIS would start producing some high level pro prospects. Another benefit is that they would be the same age as other freshman who would identify more with them than the other 21 year old first year players.

The CIS coaching is the top coaching in Canada and the practice time is at least double what you get in Junior where playing games is the focus and we have fallen behind countries like the USA, Finland, Sweden, Russia developing skilled, creative players.

Germany doesn't develop many high level players because they follow the same model as the CIS. The imports play while the Germans watch from the bench. Austria has point system in their top league. It doesn't matter if you are Austrian or not but if you played NHL or another top league then you are 4 points and the scale goes 3-2-1 depending on age and experience. So a young Austrian only counts for 1 point and that encourages the club to develop their young players instead of jut buy them.

Just throwing the idea out there.

'The Game is the Greatest Coach'
'Enjoy the Game'