Okay people... before losing your minds over the title and firing complaint emails to me. Here me out.
I have a big problem with the import restrictions rule in the AIHL. Firstly, ice hockey is likely never going to become a somewhat legitimate sport in Australia if we keep throwing out D grade hockey. I'm not taking anything away from the current teams and individual players, I know everyone has worked hard to make the "A" (especially local players). Here's where my problem with it starts....
A quick glance of the AIHL scoring leaders will show you that the list is dominated by import players. And it should be this way! Euro's and North Americans obviously have more exposure and opportunity to learn the game more than any of our kids do. If I was running the league, I would allow a team to stack as many imports as they feel necessary to put a decent team together. I guess it's possible that teams would be competing for imports but that is unlikely. Why not take the opportunity to put together teams that play awesome hockey and leave the fans impressed? I mean really, isn't that what the AIHL should be about? Finding people with a bit of an interest in the sport and once they get the opportunity to see it, will fall in love with the grace and power of the game when it's played the right way? Sending out a line of marginal AIHL players? Who will that impress? No one....
On the topic of marginal Aihlers. I probably pay attention to teams in a little more details than the casual fan... If I see one more Australian born kid have a one-shift game in the AIHL, I might just give up on the league altogether. Okay joking there. But seriously, making AIHL teams fill out there rosters with kids that never ever (I mean ever!) see the ice... what good is that? Don't give me this, "we're developing the kids" and giving them soft minutes nonsense. So little is put into developing kids to become AIHL players that, unfortunately, if the kid can't figure it out how to play this game themselves, no one is going to be around to teach them. Developing kids? How does one shift a game do that? Do you honestly think the kid will learn from training with the team for a year or two? Well, he probably will learn a thing or two... but he will always be behind the other imports that come in unless he becomes a serious contributor to the team. The same can be said for goalies. Let the kids play in the junior or best senior leagues within their states, get some ice time, maybe learn to carry a team and then when the following season starts, see if they are good enough to be an AIHL player. Not an AIHL bencher.
Yes I know there are examples of Australia kids that come through our "system" and contribute in the AIHL. I'm not trying to take anything away from them... Congratulations to them in fact! People will look at the Stephensons or Casey Minson for examples of Aussies that can make it... but hey, have a quick look at their respective team stats... where are they sitting? Sure ain't leading anything...
Are you telling me that Michael Schlamp, a guy who's a perfectly serviceable AIHL player and someone that has been in Australia for years, can't play in the AIHL because the Bears have filled there import quota? Whatever.
The Dogs are a good example.. here's a team that has really tried to develop their local talent. I think they have done a great job of retaining them and showing them the ropes. Good for the Ice Dogs... Now, how many wins do they have this year? 3. Just three. Do you think having some more imports would change that stat? I do.
I just want the league to be awsome. So relax AIHL governors and let the imports come. It will at least give us fans games that won't leave us cringing!
What do u guys think?
More imports would increase public interest but increase costs for the teams. It's a balance.
ReplyDeleteOn the issue of ice time for locals maybe they could have first 2 minutes of each period needs to be locals only.
First two minutes of each period eh? So, instead of one shift a game, the kids get three? wooh!
ReplyDeleteWhy don't you just combine the AIHL into International cup then?!
ReplyDeletei think the 8 import limit should be brought in. If the AIHL is going to be anything other than a glorified amatuer league the quality of players right throughout the team need to be higher with more depth. In regards to the development of aussie born talent, unfortunately here there is no 2nd division where they can grow and EARN a spot on to an AIHL team.
ReplyDeleteIf more imports would increase public interest and increase costs for the teams wouldn't that mean the teams would be in the same boat now only with more talent? I think its relative more foregin talent, more fans, more money and finally more exposure.
Now the problem is finding quality imports like we have now in the league that are willing to come over for nothing.
ok...good comments ....
ReplyDeleteNow what do we do with ALL our local players who have the ability and caliber to play at a high level if ALL the places are taken up by imports???
Another league????????
I would hope this never came about.It's like a salary cap and teams can't get around the import rule as it is.5 imports, first line second line, 5 guys that once were imports now living here so classified Australian. 3rd line locals players that families have given so much for the sport and now you want to take that of them as that 3rd line will now be imports also?
ReplyDeleteI've always liked an import that stays on and gives something back to ice hockey in Aus. But why should our local kids suffer and not get a chance to play at the top if capable because a team will put a import above our own. It's just how it goes.
1:12pm - I'm not sure what point you are trying to make there?
ReplyDelete10:36: The point was that if the locals can play at that high calibre, then they will be in the league...
If you take some of our players out to make room for more import players ,where do our players who are more than capable of playing a high level of Ice Hockey, play?
ReplyDeleteDo they go back down a league or do we make more teams in the same league?
Then whatever team they make.. won't need to bring in imports.. seems simple enough.
ReplyDeleteSo someone wants no local Aussie players in a"top tier" Australian Ice Hockey competition? As one who has supported our local competition from Atoms to the AIHL level over a number of years i find this concept repugnent and elitest! How else do our top players get experience at that level? Oh, yes in NSW,our AIHL teams are usually fed from the East Coast Super League teams.
ReplyDeleteOkay, so how many years has the import rule been in place? And now how many Australians are dominating the league? Have you not seen the scoring leaders? This concept of developing local talent isn't working. All that is suffering is the AIHL itself by having to put a D grade product on this ice.
ReplyDeleteD grade you say Auspuck? Maybe you just want to own an Ice Hockey League of your very own,well good luck with that. We in the real Australian Ice Hockey world will continue to strive for the best WE can be!
ReplyDeleteSure is D grade.. there are some terrible players on the AIHL... Pfft, don't talk to me about the real Australian Ice Hockey world... I know it probably way more up close and personal than you.
ReplyDeleteBut that's not the point.. I just want a kick ass AIHL.. and if locals can't get it done.. well to bad!
ReplyDeleteAuspuck, mate you have a serious problem, how d-grading! :)
ReplyDeleteI have problems? Watching some Australian get 45 seconds of ice-time per game(!)... that's degrading!
ReplyDeleteThis is a good debate. I think that ice hockey will always have its place as a major minor sport in Australia and with this in mind the crowds for the AIHL will stay about the same. The crowd support will be more based on individual team's marketing and facilities then the quality of the team itself. Great example is Canberra - always have great crowds and they have had some ups and downs over the years.
ReplyDeleteWhere we have seen an improvement is in the IIHF world championships since the AIHL was formed with AUS being at the very top of Division II - this was not always the case. Both Great Briton and Germany have tried to go with an open import system and it was dropped due to teams folding due to financial troubles and the fact that their national sides were dropping in ranking at the national stage.
I like the 4 imports rule however i would have a "grandfather" clause that stats once a player plays 5 season here he is no longer an import regardless of PR status.
The last factor i want to raise is that the AIHL plays 15min periods and because of this most teams can run their imports for 25-30mins of that. If there was any way we could go to 20min periods it would have to open up the door for more local players ice time.
The AIHL is not ever going to be the NHL, AHL, SM Liga, Extra Liga etc BUT it is the best we have.
Pizzaman also would like to add:
ReplyDeleteIf the local talent is not good enough to play in the AIHL, then the answer is to develop the juniors from atoms level up, meaning more structured development so that by the time they reach the AIHL, their skill level will be equal or better compared with some of the imports. Perhaps the structure of the junior league needs some changing to offer more games rather than just the week-end match up.....and 1 hour of ice time for training usually - is not enough to get the aussie boys up to speed especially when they are competing against those who potentially hit the ice 3-6 times a week.....more opportunity for the boys to get on the ice will eventually mean more talented players....provided there is good enough leadership in the coaching dep't.....Cheers.
i have to agree with tyler if there was a way to bring the clock up to 20 mins stop time then there would be room to play our aussie talent. I think the grandfather rule should be a little less though maybe 3 years.
ReplyDeleteAnon just above this.. great point with the 3 years. I think that would be an ideal time length. 20 minute stop time periods would make me one happy camper!
ReplyDelete