College Hockey On The Rise

[Eddie_Shack]

College hockey becoming bigger pipeline to NHL - USATODAY.com


The percentage of college hockey players in the NHL is on the rise. I wonder if a lot of that has to do with the new drafting rules, allowing teams to hold on to their draft picks' rights for four years if they stay in college. A lot more teams are taking chances on college hockey players knowing they can hold on to them for the whole four years without signing them to a contract.

Also, looks like LA Kings GM Dean Lombardi was right. Only 17 active players in the NHL? Shame on you Red Berenson. That's why I'm sending my kids to Ferris State.

 

[SLY]

I've begun to follow college hockey... It's actually very entertaining. I especially enjoy the Beanpot Tournament between BC, BU, Harvard and Northeastern.

 

[Eddie_Shack]

I've begun to follow college hockey... It's actually very entertaining. I especially enjoy the Beanpot Tournament between BC, BU, Harvard and Northeastern.

Friday night baby, Michigan-Ohio State!

 

[SLY]

Not much TV coverage though

 

[Eddie_Shack]

Not much TV coverage though

Do you get the Big Ten Network or your local Fox Sports affiliate? BTN usually has a game or two on a week, as does FS. I've got MSU-Ferris coming up this week and then U of M-OSU Friday. I haven't checked the schedule after that, but there's usually a weekend game on as well.

 

[SLY]

Sometimes I get Quinnipiac and the Boston area schools on NESN. But I never see other colleges on TV in my area. I never really check Fox Sprts though, and I dont think I have the Big Ten Network.

 

[Eddie_Shack]

Check Fox Sports, I know FSD usually does a game or two a week. Sometimes I scan the other sports channels too, they black out most games but occasionally there will be a rerun or a game that is inexplicably not blacked out. Altitude seems like a good bet for that if you have it.

 

[Automattic]

We go to games all the time. Auto says you should too!

 

[Destroydacre]

I think the reason more college players are drafted now is for no other reason than American players on the whole are better than they used to be. College Hockey in the US is mostly made up of American players, almost every Canadian player will stay in Canada and play in the CHL. But as the popularity of hockey has grown, more players play it, thus you get better players. I wouldn't say that the US has caught Canada in terms of producing stars or even NHL players, I think it's pretty easy to say that Canada still is the leading producer by far, but I do think it's fair to say that the talent gap between Canada and the US when it comes to hockey has shrunk over what it used to be.

 

[Eddie_Shack]

I think the reason more college players are drafted now is for no other reason than American players on the whole are better than they used to be. College Hockey in the US is mostly made up of American players, almost every Canadian player will stay in Canada and play in the CHL. But as the popularity of hockey has grown, more players play it, thus you get better players. I wouldn't say that the US has caught Canada in terms of producing stars or even NHL players, I think it's pretty easy to say that Canada still is the leading producer by far, but I do think it's fair to say that the talent gap between Canada and the US when it comes to hockey has shrunk over what it used to be.

The quality and depth of US talent certainly are increasing... the US still has yet to produce elite players at the level of Canada. Right now our best two are Kane and Parise... stacked up against Stamkos and Crosby, we can't really hold a candle. The depth is there though, and I think Bogosian and E. Johnson are going to give American defensemen a good name down the road too.

 

[Automattic]

Sometimes I get Quinnipiac and the Boston area schools on NESN. But I never see other colleges on TV in my area. I never really check Fox Sprts though, and I dont think I have the Big Ten Network.

I just met the sister of one of the goalies for the Quinnipiac womens team last month. She saw my Wings hat and asked if anybody else around here knew anything about hockey.

 

[jstewismybastardson]

College Hockey in the US is mostly made up of American players, almost every Canadian player will stay in Canada and play in the CHL.

I read an article about Joe Nieuwendyk saying when he went to college ... his entire team was canadian players. This doesnt happen anymore thanks to more american kids playing hockey

but i definitely wouldnt say every cdn kid wants to stay in Canada and play CHL. Tier 2 leagues across Canada are flourishing with more of the elite players choosing the ncaa route ... fewer spots for them down there though so its really cutthroat for cdn guys getting scholarships. I cant speak for teh entire chl but the whl has seen this "problem" and improved their scholarship opportunites for players

 

[sabresfaninthesouth]

You're getting more foreign born players that are coming to study and play in the US these days too.

Not so much from countries like Russia, Sweden, Czech Republic, or other overseas hockey powerhouses since they have their own domestic leagues (or the KHL), but from other countries where hockey isn't much of an option.

It's great to see these guys have a real opportunity to make it to the NHL. They've got the talent, but in the past were losing out on the opportunity to show it since they didn't come from a hockey country.

 

[HammerDown]