Portland Winterhawks given the death sentence

[flyercanuck]

If the Windsor Spitfires were beaten badly by the OHL commissioner for cheating when it comes to recruiting, the Portland Winterhawks were just tarred and feathered, flogged, lynched, then drowned by the WHL.

http://www.thestar.c...h-gm-fines-team

Wow! In the world most of us live in, these violations aren't much. But there's a huge difference in available money to be thrown around from one junior franchise to another. The line has to be drawn somewhere.

[jammer2]

@flyercanuck I read the Windsor Star take on the Portland infractions. Apparently, the worst thing the Winterhawks did was arrange for the families to fly up to see their son(s) play...that is beyond weak. No direct cash transfers....just flying a family to see their kid?!?! I realize it's against the rules, but wow, this is to stiff a price to pay IMHO.

[flyercanuck]

While I agree there was nothing elaborate doled out, there has to be a level playing field if you want smalltown junior hockey to survive. It's become bs that a player like Domi for example can flat out lie and say he's going the NCAA route to one of the lesser fanchises because London has already told him they'll take him later on. If perks are allowed, how can a team drawing 2,000 at 20 bucks a ticket compete with London drawing near 10,000? They can't. And the draft is supposed to even the playing field, but it won't if players keep refusing to play where they're drafted.

[jammer2]

@flyercanuck I think I might have thought of the reason why the Spits vs OHL and Portland vs the WHL has been so secretive and behind the scenes....and why neither league has said money changed hands. My guess....tax returns for those years have already been finsihed. The parents who got the money might have insisted if they get busted they never mention the money....find some other way to justify the discipline. That way, the parents who are helping out the junior teams don't get charged with fraud/tax evasion. Just a guess, but it makes sense....that is why the OHL never ever disclosed which player was involved...ALSO, it clears the OHL of having to go to US court to document the fact tax evasion took place (the US would make sure they were at court). Once you are in the US under oath, you have entered slippery slope territory.

[Vanflyer]

Wow! In the world most of us live in, these violations aren't much. But there's a huge difference in available money to be thrown around from one junior franchise to another. The line has to be drawn somewhere.

I used to have a client in Portland when I lived in Van. I would Fly from Van to Portland Monday and Fly back on Friday. Used to catch allot of Winterhawk games. WHL is one tough junior league. Great battles between the Thunderbirds (Seattle), Giants (Van) and the Winterhawks. Portland is one of the best walking City's in North America.

[flyercanuck]

@jammer2

Could very well be. Definately seems funny they haven't mentioned why Windsor was laid the law, but most of us had an idea beforehand.

[flyercanuck]

@Vanflyer

They'll have one last kick at the can before their lack of draft picks starts to effect them. They still have a good shot at a cup this year.