Quote:
Originally Posted by btimbit
The difference though is an NCAA player has added incentive to wait, and that's to finish school. CHL and Euro players don't get that bonus.
Finishing school is a great incentive, I just wish it didn't waste a pick for whatever team drafted them.
I'm sure I've said it before but I'd like to see one extra year before a drafted player goes free agent. That way a player can finish school if they want, without the pressure of being a free agent. Then if they really do want to be a free agent they have to go play in europe for a year or something
|
The real difference is that you can't sign the player and send him back to NCAA. The Flames for example can sign Zavgorodniy out of the QMJHL and send him back there next year (or even have him go over to Europe and play).
If the Flames were to try to sign Pettersen who's playing NCAA, he can't play there anymore. So to sign him - you either have to decide he's ready to play in the AHL or have him agree to switch teams to play junior for a year (and also tick off the NCAA schools who may tell their players to avoid your team). So by the time the Flames seriously start to negotiate with him after his second year, he's two years away from free agency and may decide to wait it out.