Changes to recruiting in college hockey?

[The Sicatoka]

Our resident college hockey reporter, BE Schlossman of the GF Herald, has a nice article about the possible changes to recruiting in college hockey.

http://www.grandforksherald.com/event/article/id/228555/

[The Sicatoka]

One simple change I'd like to see:

If a kid has played in the CHL (meaning the WHL, OHL, or QMJHL) and has not yet reached their 19th birthday they are still eligible for NCAA hockey without any sanction.

I pick that because if they aren't 19 yet they'd still be in high school if they hadn't gone off to play junior hockey.

Currently the NCAA views kids playing in the CHL as "getting benefits" or "being a professional" and thus they face sanction if they want to play in the NCAA. I wonder how many CHL players would like to leave the CHL for college after having gotten a taste of it for a year or two at 16 or 17 but can't.

Also, that change would also give pause to CHL teams looking to pluck guys from NCAA rosters.

[ScottM]

One simple change I'd like to see: If a kid has played in the CHL (meaning the WHL, OHL, or QMJHL) and has not yet reached their 19th birthday they are still eligible for NCAA hockey without any sanction.

That change might force the NC$$ to revisit the hypocrisy enshrined in its concept of "amateurism".

[Clghckyfan]

That change might force the NC$$ to revisit the hypocrisy enshrined in its concept of "amateurism".

If you are referring to the fact that NCAA schools are going to start paying a "Stipend" to players, I totally agree. When it comes down to it, the CHL is just paying a "Stipend" too so what is the difference. All of the sudden all D1 athletes will be ineligible by the NCAA's own rules. This definitely needs to be changed.

[JPDClinton]

It's not the stipend that removes the amateur status from the kids, it's that they play against other "professionals". The NCAA sees the players who have signed NHL contracts but have been reassigned to their CHL teams as being "professional" players, even though they haven't played a single game in the bigs.

If you can put up with the legal jargon, this is a good read:

http://law.shu.edu/Students/academics/journals/sports-entertainment/Issues/upload/Vol20_Bianchi_Formatted-2.pdf

[ScottM]

If you are referring to the fact that NCAA schools are going to start paying a "Stipend" to players, I totally agree. When it comes down to it, the CHL is just paying a "Stipend" too so what is the difference. All of the sudden all D1 athletes will be ineligible by the NCAA's own rules. This definitely needs to be changed.

I was actually taking a shot at the larger concept whereby the NC$$ rakes in millions of dollars as the result of student-athletes and then subjects them to near-serf status before and during college, and often sees fit to dig into their families' finances as well. Even the various Olympic committees have seen fit to abandon the fiction of the "amateur" athlete.

[GFG]

The only thing I don't agree with Hakstol wanting to do is the ability to start recruiting other teams players that have verbally committed. I fully support the idea of recruiting CHL players, though. It's only fair.

[siouxforce19]

The only thing I don't agree with Hakstol wanting to do is the ability to start recruiting other teams players that have verbally committed. I fully support the idea of recruiting CHL players, though. It's only fair.

That's not what he said. He talked about finding a middle ground. A complicated issue like that is not an either/or thing.

[tnt]

The only thing I don't agree with Hakstol wanting to do is the ability to start recruiting other teams players that have verbally committed. I fully support the idea of recruiting CHL players, though. It's only fair.

I believe Lucia is the one that has wanted that for years, while the other coaches have continued to hold fast to the "hands off" rule. I believe if the Big Ten goes to it, the other leagues are sure to follow.

[NDHockey]

It's not the stipend that removes the amateur status from the kids, it's that they play against other "professionals". The NCAA sees the players who have signed NHL contracts but have been reassigned to their CHL teams as being "professional" players, even though they haven't played a single game in the bigs.

If you can put up with the legal jargon, this is a good read:

http://law.shu.edu/S...Formatted-2.pdf

There are players in the CHL have played in the NHL. It's just that they are returned to their CHL team before they reach the 10 game limit.

[The Sicatoka]

There are players in the CHL have played in the NHL. It's just that they are returned to their CHL team before they reach the 10 game limit.

That's my point.

You have 16 year old kids playing against 20 years olds (some with 9 games in the NHL) and the 16 year old is considered a professional because of the 20 year old's experience?

[sagard]

I believe Lucia is the one that has wanted that for years, while the other coaches have continued to hold fast to the "hands off" rule. I believe if the Big Ten goes to it, the other leagues are sure to follow.

I don't think the Big Ten would support it either. Lucia has expressed frustration in the past about never getting a chance to recruit a player, because they commit before they are old enough to be contacted by a school. However Lucia has likely benifitted many times when he himself gets an early commit that never looked anywhere else.

Sounds like Urban Meyer is shaking up the "gentlemans" agreement in Big Ten football recruiting. So if at some point Big Ten football (SEC never has) no longer honors a verbal, other sports including Big Ten hockey would likely follow.

The NCAA if it gave a #$% about hockey would re-open the eligibility of Majors players. There is no acceptable reason that a kid that finishes high school shouldn't be able to re-evaluated his college descision at that point.

[GFG]

I believe Lucia is the one that has wanted that for years, while the other coaches have continued to hold fast to the "hands off" rule. I believe if the Big Ten goes to it, the other leagues are sure to follow.

I haven't heard Lucia say anything about supporting it, but if he does I still don't agree with it. I like that hockey is a sport that has a gentlemans agreement among the schools.

[GFG]

I don't think the Big Ten would support it either. Lucia has expressed frustration in the past about never getting a chance to recruit a player, because they commit before they are old enough to be contacted by a school. However Lucia has likely benifitted many times when he himself gets an early commit that never looked anywhere else.

Sounds like Urban Meyer is shaking up the "gentlemans" agreement in Big Ten football recruiting. So if at some point Big Ten football (SEC never has) no longer honors a verbal, other sports including Big Ten hockey would likely follow.

The NCAA if it gave a #$% about hockey would re-open the eligibility of Majors players. There is no acceptable reason that a kid that finishes high school shouldn't be able to re-evaluated his college descision at that point.

Big Ten football coaches met and said that they agreed there was technically no "gentlemans" agreement in their conference, but that coaches usually followed that anyways. Wisconsin's coach was just pissed he lost a recruit to Urban Meyer and that's why the whole thing got brought up.

[Goon]

The only thing I don't agree with Hakstol wanting to do is the ability to start recruiting other teams players that have verbally committed. I fully support the idea of recruiting CHL players, though. It's only fair.

That's kind of interesting since I believe that Lucia is all for recruiting players that are committed.

[Goon]

I don't think the Big Ten would support it either. Lucia has expressed frustration in the past about never getting a chance to recruit a player, because they commit before they are old enough to be contacted by a school. However Lucia has likely benifitted many times when he himself gets an early commit that never looked anywhere else.

He might want to be careful with that one. I could see teams in the area that could end up plucking a recruit that is verbaled to him as well.

Edited February 6, 2012 by Goon

[MNState0fHockey]

That's kind of interesting since I believe that Lucia is all for recruiting players that are committed.

Proof?

[petey23]

Proof?

I am not going to try and dig up a podcast since I don't remember which show and when....but I have heard Lucia on more than one occasion mention that he isn't a big fan of the gentlemen's agreement.....I honestly thought this was common knowledge, not breaking anything new here.

[sagard]

I am not going to try and dig up a podcast since I don't remember which show and when....but I have heard Lucia on more than one occasion mention that he isn't a big fan of the gentlemen's agreement.....I honestly thought this was common knowledge, not breaking anything new here.

I think your right. He honors it, but hates it when a player commits anywhere before he gets a chance to talk to them.

[patatoe]

I am not going to try and dig up a podcast since I don't remember which show and when....but I have heard Lucia on more than one occasion mention that he isn't a big fan of the gentlemen's agreement.....I honestly thought this was common knowledge, not breaking anything new here.

I know I have read it somewhere too.

I think it came up when there started to be a lot of conversation about how young kids were starting to commit to schools.

[watchmaker49]

I know I have read it somewhere too.

I think it came up when there started to be a lot of conversation about how young kids were starting to commit to schools.

Are you a relative of Dan Qualye's?

[tnt]

Proof?

http://ndgoon.blogsp...bal-verbal.html

Schlossman's article is no longer available, but there are quotes from the article in Goon's recap.

[Blackheart]

I am not going to try and dig up a podcast since I don't remember which show and when....but I have heard Lucia on more than one occasion mention that he isn't a big fan of the gentlemen's agreement.....I

Can't say that I am surprised by this but not really much of a fan of old Chia-pet anyway. Wonder what Guentzel's position on this? Won't he be taking over soon?

[siouxnews]

i hope coaches dont decide to start recruiting kids who have made verbal commitments. i really like the gentlemans rule in college hockey.

has there been any talk of what changes may be made to the NHLs CBA this fall? specifically about entry level contracts..?

[Wilbur]

I agree with the notion of allowing a kid to play college hockey after signing with a CHL team. Then again, college hockey doesn't make the NC$$ the money that basketball and football does.....they'll be fine with the status quo....

A kid from my hometown just signed a deal with a WHL team and he's only a Sophomore in high school. 16 years old and he's lost his amateur status....It could end up going really well for the kid, but at the same time what happens to him if he plays half a season, fizzles out, or gets hurt?

What does the CHL do in cases of severe injuries? I know they'll pay for a kids college for years completed in their league, but if you play two games and have a career ending injury, what do they do?