In response to SanDogBrewin's comment:

NAS you're way off on this arguement bud! The kid is there, because he's good enough to be there. If he's good enough to be there. He's good enough to take whatever abuse any normal Major Jr hockey player takes. End of story. Hamilton did his job perfectly & I hope he continues to do it.

If my opinion differs from the norm, it doesn't make me way off or wrong.

No wrong or right, just the mere fact Seguin was a boy at 18 and played with men larger and more intimidating.  I think Kel has it right, it is a parents decision.  Entitilement generation thinking here, he should not be hit because he is 15.  

In response to Not-A-Shot's comment:

Man, you guys are cruel.

All I was suggesting is that in the kid's first game, give him a break.

In response to Not-A-Shot's comment:

In response to Not-A-Shot's comment:
[QUOTE/]

Man, you guys are cruel.

All I was suggesting is that in the kid's first game, give him a break.

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So you think that in someone's first NHL game they should give him a break? Maybe in every rookie's first game they should let him score a goal. Yeah! That's a great idea. All together now... "I love you, you love me..." NAS the way you formulate your opinions seem to be to the tune of how can I get as many people jacked-up as possible. You have to see the flaw in your argument that because Hamilton should have been aware that one of the best players on the opposing team was just 15 years old and was trying everything in his power to score that he should just take it easy on him. Would you want Hamilton to take it easy on littler guys at the NHL level? Practice doesn't make perfect, perfect practice does.

It's a game of split second decisions. You Don't contemplate a players size and age before making that decision.

15 yo kids should not be playing against men

I don't know if Dougie should have held up becuase I didn't see the play, but rocking a 15 year old kid is nothing to be proud of. It should also be a factor that it is game 1 of the Junior season - the memorial cup is not on the line. Some class and respect among athletes and human beings is a great thing. If the child was being mouthy or agressive, sure, nail him but as far as I know that wasn't the case.

And yes I would think Pronger was a jerk for going after an 18 year old Seguin.

And yes, I don't think 15 year olds should be playing in the OHL.

In response to OatesCam's comment:

The player eligibility debate isn’t limited to the NHL. There is a 15-year-old named Connor McDavid playing up with the Toronto Marlboros midget team. In order to play in the OHL – or any level of junior hockey – next season, he would have to be deemed an “exceptional player” by Hockey Canada.

That McDavid’s immediate future as a player at any level of junior is up to some panel of handpicked Hockey Canada experts is absurd. The kid can play. If he were automatically eligible for the OHL draft, there's a chance he'd go first overall.

And how many other 15-year-olds are being prohibited from playing junior hockey – not just major junior, but any level of junior from A down to D – because of this rule? There are a lot of 15-year-olds who are too good for major midget and not good enough yet for the CHL who should be playing Jr. A or B, but can’t because Hockey Canada says they can’t.

To be clear, I was never debating wether or not the kid was good enough to play, he clearly is. I was asking if it was a good idea because of his age. Not his skill level or size. I'm talking about his age, because at 15, he is still growing, which makes the bones in his body a little more vulnerable. Someone in a medical field can word that alot better than I just did, but hopefully you get my point..I know he's bigger than Martin St. Louis, but St. Louis' body is done growing..Thats my point.

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No player is too good for their age group. If at 15 they are exceptional, they will still be exceptional at 16 when they are old enough to play without exceptions. Especially with an 18-year old limit for NHL play, it's not like any players are speeding up their progression to the NHL. It's either they get 2 years or 3 years of Junior hockey before playing pro. The extra year did nothing for Taveres.

Speaking of Taveres, that brings up the reason this rule was brought in in the first place. To allow the "special" Taveres to play. In my opinion, The OHL brought him in as a marketing tool. For the previous two years the QMJHL had been the focus of Canadian Junior hockey because of Sidney Crosby. The OHL was determined to make Taveres the next big thing. By allowing him to play as a 15 year old it made him seem special. It allowed them to milk an extra year of him playing. That's just sad. Making a new rule to exploit a 15 year old.

In response to dezaruchi's comment:

100%

In response to kelvana33's comment:

In response to kelvana33's comment:

In response to OatesCam's comment:
[QUOTE]

No player is too good for their age group. If at 15 they are exceptional, they will still be exceptional at 16 when they are old enough to play without exceptions. Especially with an 18-year old limit for NHL play, it's not like any players are speeding up their progression to the NHL. It's either they get 2 years or 3 years of Junior hockey before playing pro. The extra year did nothing for Taveres.

Sorry Oates but that's flat out wrong. Many kids become too good for their age group. Lindros played 2 games (and scored once) for Canada's national team as a 15 year old. Do you really believe he should've stayed in midget hockey? How about Bobby Orr playing for Oshawa as a 14 year old? Should he have stayed a bantam? Gretzky played junior B in Ontario as a 15 year old instead of playing midget against kids his own age. He had 60 points in 28 games. Would it have helped his development if he had 150 points in 20 games against kids his own age? You're acting like these kids are being forced to play when in reality, they all just want to play against the best competition available to them. Who are we to decide what's best for these kids? The choice belongs to them and their parents.

In response to dezaruchi's comment:

In response to OatesCam's comment:

Wow, Lots of posts here. The lockout is definitely making little things such as this become over analyzed. It was a hit in a hockey game, nothing wrong with that.

In response to OatesCam's comment:

In response to lambda13's comment:

We aren't talking about the NHL, so this entire paragraph is moo (cow's opinion).

And I might add McDavid's parent sanctioned his participation in the OHL knowing that he would be hit by older players.  No! Pronger should hit Seguin if he puts himself in a vulnerable positon, otherwise Seguin should not be on the ice.  Thus the reason for Seguin's lack of playing time me thinks.  

No, it's not flat out wrong. Saying a player is good enough for an older group does not mean they are too good for their own age group. There are examples of players who have played with older players and succeded. There are countless examples of exceptional hockey talents who were placed in advanced age groups and were not mature enough for it. We talk about rushing players to the NHL causing failure all the time - the problem is greatly magnified when you are talking about children.

My fundamental point in that post is, however, simply that players are not hurt by playing with their own age group. Gretzky and other may have continued to excel playing with older kids, but my feeling is that they would have developed just fine if they were not rushed. In your specific examples, Gretz played Junior B, not major junior, as a 15 year old, and I think Eric Lindros would have been much better off if he were allowed to grow up more in his youth and not rushed along. I don't think he was ever mentally ready for the NHL and adult life in general (his neighbours today say he still acts like a 40 year old child).

And no, I don't think the choice should belong with the child an their parents. Are we going to allow 14 year olds? Really big and talented 9 year olds? Lots of kids and parents lack good judgement. Maybe you would be OK with your 15 year old son or daughter living and working and hanging out with 20 year olds. I would not. I think the league should protect 15 year olds whose parents are too star struck by the idea of their kid being the next Crosby to show good judgement.

In response to dezaruchi's comment:

Great contribution!

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^^^In your face Oates^^^ Well said Dez!! 

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I, nor anyone else, said Dougie was proud. Why did you say this?

In response to NeelyOrrBourque's comment: