Quote:
Originally Posted by oldschoolcalgary
I think its a bit of a mischaracterization to say that staying in college is the easy choice as opposed to signing early.
the fact of the matter is that Fox is one of the few guys that have done this and go on to become stars...most of the other college UFAs are guys that were undrafted and blossomed in college.
College players do give something up - 4 years of earnings and jumping to your second contract when you are 22...
For top end guys like Fox, he probably walked away from 2-4 million dollars and shortened his NHL earning years by 3... there's not too many guys that are willing to sit on a lottery ticket like that, knowing all it takes is a freak injury to take that all away.
|
I don't think he was NHL, or even AHL, ready for at least the first couple of years after he was drafted, so it's unlikely he actually lost those years. Signing him would have been a detriment to the player (immediate money, but potential development issues). That is one of the main factors here. If a player is a few years off, as most 3rd rounders are, by the time they reach the level where they are ready, they don't have to wait long to become a free agent. Maybe he lost a year.
A player that signs an ELC at 22 only has to sign a 2-year deal, so that also potentially makes up for it.