[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by CliffFletcher

Only if you live in an alternate reality where highly drafted major junior players forego the first several years of their North American pro careers. Care to name some high-profile examples?...

How frequently do highly drafted US college players forego the first several years of their professional hockey careers? I think if you are going to make this argument then you need to ensure that the goalposts are in the same place. It seems to me that nearly every highly drafted player from both CHL and NCAA signs with his drafting team when a contract is offered, with very few exceptions.

Here is an exhaustive list of US-college-bound first-round draftees from the past five years:

2018: [Signed with his drafting team]—Brady Tkachuk, Quinn Hughes : [Not yet signed]—Oliver Wahlstrom, Joel Farabee, Jay O'Brien, K'Andre Miller : [Declined contract offer]—N/A

2017: [Signed with his drafting team]—Casey Mittelstadt, Jake Oettinger, Shane Bowers, Eeli Tolvanen (traded to Colorado and signed) : [Not yet signed]—Josh Norris : [Declined contract offer]—N/A

2016: [Signed with his drafting team]—Clayton Keller, Charlie McAvoy, Luke Kunin, Kieffer Bellows, Tage Thompson, Trent Frederic, Riley Tufte : [Not yet signed]—N/A : [Declined contract offer]—N/A

2015: [Signed with his drafting team]—Jack Eichel, Noah Hanifin, Zach Werenski, Kyle Connor, Colin White, Brock Boeser, Jack Roslovic : [Not yet signed]—N/A : [Declined contract offer]—N/A

2014: [Signed with his drafting team]—Dylan Larkin, Sonny Milano, Alex Tuch, Nick Schmaltz : [Not yet signed]—N/A : [Declined contract offer]—N/A