Duchene commits to Michigan State

Juan

Registered User
Apr 30, 2002
606
0
Visit site
Duchene will play for the Central Ontario Wolves Minor Midget AAA team.

Just because he's "verbally committed" this means nothing until he steps on the ice @ MSU.

He's a great player, definately a better skater than Tavares might have better moves but his sniping abilities are not on the same level. That being said he's still an incredible hockey player.

He could very well go number 1 this year in the OHL Draft. I think you'll see him in the O.

Look at some former verbally committed guys like AJ Jenks, Sam Gagner etc.

I think it's up to Duchene and his family to make this decision and I don't think a final decision will be made until the end of this year. This is just a ploy to show that he is taking MSU as an option, good for him.

Saying that Player A isn't sincere in committing to a school because Players B and C changed their minds is specious reasoning.

I would guess that over 90% of the players who commit to a specific school (as opposed to merely saying, "I'm playing college hockey" or "I've narrowed it down to a couple of schools"), INCLUDING high-end Canadian players like Duchene, end up attending that school.

Not picking on you, ktown, as a lot of posters seem to want to liken Duchene to Jenks and Gagne without much to substantiate the comparison, other than they are all good players.
 

VOB

Registered User
Feb 27, 2002
1,692
0
Michigan
Visit site

VOB

Registered User
Feb 27, 2002
1,692
0
Michigan
Visit site
I wonder which team he would "prefer" to get drafted by.

Well in all seriousness he probably is sincere in his intent of playing for State as of now.

When the offers start pouring in and the kid realizes he has the potential to play in the NHL as a 18 or 19 year old, me thinks that MSU will be nothing but a distant memory.

If he does accelerate, however, his chances of playing for State greatly increase but I really do think that his commitment isn't set in stone and his prefered OHL club can certainly change his mind.
 

DaaaaB's

Registered User
Apr 24, 2004
8,264
1,839
As for your might 84's, well tell me are Potulny, Parse, Collins, Sterling, McGreggor and Statsney that much better than Radulov, Schremp, Wolski, Brule, Brouwer, Brassard??? Older....sure, further along on their peronal development track....yeah but are they that much better???????
No they are not. I would put up a team of the top CHL players against those guys any day. Half of those NCAA players listed will be lucky to ever be regular's in the show. Hell, the NCAA all-star team usually has trouble beating the Canadian University all star team. Just because the players are older doesn't mean they are better. Just look at the star players in the NHL from NA for the past 15 years to see which route is better. A majority of them played in the CHL. There's nothing wrong with the NCAA but there is no doubt in my mind that the CHL is a better route to take.
 

PMP5030

Registered User
Apr 25, 2004
321
0
RIGHT BEHIND YOU
No they are not. I would put up a team of the top CHL players against those guys any day. Half of those NCAA players listed will be lucky to ever be regular's in the show. Hell, the NCAA all-star team usually has trouble beating the Canadian University all star team.


Will you please get a clue about what you're talking about before you post? There is no "NCAA all-star team", and they don't play "the Canadian University all star team".

In fact, NCAA teams regularly schedule exhibition games at the beginning of the season against Canadien University teams, and the top programs in the NCAA usually beat the snot out of them. Even the worst NCAA teams rarely lose. Part of it is due to the CU teams playing under some different rules than they're used to, but for the most part it's because you have guys who in the top programs have a shot at going on to a professional career at some level (NCAA) vs guys who have already been shown that they're at the end of their competitive career (CU Major Junior washouts).
 

Habnot

Registered User
Feb 28, 2002
3,362
465
Visit site
It's his option to go wherever he wants. Maybe he IS planning on playing at least 1 year in the NCAA? Maybe he is planning on accelerating his education and going to the NCAA a year early?

Who knows at this point? But to say it's a bad route for an elite prospect is just Pejorative Slured.

I guess Erik Johnson is making a huge mistake then.

Players go to the NCAA for different reasons, education, life experience, frat parties etc. On a hockey note, the only situation to opt for college that makes sense is if a player is physical underdeveloped, such as David Fischer. They definitely have more time to properly build muscle mass since there isn't as much games or travel. You need rest to properly add muscle mass and the CHL is not the place.

As fot the two Johnsons, both could play in the NHL today. Their decision to go to the NCAA was purely life-style choice.
 

VOB

Registered User
Feb 27, 2002
1,692
0
Michigan
Visit site
Will you please get a clue about what you're talking about before you post? There is no "NCAA all-star team", and they don't play "the Canadian University all star team".

In fact, NCAA teams regularly schedule exhibition games at the beginning of the season against Canadien University teams, and the top programs in the NCAA usually beat the snot out of them. Even the worst NCAA teams rarely lose. Part of it is due to the CU teams playing under some different rules than they're used to, but for the most part it's because you have guys who in the top programs have a shot at going on to a professional career at some level (NCAA) vs guys who have already been shown that they're at the end of their competitive career (CU Major Junior washouts).

Actually between 1998 and 2000, CIAU all star teams played their NCAA counter-parts and if my memory serves me right, the series ended up in a tie.

Yes, most NCAA teams do beat their CIS opponents but there are many CIS teams that are improving and can handle NCAA teams.
 

WesternCollegeHockey

Registered User
Jul 13, 2006
603
1
Actually between 1998 and 2000, CIAU all star teams played their NCAA counter-parts and if my memory serves me right, the series ended up in a tie.

Calling those NCAA teams an "all-star team" is a huge stretch. Because of NCAA rules, only players that had already graduated could play in those games, and even then, players that went to the NHL or AHL after their college season ended weren't able to play either.

The reason those games weren't more popular is that nobody had ever heard of most of the American guys that were playing in the game.
 

Hunter Gathers

The Crown
Feb 27, 2002
106,463
11,444
parts unknown
Players go to the NCAA for different reasons, education, life experience, frat parties etc. On a hockey note, the only situation to opt for college that makes sense is if a player is physical underdeveloped, such as David Fischer. They definitely have more time to properly build muscle mass since there isn't as much games or travel. You need rest to properly add muscle mass and the CHL is not the place.

As fot the two Johnsons, both could play in the NHL today. Their decision to go to the NCAA was purely life-style choice.

Or the simple fact that they feel going the NCAA route will better help them prepare for the NHL.
 

VOB

Registered User
Feb 27, 2002
1,692
0
Michigan
Visit site
Calling those NCAA teams an "all-star team" is a huge stretch. Because of NCAA rules, only players that had already graduated could play in those games, and even then, players that went to the NHL or AHL after their college season ended weren't able to play either.

The reason those games weren't more popular is that nobody had ever heard of most of the American guys that were playing in the game.

Hmmm, wasn't aware that players like Marty Turco, B. Sloan and Hall Gill (among others) were no name players to most U.S. college hockey fans......how sad:shakehead
 

college hockey

Registered User
Jun 8, 2004
653
0
Maine
Hmmm, wasn't aware that players like Marty Turco, B. Sloan and Hall Gill (among others) were no name players to most U.S. college hockey fans......how sad:shakehead
There were a few good players on the NCAA teams,but most were not so called All Stars they just happened to be seniors. Using Hal Gill doesn't help your cause though because he was a stiff when he played at Providence nothing more than a human pylon.
 

VOB

Registered User
Feb 27, 2002
1,692
0
Michigan
Visit site
There were a few good players on the NCAA teams,but most were not so called All Stars they just happened to be seniors. Using Hal Gill doesn't help your cause though because he was a stiff when he played at Providence nothing more than a human pylon.


There were many good players on those NCAA teams and Hal Gill was Providence's leading Defenseman in scoring and anyone who played over 600 games in the NHL deserves better than to be called a pylon and undeserving of an all-star birth.

I believe that Russ Guzior also played with Gill on that NCAA all-star team....and he was Providence leading scorer.
 

Hunter Gathers

The Crown
Feb 27, 2002
106,463
11,444
parts unknown
There were many good players on those NCAA teams and Hal Gill was Providence's leading Defenseman in scoring and anyone who played over 600 games in the NHL deserves better than to be called a pylon and undeserving of an all-star birth.

PLEASE!!

I'm sorry, but Hall Gill is a sorry excuse for an NHL player and the only reason he is even in the league is due to his size.

:shakehead
 

college hockey

Registered User
Jun 8, 2004
653
0
Maine
There were many good players on those NCAA teams and Hal Gill was Providence's leading Defenseman in scoring and anyone who played over 600 games in the NHL deserves better than to be called a pylon and undeserving of an all-star birth.

I believe that Russ Guzior also played with Gill on that NCAA all-star team....and he was Providence leading scorer.
Sure there were some good players on the NCAA teams,but don't confuse it with an all star team because they weren't. As far as Gill goes I'm guessing you never saw him play in college? He was a pylon in college plain and simple and yes he did lead the PC dmen in scoring with a whopping 21 points that year.
 

VOB

Registered User
Feb 27, 2002
1,692
0
Michigan
Visit site
Sure there were some good players on the NCAA teams,but don't confuse it with an all star team because they weren't. As far as Gill goes I'm guessing you never saw him play in college? He was a pylon in college plain and simple and yes he did lead the PC dmen in scoring with a whopping 21 points that year.

Once again, there were many players on those NCAA teams that led their team in scoring, were conference and NCAA all star selections and went on to have solid NHL careers....Hal Gill included there Johnny Prescription (you don't play 624 games in the NHL because you are a sorry excuse!)

Was it the best possible teams the NCAA could have put together... no buth then again I am sure that the CIS was not sending their absolute best either and the original point that DaaaaB's was making was that the best of the NCAA are not better than the best of the CHL (and I do believe he is right!)
 

college hockey

Registered User
Jun 8, 2004
653
0
Maine
Once again, there were many players on those NCAA teams that led their team in scoring, were conference and NCAA all star selections and went on to have solid NHL careers....Hal Gill included there Johnny Prescription (you don't play 624 games in the NHL because you are a sorry excuse!)

Was it the best possible teams the NCAA could have put together... no buth then again I am sure that the CIS was not sending their absolute best either and the original point that DaaaaB's was making was that the best of the NCAA are not better than the best of the CHL (and I do believe he is right!)
I have no argument with you about the best players in the CHL being better than the best of the NCAA although I believe the NCAA is deeper as far as rolling 4 lines go. If the NCAA sent a real all star team to play a CIS all star team the NCAA would win easily.
 

PMP5030

Registered User
Apr 25, 2004
321
0
RIGHT BEHIND YOU
the original point that DaaaaB's was making was that the best of the NCAA are not better than the best of the CHL (and I do believe he is right!)

That's fine and I have no argument with that. But to suggest that CIAU players are as good or better than NCAA players is a flat-out joke. CIAU players are playing for their schools because the highest development they reached at previous levels (frequently the CHL) wasn't good enough for the next level (Steve Rucchin being an extremely rare case). NCAA players are still developing and, even from some of the worst programs, frequently go on to have a professional career of some length, whether it be in the NHL, AHL, ECHL, etc. Which is why the NCAA teams usually win those exhibition games.
 

VOB

Registered User
Feb 27, 2002
1,692
0
Michigan
Visit site
That's fine and I have no argument with that. But to suggest that CIAU players are as good or better than NCAA players is a flat-out joke. CIAU players are playing for their schools because the highest development they reached at previous levels (frequently the CHL) wasn't good enough for the next level (Steve Rucchin being an extremely rare case). NCAA players are still developing and, even from some of the worst programs, frequently go on to have a professional career of some length, whether it be in the NHL, AHL, ECHL, etc. Which is why the NCAA teams usually win those exhibition games.


First off its CIS and not CIAU. Secondly, while it is true that the NCAA certainly has more and better elite talent than the CIS, there are teams in the CIS that can hold their own against NCAA ones. The gap is not as large as it once was.

Lastly, there are scores of CIS players who also move on to the pros once their schooling is done.
 

PMP5030

Registered User
Apr 25, 2004
321
0
RIGHT BEHIND YOU
First off its CIS and not CIAU. Secondly, while it is true that the NCAA certainly has more and better elite talent than the CIS, there are teams in the CIS that can hold their own against NCAA ones. The gap is not as large as it once was.

Lastly, there are scores of CIS players who also move on to the pros once their schooling is done.

We're arguing minor points here, I think we both agree that Canadien University hockey is not up to the level of American NCAA hockey, which DaaaaB's clearly did not understand and made up a "fact" to support his contention.

You are correct that former CIS do go on to play pro hockey at low levels, I was in error about that. Looking at the highest level the difference is clear, with only one former CIS player in the NHL that I'm aware of (the aforementioned Rucchin), whereas the list of former NCAA players is as you know numerous.
 

VOB

Registered User
Feb 27, 2002
1,692
0
Michigan
Visit site
We're arguing minor points here, I think we both agree that Canadien University hockey is not up to the level of American NCAA hockey, which DaaaaB's clearly did not understand and made up a "fact" to support his contention.

You are correct that former CIS do go on to play pro hockey at low levels, I was in error about that. Looking at the highest level the difference is clear, with only one former CIS player in the NHL that I'm aware of (the aforementioned Rucchin), whereas the list of former NCAA players is as you know numerous.

I don't think I ever said the CIS was on par with the NCAA and if I gave you that impression, well its simply wrong.

What I am saying is that there isn't that big of a gap as you think and that the top end talent in the CIS could compete just fine in the NCAA. There are also teams in the CIS that could compete in the NCAA ranks.
 

Rabid Ranger

2 is better than one
Feb 27, 2002
31,014
11,020
Murica
First off its CIS and not CIAU. Secondly, while it is true that the NCAA certainly has more and better elite talent than the CIS, there are teams in the CIS that can hold their own against NCAA ones. The gap is not as large as it once was.

Lastly, there are scores of CIS players who also move on to the pros once their schooling is done.

Scores? Like who? I'm familiar with Rucchin and I know there's a couple more examples, but scores? I don't think so.
 

Ad

Upcoming events

Ad

Ad

-->