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Colleges being forced to play shorthanded

By Fluto Shinzawa Boston,com August 7, 2011

This summer, the number is nine. It’s down from 13 the previous summer. In 2009, it was 17.

But when the number stands for kids who treat their NCAA letters of intent and verbal commitments with the importance of ATM receipts, nine remains too high.

“Maybe it’s the way I was raised,’’ said Paul Kelly, executive director of College Hockey, Inc. “I’m a believer that when you make a commitment, you stand by it and honor it. It is disappointing to me. It’s disappointing to coaches. When kids make a commitment, particularly when that commitment takes a more formal form in a letter of intent to attend that school, then you break that commitment, frankly, if I’m an NHL GM, it might cause me some concern – that a player I drafted can so easily walk away from a commitment he made.’’

Traditionally, and for the foreseeable future, major junior is the route most often taken to the NHL. Of the 20 Bruins who played in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final, 16 starred in the Western Hockey League, Ontario Hockey League, or Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, the three leagues that operate under the Canadian Hockey League umbrella. Three played juniors in Europe. Just one chose college.

That said, those four seasons at the University of Vermont served Tim Thomas well.

There is no right or wrong way to graduate to the NHL. Proponents of major junior and college have their respective arguments as to why their approaches are preferable.

An OHL player will have a game-heavy schedule that mimics what he’ll experience in the NHL. A Hockey East player will enjoy a well-rounded atmosphere – attending classes, meeting people outside of the rink, a rich social life – that will help him transition to adulthood.

So those on either side have nothing to carp about when a kid says yes to one and no to the other. But what’s irking Kelly, coaches, and the NCAA is when a player commits to college hockey, then pushes the reset button and bolts for a junior team.

While that player, his family, and his new club move on, his former college coach suddenly has a hole on his roster. Late in the game, at that.

“You have these kids continually lobbied, influenced, and romanced,’’ Kelly said. “Not only directly by the coaches and staff, but by the players under direction of coaches and staff. When they leave in late July, it leaves the college in an incredible bind. When Michigan loses a goaltender at the end of July, less than six weeks before the start of the school year, they either go with what they have, or they reach out for another goaltender. That’s usually a goalie off a USHL team. Now that leaves that team in a bind. There’s a trickle-down effect.’’

This summer, there have been three high-profile de-commitments. J.T. Miller, the No. 15 overall pick in the 2011 draft by the Rangers, would have been a freshman at North Dakota this fall. Last month, Miller signed with Plymouth of the OHL.

Phoenix drafted Connor Murphy with the No. 20 pick in June. Murphy, a native of Dublin, Ohio, had committed to Miami University. Last month, Murphy opted for Sarnia of the OHL.

John Gibson, the second goalie picked in the draft (Anaheim), would have been a freshman at Michigan this fall. Late last month, Gibson signed with Kitchener of the OHL.

Gibson was the second goalie Michigan lost in the last two years. Jack Campbell would have been a freshman in 2010. Instead, Campbell signed with Windsor of the OHL.

There isn’t an overriding reason why future collegians are opting out of the classroom. It could be academics. It might be heat from NHL personnel who believe junior is the preferred route over college. Money could also be a factor.

“As much as the CHL denies it, there are still instances where money is being paid to the family to lure kids away and de-commit from colleges,’’ Kelly said. “It’s off the books, under the table, whatever you want to call it. If your dad is a fisherman, an out-of-work machinist, or a farmer, and a CHL program comes along and offers you $300,000 in cash, it’s tough for these families not to accept that type of proposal.’’

One solution might be a first-year grace period. For example, a collegian would be off limits from NHL or CHL contact for his freshman year. If he believes that college isn’t for him after one year, then he’d be free to consider other options.

The main issue, however, is age. For most 16-year-olds, the hardest decision they make is between M&Ms or Sour Patch Kids at the movie theater. When you have to make life-changing choices so early, there will certainly be ripple effects.

Kids change their minds all the time. But when you say no to a person when you’ve already said yes, there are significant consequences.

Dean
M.Ed (Coaching)
Ch.P.C. (Chartered Professional Coach)
Game Intelligence Training
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