Montreal Junior open try outs

[shooter27 116]

Playing exhibition games will hurt your eligibility, but not destroy it completely you just might need to jump through som hurdles to gain it back.

The second you suit up in an exhibition game you're eligibility is screwed. Once you go over that 48 hour window at a a major junior camp you have to sit out one year plus the number of games (exhibition or regular season) you were in the lineup (dressed, not necessarily saw ice time) for in major junior and that eligibility is gone. For example, if you play 10 total major junior games you have to sit out your entire freshman year, plus the first 10 games of your sophomore year before you are eligible and at that point you are only eligible for the remainder of the sophomore season and your junior and senior season (roughly about 2.75 years). And very few schools have shown they are willing to take a chance on a kid that is already down to less than 3 years eligibility before he ever steps on campus. Losing that much eligibility is more than just jumping through some hurdles.

[Pats 0]

Playing exhibition games will hurt your eligibility, but not destroy it completely you just might need to jump through som hurdles to gain it back.

The second you suit up in an exhibition game you're eligibility is screwed. Once you go over that 48 hour window at a a major junior camp you have to sit out one year plus the number of games (exhibition or regular season) you were in the lineup (dressed, not necessarily saw ice time) for in major junior and that eligibility is gone. For example, if you play 10 total major junior games you have to sit out your entire freshman year, plus the first 10 games of your sophomore year before you are eligible and at that point you are only eligible for the remainder of the sophomore season and your junior and senior season (roughly about 2.75 years). And very few schools have shown they are willing to take a chance on a kid that is already down to less than 3 years eligibility before he ever steps on campus. Losing that much eligibility is more than just jumping through some hurdles.

Not 100% true, teams such as the Kootenay Ice and Portland Winter Hawks had rookie games between one another and there have been several players from these games playing NCAA DI today without sitting out. Also, the exhibition games can be appealed and no eligibility lost, but that is in rare cases. Also if you play ANY exhibition or league major junior games after you have finishd high school you are 100% done no exceptions or sitting out to regain eligibility.

[biff44 0]

Playing exhibition games will hurt your eligibility, but not destroy it completely you just might need to jump through som hurdles to gain it back.

The second you suit up in an exhibition game you're eligibility is screwed. Once you go over that 48 hour window at a a major junior camp you have to sit out one year plus the number of games (exhibition or regular season)

Stop trying to scare kids! That is not true at all. COMPLETELY FALSE. You can play all the intersquad games, which is what training camp is, that you want! You only have to make sure that the team only pays for the first 48 hours of training camp. You can be there all week. An intersquad game consists of only players at the training camp trying to make that team. If a bus pulls up in the parking lot and another team gets off, you can NOT play in that game.

[shooter27 116]

Playing exhibition games will hurt your eligibility, but not destroy it completely you just might need to jump through som hurdles to gain it back.

The second you suit up in an exhibition game you're eligibility is screwed. Once you go over that 48 hour window at a a major junior camp you have to sit out one year plus the number of games (exhibition or regular season)

Stop trying to scare kids! That is not true at all. COMPLETELY FALSE. You can play all the intersquad games, which is what training camp is, that you want! You only have to make sure that the team only pays for the first 48 hours of training camp. You can be there all week. An intersquad game consists of only players at the training camp trying to make that team. If a bus pulls up in the parking lot and another team gets off, you can NOT play in that game.

I wasn't trying to scare kids and I never made any mention of intrasquad games. You are correct an intrasquad game is the same as practice, I assumed that was obvious. My only reason for saying this is my original point, if you have an interest in playing NCAA hockey be very careful as to how you interact with major junior teams. I have no idea if the original poster has any interest in the NCAA route and if he has his goals set on playing major junior I wish him nothing buy good luck and success.

As I mentioned the NCAA does not particularly care for the whole major junior system and goes to great lengths to discourage kids from going that route. Is that more than a bit hypocritical? Absolutely and I'm not in any way trying trying to defend the NCAA's stance on this or their hackneyed thoughts on amateurism (a much larger issue than just hockey). The reality is, because of the policies on both sides of the fence, you're forcing 15 and 16 year old kids to make major life decisions that they should never have to make at that age.

[biff44 0]

Sorry for over-reacting. I am used to NCAA fanatics spreading lies to scare people about Major Junior tryout camps.

[shooter27 116]

No worries, I'm definitely not an NCAA fanatic. In fact, I got stuck having to make the major junior / NCAA decision at 15 and looking back its just unfair to make kids make that kind of decision at that age. I happened to choose the NCAA route, primarily because I was also a very good student, and it worked out a whole lot better for me because, as you can tell, I'm not in the show (I actually ended up not even playing D1). I highly doubt that result would have changed if I had played major junior instead of college. But, that was the right decision for me, not for everyone, I know plenty of people feel major junior is the best choice and if they want to go that way I wish them nothing but the best.

[biff44 0]

That WAS early, 17 for us. Still it is a tough choice. Luckily we had an advisor, who had played D1 college hockey, to answer a bunch of quesitons, and at the last second help to negotiate a contract.

My contention here is that it is only a very few of the TOP D1 colleges that benefit from this foolishness. On another thread someone was posting how Merrimack and UMASS Lowell have fine hockey programs. My response was that UMASS and Merrimack are at the bottom of their league. But WHAT IF UMASS and Merrimack were able to take some 21 y.o. players that age out of the QMJHL and add them to their roster? All of a sudden UMASS/Merrimack would be pounding on BC/BU/UNH whenever they came to visit! That is what would happen! I think THIS is why the NCAA is so ludicrous in their intransigence! The powers that be like the status quo--would not like losing games to Merrimack/ULowel/other weaker D1 schools, so they keep them in their place this way!

Methinks the system needs to be shaken up a bit.

[JR Boucicaut 3797]

No worries, I'm definitely not an NCAA fanatic. In fact, I got stuck having to make the major junior / NCAA decision at 15 and looking back its just unfair to make kids make that kind of decision at that age. I happened to choose the NCAA route, primarily because I was also a very good student, and it worked out a whole lot better for me because, as you can tell, I'm not in the show (I actually ended up not even playing D1). I highly doubt that result would have changed if I had played major junior instead of college. But, that was the right decision for me, not for everyone, I know plenty of people feel major junior is the best choice and if they want to go that way I wish them nothing but the best.

Oh, so if you did make it to the Show you'd be too good to talk to us? :P

[shooter27 116]

That WAS early, 17 for us. Still it is a tough choice. Luckily we had an advisor, who had played D1 college hockey, to answer a bunch of quesitons, and at the last second help to negotiate a contract.

My contention here is that it is only a very few of the TOP D1 colleges that benefit from this foolishness. On another thread someone was posting how Merrimack and UMASS Lowell have fine hockey programs. My response was that UMASS and Merrimack are at the bottom of their league. But WHAT IF UMASS and Merrimack were able to take some 21 y.o. players that age out of the QMJHL and add them to their roster? All of a sudden UMASS/Merrimack would be pounding on BC/BU/UNH whenever they came to visit! That is what would happen! I think THIS is why the NCAA is so ludicrous in their intransigence! The powers that be like the status quo--would not like losing games to Merrimack/ULowel/other weaker D1 schools, so they keep them in their place this way!

Methinks the system needs to be shaken up a bit.

The reality is a kid that is 21 and has played 2-3 years of major junior and does not have playing options post that time is not going to be an impact player at the D1 level. Most of those kids that kick around juniors that long with no options afterwards are 3rd-4th liners and would be about the same place on a D1 team in one of the top conferences. And, if for some reason the really talented kids stuck around longer to explore the post major junior NCAA option they would be going to the BU/BC/UNH's of the world anyway so if anything it would be a case of the rich getting richer.

I agree there does need to be a change in the system, but because of the NCAA's delusion that their athletes are amateurs (given the time commitments D1 kids are definitely not amateurs) you'll never have the ability play a year or two of major junior and then play in the NCAA. I know the major junior kids are only making a few bucks a week, but that idea blows the whole NCAA = amateur thing out of the water for them. The changes that I have heard being discussed would be to put an age / time component to the eligibility issue. For instance if you play less than, say, 20 games before you turn 18 (or graduate high school) then you're NCAA eligibility is unaffected. So if you play 10 major junior games as a 17 year old no problem, but if you play one game as 19 year old (ostensibly old enough to make a college decision) you're out. Again, not a perfect solution, but definitely a better solution than the current situation.

Oh, so if you did make it to the Show you'd be too good to talk to us? tongue.gif

Touche - didn't mean it that way, but if I was that good, you can be damn sure I wouldn't be sitting in front of my computer in an NY office building right now.

[biff44 0]

I am not saying all Q players that age-out would step into a D1 team and be an impact player. I AM saying that the schools like a Merrimack that have challenges attracting top players can do pretty darned well recruiting from the Q and OHL. They would be bringing in players that have a much more physical game than the current crop of D1s, players that have much more training in defensive and offensive systems (if for now other reason than they play 2.5X as many games as D1 players do in a season), and that this would instantly elevate these bottom scraping teams from the sub-basement.

And there are plenty of Q players who age out, go to Canadian college, and then a year later are "discovered" and end up in the AHL.

[shooter27 116]

Those kids you are talking about that would be going to the Merrimack's of the world are not going to do much in terms of changing the dynamic in college hockey. Take you average example, a 20 year old 3rd liner on a decent Q team. Well, over the past 10-15 years college hockey has surpassed major junior in terms of quality of play. Mostly due to the fact that you're comparing a league of 18-24 year olds against a league of 16-20 year olds, there are inherent maturity differences there that are responsible for a lot of the difference in quality. So that 3rd liner is going to age out of junior to play in a higher level of league. Unless something drastically changes in that kid's game, which is entirely possible, thats not the type of player that is going to make a major difference in the established structure.

[Dupes 1]

5 guys ended up going to the big camp, starting today :)

[biff44 0]

Wow, five is not bad at all. What a trip! Training camp in the QMJHL, and last month you were just tooling around...looking at another year of highschool hockey!

[Michael9 57]

5 guys ended up going to the big camp, starting today :)

Do you have a list anywhere, I would be interested to know who they are

thanks.

[pantherfan 0]

Is this the list?

http://www.lhjmq.qc.ca/lang_en/?page=8392&id_equipe=37

[Langenbrunner15 0]

I think one of the reasons kids are going to BU/BC/UNH etc. instead of Merrimack is because of how shity the campus is there. Why would you want to spend time at Merrimack instead of BU or a BC type campus and facility?

[DEATHTRON 19]

Because you dont get into BU/BC/UNH (Im thinking you mean boston and new hampshire)/or dont get selected to play, as where Merrimack takes you for a full ride at Div. I hockey. I used to play with one of the guys that plays for them.

Zach

[shooter27 116]

I think one of the reasons kids are going to BU/BC/UNH etc. instead of Merrimack is because of how shity the campus is there. Why would you want to spend time at Merrimack instead of BU or a BC type campus and facility?

There are a number of factors that go into choosing a school when you are being recruited at that level. In no particular order they are:

- Quality of the school

- Quality of the hockey program

- Facilities

- Reputation of both the school and the program

- Prestige

- Academics

- Conference

- Team schedule

- Coaching staff

- Ice time

- Scholarship offers

- Potential pro opportunities

I'm sure there are more there that I missed, but when you look at all of those categories the BU/BC/UNH's of the world blow away the Merrimack's of the world.

[biff44 0]

Is this the list?

http://www.lhjmq.qc.ca/lang_en/?page=8392&id_equipe=37

Well...not really. Although it says training camp roster, it is really the 50 man protected list with some possible additions. The real training camp roster is a work in progress. Some of the protected players do not show. There are last minute additions/invites. It is very possible these five players were a late addition and never added to the QMJHL website list. You need to get the list handed out at the actual training camp!

Some of the Q teams have the actual training camp roster available on their personal websites, but I do not see one at Montreal's website.

If you speak french, you could ask for the list at

http://radoter.com/viewforum.php?f=20&...1123759093380f3

[Dupes 1]

3 guys from walk on try out ended up making the team.

They are:

Mathieu Lavoie, 19yrs old

Keven Drouin, 19

Christopher Smith, 18

Im watching their 1st game, and I dont thibk their playing or even dressed.

[Adam91 0]

Drouin is not a bad player, I went to school with him for a bit

[biff44 0]

I see those three played on the first regular season game! I still think that is a great hockey story....show up at an open tryout, skate your heart out, get invited to training camp, make cut after cut, and skate in your first QMJHL game! Someone needs to make a movie out of this one.