Rate the hockey leagues

[FlamesFanStrandedInEDM]

Originally Posted by PeteMoss

There are giant gaps in talent in the CIS teams. Besides the bottom of the barrel level teams, they would beat CHL teams. Even teams that have guys who wouldn't play in the CHL are still better than 16/17 year old ChL players by the time they are 22/23.

Yup,

Boys amongst men.

[Alberta_Beef]

Originally Posted by Oil Stain

It goes something like this:

1.NHL
2.AHL
3.ECHL
4.Central Hockey League
5.NCAA (Div 1.)
5.CIS (Canadian College)
6.OHL
7.WHL
8.QMJHL
9.USHL
10.BCHL

Maybe swap the last two?

I think the 3 Canadian Hockey Leagues are on par with each other. Quite frankly the only reason why one league is better than another at any point in time is where the star Canadian players were born in that time period. I also think I would drop the CIS below the Canadian League, just because the CHL has more talented players and most CIS players that played in the CHL were lower end CHLers. I would also include the NAHL as on par of just below the BCHL.

So I guess I'd have:

NHL
AHL
ECHL
Central League
NCAA (Div I)
Canadian League
CIS
NCAA (Div III)
USHL
BCHL
NAHL

I also think some of the Prep School leagues (in Minnesota and Massachusetts especially) are better than we give credit for as they are great feeder leagues for the NCAA like the USHL and NAHL are. Then there is still the AJHL, SJHL... etc, but where do you stop?

[Poe969]

Originally Posted by Oil Stain

It goes something like this:

1.NHL
2.AHL
3.ECHL
4.Central Hockey League
5.NCAA (Div 1.)
5.CIS (Canadian College)
6.OHL
7.WHL
8.QMJHL
9.USHL
10.BCHL

Maybe swap the last two?

The only change I'd make would be my beer league should be #3 but thats about right.

[bubbsy]

what i'd be interested to know is how do the major leagues in europe rank as far as hockey quality/competition are concerned.

1. NHL

2-4. KHL/Swedish Elite/other...../ AHL?

5-6. NCAA/CHL?

or are the euro leagues perhaps even in competition with the NCAA/CHL, and the AHL a tier above?

[hymarker]

Originally Posted by Northendzone

What is the purpose of rating the leagues? This is like arguing about who is the greatest British prime minister.....

Winston Churchill, We shall never surrender

[driveway]

Originally Posted by hymarker

winston churchill, we shall never surrender

Lord Palmerston!