Eichel-to-OHL rumours debunked; nearly impossible to pull off

Boston University commit Jack Eichel has been making waves all year as a possible rival for Connor McDavid south of the border.

Eichel has 33 points in 16 games, including 17 goals, so far with the US National Development Team in the USHL, and had a point-a-game with Team USA in the 2014 World Junior Hockey Championships.

Turns out he might want to challenge McDavid on even footing, according to rumours.

Bob MacKenzie tweeted Friday that there were "whispers" Eichel would be open to jumping to the CHL if he could play in the Ontario Hockey League. However, Eichel is from Massachusetts, which is QMJHL territory, and his rights are owned by the Saint John Sea Dogs. It would take a massive stroke of luck and a massive pile of backroom deals, promises and wink-wink-nudge-nudges to make that happen.

There is no way of trading players between the different CHL leagues. There's also no way for a CHL team to transfer the rights of a prospect directly to a team in another league under the CHL umbrella, unless he first passed through waivers. In this case, every QMJHL team would have to let Eichel pass through waivers. He would then be free to sign wherever he wanted. This post on SB Nation highlights a similar situation featuring Qunnipiac forward Matthew Peca. His rights were owned by an OHL team, but he said he would join the CHL if he could play solely for Patrick Roy’s Quebec Remparts. The team let him pass through waivers but another OHL team claimed him, so he wasn’t able to join the Remparts.

Sea Dogs new GM Darrell Young said Friday that Eichel's CHL rights will not be going anywhere.

Young expanded his comments while talking with College Hockey News’ Mike McMahon on Friday.

"There is no way we're ever going to let him go to the Ontario Hockey League and I don't see any way he could get waived through our league," Saint John GM Darrell Young said on Friday. "I can't foresee that happening, him clearing waivers, he's just too good of a player."

Of course, a player who is a top prospect would want to challenge himself against the best, and the 2015 NHL Entry Draft measuring stick is McDavid. In a perfect world, it would happen. However, in a league that features 60 teams who are operating for themselves and not for the good of one prospect, it’s not going to happen. Eichel will most likely report to BU and nothing will come of it. He can go head-to-head with McDavid again at the 2015 WJC, and then in the professional ranks.

However, this rumour certainly spiced up a Friday in March.