Quote:
Originally Posted by blankall
McKenna is not forgoing 4 years of NHL play to get a college degree just so he can pick which team he wants to go to. At the end of the day, if McKenna really wants out of where he's drafted, he can just pressure the team to trade him or sign deals in ways that let the team know he is going to walk for nothing at the first opportunity. See Matthew Tkachuk.
Adam Fox was a 3rd round pick, and a d-man, who wasn't going to start his career in the NHL right away. McKenna would be losing huge amounts of cash to wait things out in the NCAA. Plus, who knows, maybe he gets injured there or has another health issue. Nothing is a guarantee, even at the first overall pick. McKenna 100% signs and plays right away.
|
He may want to make his mark sooner rather then later, start getting NHL stats etc. I believe they still have to sign an entry level deal after 4 years, but I think its only for 1 or 2 years?(again not certain) so that may play a role in the decision.
Obviously top athletes in College are football and basketball, again not arguing that.
https://www.si.com/college-basketbal...-via-nil-deals
Olivia Dunne is on this list at 4.1 million gymnastics and she wasn't even the best gymnast, she was an alternate for a lot of her time at LSU. (I also get her gymnastic skills are also not the reason for the majority of her followers)
But looking at the list it really doesn't look like it would be that hard for someone like McKenna to make 1 mil plus at a school with a good hockey program and a following. I don't think he would be giving up much money.
looking at getting 4 years of stats, think about if Bedard had gone this route and then after his 4 years are up picked Toronto, Florida, Edmonton. Nuggent Hopkins had 100 point season in Edmonton, I would think Bedard could top that, so it wouldn't take too many seasons to probably jump ahead in the stat line over 4 years of 60-80 point seasons.
NIL is just getting started, I am not saying it is 100% going to be an issue with McKenna just that in the future it could be, and who knows. The money was a big factor when they couldn't make money in the NCAA but they can now, and IMO it may become a problem in the future.