Lewis Saga Over...to the OHL he stays...

[Jimmypop316]

Wow sanctions, I wonder what that exactly means? Oh thats right, nothing. Sanctions aren't going to do **** (excuse me, this is ridiculus atm) to the OHL for breaking the rules.

I figured this was going to happen, I just hope the Chiefs got some sort of money out of this or anything, because Lewis should have been in the dub this year.

[Some_Arrogant_Jerk]

I wouldnt think of it as a loss. Lewis was a bonus, but he didnt come. The chiefs will still be a decent team anyways with players like grabner, ryan and armstrong this year. A possible 2nd place finish in the divison is still realistic.

[nivek_wahs]

Lame, but not unexpected. I would have loved to see what Lewis could do in a Chiefs uniform, but I'm really not upset that he's not going to be a Chief. The part that gets me is the quote above. It seems to me that the matter is over and closed, which makes the above statement BS. Thus I fear that this won't be the last time that a league "steals" a player from another league's protected area. As was stated earlier, OS got the player they wanted and got a slap on the wrist. Who cares about paying a small fine if they get a gifted hockey player. And if that's all that will happen, what's to stop another team from doing the same? I believe this shows very very poor judgement not only of Branch but the entire CHL for opening up this can of worms and basically saying that the WHL should be treated as a lesser league than the OHL, by wiping out their territorial restrictions. As was stated earlier, I would love to see the WHL hold out of CHL events. Unfortunately, the WHL and its teams couldn't afford to lose the money they would get from participating. I guess all they can do is move on and hope that other teams and their ownerships will be honest when dealing with matters like these in the future. It is obvious that the people who run the OHL/CHL really can't be relied on to enforce the league rules already in place that were supposed to prevent something like this from even being an issue. But is that really so suprising? These are, after all, the same people who believe the WHL has adequate officials for league games.

I agree with your whole statement 100%. Well stated.

[Beaner]

article from, http://www.spokesmanreview.com/break...ry.asp?ID=7278,

Tim Speltz is none to happy and I agree with him.

Hockey star stiff-arms Spokane

Jeff Bunch
Staff writer
August 29, 2006

Hockey standout Trevor Lewis is signed, sealed - and now delivered to the Owen Sound Attack of Ontario. And Spokane Chiefs general manager Tim Speltz is livid.

Lewis, the 17th overall pick in the National Hockey League draft, has been the subject of intense discussions among the board of governors of the Canadian Hockey League over the past few weeks. The CHL is made up of representatives of Canada's three major junior leagues: the Western Hockey League; the Ontario Hockey League; and the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. WHL commissioner Ron Robison said on Tuesday that the matter was resolved Monday via in-person meetings of the CHL Board of Governors in
Ottawa: Lewis will play for the Attack and the OHL will be sanctioned.

"The player will be permitted to play in Owen Sound while we work out an attempt to introduce a national regulation on player movement between leagues," Robison said. "There is no question that the Ontario Hockey League and our league have different interpretations."

Wade Arnott, Lewis' agent, confirmed that Lewis has reported to Owen Sound and is ready to particpate in the team's camp which begins Thursday. "He's excited and ready to go. He's committed to playing for the Owen Sound," said Arnott.

Lewis, 19, was the most valuable player of the United States Hockey League last season as its leading scorer. The Attack signed the Salt Lake City product to a major junior contract at the NHL Combine (May 30-June 3) but didn't announce the signing until July 21. He was listed as a protected player by the Spokane Chiefs sometime before the NHL Draft on June 24. Both teams claimed the exclusive right to sign him.

David Branch, OHL commissioner, is current president of the CHL. He approved Lewis' signing with Owen Sound as OHL commissioner and did not recuse himself from a resolution of the matter after it became in dispute. All of the foregoing is unacceptable to Speltz.

"Obviously, I'm thoroughly disappointed and offended by the decision," Speltz said Tuesday. "I'm not surprised, totally, just by the communication I've received. But it's been a total conflict of interest to me and in my opinion (Branch) has mirespresented the CHL and, for sure, misrepresented the WHL and the Spokane Chiefs."

Robison said he's not happy with the way the situation played out either, but said a greater good had to prevail. "At the end of the day, we have to look at the player's interest first," he said. "It's the responsibility of the CHL to develop regulations. In the absence of a CHL agreement, the OHL chose to proceed in this way."

Speltz said the Chiefs' only remedy under the circumstances is to take action against Lewis, a position the franchise opposes. "The player and his agent aren't at fault here," said Speltz. "This wasn't a front-door process from the start. Quite frankly, for me, this is a very basic issue that is about the CHL territories."

Utah falls within the territory of the WHL, per CHL regulations, so the WHL took the position that Lewis couldn't be signed by an OHL team. A waivers system has been in place for teams wanting to claim WHL players, but Owen Sound did not avail itself to that process in this case.

"To me, that right there shows that they knew it was not on the up-and-up," said Speltz. The Attack made informal inquiries about Lewis' status and followed practices the OHL uses with the QMJHL and deemed Lewis to be a "bona fide" free agent as a twice-undrafted player. WHL officials say no such status exists in junior hockey.

Owen Sound GM Michael Futa was not available for comment on Tuesday. Branch has not returned any phone calls on the matter.

"For me, most of the teams understoood and respected the territories," said Speltz. "Dave Branch's position that the OHL never respected our territory just isn't true. This is about a team that found a loophole, went with a loophole, and instead of being told 'no', was told 'yes'. Since then, it's just been about trying to sweep it under the carpet and make it go away."

Robison said that possible compensation for the WHL or the Chiefs was still undecided. Speltz said that isn't the issue - it's about the viability of the CHL.

"For me, this weakens the CHL and shows we have weak leadership," said Speltz. "I'm so disappointed that we have a president of the CHL that won't return a (media) phone call - let alone have the common courtesy to call the general manager or the owner of the affected team. All he is doing is pretending it didn't happen and wishing it would go away.

"It's not about what's happened as much as it is about how he's handled it. ... I know how much respect he's lost here - all of it."

[Jimmypop316]

I'll tell you a good resolution for me: Strip Branch of his power that he has in the CHL. Someone please tell me he didn't abuse it in this situation.

This is an absolute joke.

[LifelongChiefsFan]

article from, http://www.spokesmanreview.com/break...ry.asp?ID=7278,

Tim Speltz is none to happy and I agree with him.

No joke about them hiding this under the rug. You would think a ruling of this significance would at least be on the front page of one of the CHL, WHL or OHL websites wouldn't you?

[Redwic]

He is definitely NOT the best person to be in charge of the CHL. It is very obvious that he has the OHL's best interests at heart, rather than the CHL in its entirety. "Player's interests" or not, what really worries me now is that he has set a terrible precedent for the future.

[ihlemic10]

Why hasn't someone cried conflict of intrest for one man to be a commish and the CHL chairman, this would be evidence of such. It seems to me just like in the US, the west side of the Canada gets hosed by the east...I hope the kid turns out to be a cancer in the locker room and get OS in a pickle. I would love to see a Spokane team that contends, gives me more reason to see my Spokane STH cousins on a trip...

[Dwight Schrute]

from the whl website

"The WHL also announced today that the Spokane Chiefs have been awarded a fourth round compensatory selection in the 2007 WHL Bantam Draft. Spokane will receive the 23rd pick of the fourth round as compensation for the loss last summer of WHL protected player Trevor Lewis to Owen Sound of the OHL."

23rd pick in the 4th round.... is that a joke ?

[Beaner]

from the whl website

"The WHL also announced today that the Spokane Chiefs have been awarded a fourth round compensatory selection in the 2007 WHL Bantam Draft. Spokane will receive the 23rd pick of the fourth round as compensation for the loss last summer of WHL protected player Trevor Lewis to Owen Sound of the OHL."

23rd pick in the 4th round.... is that a joke ?

Yes it is.

Seriously they are adding an extra pick for that round. Owen Sound looks like they give up nothing. Permission for OHL Teams to just raid WHL teams protected lists, granted.....