On Saturday, Arthur Berman provided an informational posting about some of the Western Hockey
League's claims regarding the benefits of Major Junior Hockey in comparison to College Hockey.
Those claims, put forward by Ed Chynoweth, the long-time WHL head, are as follows:
 
>"For years we've been told that the best option for anyone who had desires
>to go to school was go to U.S. college," says [Ice owner Ed] Chynoweth.
>"I'm certainly not one to knock U.S. Colleges, I think they have some
>great programs.  But it's a very self-serving situation.  In my mind they
>put absolutely nothing back into the system.
>
>"They might put something back into a young man's life and give him an
>opportunity at education.  They sell the program at a $15,000-$20,000
>scholarship, but they don't always tell the truth in whether it's a full
>scholarship, half, or three quarter.
[. . .]
>
>"We don't lose too many high-profile players to the U.S. colleges anymore.
>There's no-doubt that the quality of our league is such that most kids
>would like to play here."
>
 
I think a couple of points need to be said about these claims, and I apologize before hand about
the diatribe.  First of all, these statements reflect the unfortunate -- but telling -- mindset
of Major Junior operators that putting "something back into a young man's life" is an incidental
benefit not worthy of mention.  Second, Mr. Chynoweth slurs the college option, without any
basis whatsoever, by claiming that "they don't always tell the truth." From what I understand,
and I concede that I don't know the WHL's "education" program that well, that charge seems to
apply more to the WHL.  While the WHL promises tuition for each year of major junior, I
understand that this applies only if the player does not thereafter sign a professional contract
OF ANY SORT.  Since a large number of the players later sign in the low minors, such as the East
Coast Hockey League, they then forfeit their WHL "education" grant.
 
As to his claims that the colleges are "self-serving," I fail to see any evidence of that -- Mr.
Chynoweth himself admits that the College process puts a very valuable something back into the
player's life, and colleges are not in the game to earn a profit. It seems that the
"self-serving" charge is more apt when directed at Major Junior hockey, whose goal it is to make
money in the process.  To play major junior, a player must forfeit his ability to receive a
scholarship in the US.  As college rules [inexplicibly] prohibit coaches from contacting
recruits and explaining the college options before July of the players' senior year, Major
Junior has unchallenged access to tell the kids anything, knowing that the player will lose any
options after playing one game. This seems to be fine for the top 1% of the players who will
leave early and make it to the NHL, but unfortunately this is a dreadful choice for the
remaining players.  The college ranks are filled with stories of players 1) using the additional
years of college play to develop into NHL players and/or 2) getting a diploma and progressing
into fine professional careers.
 
At bottom, I think the flaws in the process are created by the NCAA's silly eligibility rules,
which declares major junior players ineligible, even if they are not, in my mind, professionals.
Absent this rule, players would be free to try Major Junior, and if they don't like the life
(travel, trades, etc.) or find that they aren't NHL prospects and want an education, to then go
the US college route. [FYI: This is the way it was prior to 1980. However, with the advent of
drafted players being returned to major junior by the NHL teams, the NCAA considered the league
to be professional, even if the particular player does not have a contract.]  Nevertheless,
given these rules, I think that college hockey is the better route for most players, and the
major junior propaganda, such as that propagated by Mr. Chynoweth, is a disservice to the
players who don't know their options.
Christoph Heisenberg
 
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