The ever-burgeoning academy system, which includes all-encompassing residential and school components, is turning into the monster that ate elite hockey development.
But there is still life left in the old Major Midget path, as well.
The latter has provided the Victoria Royals of the major-junior WHL their rookie standout and goaltender of the future 鈥� Griffen Outhouse from the Cariboo Cougars of the sa国际传媒 Major Midget League 鈥� while highly regarded Royals first-round 2015 bantam draft pick Eric Florchuk played this season for the Fort Saskatchewan Rangers of the Alberta Major Midget League.
鈥淲e don鈥檛 see a disadvantage either way, between traditional midget and the academy programs, as long as the players are getting good coaching,鈥� said WHL Royals general manager Cam Hope. 鈥淎nd it just so happens that a lot of our prospects currently knocking on the door are from Alberta, and most play midget because the academy system is not as developed there [as it is in sa国际传媒].鈥�
In the end, WHL teams really don鈥檛 care where their players develop during that crucial 15-16-year-old period, as long as they do.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a system in transition [between traditional midget and the academies] and the jury is still out,鈥� said Hope. 鈥淏ut midget is an important level. There are stronger and weaker programs going both ways [between midget and academy].鈥�
Although sa国际传媒 academy programs are producing more eventual NHL draft picks with each passing year, the sa国际传媒 Major Midget League has an alumni list that includes NHLers Ryan Nugent-Hopkins of the Oilers, Jake Virtanen of the Canucks and Sam Reinhart of the Sabres, plus top-rated prospects such as WHLer Mathew Barzal for the Islanders.
Meanwhile, the 2016 sa国际传媒 Major Midget League post-season continues, but without the South Island Royals. Seventh-seed South Island (15-18-7) was swept 6-0 and 5-2 by Outhouse鈥檚 old Cariboo squad (the second seed at 29-8-3) in the best-of-three playoff quarter-finals played last weekend in Prince George. Joe Stafford-Veale scored both South Island goals.
The best-of-three semifinals, running Friday through Sunday, will feature the Cougars hosting the third-seed Vancouver Northwest Giants in Prince George, while the fourth-seed Okanagan Rockets and the host top-seed Valley West Hawks meet in Surrey.
The North Island Silvertips (5-29-6) placed 10th in the 11-team league.
The Midget Royals at least have one thing in common with Florchuk, whose Fort Saskatchewan squad was also eliminated in the first round of the Alberta Major Midget playoffs.
鈥淭hat was unfortunate,鈥� said Hope, who obviously wanted his prize prospect to get as much development and playing time as possible this spring.
Victoria WHL prospect Lach Hadley finished with 17 goals and 31 regular-season points for the midget Royals.
鈥淗adley had a good season and is developing well . . . he has great hockey instincts and has the ability to make plays at pace,鈥� said Hope.
He also included former South Island Royals midget Ben Berard, now of the Shawnigan Lake Hockey Academy, in that assessment. Berard, a year older than Hadley, has already made his junior debut and was called up for five games this season by his hometown Cowichan Valley Capitals of the sa国际传媒 Hockey League.
鈥淏oth Hadley and Berard play Royals [WHL] hockey, which is the transition game, and then making passes and plays at pace [on the counter],鈥� added Hope.
Another Royals鈥� drafted forward being watched is Dawson Frank from Campbell River, who had 12 goals and 28 points this season for the Silvertips.
