The NAHL draft concluded yesterday with a total of 217 player picked from around the world. After dozens of emails, some of which we will be printing tomorrow, we felt that it would be appropriate to break down the draft. Where the players came from most importantly. The results I am sure you will find very interesting.
24 USHL players were drafted. Better than 10% of the total NAHL draft came through players that were protected in the USHL.
6 players were drafted from the AAU sanctioned WSHL.
2 players were drafted from the small SIJHL based out of Canada.
28 players were taken from other Canadian Junior A leagues.
There were also a handful of international players, and high school players taken.
When taking into account all of the Midget AAA players, nearly 97% of the players entering, or having the opportunity to enter the NAHL came from outside of the NAHL family of leagues through the draft.
The most telling number coming from the NAHL draft is perhaps one that is the most concerning to the public perception that the NA3HL is a more direct path to the NAHL.
Only 1 player from the NA3HL was selected in the NAHL draft.
From the NAHL website:
“One (1) North American 3 Hockey League (NA3HL) player was selected in the NAHL Entry Draft. In all, 23 NA3HL players were drafted or tendered by NAHL teams during the 2013-14 season.”
Only 22 other players throughout the NA3HL were even tendered by 24 NAHL teams. That is 23 NA3HL players tendered or drafted into the NAHL in a league that begins their season with 720 players. That is roughly three percent of the players having an opportunity to make a 30 man Blaine Showcase roster coming through the NA3HL.
Also from the NAHL website:
“Five (5) North American Prospects Hockey League (NAPHL) players were selected in the NAHL Entry Draft. In all, 50 NAPHL players were drafted or tendered by NAHL teams during the 2013-14 season.”
While these numbers are better than the NA3HL, only 45 players were tendered in the NAHL, a league that requires teams to tender NAPHL and NA3HL players. Yes, it is required by the league. That is roughly 7% of players entering or having the opportunity to enter the Blaine Showcase on a 30 man roster.
While the draft and tenders are certainly not conclusive of how many players will make the 30 man rosters for Blaine, it does show that roughly 10% of the players are seen as having a better opportunity to make those rosters at this point.
When you examine the rest of the NAHL draft, the same trends continue from year to year. Mid western based Midget AAA teams and leagues dominate both the USHL and NAHL drafts.
Michael Montambault from Victory Honda AAA was thought so highly of that he was drafted in the 8th round by Wenatchee and then again in the 12th round by the Minnesota Magicians. Since Montambault’s rights were already secured by Wenatchee, will Minnesota be afforded the opportunity to protect any player on the free agent market now?
Players who go up to, or are from Canadian Junior A programs are more likely to be drafted than those playing Tier III in the states.
It is also clear that NAHL coaches look to be valuing USHL player experience more every year. While attempting to secure talent that may be coming down is smart and should be done, doing so after holding pre draft camps and charging fee’s for those camps and then not drafting players that attended is being taken as disingenuous by many parents.
The NAHL, if claiming players from the USHL should do so in a private, internal way. Picking players who may or may not ever report to the NAHL looks disrespectful to those players and parents who worked so hard and spend all the money to attend pre draft camps.
When a total of six players come through the NAPHL and NA3HL system to be drafted, and six players come through the non USA Hockey Western States Hockey League, what does that say about the system? Even a casual observer can see that there are many paths to take to reach your goal of playing in the NAHL. There is no “right or wrong” path, it is what is best for you as an individual player.
Joe Hughes
