It may be time to bring some MLB ingenuity to the CHL.
KITCHENER, Ont. -- The MasterCard Memorial Cup will always be the exclamation mark on the Canadian Hockey League season but it might just be time to bring the three leagues closer together.
Sportsnet CHL play-by-play man Peter Loubardias brokered an idea which could help bring the excitement to the CHL, the umbrella league for the Western Hockey League, Ontario Hockey League and Québec Major Junior Hockey League, in the regular season.
The idea: having an inter-league game during the National Hockey League's All-Star weekend.
Since the CHL will always have to compete with the NHL on a national broadcasting level, one way to increase interest in the NHL's future stars is by showcasing their talents with no conflicting games.
For example, during the NHL All-Star weekend the CHL should have a double-header on the Thursday or Friday, whichever night the NHL is on break, with no other CHL games. The idea is to pick four of the top teams in the CHL and have them play one night where, for example, the Rimouski Océanic could host the Windsor Spitfires.
Since Rimouski is hosting the 2009 Memorial Cup, it would give fans an earlier glimpse at the host city and team on a national level. However, playing against a solid opponent such as a team like the Windsor Spitfires, who many believe will be an elite team from the OHL next season, would be a great measuring stick to see how the two teams match-up against each other before a potential Memorial Cup showdown.
In the late game, the London Knights, who are rumoured to be loading up for a run next season, could head out west to face the Vancouver Giants or Kelowna Rockets or Spokane Chiefs.
With no NHL or CHL games to compete with, this double-header would put the CHL in the forefront and help generate interest on a national level.
"I think we could get sponsorship for it in terms of helping with the cost," Loubardias said. "But those games need to be isolated. Maybe in its infancy we try it just one day so we're isolated."
There's no reason to believe the CHL couldn't generate enough interest. Currently, the CHL has a few other big-market games which feature the Top Prospects Game, a Canada vs. Russia series between each league and the Memorial Cup.
The inter-league game would help viewers identify ahead of the Memorial Cup just how strong their team matches up against the elite teams from each other league.
"Play it as a double-header as almost a mini-look ahead for the Memorial Cup, come up with a name, brand it and sell it," Loubardias explained. "The one question people always ask especially going into the Memorial Cup is, 'How does this guy compare to this guy?'"
"Junior hockey which is so regional to me, it's another way for more people to be intrigued about some of the best teams and players from our league," he said.
Loubardias is aware there would certainly be some things standing in the way such as the cost of travel, taking players out of school, making the games count in the standings and picking the teams. The purpose of the idea, Loubardias said, isn't to change what the three commissioners of each league have been doing but to help increase the league's popularity on a national scale.
"Do I think it's going to be tough to pull off? Yes. Would the team's read this and maybe want to shoot me? Maybe," he said. "I think we all have to look at the big picture. I love the leadership of the CHL. All you have to do is look at what we've seen so far in Kitchener. This is a hell of a product and it's great hockey and I just want more people to see that."
OHL broadcaster Terry Doyle has been involved with the league for more than a decade. When approached about the idea, Doyle believes the timing of the proposal could work well in bringing the idea to fruition.
"I think it would work from a standpoint of having the full attention of junior hockey one night and that's a big key with the time around the All-Star Game," he said. "It's the time when people are looking for something on those nights with no hockey.
"I think it would help but I wouldn't say it's a be all and end all by any means. People are still going to watch their team play but if you can get the average fans to watch it and follow a certain team or player for the rest of the season it could be successful."
On a dead night with no NHL, a match-up with the league's top teams and players couldn't help but grow the league's popularity.
"It's a great product," Loubardias said. "I just think collectively let's keep working to try to show off our best players and our best teams to a national audience."
