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Thread: "Exceptional player" exception in the WHL

  1. #1

    Default "Exceptional player" exception in the WHL

    I know the OHL has an exceptional player exception rule where an underaged 15 year old can play regularly in the league. Two players in the history of the OHL have been granted an exception, John Tavares and Aaron Ekblad (6'3" 200lb 15 year old playing with the Barrie Colts this season).

    Does the WHL have any rules regarding this?

    I seem to recall a rule where if drafted by his hometown team, a 15 year old can play in the WHL regularly if he makes the squad. Maybe I'm just making things up.

    I would imagine that due to the geography of the WHL and the distance between some franchises, it would be hard to institute a rule like that for 15 year olds.

  2. #2

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Nook View Post
    I know the OHL has an exceptional player exception rule where an underaged 15 year old can play regularly in the league. Two players in the history of the OHL have been granted an exception, John Tavares and Aaron Ekblad (6'3" 200lb 15 year old playing with the Barrie Colts this season).

    Does the WHL have any rules regarding this?

    I seem to recall a rule where if drafted by his hometown team, a 15 year old can play in the WHL regularly if he makes the squad. Maybe I'm just making things up.

    I would imagine that due to the geography of the WHL and the distance between some franchises, it would be hard to institute a rule like that for 15 year olds.
    Pretty sure the rule applys across the CHL in regards to fifteen year old exceptional players. I can guarantee you there isn't a rule about fifteen year olds playing for their home town teams.

    Years ago fifteen year olds could play regularly in the WHL if they made their WHL teams but that was back in the junior A farm team days as well and a little later. They pretty well did away with farm teams in 1979 once the Junior A and Major Junior teams split. And about half a dozen years later or a couple more years beyond that youngsters couldn't play in the WHL regularly.

  3. #3
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    not trying to show u up at all but the 1st ever played in the OHL to get that exception rule was Jason Spezza he put up 22g 49a for 71pts as a 15yr old... also a side not that year on the Brampton Battalion the teams 2 leading scorers were 15yr old Spezza & 16yr old Raffi Torres


    The WHL has yet to make an exception rule for a player, u have to be a pretty special player for a team to even consider going to the league & asking & then if u do have this type of player im pretty sure he must be a 1st line player all season long, cuz im sure there were strings tied to the exception rule cuz no need to have the kid playing 3rd or 4th line minutes when he could be playing big minutes in Jr A then

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