A name change, The trade period opening, The announcement of the Top Prospects game and some less than ideal comments , it’s been quite the run for the newly named Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League.
There’s a lot to unpack here, but let’s start with the name change.
It’s amazing, and truly showcases and represents what so many people realized for so many years that this region was not only instrumental but vital for the league to thrive for three decades. Obviously, it was tough sledding in the beginning, but the impact that Atlantic Canada has had on the circuit is extraordinary.
Everyone will have opinions about the name change, but opinions are like assholes everyone has one.
Clearly, one comment in particular against the name change wasn’t necessarily well received by the masses. Again opinions are like assholes everyone has one.
Shifting gears to the Top Prospects game, again some comments one in particular were made with regards to the caliber of 2024 NHL Draft prospects currently playing in the league.
You can use all the acronyms or descriptors you want to outline this years draft class like a little “thin” or “not deep” but to call the league’s talent pool “terrible” (as translated from French to English via a tweet) isn’t necessarily what one would call great for the league’s image. Since we are talking about gears, let’s discuss what grinds mine for a second shall we. Saying the talent pool in the newly named Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League is “terrible” literally shits on the entire league and in my opinion is downright wrong on so many levels.
We have witnessed such a positive rebound in attendance and attention around the entire league which is incredible but then let’s try to ruin all of that and criticize the very essence of the league and it’s players.
Let’s get one thing straight, when someone harshly criticize kids and that’s who they are kids living out their dreams and sacrificing so much to do it by describing their efforts and talents as “terrible” isn’t healthy for anyone especially the league, the players, but more importantly the game
Listen I get that the top end guys are going to get scrutinized endlessly by the media, I know how that works, but when you make sweeping statements about the talent pool for the 2024 as “terrible” it truly discredits every single player. Ultimately every kid in the Q would love to crack the NHL, but realistically that’s not possible. That doesn’t mean they can’t go on to other professional leagues across the world or go on to play at the USports level get their education and play the game they love for longer. USports is such an unappreciated caliber of hockey.
From a scouting perspective have the last two years been standout years for the QMJHL NHL prospects, not really, but to use “terrible” as the descriptor is another example of an asinine comment. Things happen in cycles, is it time to hit the panic button? Hell no.
Will QMJHL players be drafted this June, of course.
Will unrated or unranked players from the Q get selected or sign pro deals at seasons end, probably like they do every year.
Will some Q players go on to play pro hockey in Europe or go on to play USports, of course.
I just wish people or a few people in particular would just back the hell up before they make sweeping statements about a truly phenomenal league and brand of hockey.
It’s been quite the run for the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League.
Maybe instead of making sweeping statements to get attention, people could actually dig deeper and project the talent playing within the league, because there’s players who are most certainly flying under the radar as we speak.
Oh better not report on those players because it might not get the shock value or desired amount of clicks, comments or retweets.
As for the trade period, it’s been eerily quiet.
You see it’s all about value when it comes to the trade period, and how much people are willing to pay for assets they believe to be valuable for their hockey club. Ironically it’s also about value when you consider who’s opinion people should value when it comes to reporting or showcasing the league.
Some people will find fault in just about every aspect of the league. Their entitled negative thoughts, insights and opinions end up getting the headlines while others may see the big picture from a totally unique and different lens or perspective.
Opinions are like assholes, everyone has one, it doesn’t take an unique lens to see that.
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