Prospects, and the future of the NHL

I'd be shocked if he's not playing in Everett. Switzerland certainly a new development.
been told by someone "in the know" that he isn't playing NCAA hockey and was told that around Christmas.

and do you really think that NCAA schools give hockey players money? Of course basketball and football do that sort of thing but hockey???? wouldn't put it past BU though.

 

Auston Matthews has signed w/ the ZSC Lions of the Swiss league. He'll make about $500k next season. Is this purely a financial move or does he think this will help his career going forward?
He recently played in the U18 Championships in Switzerland where he won gold, best F, and tourney MVP w/ 15 pts in 7 games.
the Oilers will probably love this kid until they then hate him.



http://swisshockeynews.ch/index.php...matthews-reportedly-signed-with-the-zsc-lions

 

No, I don't think the schools do. Anybody with the means knows the team and program can get in trouble, not that it deters everybody though.

I do think alum "help" out with money, gifts, promises for later, eligibility concerns, etc. What's better fundraising for a school than a winning sports program? Back to the schools though, didn't Alaska-Fairbanks and Northeastern just get busted for blowing off rules? I don't know of anything exceptionally dirty from the programs besides eligibility, but the complete disregard for rules is telling.

 

His agent is Brisson. I think it's a touch of the former but mostly the latter.

I think alot of it has to do with the Swiss league. He'll get to play in the tournaments because of the schedule, get pro experience, and he won't have the scrutiny that he'll get in the NCAA or CHL. While the latter isn't a huge concern, I think it would make a ton of sense if he's trying to change parts of his game on the fly. Better to have a hiccup in a pro league than playing against kids and struggling. I think it's a good hedge against a drop in the draft projections.

Money seems like the most likely reason, but how much is he really making after all the expenses? Brisson isn't a dummy.

Anyway, I like this story about him jumping the pond.

Maybe he just really likes swiss cheese and chocolate. Some people like doing goofy shit too. Johnny Oduya spent the lockout practicing in freakin' Bangkok...obviously because of the strong hockey culture.

 

iirc, NU was circumventing rules regarding the number of times a player can be contacted. I think it was Cronin on his way out that was guilty. Him and Albie O'connell I think. no bigger fan of Albie than Albie. As far as I know thats it from NU.
Alaska-Fairbanks had players that weren't enrolled in degree programs playing. Thats really bad and not even very sneaky. Inevitable that they got busted.
a few years back the BC coach was given a large amount of money to do whatever he so chooses from some deep pocketed alum (somefirstname Powers investment guy I believe). Instead of keeping the money like he should the coach started some sort of a scholarship for athletic/academic prowess I believe. thats an oversimplification of the facts and I probably don't know all of them so take my ignorance w/ a grain of salt.

 

lol, my initial reaction was that he fell in love w/ some gorgeous Swiss girl.

sounds like the Oduya is in the ladyboy trade rumors are far overdue.

 

I like to guess at what he's doing in Switzerland, but I'm not sure we'll find out until we read his biography in 2039.

I don't remember all the details. I just remember thinking, "well that's a huge middle finger they just gave them". The NCAA doesn't want me to love them, so I shall haterize.

I still like watching NCAA hockey though.

 

http://www.sbncollegehockey.com/col...67/brady-tkachuk-commits-to-boston-university

 

[video]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6TxGVSw6Ayw[/video]


Oliver Wahlstrom with 1.75 PPG this season playing for Shattuck St. Mary's Bantam T1
Nathan MacKinnon with 1.74 PPG five years ago playing for Shattuck St. Mary's Bantam T1

Wahlstrom is eligible for the 2018 draft, and is currently committed to the University of Maine, who he committed to at 13 years old.

 

Oliver would look good in blue & gold this season. Is he really only 9 y.o.? Wow, you hate to say it, but what's to stop that kid from reaching the NHL?

You sure about that draft-eligibility in 2018; seems more like 2024.

 

he was 9 in that video from a few years back, he's something like 15 now.
unreal though, i can't imagine ever being able to do that so seamlessly even w/ infinite practice??let alone at 9.

 

Hasn't even been drafted yet and already crapped his pants...
http://www.broadstreethockey.com/20...cdavid-comparison-sidney-crosby-claude-giroux
Maybe he sees a ceiling that nobody else seems to notice. Well, here's something that Giroux can't do:

Or

Oh, wait a minute. Maybe McJesus was talking about this:

Well, in that case... I guess I'll just STFU.

 

Hey McJesus! Both hands!!!!

 

McKenzie:
http://www.tsn.ca/mckenzie-s-final-ranking-mcdavid-eichel-and-1.300634
Button:
http://www.tsn.ca/talent/craig-s-list-final-ranking-1.294692

 

Button's list seems to really fly in the face of every other list Ive read. of course a lot of lists seem to just be small tweaks on lennie Mckenzie's.


i was thinking the other night, is it safe to say that TB made a mistake by passing on Seth Jones and taking Jonathan Drouin? Has less to do w/ where Drouin is, and he still looks like a good player for the future, and more to do w/ where TB is right now and where Seth Jones is right now. Id think Jones would be firmly entrenched in the top 4 in TB. Probably would've allowed them to either not sign Stralman or not give up the farm for Coburn. Assets could've been used elsewhere. Maybe by not making those deals TB would currently have been in a worse spot hypothetically.
anyone have any thoughts on this?

 

I think we're going to see the actual draft deviate greatly from the scouts' draft boards this year. There is just too much talent to expect a consistent consensus. Especially after the top ten this should make for active trade talk right through the middle of the second round.

I do not want GMTM to be particularly proactive when it comes to draft day trades. I hope he lets the draft come to Buffalo. If another team calls him about #21, 31, or 51 then they've targeted a guy and are more likely to pay a handsome price. The guy at 21 is just as likely to have a fine NHL career as the guy at 12; 31 could make 22 look like a hack - relatively, etc. Just let the draft cometo the good guys. If they end up with 4 top-51 selections and zero trades then I'll be content. Next year is when BUF will have to start trading quantity-for-quality and some of these picks could be the fresh bait other teams covet. (I am convinced that this thinking accounts or Lemieux at 31 last year.)

My exception is if Mitch Marner were to drop to 6 or 7; I want that guy.

 

I have no idea why Florida passed on him either other than because teams/gms don't want to develop a player over the course of a few seasons when given the choice.

I'm really sick of hearing about the triplets, they're good, no doubt about that. The major reason TB is so good is because they've acquired so many good dmen in Garrison, Carle, Stralman, and Coburn. It's really, really hard to get 20min + dmen and Yzerman landed a bunch of them in short order. I can't imagine what they could have had on the 4th line this year had they drafted Jones instead of Drouin.

Jones looked really good this year, and he's years from his prime.

 

Dan, what about making a play for Hanifin? Im talking something like Zadorov, Fasching + #21. adding that quality on the backend. Im not sold on any of the Sabres D prospects.
much like Don Cherry, I hate Russians and Zadorov seems like a prick.

 

yes.

agreed, that was my thinking as well.

 

sports is full of lame nicknames. "the triplets" is an excellent example.