Anyone notice Dawson Mercer lighting it up in NJ...18th pick last year...We chose Lukas Reichal at 17th...Was this is a mistake..
- shidler

Maybe wait til maybe Christmas to decide

Who gets million dollar signing bonuses in hockey?

EDIT TO AMMEND: What entry players get million dollar signing bonuses in hockey?
- StLBravesFan

I'm a bit confused by his post, Sage, but I believe he means a Jr kid signing his ELC and starts getting paid whereas an NCAA kid who has been drafted but is not yet getting paid and won't until he leaves college hockey.

Look at CLB's Cap Friendly page. It doesn't even list drafted players in the NCAA, 5th overall Kent Johnson for instance, cuz they have not yet signed a contract whereas they have a couple Jr players who have signed and are being paid while still playing Jrs.

https://www.capfriendly.com/teams/bluejackets

I'm a bit confused by his post, Sage, but I believe he means a Jr kid signing his ELC and starts getting paid whereas an NCAA kid who has been drafted but is not yet getting paid and won't until he leaves college hockey.

Look at CLB's Cap Friendly page. It doesn't even list drafted players in the NCAA, 5th overall Kent Johnson for instance, cuz they have not yet signed a contract whereas they have a couple Jr players who have signed and are being paid while still playing Jrs.

https://www.capfriendly.com/teams/bluejackets
- Mr Ricochet

Ok.

I was not aware that junior players got paid if they’ve signed contracts.

That CF page indicates that the contracts run while they’re in Juniors - they show those contracts ending in 3 years with a resulting RFA status - I thought ELCs didn’t run until the players were in The Show.

Ok.

I was not aware that junior players got paid if they’ve signed contracts.

That CF page indicates that the contracts run while they’re in Juniors - they show those contracts ending in 3 years with a resulting RFA status - I thought ELCs didn’t run until the players were in The Show.
- StLBravesFan

Someone will weigh in that follows and understands how the contracts work but yes I'm with you. As I understand it the only way to lose ELC yrs is to play that 9th game in the NHL.

If the Hawks had drafted him he’d have been brought up too soon and destroyed.
- Ogilthorpe2

He went straight from the WHL to the NHL. No AHL experience.

MJ gives the kids a stipend and the NCAA considers that to be a form of pay. That's why if a kid steps on the ice for 1 minute with a MJ squad for even a practice he losses NCAA eligibility.

Simply said a kid drafted out of the USHL or Jr A has no restrictions on where he can play at 19 yrs old, drafted or not, whereas a MJ kid has 2 options until he's basically done with Jrs eligibility. It's either an NHL roster or Jrs. .........
- Mr Ricochet

I’d forgotten about the stipend.

The sad part of this is many kids aren’t interested in, or don’t have the marks for, playing in the NCAA. So for those kids Major Junior is going to be the their direction. Even a kid like Patrick Kane began his junior career in the USNTDP and completed his draft year in the OHL.

Major Junior certainly has its warts, my concern is more to the fact education is an afterthought even though kids are given funds should they want to continue their education when it’s obvious they can’t make a career in hockey. But I have also heard complaints that NCAA sports was indentured servitude.

I've seen maybe 6-7 periods of the Oilers and Keith looks like a different player. Simply said it looks like the game has slowed down for him. He's not rushed (cuz he has options?) and seems to make the right decision every time.

And being in the great great country of Canada closer to family can't hurt either. Add he goes to the arena everyday to play with McDavid and Leon I bet this is the happiest Keith has been in yrs.
- Mr Ricochet

He's only playing around 20 mins a night which is more appropriate during the regular season for a player with his miles. Plus Dave Tippett is a pretty decent coach.

Maybe wait til maybe Christmas to decide
- vabeachbear

JFC, has that guy already determined Reichel is a bus?

Instead of Christmas, let’s wait for three to five years to decide.

Not sure I follow but you mean like Owen Power, Kent Johnson, Matt Berniers or Luke Hughes, all top 5 NHL picks last yr who are playing NCAA this yr?
- Mr Ricochet

Ones a sure thing, the other isn't. Not a hard choice for me.

Rocky's recent efforts to satisfy the insatiable mob have made a fair settlement of the lawsuit (I know, phuck the lawsuit, say the insatiable) much harder. The cash was always what this was about for Beach.

He waited until his hockey career was over before "remembering" what happened eleven years earlier. He never went to the police himself, which would have given Aldrich a criminal record any future employer could have seen. He had at least as much ability to stop the monster as did the Hawks. He did nothing for eleven years.

His lawsuit was filed as John Doe. Why? He hoped for a big settlement without attention. If he were really advocating for the abused he should've put his name on it from the beginning and gone the TV route. Once the report came out and the Hawks responded to the mob, his lawyer puts him on TV. Could that be an effort to juice up the settlement?

The legal case had a huge statute of limitations hole in it (among other legal weaknesses). To get to the cash register they needed to put public relations pressure on the team. The mob has given great assistance in this regard, but the legal holes remain.

Hopefully, Rocky realizes that the mob cannot be satisfied and moves on. Offer a fair settlement, and go to trial if Beach asks for huge money.

I realize I responded to this post already but forgot to add something. I'm not bagging on Major Junior only that the Indentured Servitude Clause bothers the hell outa me being pro labor in my DNA. ..... The 60 team CHL is still the greatest jr leagues in the world and I'm all for players/kids having as many options/choices/paths as possible. No path fits everyone.

And yes, you ask most any 10-12 yr old Canadian boy what his dream is and he'll tell you to win the Memorial Cup not the Stanley Cup. Same with a MN kid. He'll tell you his dream is to win the HS State Championship played in front of 20,000 people not to win the Stanley Cup.

You go into the corner taverns in those towns and I guarantee they talk more about that 1988, 1995, 2004 or 1977 State Championship/Memorial Cup winner than they do about the Stanley Cup winner... It's a part of their culture and it's local.
- Mr Ricochet

Mr. R, I think there are good things about whatever route a player takes chasing his dream. Major Junior forever got away with paying kids $60/week, it probably isn't much higher now. And because of competitive pressure, they finally introduced a post secondary school scholarship program that looks after education when their junior career is done and they aren't going the pro hockey route.

But I would also caution you that the NCAA route isn't always paved with gold. Full ride scholarships don't apply to every athlete and frequently what was paid for one year is taken away the next. Some kids come home from the U.S. disappointed and go play the Canadian university route.

Best story of determination (or being a little slow academically) is Joel Ward. Played 4 years for that college hockey powerhouse University of Price Edward Island until he was 25 and then found a way to make the NHL and stick around for 12 seasons.

Rocky's recent efforts to satisfy the insatiable mob have made a fair settlement of the lawsuit (I know, phuck the lawsuit, say the insatiable) much harder. The cash was always what this was about for Beach.

He waited until his hockey career was over before "remembering" what happened eleven years earlier. He never went to the police himself, which would have given Aldrich a criminal record any future employer could have seen. He had at least as much ability to stop the monster as did the Hawks. He did nothing for eleven years.

His lawsuit was filed as John Doe. Why? He hoped for a big settlement without attention. If he were really advocating for the abused he should've put his name on it from the beginning and gone the TV route. Once the report came out and the Hawks responded to the mob, his lawyer puts him on TV. Could that be an effort to juice up the settlement?

The legal case had a huge statute of limitations hole in it (among other legal weaknesses). To get to the cash register they needed to put public relations pressure on the team. The mob has given great assistance in this regard, but the legal holes remain.

Hopefully, Rocky realizes that the mob cannot be satisfied and moves on. Offer a fair settlement, and go to trial if Beach asks for huge money.
- mohel

The “mob” is loud but it’s a minority of people. Socially my political views are decidedly left of center but I can see, like you, what is going on here. That said what happened to Beach was horrific and how it was swept under the rug was worse. The Blackhawks employed a guy who did the sweeping and now are left to pay the piper, as it were. I hope Rocky, through his lawyers, can delicately word his way saying what you did, that Beach and his lawyer are using his situation to score a big, make that massive payday.

I'm a bit confused by his post, Sage, but I believe he means a Jr kid signing his ELC and starts getting paid whereas an NCAA kid who has been drafted but is not yet getting paid and won't until he leaves college hockey.

Look at CLB's Cap Friendly page. It doesn't even list drafted players in the NCAA, 5th overall Kent Johnson for instance, cuz they have not yet signed a contract whereas they have a couple Jr players who have signed and are being paid while still playing Jrs.

https://www.capfriendly.com/teams/bluejackets
- Mr Ricochet

In capfriendly, the team's unsigned college or Euro prospects are shown in the "Reserve List" tab. Granted they are unsigned and not part of the 50 man roster.

Better yet he should have avoided the CHL like the plague and their Indentured Servitude Clause, come to the USHL, get drafted at 18, play a yr or two in the NCAA vs 21-22-23 yr olds playing weekend games, practice and weight train during the week and hit the ground running at the NHL level at 20-21 yrs old after a couple yrs in the NCAA...... The alternative coming out of Major Junior was be ball and chained to the CHL until you're 20 or go to the NHL too young and green like he did.

There is zero question which is the better path. The USHL/Jr A/NCAA path blows Major Junior outa the water.


Chicago residents go take a look see at the organIzation that had more kids drafted than any jr orgainIzation on earth the last 2 yrs.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7kvEzzzvVsw
- Mr Ricochet

Steel have changed dramatically since new ownership in 2015. From 2000-2015 they languished at the bottom of the standings in all but 1 season. The team was great for local players looking for USHL opportunities because the majority of the team were kids from IL and surrounding states. After the change in ownership and leadership in 2015, the makeup of the roster switched dramatically and very few IL kids are on the roster now.

No doubt you're accurate. Making mountains out of mole hills is always what they try to do.
- 6628

Lawyers have no shame and if the org isn't even making an offer, then the opposing side did. Really is no big deal, it's just part of negotiating the settlement.

Steel have changed dramatically since new ownership in 2015. From 2000-2015 they languished at the bottom of the standings in all but 1 season. The team was great for local players looking for USHL opportunities because the majority of the team were kids from IL and surrounding states. After the change in ownership and leadership in 2015, the makeup of the roster switched dramatically and very few IL kids are on the roster now.
- TheTrob

How do (does) the Steel get it’s players - some kind of draft? FAs? Some agreement with the CFL?

The whole junior system is a mystery to me - Canadian junior teams can draft young teens, can trade them, seemingly can treat them like pros except for the payment part (yes, I know they get some kind of stipend). Do the teens have any say in where they will play?

The “mob” is loud but it’s a minority of people. Socially my political views are decidedly left of center but I can see, like you, what is going on here. That said what happened to Beach was horrific and how it was swept under the rug was worse. The Blackhawks employed a guy who did the sweeping and now are left to pay the piper, as it were. I hope Rocky, through his lawyers, can delicately word his way saying what you did, that Beach and his lawyer are using his situation to score a big, make that massive payday.
- paulr

I agree with you that what Aldrich did to Beach was awful. What Gray did to make him feel guilty himself was no good. The Hawks, though, did get rid of the guy three weeks later. They should have suspended him right then, but they delayed until the Cup was won. I guess we can reasonably debate whether that is "sweeping it under the rug". For that three week delay, quite a few people lost their ability to earn future income in their profession.

Apparently, they didn't ever give Aldrich a recommendation, so it is hard to say they caused others to suffer.

The team did allow the perp his day with the Cup and put his name on it. Wrong, and stupid. But who did that damage? The goal of Beach's lawyers was to say "look how mean and insensitive these mean executives (and players, too) are". That puts pressure on the team to open the cash register. I see little evidence so far that Beach's action were about "doing the right thing". Every move was to line his pockets, imo. Of course, he could pledge to give most or all of his share of the settlement to abuse charities.

Rocky's recent efforts to satisfy the insatiable mob have made a fair settlement of the lawsuit (I know, phuck the lawsuit, say the insatiable) much harder. The cash was always what this was about for Beach.

He waited until his hockey career was over before "remembering" what happened eleven years earlier. He never went to the police himself, which would have given Aldrich a criminal record any future employer could have seen. He had at least as much ability to stop the monster as did the Hawks. He did nothing for eleven years.

His lawsuit was filed as John Doe. Why? He hoped for a big settlement without attention. If he were really advocating for the abused he should've put his name on it from the beginning and gone the TV route. Once the report came out and the Hawks responded to the mob, his lawyer puts him on TV. Could that be an effort to juice up the settlement?

The legal case had a huge statute of limitations hole in it (among other legal weaknesses). To get to the cash register they needed to put public relations pressure on the team. The mob has given great assistance in this regard, but the legal holes remain.

Hopefully, Rocky realizes that the mob cannot be satisfied and moves on. Offer a fair settlement, and go to trial if Beach asks for huge money.
- mohel

Spot on here.

Beachs lawyers, as well as Rocky's know that on a legal basis Beach does not have much standing. There is a line somewhere, not sure at exactly what amount, where if the ask is too much, Rocky says F-it lets go to court. Beachs adoring public can quickly be turned if a huge ask is made public. The 'poor victim' becomes the 'greedy' one at a certain point.

You are right...if this is a rebuild, then they have been doing it all wrong...you don't trade away 1st round picks during a rebuild and you don't trade for a goalie who undoubtedly will stay for 1 year only. You go with the youngsters, lose as much as you can and get high valuable 1st rounders.
- Chisoxhawk

Unless the plan was to go for it one last time with this group and start the rebuild/retool next year. They can jettison players at this TDL and next and be set up for the '23 draft and beyond. Maybe they sign Davidson and King to low-cost three-year deals, bring in a big name hockey ops guy and set a new five-year window.

How do (does) the Steel get it’s players - some kind of draft? FAs? Some agreement with the CFL?

The whole junior system is a mystery to me - Canadian junior teams can draft young teens, can trade them, seemingly can treat them like pros except for the payment part (yes, I know they get some kind of stipend). Do the teens have any say in where they will play?
- StLBravesFan

USHL teams get their players from a combination of a draft and from tryouts. There is a 2 phase draft each year. Phase I is for 'futures' players only which is u-17 kids eligible to play in the following season. Phase II is for all age eligible players who are not protected by another team. The whole process is explained here: https://www.ushl.com/draft

I agree with you that what Aldrich did to Beach was awful. What Gray did to make him feel guilty himself was no good. The Hawks, though, did get rid of the guy three weeks later. They should have suspended him right then, but they delayed until the Cup was won. I guess we can reasonably debate whether that is "sweeping it under the rug". For that three week delay, quite a few people lost their ability to earn future income in their profession.

Apparently, they didn't ever give Aldrich a recommendation, so it is hard to say they caused others to suffer.

The team did allow the perp his day with the Cup and put his name on it. Wrong, and stupid. But who did that damage? The goal of Beach's lawyers was to say "look how mean and insensitive these mean executives (and players, too) are". That puts pressure on the team to open the cash register. I see little evidence so far that Beach's action were about "doing the right thing". Every move was to line his pockets, imo. Of course, he could pledge to give most or all of his share of the settlement to abuse charities.
- mohel

In practice doing the right thing doesn’t enter the equation. This is a money grab. But how can that be proven?

As for sweeping it under the carpet, had McDonough notified the police at the time there wouldn’t be a secondary victim. So I’d argue yes it was not handled properly once Management was aware of the situation.

What’s more sad than Beach being sexually abused is Beach and his lawyers using the guise of being sympathetic to other sexually abused people when it’s not about that at all.

In practice doing the right thing doesn’t enter the equation. This is a money grab. But how can that be proven?

As for sweeping it under the carpet, had McDonough notified the police at the time there wouldn’t be a secondary victim. So I’d argue yes it was not handled properly once Management was aware of the situation.

What’s more sad than Beach being sexually abused is Beach and his lawyers using the guise of being sympathetic to other sexually abused people when it’s not about that at all.
- paulr

Damn that's cold. Glad you know exactly what it's all about

Damn that's cold. Glad you know exactly what it's all about
- BetweenTheDots

Ok, I’ll reword it. If and when Beach doesn’t give a large chunk of the settlement to a victims abuse charity, it’s all about a money grab with no thought to sexually abused people.

Agree with that?

Damn that's cold. Glad you know exactly what it's all about
- BetweenTheDots

Man you guys sure have turned on Beech quickly. Didn’t know the ‘he only wants money it was mostly his fault why didn’t XYZ happen?!?’ crowd of yesteryear was so alive and well. Board skews a little less empathetic than I thought.

And people wonder why victims don't want to go public, so many here vilify Beach. So sad.