What are the guidelines that the CD are operating under ?

How many 20 year olds?
How many 16 year olds?

Are there any special rules around these ages such as the 16 year old players cannot be healthy scratched etc...?

Players trades - I have heard the max you can trade a player within the division for is $1,000. and you must offer the players to teams in the CD before the rest of the OPHL. Does anyone know if this is true?

Players cannot be paid to playin the CD? is this correct?

Don't you find it odd that no one from the CD has come forth with any comments on your queries?

It would be very interesting.

there are no rules, only 'guidelines'....and you can bet some of those go out the window in the next few weeks

As mentioned at the start of the year, working for teams on both sides of the coin gives me a unique perspective on this.

The only way I can see the Central Division guidelines (and yes, that is all they are, the teams are still only legally bound by the rules of Hockey Canada and the OHA) "going out the window" is if the eight teams involved believe the pilot project is going to be scrapped next season. If they believe there is a chance of the Central Division being extended another season, or even made permanent, they will stick it out until the very end.

For their part, every communication from the Central Division and each of its teams has been consistent...this season has been a success, surpassing even their own expectations. That even extends to casual conversations at the rink.

Outside of the Central, there is a lot of talk as well. The rumours circulating are that CD teams are bleeding money, and that the eight owners cannot possibly be considering going ahead with next season, if only for the money they've lost.

I do know that there are a lot of very stubborn heads on both sides of this coin, and we could be in for another very controversial and contentious summer just like last off-season.

One thing I have learned from watching both sides throughout this season is this...hockey is hockey, no matter where it is being played. Central Division or not, good hockey is still good hockey, and bad hockey is still bad hockey.

My prediction (and it is only that, I have no inside information or anything) is that the Central Division will not continue. Wellington cannot possibly make me believe they are not missing the gates against teams like Trenton, just as Newmarket will never make me believe they don't miss playing Aurora a few times a year. I'm not as familiar with Hamilton's history, but I'm sure they have some "guaranteed draw" rivalries, too, that they miss. That is all revenue, and it is hitting some teams harder than others, but it is hitting them all.

Again, just my prediction based on what tidbits I've heard here and there, don't take this as gospel by any means.

I'm beginning to think CD doesnt stand for Central Division but is really a shortened version of Can't Defend. I have never seen so many large scores on a regular basis and that is with an extra official on the ice.

Crowds in Hamilton are poor - and certainly missing local rivalries with likes of Burlington and Oakville.

In the NHL they use low scoring as an argument for fewer players on the ice - does that mean we should be looking for CD teams going back to the old days of seven per team?!!!

As they say:

a)Laws are made to be "broken".
b)Rules are made to be "bent".
c)Guidelines are made to be "non existent".

Interesting view Sharpie.

One thing I would like to know is, if the CD is "bleeding" financially and due to the loss of "rivalries" gates and attendance are down, how can the CD say that the year has been successful in fact more successful than they anticipated.

How is their "success" measured? From what I see they are merely operating as another 8 team division of the OJHL. Since their new rules are "guidelines" only, how are they operating any differently than the other divisions in the OJHL? Do they include their All Star game against the CJHL as one of their successes?

I just can't see how they are operating any differently than the teams in the other divisions, if their rules are "guidelines" only and they can, if they wish, follow the rules that the other teams in the OJHL are following.

Since you are closer to the situation, can you see any major differences?

Thanks for your input Sharpie / SMC / Kilty / Leafsbite.

I have been able to get to games in the Mackinnon and Central Division this season.

I have been able to see teams from the other 2 divisions play against the Mackinnon so I have seen all 4 divisions.

After reading the input from the others and from what I have watched.

1) The local rivalries are what keep this league together.
2) There are great players in all 4 divisions and every team has it's share of excellent
hockey players. Just that some have more than others.
3) The games in the CD are more wide open, less hitting / fighting / dirty play - could be
because of the initiative to go younger.
4) Saying the trial is a success is a stretch. Players from the other divisions have been
noticed just as much as players in the CD. Check the committments tab.
5) The biggest issue across all divisions is the lack of referees that are capable of reffing
at this level of hockey. Too many times, the refs are the deciding factor in games, not
the players.

I personnaly hope that it goes back to old format. I agree with Sharpie, Aurora vs. Newmarket..
Oakville or Burlington vs. Hamilton Wellington vs. Kingston rivalris are missed.

why did Central backers not repond to this thread ?

I did not respond because all the questions have been answered time and time again. I also figured McHappy was just looking to start an arguement to futher take shots at the Central.

It has already been decided to extend it next season. You can believe me or wait and see.











Merry Christmas Everyone !





Support Our Troops !


Go Leafs(but not too well, we want the #1 pick) !
Go Jays !
Go Raptors !
Go Argos !
Go TFC !


WEXDOG is a Cowboys Fan ! 9-5
09,11,01
Lest We Forget
11,11,11

The success the CD boasts is not about dollars and cents.

Many of the initiatives have been met.

1) There are operating and gameday standards that have been met to the letter by every single team.

2) The average age of players is younger.

3) Teams are working together to pool resources to achieve better deals on things like transportation and webcasting of games (incidentally, the webcasting has been considered successful, despite there still being a few bugs that have prevented some games from being shown live, such as in Markham with the internet connection problems)

4) Games are more wide-open, and a premium has been placed on speed and skill; and with the trend in the NHL leaning more and more that way every year, I think a focus on developing that kind of player is not necessarily a bad thing, despite the high scores it is bound to create at this development level.

5) There is tremendous parity in the Central Division. Some people often confuse parity with mediocrity, there is often a fine line there, but the Central Division definitely falls on the side of parity.

The bottom line is, as many people have pointed out, there are good players and bad in every division. The cream of the crop have not necessarily flooded to the Central Division, and the crap has not necessarily flooded to the other divisions, as many predicted last summer. I think we have seen a lot of good hockey and bad hockey in every division. We've seen extremely good promotions going on with teams in every division this season, as well (ticket discounts, the Durham Cup, etc.)

Wexdog might be right, I haven't heard that confirmed. My prediction of the CD being removed next season could be way off base. But one thing for sure, whether the Central Division remains next season or not, the league as a whole needs to look at some of the very good things the CD have accomplished by working together, and adopt them league-wide.

Wex may be correct that some posts are meant to inflame different sides of a debate, but that is one of the things that Boards do well regardless of which side you are on.

But Wex does add a comment that is worthy of a second look. That being that the decision has already been made for the CD to operate next year.

It members may indeed have agreed to go another year but perhaps, just maybe the other teams in the Ontario Junior Hockey League will stand up for a change and force majority rule on this matter. One might think that the CD would wait to see what the OHA and the CHA has to say about this experiment before buying their multi blank "CD Awards Plaques" and Trophies.

My discussions with team officials from other leagues see the CD as an slow walk out of the OPHL and a return to the Metro League Outlaw days.

Again, no one gives a damn if the CD's want to be a separate entity but not at the expense of the OJHL who should be able to operate without them in the OJHL and place new teams in their areas if they wish to.

Show them the porch...then politely close the door.

'Operating to gameday standards in the CD' what does this mean? The Redwings advertised their games as starting at 7.00 when in fact they were planned to start at 7.30 but wanted fans in their seats for 7.00 for pre game festivities (watching the zamboni driver turn corners I think). After some rather antagonistic correspondence games are now advertised as starting at 7.30 but a puck is not dropped until 7.40 most weeks.

We always seemed to start at or close to 7.30 in the old west.