The SMJHL has lost its way regarding its purpose... keeping the first gens invested and active. No one wants to be a 4th line plug in the J and there’s zero reason for a prospect to “prefer” staying down if being called up is an option. I look at it as if my player were a young kid in the OHL. If the GM of the team in the NHL that owned my rights called me and asked if I’d be interested in the NHL, hell yeah! I’ll be a healthy scratch or a fourth line player there over a top line everything in juniors.

Maybe there needs to be some change in the SMJHL contracts and individual purchases that significantly incentivizes making the jump to the SHL ASAP but doesn’t put the SMJHL players at a disadvantage in the long run...