Sejna

[Superman0099]

I've watched the last couple of Blues games and I haven't seen Sejna at all, I thought he was going to play in the playoffs?

[schmidtdoggydog]

Like Hale and Stevenson, Senja is not eligible for the playoffs because he wasn't signed before the NHL trade deadline.

[MinnesotaNorthStar]

Stevenson is also not eligable because the Sharks didn't make the playoffs. I think Sejna will see quite a bit of time with the Blues next year, or he'll be ripping up the AHL with Panzer and John Pohl for the Worcester IceCats.

Here's a question for the Gopher fans...will Riddle be joining the others in Worcester by signing this summer?...or will he comeback for his senior season, personally I think he'll stay.

[JMB]

Here's a question for the Gopher fans...will Riddle be joining the others in Worcester by signing this summer?...or will he comeback for his senior season, personally I think he'll stay.

I can't see Riddle playing pro hockey right now. He needs to get more size before he's ready. He's shown his ability to skate and score, but for really only this last season. I think he comes back next year to play for MN.

[ScottM]

Riddle is probably my favorite player on the Minnesota squad. I think there may be a remote, outside chance he'd go this summer.

I've never been convinced that another year in NCAA hockey is any better for a player's development than time in the AHL. Doesn't matter if it's Panzer, Bayda, Roche, Heatley, Cullen, Pohl, Taffe, Senja or anybody else who left early or stayed for their degree. The level of competition is higher in that league, the schedule and training is similar to an NHL club, hockey is your main focus and you're playing for your chance to make the Big Show. Getting called up and sent down gives you more exposure to the coaches than cursory checks from scouts at the college level. I'd submit that there is probably no correlation between a player staying for four years or leaving early for a stint in the AHL that could not be explained by individual talent, drive, hard work and plain luck. One benefit for the clubs is that the player develops on the school's dime. The downside is that if a player's chances of playing in the NHL for an extended career are remote anyway as is generally the case, he's probably not doing himself any favors by "gaming the system" and trying to leverage his position by staying in school for another season.

[sprig]

I've never been convinced that another year in NCAA hockey is any better for a player's development than time in the AHL. Getting called up and sent down gives you more exposure to the coaches than cursory checks from scouts at the college level. I'd submit that there is probably no correlation between a player staying for four years or leaving early for a stint in the AHL that could not be explained by individual talent, drive, hard work and plain luck.

I agree with you Scott. Never quite understood each teams' fans arguing that a player "is not ready yet." If the money is good, their developement in the AHL is a step above the developement in college hockey. Couple that with the extra years of compounding your million dollar investments, the sooner those bucks go to work for the young player, the more it's worth 30 years down the road. Compounding those kind of bucks 3-4 years longer is an awesome amount of money. Not that many 19-20 year olds wouldn't just blow it

Don't doubt that several more players will be gone from college hockey before the summer is over.

[MinnesotaNorthStar]

I disagree...I think that staying the extra year or two in college makes the transition to the AHL and eventually the NHL easier. There are of course exceptions like Dany Heatley, who the way he's playing now didn't really need college. Staying gives you more time to build muscle, speed, and other skills. However, with the type of cash being thrown at guys today...who can blame them.

[flatspin7]

I am sure Hale, Senja, and Stevenson got rather healthy contracts thrown at them. Senja was probably highly sought after and I am sure will not have to worry about money for the next few years. I know the Devils offered Hale a the biggest contract ever to a first round pick (Million + ??)

Wouldnt you leave school if some one was going to pay you a million dollars to do what your good at? I would.... Any one want to pay me to fly an airplane?? I need a job

[MinnesotaNorthStar]

Any one want to pay me to fly an airplane?? I need a job

Me too, though I will graduate next year...maybe we could fly the Devils around, I'd change my Eastern Conferece team (currently Buffalo....quiet, They were my team since the North Stars got stolen from us) to the Devils if they gave me a job as their pilot:)...maybe Hale can put in a good word for us

[JMB]

I agree with you Scott. Never quite understood each teams' fans arguing that a player "is not ready yet." If the money is good, their developement in the AHL is a step above the developement in college hockey. Couple that with the extra years of compounding your million dollar investments, the sooner those bucks go to work for the young player, the more it's worth 30 years down the road. Compounding those kind of bucks 3-4 years longer is an awesome amount of money. Not that many 19-20 year olds wouldn't just blow it

Don't doubt that several more players will be gone from college hockey before the summer is over.

Sure, for the player it's a great investment to have that money compounding year after year, rather than going to school and playing college hockey.

But let's remember, pro contracts are a two-way street. A player can't just say "I'm going pro" and guarantee himself the contract he wants. If the club doesn't feel he's ready, they don't have to offer him a contract to sign - it's not as if they'd lose his rights.

As far as developing in college, I would say that the majority of the players that play college hockey and do make it to the pros, significantly develop during their time at their chosen University. Since that is the case, with the current cash strapped NHL that we have in existence today, why wouldn't a club let a player develop for free in college?

I agree with the notion that a player will develop more in AHL hockey vs. college hockey, but I don't think it's the extreme difference that were making it out to be. If it was, guys wouldn't succeed at all (at least at first) when they went from college to AHL hockey. The fact is, players who are good in college, tend to be good in the AHL, and players who are great in college, tend to be great in the AHL (at least before they jump to the NHL).

Plus, how often do you really think the NHL coach and GM are actively watching games played by the AHL club? Probably no more than they watch games where there players are playing in college hockey. How many AHL games have you seen on TV lately? I know that more college games are aired than AHL games on an annual basis (at least in the Twin Cities).

[ScottM]

But let's remember, pro contracts are a two-way street. A player can't just say "I'm going pro" and guarantee himself the contract he wants. If the club doesn't feel he's ready, they don't have to offer him a contract to sign - it's not as if they'd lose his rights.

If a player doesn't like the club who's drafted him, he can go MJ or to Europe for a year and then try to come back as a free agent or re-enter the draft, unless the rules changed. That said, most clubs won't drop $$$ on a player unless it's a mutual decision. Once he gets into the system, coaches from the big club, GMs and coaches from the farm teams regularly discuss each player's progress. A college player or one who's been drafted but is playing MJ generally doesn't get scoped except by scouts.

Certain players make it through the farm system pretty quickly and earn a spot up top without many problems, such as Dany Heatley. Others linger for years, and that's where they may stay. Besides, I think an 80 game schedule and the level of competition more closely mimics NHL play than does a typical college schedule and the routine of college life. Consequently, I have no qualms about somebody like Bayda or Hale leaving early if they think their chances are better of making it to the big show by gutting it out in the AHL. I just don't buy the standard "if he stays in college he'll be better off in the NHL" than if he leaves for the farm team early. That's nothing but self-indulgent homerism of the highest order. Let the kid reach for the ring when it's best for them.

[flatspin7]

I don't know how much better a player like Hale, Bayda, or Sejna would have gotten playing in the WCHA. In Sejna's case he ran around everybody all year long. It didnt make any sense for him to stay. He was obviously the best player in College hockey and had nothing to gain. Bayda was a similar case but he obviosly never dominated like Sejna did. Hale was kind of a wild card but depending on his health he could see some time in the NHL next year.

The Devils have so D-men that are getting up there in years Daneyko, Stevens and Albelin are all rapidly approaching 40 years of age. While Stevens doesnt show it (he rules all ) Knowing the Devils I doubt that they would have signed Hale to a juicy contract if they didnt think he would be capable of playing in the NHL. Why would the Devs pay for a year of Development that UND could do for free?

The AHL takes the development that a player gets in the upper NCAA ranks (H-E, WCHA, CCHA) to another level. They play almost double the number of games at a level just below the NHL a player. Just like Juniors takes a High School player and elevates him to a college level, the AHL takes a College player/ Major Junior player and elevates him to the NHL. There are the rare talents that come out of the college or Major Junior ranks and make an impact on the pros with out any AHL season but those guys are rare.