While true, you simply cant be doing that. If Power gets injured badly enough, he just threw his career away and for what; to get drunk on weekends with his friends?
Life experiences are cool and amount to great memories but paying the bills and making millions for your future family is far far greater
if he goes back to Michigan hes a grade-A moron
How many catastrophic injuries have happened in college hockey? You make it seem like a Travis Roy situation happens all the time. If Power were a draft eligible running back or pitcher, then I can understand those injury rates being a consideration. Jon Merrill could have turned pro after his sophomore year but he decided to go back for his junior year. He got boarded in a preseason game and missed half the season, but I don't think that really threw his career trajectory that off course.
Noah Hanifin turned pro after being drafted as a freshman while former teammate Zach Werenski went back for his sophomore year. The extra year arguably helped Werenski clean up some warts in his defensive game and their career earnings are pretty comparable up to this point (Werenski will likely earn more after his next deal).
There's a certain mentality thing with Canadians who go the NCAA route instead of the CHL. For better or worse, they usually go the college route not expecting to leave after their freshman years. Dany Heatley was the #2 pick in 2000 (and was older due to the rules at the time) but decided to go back to Wisconsin over playing immediately for Atlanta. Jonathan Toews was the 3rd overall pick in 2006 and went back to North Dakota. Toews had a very memorable WJC and led North Dakota back to the Frozen Four.
I don't see it being that big a deal if Power decides to go back. He'd be getting the same contract in July 2021 as he would April 2022, Buffalo wouldn't pull a Houston/Brady Aiken if Power tore an ACL. He'd delay his next contract by a year, but not having a potential gong show year on your resume might be a positive with his next contract negotiations. Alex Pietrangelo stayed an extra two years (granted that was a team decision) in the CHL after being drafted but I think he's doing okay financially compared to say Zach Bogosian who was picked a spot ahead of him and was forced into the NHL as an 18 year old.
One of my favorite game experiences was watching a Michigan game at Yost in 2012. It's not just partying with friends, but little things like getting to play in front of a packed house that didn't get to happen last year. If it were me, I could totally understand the allure of:
- Having a normal year of college
- Getting a chance at a National Title with a stacked team
- Getting a chance at WJC gold with the tournament in Canada
- Still signing in April 2022
vs.
- Spending 2021-22 with an NHL club that might be undergoing a huge makeover and would probably be in the cellar
- Making 925K + performance bonuses that would be tough for a defenseman to achieve on a bad team