Quote:
Originally Posted by devo22
Players who used the "Schultz loophole" (going to NCAA a year late and become UFA after 3 NCAA years):
Blake Wheeler in 2008
Jason Gregoire in 2011
Blake Kessel in 2011
Justin Schultz in 2012
Players who didn't want to sign with their clubs and had their rights traded:
Bill Sweatt in 2010
Tim Erixon in 2011
Corban Knight in 2013
so that's 7 players in 7 years (that I'm aware of) plus Hayes ... how many draft picks have signed with the team that drafted them during the same time frame? Must be a few hundred I'm sure. Still don't see how this has become more common or a problem. Those players are the exception, not the rule.
Plus I still don't get the Gaudreau paranoia ... as in "what were people anxious about exactly?". He could neither use the Schultz loophole nor turn UFA within the next 16 months.
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I'm not going to get into a discussion of semantics on who or how many people were anxious about Johnny opting to take his final year of college and walk to FA on Aug 15, 2015. It was blatantly obvious all over all facets of fan forums, media, and hockey outlets. It was a household discussion here on CP for the last week, and in spots over the last 2 years.
As for the problem, you've provided a nice sample size to the problem (3 of which chose not to sign with their club in 2011). One a year is a trending problem, enough to provide reactionary response, regardless of % of college athletes that choose to do so. It doesn't negate the fact that the option is becoming more glaringly obvious to both the player and the clubs that draft them.
Agree to disagree, I'm not going to change your mind, nor will you change mine. Different perspectives.