Success of College Free Agents in the NHL since the Lockout

[Knut]

http://eyeonthesens.com/2012/08/10/f...t-lockout-nhl/

This shows the real lack of quality players plucked out of College Free agency.

Andy Greene, Tyler Bozak, Matt Read and Teddy Purcell are the best of the bunch by far.


It is amazing to me that people are getting so upset about missing out on these "gems" due to not having enough contract spots. The most recent example is signing Danny Taylor and moving to 48 contracts. It is a great way to supplement drafting, but should not be seen as somehow "handcuffing" the organization.

[Brannigans Law]

Counting down until Oiler fans swarm in.

[AR_Six]

Tanev and Wingels look to have decent careers in front of them.

Powe and Shannon have also been able to stick with teams over the years.

I agree with your main point but if you can get a roster player, even though not likely a real "impact" guy, out of a college free agent it's like found money.

[Knut]

^ Sure. But it is not like you should have room to pick up more than 1 or 2 guys a season. Not even sure you would be able to. A lot of these guys are overhyped, signed to max ELC deals with bonus' and looking for assured spots on the roster.

[Alberta_Beef]

that Conacher kid is looking pretty damn good too

[Canada 02]

It's like a free draft pick, and all it cost you is a two way contract

at the very least, you add organizational depth

[Knut]

Yeah.. didint include this year. looks to be about one hit per year with some years having no hits.

[SuperMatt18]

Conacher spent a whole year in the AHL first without an NHL contract before this season. Not really sure he is a good example.

[Phanuthier]

Originally Posted by Hesla

Yeah.. didint include this year. looks to be about one hit per year with some years having no hits.

In general, UFA's to be signed both Europe and Collage right?
2 names for this year will be Justin Schultz and Roman Cervenka

[Knut]

http://eyeonthesens.com/2012/07/09/t...es-to-the-nhl/

Here are Euro UFAs. Once again a few gems (Backstrom, Niemi). Mostly bad.

[boggledepot]

If memory serves, Martin St. Louis, Curtis Glencross, Dan Boyle, and Brian Rafalski (I think he had to sign in Europe) were all college free agents.

[boggledepot]

Originally Posted by boggledepot

If memory serves, Martin St. Louis, Curtis Glencross, Dan Boyle, and Brian Rafalski (I think he had to sign in Europe) were all college free agents.

Whoops missed that lockout part. I suppose saying, "I was referring to the first lockout" would be a load of crap.

[Knut]

Kunitz and Penner also were college free agents from before the lockout.

[Canada 02]

having an open contract available allows the college UFA to sign, play as little as one game, burning the first year of their ELC. That is something the player wants - it is an incentive to sign

Using JT Brown as an example, he signed with the Lightning, played just 5 games last April, is currently in the 2nd year of his two year contract, and will be an RFA this summer.

His contract has a bunch of bonuses in it, but the only real dollars spent on him was $92,500 signing bonus x2, NHL salary for the 5 games played (about $55,000) and his AHL salary this season ($70,000)

So the Lighning bought a prospect for $310K - pretty small investment

[Phanuthier]

Originally Posted by Canada 02

having an open contract available allows the college UFA to sign, play as little as one game, burning the first year of their ELC. That is something the player wants - it is an incentive to sign

Using JT Brown as an example, he signed with the Lightning, played just 5 games last April, is currently in the 2nd year of his two year contract, and will be an RFA this summer.

His contract has a bunch of bonuses in it, but the only real dollars spent on him was $92,500 signing bonus x2, NHL salary for the 5 games played (about $55,000) and his AHL salary this season ($70,000)

So the Lighning bought a prospect for $310K - pretty small investment

Exactly. They are like draft picks, a lot of the time they don't amount to much, but when resources are marginal supply, you want every advantage you can get to acquire these resources.

[calgARI]

This kind of a misleading topic because the idea of college free agents are players who flew under the radar and took longer to develop than the most glamorous guys who were higher draft picks. There are plenty of college players who are low draft picks and never signed by the team that drafted them like Matt Moulson for instance.

The perception of "college free agents" should go beyond the surface of just the undrafted and definitely beyond the guys who make the jump right to the NHL. How many players actually make the jump directly to the NHL from any league? So Conacher should definitely count in the same group even if he spent a year in the AHL without a contract. Look at St. Louis who played years with several organizations before actually making it.

There are more quality college players than ever, especially those guys who take a little longer to develop.

[Enoch Root]

Schultz doesn't really apply to this conversation. He was a drafted, but unsigned, free agent.

[craig.caulks]

Did Burrows get an NCAA diving scholarship then sign as an undrafted UFA?

[craig.caulks]

Originally Posted by boggledepot

Whoops missed that lockout part. I suppose saying, "I was referring to the first lockout" would be a load of crap.

Same here, was going to mention Rene Bourque.