It's Darrell Young’s first week as Sea Dogs general manager and he has already been thrown into the spotlight.
It was only a matter of time before the
Jack-Eichel-to-the-CHL-rumours got started – and they got started in a big way
today. TSN’s Bob McKenzie tweeted this afternoon that there is speculation that
Eichel wants to play in the OHL and take on Connor McDavid. But that would be
difficult with the Sea Dogs currently owning his CHL rights.
Saint John would have to place Eichel on waivers and then
have every QMJHL team pass on him in order to go to the OHL. Crazier things
have happened in the CHL, but Young assured fans that the Sea Dogs will not be
letting Eichel, who could challenge for the first overall selection in the 2015 NHL
Draft, simply slip away.
"There is no way we're ever going to let him go to
the Ontario Hockey League and I don't see any way he could get waived through
our league," Young told College Hockey News. That article has plenty of interesting tidbits. Young hopes
to meet with the Eichel family next week.
These rumours aren't going away any time soon - and they probably won't stop until after the World Juniors.
Some thoughts on this situation:
- If Eichel is in the CHL next year, there is just no way the Sea Dogs are not getting something. If he is with Saint John, that’s great. If he only wants to play for the Remparts, then they can send some quality draft picks Saint John’s way as payment for his rights.
- Wherever Eichel plays next season, it is probably for just one season. He’s real good. And, if the Remparts get the 2015 Memorial Cup, you’d have to think they’d want him even more. It’d be great having him play for the Dogs, but trading him might be best for the 2017 run.
- I’m surprised situations like this don’t happen more, and it’s one of the flaws with the CHL and their draft system. I don’t even know if there is a perfect fix to this.
- Boston University fans must just hate Saint John by now.
- Eichel was also pick in the 2013 KHL Draft! Let's not forget about that now!
- Some article links: College Hockey News, SB Nation, Buzzing The Net, and CJ’s video is up top
- Plenty of Sea Dogs fans have expressed their frustration with the team’s inability to get American players to report – and rightfully so. Other than Charlie Coyle, the team has had very little luck. Hopefully Young can change that.
- Young mentioned getting “a few good European players” again in the College Hockey News article. The Import Draft is going to be exciting.
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