Once again, it appears some readers simply do not want to face reality, or want to actually read and understand what is written. The Tier II rankings, which have been done every year for a few years now, are rankings based upon player development.
If your league was not number one, or your league was placed behind other leagues, then your league is simply not moving as many players up, or simply not working as hard as the other leagues to promote its players onward. It is a pretty simple equation.
I will take this one step further.
As a direct example, if the BCHL were as good or better than the NAHL in developing players for higher levels, the actual numbers would prove this to be true. The real numbers of players moving on and up do not support the argument that the BCHL is better than the NAHL.
I understand that Canadian nationalistic pride is bruised when you are not put number one in every category concerning hockey.
I had to laugh at one commentator on social media saying that when BCHL players are called up to the WHL they do better than NAHL players. Simply an uninformed statement when the best NAHL players have zero interest in playing in the WHL because they want to play NCAA hockey.
Another chuckle came when one poster commented about how the Wenatchee Wild would beat any NAHL team and how great that BCHL team is. While Bliss Littler is one of the best junior hockey coaches of all time, and the Wild had a very good team, the poster must have forgotten that the Wild used to be an NAHL franchise. The poster must have also forgotten that the Wild while in the NAHL never found success through winning.
I will again point out that not one of these complaints has come from any American born player, or his family playing in any Canadian Tier II league. The only complaints are coming from those Canadians associated in some way with those leagues.
Other complaints about the NCDC being included because they are not USA Hockey or Hockey Canada sanctioned will simply be ignored. All Canadian Major Junior teams are not members of Hockey Canada or USA Hockey, and the NCAA is not sanctioned by USA Hockey either. The sanctioning argument doesn’t hold any water.
Thankfully though, I only have to write this particular explanation statement once a year.
In closing, if you don’t like where your league is ranked, then maybe your league should do something about it to change its level of success in moving players up. Pointing out a few NHL draft picks directly from Canadian Junior A, as being more important than volumes of success from your competition isn’t a strong argument. You are pointing out exceptions to rules, not things that can be counted on every year.
Instead of complaining, maybe it is a good idea to be open to changing antiquated models and ideas. It is change, and the open mindedness of leagues around the world that have lead to the incredible development upswing globally.
If this is truly about the players, then maybe some organizations need to become more concerned with moving players on than about wins and losses and trophy’s. Wins and losses don’t move players on, trophy’s and championships don’t move players on.
Development and player centered promotion is what moves players on. Either you have it or you don’t, and if you don’t, then its probably time you looked at what the competition is doing and embrace change.
Joseph Kolodziej – Publisher
