AHL

Nah, because the AHL is much better hockey than the CBA.

 

I'm sure coaches complain about young hockey players not playing any defense. And, like early NBA entry players, it's about raw talent over developed fundamentals. You can't teach speed and you can't teach height

 

Actually, a lot of coaches complain about players who play too much defense and "system" hockey, and who bemoan the lack of creative scorers.

Many feel that kids were better off playing 12 on 12 games out on a pond where they tried the same move a hundred times until they got it. Where they played against players much better and much worse than them and had to adjust. Where they learned to use very small and very big chunks of ice.

There is a definite backlash against "robot hockey" but ice time is at such a premium, and mom and dad who now -- for some inexplicable reason -- come and watch practice are always impressed by cones and drills where three-fourths of the kids stand still.

 

From what I have seen hockey is a sport that demands great discipline and there is a much greater premium placed on fundamentals to move from level to level.

You don't see a lot of kids moving from HS program directly to NHL .

 

Although, the best player in the world right now is 19 years old, so take that as you will...

 

and has most likely been skating and being drilled fundamentaly from age 3 .

I bet his hockey fundamentals are a lot more extensive than say the basketball fundamentals of someone like Eddy Curry .

 

I think JR's basically disagreeing that the AHL is close to the NHL in relation to other sports' top minor leagues. I still think it is ... I mean, there's so much movement between teams ...

With Kolzig out 3 weeks for the Caps, Frederic Cassivi's coming up. I'll be shocked if he doesn't acquit himself very well.

 

That point, Boom, I am willing to concede.

 

I think jr's out of touch with the current state of the game. He has to realize that King Clancy has left the building and ain't coming back.

 

Boom: King Clancy will live forever. And it was always great when they interviewed him on Ranger games back in the 60s and early 70s.

I think basketball is a lot more complex than most people realize, so I don't know if you can make a good comparison between fundamentals in basketball and hockey.

 

yes - remember them well - The king was one of a kind

 

That's not true at all. The UHL and ECHL have had several players progress to the NHL and the UHL has several players who formerly played in the NHL. What, they all of a sudden don't know how to skate anymore because they've dropped down a league or two? And fighting in either league is not nearly as frequent as it used to be. Sure, it ain't the NHL or AHL. But it's not nearly as bad as you say.