[News] CHL bans import goalies

[sureLoss]

In an attempt to start developing elite Canadian goaltenders again:

http://www.thestar.com/sports/hockey...alies_cox.html

Within four years or less, there will be no more European goalies playing major junior hockey in Canada and the U.S. after the CHL officially moved to make goaltenders ineligible to be selected in the league’s import draft starting next year.



As reported 10 days ago by the Star, the three junior leagues — OHL, QMJHL and WHL — agreed on the drastic move amidst concerns that Canadian goalies simply are being squeezed out of opportunities in major junior and the country is developing fewer and fewer elite netminders.



The change was officially announced Monday night at the OHL’s “Protect the Net” symposium, a gathering designed to address the “crisis” in Canadian goaltending, specifically in Ontario.

[Da_Chief]

Sounds about right, our goaltending depth is ####ters right now.

[Mean Mr. Mustard]

I think that there is a lot of truth to the fact that we are over teaching goaltenders in the lower ranks of hockey - and instead of promoting creativity and athleticism, the Canadian hockey system is elite at pumping out goaltenders who play a butterfly style. You can stop the import but there aren't that many goaltenders who were imports that played in the CHL and moved their way up to the NHL to dominate, a lot of the elite European goaltenders are trained in Europe.

[GrrlGoalie33]

I think it's a bad idea. If our kids aren't good enough to make CHL teams, ask why and fix the problem rather than banning the kids that are good enough. Canada doesn't have consistent enough coaching to develop goaltenders properly through their careers, and that is the problem.

I saw on twitter someone else state that we will likely see more american born goaltenders coming through the ranks now - not Canadian.

[Northendzone]

great news for my kid - as he is a pee-wee goalie.

anyways, i try to teach the goalies that I coach that the position is a mix of having a solid foundation (good stance, good positioning etc) and just stopping the puck.

Personally i like goalies like Brodeur and Kipper and quick to a lesser extent.

However, I was never a goalie myself, so what do i know

[kyuss275]

What is the % of European goalies playing in the CHL? I can't imagine its that high.

Don't really agree with the Tugnutt quote. If there is nothing wrong with goalies in our country and as he says nothing wrong the way that we are developing them, then they should be able to beat out the European goalies.

[SuperMatt18]

The major reason why goaltender development is lacking: It is just too damn expensive to be a goaltender.

Minor hockey fees in Canada are already ridiculous, having to buy your kid all the equipment required to be a goalie each season just adds to that cost.

Include the stigma of being a goaltender, the fact that a lot of parents are not fond of their kid standing in front of frozen pucks, and that most kids don't start being a goaltender until their early teens and you have the issues for development.

[valo403]

Originally Posted by SuperMatt18

The major reason why goaltender development is lacking: It is just too damn expensive to be a goaltender.

Minor hockey fees in Canada are already ridiculous, having to buy your kid all the equipment required to be a goalie each season just adds to that cost.

Include the stigma of being a goaltender, the fact that a lot of parents are not fond of their kid standing in front of frozen pucks, and that most kids don't start being a goaltender until their early teens and you have the issues for development.

It's not less expensive elsewhere, and since when is there a stigma of being a goaltender?

[CaptainCrunch]

I remember when I was growing up if you were willing to play goalie you were supplied with the equipment.

[Stay Golden]

Originally Posted by CaptainCrunch

I remember when I was growing up if you were willing to play goalie you were supplied with the equipment.

for anyone that was kid in Calgary in the 70's this is a true statement.
I don't know when that practice ended but i do know the various community associations supplied the equipment or the cost was for new equipment was donated.

[dammage79]

If they see Candian goaltending development being hampered by letting imports in then I am fine if they give it a shot. Not like these Euro kids won't have anywhere to play. If it doesn't work then go back to having imports play.

[Erick Estrada]

Yeah I don't remember my brother paying for pads until Midget.

[tripin_billie]

Originally Posted by Mean Mr. Mustard

I think that there is a lot of truth to the fact that we are over teaching goaltenders in the lower ranks of hockey - and instead of promoting creativity and athleticism, the Canadian hockey system is elite at pumping out goaltenders who play a butterfly style. You can stop the import but there aren't that many goaltenders who were imports that played in the CHL and moved their way up to the NHL to dominate, a lot of the elite European goaltenders are trained in Europe.

I would argue the opposite. Finland has certification and goaltender coaching from an early age. http://www.goaliepro.com/fi/resurssi...-minor-hockey/

The Canadian system is pumping out goalies who are being taught a new technique every year or two, with no long term planning and curriculum.

Finland (and now Sweden too) will continue to have better results because the certified goalie coaches know where a child should be at a specific age and what skills need to be taught.

Even in the 90s, I was being taught skate saves with a carved C, and this was at goalie camps in Calgary... Then, every year, I had some random parents acting as "goalie coach" (ie. some Joe who just wants to practice shooting on net for a few hours a week) telling me conflicting advice as to how to play the position.

We are far behind, and until we have a national curriculum for goaltending, we won't catch up.

[tripin_billie]

Originally Posted by Stay Golden

for anyone that was kid in Calgary in the 70's this is a true statement.
I don't know when that practice ended but i do know the various community associations supplied the equipment or the cost was for new equipment was donated.

I had community equipment in the early 90s, but by around atom you had to get your own because the stuff the community had was so ancient. I mean, I was born in the 80s yet know what it was like to play goalie in the 60s!

[polak]

My parents not having enough money for pads is what stopped me from ever playing Hockey. I always wanted to play goalie when I was younger.

[STX]

My oldest son was a goalie until Midget when he had to quit because he had developed a chronic hip condition from playing a butterfly style for so many years. Candidly, I'd have to say that I was glad when he stopped because it cost a fortune for equipment and training and because it was very stressful for me as a parent. Tie games and overtime games are not fun when your kid is in net and occasionally, comments from other parents who do not have a kid as a goalie are sometimes quite misguided and mean.

[TurdFerguson]

If you can't beat them, ban them.

[Cleveland Steam Whistle]

Seems like sound logic. Our goaltending sucks, so lets make it easier for sucky goaltending to get promoted. That tends to work in my work place, I tend to fire all the high performers so that the low performers get more of an opportunity to suck it up at a higher level, works wonders for their development and the companies overall performance. It's really the key to success.

Hockey Canada needs to figure out why we aren't developing top talent any more that can out perform the Euro goalies, not find ways to stop the Euro goalies from showing up our boys.

[moon]

While I think the overreaction to the supposed lack of goaltending in Canada is over the top I am not totally opposed to this as it isn't so much the European goalies coming over and being better but bringing in 19 year old Euro goalies that take the spots of the 16/17 year old Canadian kids.

I think it would be better to have a cap on the age and still allow European goalies who are 16/17 to come over and play but can understand not wanting older goalies to come in for one year and stunt the development of young goalies in Canada.

As for the goalie development. Maybe Finland is doing a better job but there aren't a ton of young stud Finnish goalies right now. Outside of Lundqvist Sweden looks worse off goalie wise than Canada. Bobrovsky had one good year but outside of that Russia isn't exactly flush with goalies and the Czechs and Slovaks have 0 good goalies.

Outside of the US with Quick, Anderson (one year) and some guys at a similar level to what Canada has I think goaltending all around is down and it seems to jump around from year to year depending on who had the hot season that year.

[Badger Bob]

Originally Posted by Frankster

I think it's a bad idea. If our kids aren't good enough to make CHL teams, ask why and fix the problem rather than banning the kids that are good enough. Canada doesn't have consistent enough coaching to develop goaltenders properly through their careers, and that is the problem.

I saw on twitter someone else state that we will likely see more american born goaltenders coming through the ranks now - not Canadian.

Yeah, all it means is that the "new opportunities" will be for Canadian goalies, who weren't as good as their European counterparts. In addition to the CHL serving as development leagues, there's also the issue of providing the best competition for the level and entertainment value.