RW Oliver Wahlstrom - Boston College, NCAA (2018, 11th, NYI)

[KuralySnipes]

North Yarmouth Academy (NYA) ice hockey forward Oliver Wahlstrom (’19, Yarmouth) made a commitment to University of Maine head coach Red Gendron on Thursday morning, informing the staff that he will be a Black Bear in the fall of 2019. Wahlstrom represents the first player born in 2000 to commit to a NCAA Division 1 college for men’s ice hockey.


Wahlstrom, a 5’9 155lb seventh grader, earned a spot on the North Yarmouth Academy varsity team this past fall. NYA Head Coach Eric Graham has been impressed with Wahlstrom’s adjustment to prep school hockey. “Oliver is a very special player who has done well for us this year despite facing much older competition. His skating ability and ice awareness have allowed him to not only compete at the prep level, but get noticeably better in every game he’s played. His skill set is exceptional, and his approach to the game is mature well beyond his years. As serious as he is about hockey, he has a pure love of the sport which becomes clear whenever he steps on the ice. He loves scoring goals, and he loves having the puck on his stick. The University of Maine has landed a great talent and person in Oliver Wahlstrom. Congratulations to Oliver and his family,” said Graham.

http://www2.nya.org/blog/2014/01/owahlstrom/

Click to read more...

 

[GoAwayDanCleary]

Well that's stupid. The kid's 13 years old.

 

[3 Minute Minor]

Isn't this the kid who was doing the dekes in Boston?

Edit: Oh I guess I should have clicked the link huh?

 

[KuralySnipes]

Isn't this the kid who was doing the dekes in Boston?

Yes, it is.

 

[Leviathan]

Wow, first noticed in 2009. Maybe some of those silly youtube videos of really young players will actually amount to something.

Oliver Wahlstrom v Mathias Emilio Petersen in 2018???

 

[alko]

Huh, did i miss something? who is this kid? Next "Next One"?

 

[JJTT]

Huh, did i miss something? who is this kid? Next "Next One"?

This kid.

 

[Mutagenesis]

This kid.

What the ******* was that?!

 

[Garo]

Hey, he's bigger than Desharnais.

 

[tony d]

Boy do I feel old when you're talking potential players committing to university who where born in the same year I graduated high school. Whatever the case I wish him the best of luck.

 

[TieClark]

How does a player that isn't even in high school yet commit to a post secondary school? Are they going to honour this if he's putting up a 50 average?

 

[Ozamataz Buckshank]

How does a player that isn't even in high school yet commit to a post secondary school? Are they going to honour this if he's putting up a 50 average?

I don't know about college hockey, but in basketball and football for most schools it doesn't matter how your grades are, they'll make sure you get in. Hell there was a report of a college football player who couldn't read.

 

[King'sPawn]

I don't know about college hockey, but in basketball and football for most schools it doesn't matter how your grades are, they'll make sure you get in. Hell there was a report of a college football player who couldn't read.

That's not really an indication of how old the football player is. He could be 19, 20, 21...

 

[Bjorn Le]

NCAA teams do this because they're scared of the CHL taking them, so they want a player committed as early as possible.

Doesn't work

 

[3 Minute Minor]

His dad went to U of Maine so it's less surprising. They're using it to get some publicity, even if he gets cut a week into the 2019 season, people will be talking about him & U of Maine for years now lol

I remember hearing a kid around this age who was an early star football player committing to an NCAA school.

 

[TieClark]

I don't know about college hockey, but in basketball and football for most schools it doesn't matter how your grades are, they'll make sure you get in. Hell there was a report of a college football player who couldn't read.

I've heard of high schools basically giving the kids free marks for no reason but the college's need to maintain a certain level of academic respectability.

 

[vadim sharifijanov]

this is pretty meaningless right? i mean, if the kid stagnates or doesn't grow or hurts his knee and never comes back 100% the team can always welsh right? and as far as i can tell, nothing stopping the kid from going to the CHL.

 

[The Macho King]

I've heard of high schools basically giving the kids free marks for no reason but the college's need to maintain a certain level of academic respectability.

Lol... this a joke?

 

[Jyrki]

Sad. Kid might not even want to play hockey by then.

 

[FrozenJagrt]

Lol... this a joke?

He's not wrong. It happens all the time with star athletes in high school. Teachers will just give out better grades so the kid can play in the big game against the cross town rival, things like that.

 

[Hockeyfrilla]

swedish!!

 

[Romang67]

He's gonna be sorry once someone introduces him to the Stephen King novels...

 

[Leviathan]

NCAA teams do this because they're scared of the CHL taking them, so they want a player committed as early as possible.

Doesn't work

Well, the agreement means this school has first crack at getting him to fully commit (I believe) which is really all they can do at this stage.

 

[seafoam]

Lol... this a joke?

It's not a joke. I know of high schools that gave their student-athletes passing grades because of their post-secondary commitments.

 

[Patmac40]

this is pretty meaningless right? i mean, if the kid stagnates or doesn't grow or hurts his knee and never comes back 100% the team can always welsh right? and as far as i can tell, nothing stopping the kid from going to the CHL.

If an NHL team drafts an 18 year old kid he might now ever play for the organization let alone get signed. There are out clauses to big NCAA contracts which would protect him and the university.