Thursday, November 1, 2012

Tricked or treat?

So how funny is it that on Halloween that the bizarre story known as the CHLPA took an even stranger turn when several reports out of Canada are reporting that "Derek Clarke" who has been the somewhat public face behind the CHLPA may not be who he claims to be.

Starting with a report from TSN's Dave Naylor where Naylor alleges that the Derek Clarke is not who he claims to be. (Double Stick tap to Guy Flaming of Coming Down the Pipe for this)

Steve Simmons goes further alleging that Derek Clarke might be a Randy Gumbley who was convicted of fraud in 2009 involving a bogus hockey school Gumbley claimed to be operating.

Forget the NHL/NHLPA lockout, the story behind the CHLPA has taken a turn that most people did not expect. Funny thing was last night I was asking "Who was the person (s) bankrolling the CHLPA?" as I believed that if you could find out that information then it would go a long way in determining whether or not the CHLPA was credible or not.,

Poor George Laraque could find himself being the biggest victim of Clark/Grumbley/Whatever as the former Montreal Canadian has been the face of the CHLPA. Laraque looked like he was shocked when shown images of the man reportedly supposed to be Derek Clarke as the first time Laraque was shown pictures of Lumbley; Laraque IDed him as Derek Clarke.

Later on Laraque denied that the images were Lumbley/Clarke and that Clarke would clear up things on Thursday. The only thing that I expect to be cleared up on Thursday is that the CHLPA was a con game.

And that part angers me and many who do cover Canadian Junior Hockey as yes there has been a urgent need to reform the education programs offered by the CHL.  From time limits to choices of schooling there are many areas where the CHL does in fact need to fix the education program.

My own fear is that when the CHLPA turns out to be the con game I thought it was that the CHL will have the excuse as to why they don't need outside influences to tell them how to fix the education program. My other fear is that any chance of the CHL and NCAA sitting down to work out their differences will also be lost.

So in the end it will be the prospects themselves who will once again be the ones who lose the most.

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No Ranger or Islander prospects were in action on Halloween but Seth Jones of the Portland Winterhawks gave Winterhawk fans a treat with the goal he scored against the Everett Slivertips.

This one will be best viewed in full screen mode



Here is the best part about Jones as I still say that he is still adjusting to the more professional style of the WHL. Come the 2nd half of the season I don't think anyone will be able to stop Jones (6'4 210).

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