59-783: The CHL Import Draft is an annual event in which every team in the Canadian Hockey League (CHL) may select the rights to eligible import players. An import is classified as a player who does not have residency status in either Canada or the United States. The draft is conducted online, during the last week of June, or first week of July, following the NHL Entry Draft . Teams from the Western Hockey League , Ontario Hockey League , and Quebec Major Junior Hockey League , systematically take turns making selections. Teams can have
118-451: A CHL team, there is also risk involved in whether the player adapts to being far away from home, the ability to speak English or French , playing on smaller ice surfaces, and the more physical North American game. There is a year-long moratorium on trading the pick, once in the CHL, which is to prevent bidding for services by larger market clubs. One benefit of selecting an import player before he
177-667: A facility with English he decided to not attend a Hebrew-language school. Due to the scarcity of ice rinks in Israel, with the closest rink a four-hour drive, Levin grew up playing inline hockey at a roller rink in Netanya, starting when he was four-years-old. He played starting in 2010 in several tournaments in Europe for the Israeli national inline team, winning awards in the process, but desired to play ice hockey instead. While he tried skating at
236-671: A hockey career, living with relatives in the Greater Toronto Area , and it was in Canada that Levin first played organized ice hockey . He was drafted first overall in the 2015 OHL Priority Selection, and began playing for the Wolves in the 2015–16 season . Internationally Levin has played for the Israel national team . Levin was born in Tel Aviv , Israel, to Pavel and Lena Levin, and is Jewish. Pavel
295-483: A lot of things. You can teach kids how to skate better, put weight on and do those sorts of things in the weight room. But you can't teach hockey sense. This guy thinks at a different level. He is probably one of the most elite, skilled players that I've seen." Levin noted: "Coincidentally, the main colors of the Sudbury jersey are the Israeli colors of blue and white. Because that makes me think of Israel, when I'm stepping on
354-495: A maximum of two imports which may only be obtained through the draft. The draft is open to all position players, but a ban on drafting European goalkeepers was in effect from 2014 to 2017. As of the 2022 draft, 2,026 players have been selected, with many later going onto the National Hockey League . The CHL Import Draft began in 1992. It is an annual event in which every team in the Canadian Hockey League (CHL) may select
413-554: A more competitive league. As an Israeli citizen , Levin is required to serve three years with the Israel Defence Forces , and had to register for the draft when he turned 18 in September 2017. However, as that much time away from playing hockey would effectively end his career, he was able to obtain a deferment - initially until June 2018, after the 2018 NHL Entry Draft . He is now expected to return to Israel to serve when he
472-474: A pair of hockey celebrities, usually Don Cherry and Bobby Orr . The event has been held annually since 1992. From 1992 to 1995 the event was known as the CHL All-Star Challenge and usually pitted one of the CHL's leagues against the other two. The CHL Canada/Russia Series is an annual junior ice hockey exhibition tournament held between a select team of Russian players and all-star teams representing
531-567: Is 26 years old. Levin attended The Hill Academy in Vaughan , just north of Toronto, a school known for developing elite sports talent. He also joined the Greater Toronto Hockey League 's Don Mills Flyers, an Ontario triple-A junior club in the highest youth hockey division, for the 2014–15 season, which named him alternate captain . During that season he scored 39 goals and 41 assists for 80 points in 55 games. Don Mills made
590-667: Is an Israeli professional ice hockey player. He currently plays for HSC Csíkszereda in the Erste Liga (ice hockey) . He previously played for the Sudbury Wolves of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) and for Dinamo Riga of the Kontinental Hockey League . Born in Israel, Levin initially only played inline hockey due to the scarcity of ice rinks in Israel. At the age of 12 he moved to Canada in order to pursue
649-537: Is conducted online, during the last week of June, or first week of July. Teams from the Western Hockey League, Ontario Hockey League, and Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League, systematically take turns making selections in reverse order of the team's standings in the CHL from the previous season. Teams can have a maximum of two imports, which may only be obtained through the draft. The Canadian Hockey League awards sixteen annual trophies for accomplishments during
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#1732848507494708-462: Is difficult as most teams do not employ European scouts, but rather rely on videos and limited exposure at international tournaments. Players may also have professional contracts in European domestic leagues. The current system can be compared to an auction, where teams are bidding for services in competition with these other leagues, and have to pay large release fees. Once an import draftee reports to
767-534: Is drafted into the NHL, is that he is treated like a North American player in the sense that he will either have to play in the CHL or NHL, and not in the American Hockey League . Teams may choose any player who meets age requirements, and resides outside of the normal territorial claims for the entry draft of the constituent leagues. Foreign-born players have come to North America to play minor hockey in Canada or
826-616: Is held by the London Knights and Plymouth Whalers for the December 29, 2013 outdoor game at Comerica Park in Detroit , Michigan . A total of 26,384 spectators took in the game. Listed below are the top CHL teams by average attendance for the 2022–23 regular season. Teams with an average attendance over 5,000 are shown. David Levin (ice hockey) David Levin ( Hebrew : דוד לוין , Russian : Давид Левин ; born September 16, 1999)
885-583: Is more exposure to scouts in North America for imports not drafted by an NHL team. Competition with the KHL Junior Draft for the same player is also an obstacle. Imported players usually prefer playing in the CHL instead of the United States Hockey League (USHL), due to the higher level of competition. Most CHL teams have contacted few players in advance of the draft. Scouting these players
944-454: Is not regarded as a Canadian for international play, and is still eligible to play for the Israel men's national ice hockey team ; however, he has expressed an interest to play for Canada in the future. He joined the Israeli national team for the 2023 World Championship Division IIA tournament . When he first joined Sudbury, Levin was praised for his offensive skills. Throughout his time with
1003-450: Is originally from Riga , Latvia , and was a professional soccer player in Latvia before signing with Maccabi Tel Aviv F.C. in 1990 and moving to Israel. He retired soon after due to a leg injury, and married Lena, who was from Moscow and moved to Netanya , Israel, and then to Zoran , Israel. David has a younger brother, Mike, who in 2018 as a 13-year-old had already received offers from
1062-402: Is the championship of Junior Canadian hockey. Each year it features the champions from the ( WHL , OHL , QMJHL ) and the host CHL team. The host team changes from year to year, and is selected by a bidding process prior to the start of each season. The annual event is one of the biggest sporting events in North America, attracting thousands of spectators and generating increasing revenue for both
1121-528: The 2018–19 season , he sustained a knee injury in late October 2018 that resulted in him missing the majority of the second half of the season. After the 2019–20 season , in which Levin had 27 goals and 46 assists in 57 contests, he received the Gord Ewin Most Improved Award with the Wolves. As of 2020, he had the eighth-most games played in a Wolves uniform, at 259. He attended the 2018 Toronto Maple Leafs development camp, and played in
1180-780: The 2020 Memorial Cup , due to the COVID-19 pandemic in North America . The QMJHL and WHL played a 2020–21 season with limitations; the WHL played a shortened season consisting exclusively of regional play and no playoffs, with " bubbles " used for all B.C. and East Division games. The QMJHL was the only CHL league to play a full season with playoffs, albeit with disruptions and the use of bubbles due to public health orders in Quebec and travel restrictions in Atlantic Canada. Due to public health orders in Ontario,
1239-482: The 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine , the Canadian Hockey League cancelled the event in 2022. The current president of the CHL is Dan MacKenzie . The Canadian Hockey League (CHL) is the governing body for Major Junior hockey (formerly known as Tier One Junior A), the top level of amateur hockey in Canada. The CHL currently oversees the Western Hockey League (WHL), the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) and
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#17328485074941298-803: The Latvian Hockey Higher League . He ended the season in Kristianstads IK , the last-placed team in the HockeyAllsvenskan , and helped them avoid relegation to the Hockeyettan with a win in a survival play-in series. On July 22, 2021, Levin signed with the Bratislava Capitals of the ICE Hockey League . Following his tenure with Bratislava, in September 2022, Levin agreed to terms with UK EIHL side Nottingham Panthers . For
1357-599: The Memorial Cup tournament, which sees each of the three league playoff champions, as well as a host team, play a round-robin tournament to determine a national champion. The CHL also hosts the CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game , for the top draft eligible players in the league, as well as the CHL Canada/Russia Series , a six-game all-star exhibition series against a team of Russian juniors . In response to
1416-518: The NHL , CHL players were historically considered to be professionals by the NCAA , and thus ineligible to play college hockey in the United States. However, the NCAA changed its position and decided that CHL players were no longer ineligible as of the 2025–26 season. The decision was made after a class action was filed on behalf of a player who was declared ineligible after having played two exhibition games in
1475-615: The Netherlands , and Alex Galchenyuk from a Belarusian father, despite being born in Milwaukee , Wisconsin . Examples of players denied local status include, Ivan Provorov and Toronto Maple Leafs prospect Nikita Korostelev from Russia, and Tampa Bay Lightning prospect Dennis Yan, despite being born in Portland, Oregon . Teams from the QMJHL have fewer American states to choose from compared to
1534-553: The OHL when he was 16 years old. The CHL also seeks to raise the profile of the junior game by hosting annual events such as the Memorial Cup, the CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game and the CHL Canada/Russia Series . The organization also provides many scholarships and bursaries for its players who exemplify extraordinary efforts and community involvement. These programs are supported by the many corporate sponsors. On May 9, 1975, officials from
1593-614: The Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL), with the OHL and WHL having teams in both Canada and the United States. Each league plays individual regular season schedules, and playoffs. The annual CHL championship is determined by the Memorial Cup tournament held in May. The CHL is generally considered the world's top junior hockey league for developing professional players and is a key supplier of new players and officials for
1652-483: The World U-17 Hockey Challenge . He improved in the 2016–17 season to 18 goals and 35 assists for 53 points in 66 games, good for second on the team in scoring, and helped Sudbury reach the playoffs, where he was second on the team with six points in six games. In the 2017–18 season , he was an alternate captain on Sudbury, and had an injury-plagued season and fell to 29 points in 46 games. In
1711-628: The 2013 CHL Goaltender of the Year award went to Patrik Bartosak of the Czech Republic, all three Vezina Trophy finalists in the 2012–13 NHL season were Europeans, and a Canadian had not been the first goalkeeper chosen in the NHL Entry Draft in five years. Arguments were made that Canadian goalkeepers were not getting a chance to develop, and that teams contending for a championship were drafting goaltenders from Europe. The change may actually benefit
1770-575: The 2018 Traverse City NHL rookie prospect tournament with the Carolina Hurricanes . In September 2019, he attended rookie camp with Arizona Coyotes , and participated in the Coyotes main veteran's training camp. On October 23, 2020, Levin signed a tryout contract with Dinamo Riga of the Kontinental Hockey League . After playing 14 games and scoring 1 goal in the KHL, he moved to HC Zemgale/LUA of
1829-585: The 2023–24 season, Levin moved to Romania to join Erste Liga side HSC Csíkszereda . In 2015 Levin was invited to try out at the Hockey Canada under-17 development camp, and was selected to play on one of the three teams Canada sent to the World U-17 Hockey Challenge . At the 2015 tournament he recorded one assist in five games. The World U-17 Hockey Challenge is not sanctioned by the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF), so Levin
CHL Import Draft - Misplaced Pages Continue
1888-420: The CHL teams and the host city. The CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game is an annual event sponsored by Home Hardware and hosted by the CHL in which 40 of the top NHL Entry Draft eligible prospects in the Canadian Hockey League play against each other much like an all-star game. Each draft prospect hopes to boost their draft ranking with the NHL scouts and general managers who attend. The players are typically coached by
1947-440: The CHL would remain eligible to continue playing until the standard age limit. The CHL cited the need to improve Canadian goalkeeping as a reason behind the change. The move is seen as a response to Hockey Canada 's recent inability to develop top notch goaltenders. The Canadian junior team had not won a World Junior Championship since 2009, which was blamed on poor goalkeeping. Other signs of Canada's goalkeeper weakness include:
2006-428: The CHL. For the 2018 draft, the ban was lifted and European goalkeepers became eligible again for selection. List of CHL Import Draft selections, organized by International Ice Hockey Federation member association of origin. (Updated as of the 2022 draft) Canadian Hockey League The Canadian Hockey League ( CHL ; French : Ligue canadienne de hockey ‒ LCH ) is an umbrella organization that represents
2065-714: The Canada Center in Metula , it did not go well and his ice hockey dream faded until he saw a YouTube clip of the development of player Sidney Crosby . When he was 12, and despite not speaking English, Levin moved to Richmond Hill, Ontario , in the York Region , in order to further his hockey career, and lived with his aunt, uncle, and cousin Alla, Yafim and Rebecca Tovberg, who had previously lived in Israel. The Tovbergs subsequently moved into Toronto so that Levin would be able to play in
2124-450: The Czech Republic, Russia, and Slovakia. The Import Draft has inherent risks that teams must assess, before making a draft pick which costs $ 2,000 up front. Drafted players may choose not to report, therefore teams want to be certain a player will. Potential draftees have often been previously chosen in the NHL Entry Draft , and thus have an incentive to report to a CHL team because NHL teams want prospects closer for development. Also, there
2183-474: The Memorial Cup). CBC Sports will also carry coverage of selected games beginning in the 2021–22 season, including a package of early-season games, and a game of the week package on TSN, RDS, and CBC Gem . Exceptional player status allows skilled, underage hockey players to enter the major junior circuit early. Hockey Canada determines if an underage player is eligible for "exceptional status". The clause
2242-640: The National Hockey League and the World Hockey Association to work together on a common drafting program to eliminate bidding wars. The CMJHL sought to represent players directly instead of agents, and proposed an escalating development fee schedule if professional teams wanted to sign a player while he was still eligible for junior hockey. The league also proposed to allow some players under professional contracts to continue playing in junior hockey. Ontario's commissioner Tubby Schmalz defended
2301-651: The OHL indefinitely delayed, and later cancelled the 2020–21 season. The Memorial Cup was cancelled and not awarded for the second consecutive season. On July 21, 2021, the CHL announced a new national media rights deal with Bell Media and the CBC (replacing a long-standing relationship with Sportsnet ), under which TSN (English) and RDS (French) will serve as the CHL's national media partners. TSN will carry 30 regular season games per-season, RDS will carry 20 regular season games per-season, and both will carry coverage of selected playoff games and CHL national events (including
2360-664: The Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League, the Ontario Hockey League and the Western Hockey League. The event is organized by the Canadian Hockey League and consists of six games total each year, with the Russian Selects playing two games versus each league's all-star team. All games are broadcast nationally in Canada on Sportsnet. The series often features players from the Canadian national junior team, and
2419-449: The Russian national junior team. In response to the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine , the Canadian Hockey League cancelled the event in 2022. The CHL Import Draft is an annual event in which every team in the Canadian Hockey League may select the rights to eligible import players. An import is classified as a player whose parents are not residents of Canada or the United States. The draft
CHL Import Draft - Misplaced Pages Continue
2478-482: The United States, and earn local status to avoid the Import Draft. Draft eligibility is based on the parents’ full-time residence, by looking at housing deeds, banking records, or lease agreements, rather than the length of time spent in the country. Cases for local status are dealt with individually by the CHL. Examples of foreign-born players classified as locals include, David Levin from Israel , Daniel Sprong from
2537-633: The Vaughan Kings and Toronto Junior Canadians of the Greater Toronto Hockey League. Levin was eight years old when he first discovered North American ice hockey, as his father was watching an NHL game on TV. "I asked him what he's watching. He told me that's the best league in the world, so I told him that's my dream now," Levin told The Jerusalem Post . At home Levin spoke Russian, while in school he used Hebrew; prior to moving to Canada he did not speak any English, and in order to develop
2596-445: The WHL and OHL, and use the import draft to build competitive rosters. The New England states also see tough competition from NCAA Division I colleges for the same players. On June 11, 2013, the CHL announced that the upcoming Import Draft would be the final opportunity to select European goalkeepers. Teams could draft 1994 or 1995 birth-year goalkeepers only in the first round of the 2013 Import Draft, and current import goalkeepers in
2655-725: The Western Canada Hockey League, the Ontario Major Junior Hockey League and the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, announced a constitution to establish the Canadian Major Junior Hockey League (CMJHL) composed of the three leagues under one umbrella. The new organization wanted standard contracts for all players, consistent dollar amounts for development fees paid by professional leagues to sign junior players, and for
2714-448: The Wolves, Levin was recognized for his hockey sense. David Matsos , his coach there, called him "one of the most elite, skilled players" he'd ever seen; this Levin credited to his father, who served as his first coach in Israel and runs a hockey school there. Levin also developed his defensive skills during his second season with Sudbury, which he showed during the 2017 playoffs. Due to his late start to ice skating, Levin's major weakness
2773-489: The banned goalkeepers, as statistics indicate that the best European goalkeepers have been developed in their own domestic leagues. The CHL began reevaluating the ban in February 2018, in cooperation with Hockey Canada. Commissioner David Branch said that the ban was never viewed as a mistake, and its reversal was not trying to right a wrong; rather it was about comparing the development programs since put in place to best serve
2832-432: The ice, I try to do my best for people in Israel including those who think they can be hockey players too. I want to show everyone they should never give up." Levin played his first OHL game in September 2015 just after turning 16 years old, and finished the 2015–16 season with nine goals and 21 assists (30 points) in 41 games, though he missed 19 games due to a broken hand. He also playing 5 games for Canada Black in
2891-629: The interest of the Canadian goalkeeper. USA Hockey has implemented similar programs, and the USHL recently slackened its import player rules, allowing more Canadians and Europeans. The proposal to resume drafting European goalkeepers claims that it brings more competition, and forces Canadians to prove their talents against a broader pool. In the four NHL Entry Drafts since the ban was implemented, 36 goalkeepers have been selected from Europe, 26 from elsewhere in North America ( National Collegiate Athletic Association , USHL, North American Hockey League ), and 22 from
2950-513: The league as an import (a foreign player). This was appealed, with the argument that his aunt and uncle were both his legal guardians and Canadian citizens , and Levin was granted an exception. Allowed to be drafted, the Sudbury Wolves in Ontario selected the 15-year-old Levin first overall, and he was awarded the Jack Ferguson Award , awarded to the first-overall selection, as a result. Sudbury coach David Matsos said: "You can teach
3009-402: The league final, with Levin tying for the tournament lead in scoring, though they lost in overtime. However, because Levin was originally from Israel and did not live with his parents, the Ontario Hockey League (OHL), one of three major junior hockey leagues in Canada, was not going to allow him to enter the 2015 OHL Priority Selection; instead he would have had to wait another year and enter
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#17328485074943068-492: The many North American professional hockey leagues, such as the National Hockey League , American Hockey League , and the ECHL . If a CHL player does not sign a professional contract, many also opt to play for U Sports (formerly Canadian Interuniversity Sport - CIS) and go to school due to CHL sponsored scholarship programs. Due to the use of paying player stipends and allowing junior players that have signed entry-level contracts with
3127-416: The regular and at the Memorial Cup to top individuals and teams among its three member leagues. The Memorial Cup is the top award for the championship team at the end-of-season Memorial Cup tournament. A set of five individual awards are given for performance at the tournament. In the regular season, Canadian Hockey League also presents ten annual awards. The nominees for each individual award are determined by
3186-456: The rights to eligible import players. An import is classified as a player who does not have residency status in either Canada or the United States. The draft is conducted online, during the last week of June, or first week of July, following the NHL Entry Draft . Teams from the Western Hockey League (WHL), Ontario Hockey League (OHL), and Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL), systematically take turns making selections in reverse order of
3245-446: The team's standings in the CHL from the previous season. Teams can have a maximum of two imports which may only be obtained through the draft, and teams must have an open roster space for an import player before a draft selection is made, otherwise they must pass on the opportunity. As of the 2022 draft, 2,026 players have been selected, with many later going onto the National Hockey League (NHL). The majority of imported players come from
3304-558: The three Canada -based major junior ice hockey leagues. The CHL was founded in 1975 as the Canadian Major Junior Hockey League , and is composed of its three member leagues, the Western Hockey League (WHL), Ontario Hockey League (OHL), and Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL). For the 2023–24 season, its three leagues and 60 teams represent nine Canadian provinces (51 teams) as well as four American states (nine teams). The CHL schedule culminates in
3363-400: The validity of the constitution, despite a challenge from Alan Eagleson that it violated antitrust laws in Canada and the United States. On July 30, 2019, Dan MacKenzie was announced as the new full-time president as of September 2019, taking over for David Branch . In March 2020, the CHL and its constituent leagues cancelled the remainder of the 2019–20 regular seasons, playoffs and
3422-525: The winner of the corresponding award handed out by each of the Canadian Hockey League's three member leagues. For the 2023–24 season, the league includes 60 teams located in nine Canadian provinces (51 teams) and four American states (9 teams). Currently, nine of the ten Canadian provinces have a member team. Newfoundland and Labrador is the only province without a team. Ontario Hockey League Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League Western Hockey League The CHL single game attendance record
3481-675: Was introduced in the CHL rule book in the 2005–06 season, starting with John Tavares . As of 2024, nine players have been granted exceptional status: Tavares, Aaron Ekblad , Sean Day , Connor McDavid , Joseph Veleno , Connor Bedard , Shane Wright , Michael Misa , and Landon DuPont . The status has been granted six times to OHL prospects, twice in the WHL , and once in the QMJHL . As of 2022, seven have gone number one in their respective major junior drafts and four have been selected first overall in their respective NHL drafts. The Memorial Cup Tournament
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