Not a summer goes by that we aren't talking about a player de-committing from an NCAA program to sign in the CHL and this summer is no different.
While I always defend the pros and cons of the two most common routes to the NHL and their ability to develop players, there are some players that I feel are better served in the CHL and some that are better served in the NCAA.
Recently, the debate has been raging in regards to JT Miller, Brandon Shea and Jamie Oleksiak, each of which is in different places in their very young careers.
I actually don't mind the recent announcement of Oleksiak's decision to leave Northeastern and sign with the Saginaw Spirit of the OHL. First of all, he committed to Northeastern because of head coach Greg Cronin. Once Cronin left to become an assistant for the Maple Leafs, it was practically inevitable that Oleksiak would be leaving. Second, I often prefer the NCAA route for big guys who need to fill out their frame, especially defensemen who claim physicality as a big part of their game, but Oleksiak is already 6'7, 240 at 18 years old. While he could stand to gain some strength especially in his legs, there's really no need for him to hit the gym hard and get bigger. He could actually benefit from playing more games instead of having more time in the weight room. Third, Oleksiak doesn't like school and struggled with the student part of being a student-athlete. All he wants to do is focus on playing hockey….so let him! Fourth, even though he is poised to sign with Saginaw, he was drafted out of the NCAA and therefore isn't bound by the CHL/NHL agreement that keeps junior eligible players in juniors instead of the AHL. If the Dallas Stars see fit, he could earn a spot with the AHL's Texas Stars right out of camp. (Interestingly enough, the same can be said about their first round pick from last year, goaltender Jack Campbell, who de-committed from Michigan last summer and played with Windsor this year instead.)
So, was this a good decision for Oleksiak? As much as I'd love to see him kick butt and take names for the Huskies and and make a name for himself against older players at the collegiate level, I'd say yes. It was the right decision for him mainly because he's physically ready to play at a higher level and can benefit from playing more games and having the opportunity to jump right to the AHL. That said, I'm still sour about his decision to try out for Canada's National Junior Team instead of USA's, but that's another debate for another day.
In regards to Shea, I have no idea what this 16-year-old or his advisor/agent is thinking. He was one of this year's early commitments to head to Ann Arbor in the fall and play for the U-17 team in the National Team Development Program and had verbally committed to play for Boston College upon graduation. Instead of developing in one of, if not the, best development programs in the world for the next two years and then continuing on to one of the most successful collegiate programs, he's decided to sign with Moncton of the QMJHL. While the Wildcats have won the QMJHL championship twice in the past five seasons, they don't have any where close to the track record of the NTDP or Jerry York and the BC Eagles in regards to on ice success or producing NHL talent. Hard to compare three QMJHL Final appearances and two championships with six IIHF gold medals (including a current three-year winning streak) two slivers and a bronze, 20+ first place finishes at international tournaments and eight Hockey East championships, nine Frozen Four appearances and three national championships over the past 15 years. Not to mention the quality of players making the jump from BC to the NHL.
I know that at 16, Shea is already 6'2 and 200 pounds and is ready for a challenge, but wouldn't he be better served at the NTDP where he could play against the best in the world in his age group with the opportunity to play up a year with the U-18s against NCAA teams? …where he could could have the benefit of the best training resources the hockey world has to offer? Like I said, I really don't know what he's thinking to pass up on an opportunity like that. The Kool-Aid must be powerful in New Brunswick.
Lastly, JT Miller de-committed from North Dakota and is said to be signing with Plymouth of the OHL. I'm not surprised at all by this turn of events, mainly because the Rangers have not hidden the fact that they want their top prospects to develop in Hartford and learn to play together as early as possible. At 18, Miller, is already 6'1, 200 and a heck of a player. Like Oleksiak, Miller wasn't drafted into the NHL out of the CHL, so while Plymouth is an option, I wouldn't be surprised to see him sign with the Rangers and play in the AHL this season simply because he can and it's what the Rangers want, but the jury is still out on whether that's the best thing for Miller's development.
Wouldn't he be better served playing against players who are older, bigger, stronger and faster in the NCAA for at least a year or two where he could play beaucoup minutes in key situations and can continue his progression into an all-around player? In my mind, the OHL isn't challenging enough for him at this point in his career, but he might not be able to earn the appropriate ice time in Hartford to maximize his development, where as I think the NCAA would have been the perfect option for him at the moment. North Dakota is one of the best NCAA programs in the country and routinely wins conference championships, reaches the Frozen Four and produces NHL caliber talent. It could have been the perfect combination of a tough challenge with the opportunity for individual and team success. I think this is a classic example of a player bending to the will of an NHL club even if it might not be the best move for the player's individual growth.
As a side note, this is one of the reasons I admire Chris Kreider's resolve to stay at BC despite the Ranger's desire to sign their 2009 first round draft pick. He's won a national championship, a world junior championship and played for the men's national team at the world championships the past two years and despite all of his accomplishments, he has said many times that he doesn't want to make the move to the NHL until he knows he's ready to make an impact at that level and through his experiences he knows he's not ready to do that. Takes a lot of courage to admit it.
We'll soon find out what the future holds for all of these players as the NCAA/CHL debate rages on….
Julie
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@JulieRobenhymer
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