Interesting tidbit on Sam Gagner...

[Boomhower]

He can; he also plays wing. Kostitsyn plays right wing. What's your point exactly?

Obvioulsy that they can be on the ice at the same time!

 

[turnbuckle*]

Obvioulsy that they can be on the ice at the same time!

Well; read the quote you used for your original reply, and you'll see that I said the exact thing - that if Kane DOES finally play on the first line, it will be beside Kostitsyn, not in place of him. Whether it be on left wing or center remains to be seen.

Centers are converted to wingers at the junior and NHL level all of the time. If the Knights go into the seaosn with McRae, Gagner and Kane all fighting to play center on top two lines, one is going to have to switch to the wing. I chose Kane, but perhaps it will be McRae...who knows? Maybe one of the three won't be on the top two lines, likely McRae.

 

[VOB]

You guys are jumping the gun on Kane. He hasn't commited to anyone yet.

What I am trying to ascertain right now bigd is whether or not Kane has signed up for summer classes. He will need to complete two classes this summer as well as take a fairly heavy load in the fall in order to graduate in December and play in the NCAA during the second semester.

If he has not enrolled in school, then it is safe to say that he will be playing for London.


I do know this much. He visited Boston University in early May but Kane's reaction to playing there (or in the NCAA in general) was lukewarm at best. He is leaning, heavily, towards the OHL but his parents are swinging the opposite way and really want him to have an education. London has stepped up with a very lucrative education package and are really playing up their closer location to Kane's home town. He is expected to make his decision in the very near future and right now the odds are 70 -30 in favor of London.

You are right, its not a done deal yet and he may end up in the NCAA but as of right now, Boston U or any other NCAA program would love to be in London's shoes.

 

[derbyfan]

What I am trying to ascertain right now bigd is whether or not Kane has signed up for summer classes. He will need to complete two classes this summer as well as take a fairly heavy load in the fall in order to graduate in December and play in the NCAA during the second semester.

If he has not enrolled in school, then it is safe to say that he will be playing for London.


I do know this much. He visited Boston University in early May but Kane's reaction to playing there (or in the NCAA in general) was lukewarm at best. He is leaning, heavily, towards the OHL but his parents are swinging the opposite way and really want him to have an education. London has stepped up with a very lucrative education package and are really playing up their closer location to Kane's home town. He is expected to make his decision in the very near future and right now the odds are 70 -30 in favor of London.

You are right, its not a done deal yet and he may end up in the NCAA but as of right now, Boston U or any other NCAA program would love to be in London's shoes.

How much does the fact that he would likely have to play a year in the USHL before going NCAA have to do with his decision?
Is it similar to the Mueller situation of last year, where he wanted the highest level of competition possible in his draft year, rather than playing in a weaker league before attending Minny?

 

[Transported Upstater]

How much does the fact that he would likely have to play a year in the USHL before going NCAA have to do with his decision?
Is it similar to the Mueller situation of last year, where he wanted the highest level of competition possible in his draft year, rather than playing in a weaker league before attending Minny?

I don't think the education thing was as big an issue with Mueller though, because as I remember he was not the brightest academically.

But I could be wrong.

 

[MomentsofSanity]

Gagner is now officially signed by the Knights!

Announcement

 

[Ape Clutch]

Gagner is now officially signed by the Knights!

Announcement

Who is Kane? and McRae? and Gagner?

they are all like 16...?

Can't that stiffle theyr growth? all of them playing for London? Don't they all need Top line minutes cuz they have big Potential?

McRae seems to be pegged @ 4 in 2008 and Gagner 5 in 2007 where is Kane?

and could anyone give a Scouting Report on those guys? it'd be great, If they're going to be playing in London...i go to school in London, i'm gonna love to see them play like Kostitsyn and Schremp all year

 

[orangeandblack]

Who is Kane? and McRae? and Gagner?

they are all like 16...?

Can't that stiffle theyr growth? all of them playing for London? Don't they all need Top line minutes cuz they have big Potential?

McRae seems to be pegged @ 4 in 2008 and Gagner 5 in 2007 where is Kane?

and could anyone give a Scouting Report on those guys? it'd be great, If they're going to be playing in London...i go to school in London, i'm gonna love to see them play like Kostitsyn and Schremp all year

from mckeens

gagner
Highly talented offensive player with strong defensive capabilities .. fast, agile skater, can turn and change direction on a dime .. can skate the puck from end to end with energy to spare, and creates offense out of nothing .. equally adept at delivering a hard shot or a soft pass .. not afraid to go into the corners ..a solid defender in his own end - stays on his man every step of the way .. dogged defender in his end and a dangerous sniper in the offensive zone.

kane
The type of player without any real standout feature, but who knows bits of everything and puts it together very well .. a speedy skater with quick first strides, although he could might come off as a bit choppy technically .. top speed is decent, but not spectacular á la Bill Sweatt .. boasts a great work ethic, never takes a shift off and always keeps up the intensity for both himself as well as for the whole team, as he leads by example .. good passer and has some playmaking skills, although most of the offensive output is derived from hard work rather than raw skill and vision .. certainly not bad in front of the net, as he shoots the puck fairly accurately and with a quick release, knows how to finish off a play without being a bona fide sniper .. his overall hockey sense is very strong, good anticipation skills both offensively and defensively and is always very mature in his decisions with and without the puck .. a true two-way player, helps his team tremendously killing penalties and in his own end.

 

[MomentsofSanity]

Who is Kane? and McRae? and Gagner?

they are all like 16...?

Can't that stiffle theyr growth? all of them playing for London? Don't they all need Top line minutes cuz they have big Potential?

McRae seems to be pegged @ 4 in 2008 and Gagner 5 in 2007 where is Kane?

and could anyone give a Scouting Report on those guys? it'd be great, If they're going to be playing in London...i go to school in London, i'm gonna love to see them play like Kostitsyn and Schremp all year

This weekend all the prospects etc... will be skating Saturday and Sunday at the Western fair if you wanted a chance to check them out yourself.

 

[PMP5030]

You are right, its not a done deal yet and he may end up in the NCAA but as of right now, Boston U or any other NCAA program would love to be in London's shoes.

From what I understand, Michigan and Wisconsin are the other schools trying to land Kane. Any knowledge if he's made his visits to either and how they went?

 

[Rogie21]

VOB's post about Kane officially visiting BU last month is incorrect. His visit is supposed to be in June. Kane did, however, see BU's new arena and campus this past Fall when the NTDP U18s played an exhibition game against the Terriers.

Some interesting thoughts on Gagner-Kane appeared today in Paul Shaheen's Research on Ice newsletter:

The Knights are hoping that having Gagner in the fold will have a ripple effect in terms of luring other would-be D-I prospects their way. Among others, London's currently pursuing fellow Knight draftees Phil McRae (the US NTDP product and son of former NHLer Basil McRae), and fellow US NTDP star Patrick Kane, who over the last few weeks has been debating whether to join London next year or stay with the US NTDP before heading to D-I--which could come as soon as this January, when Kane graduates from high school.

However, for all those who feel Gagner's signing will facilitate London's snagging the likes of McRae and Kane, others think it could have the opposite effect.

Their argument goes like this: Why should someone like Kane join a team which next year could have such a deeply embedded 'family orientation' to it?

Sam Gagner's father, former NHLer Dave Gagner, is being pursued by London for its vacant assistant coach's position. Basil McRae is already a part-owner of the Knights, and next year's London club could easily include Dale Hunter's son Tucker, as well as Mark Hunter's son Garrett, both of whom were selected by London at the 2006 OHL draft in early May.

For now, Wisconsin, Michigan and Boston University are still hoping for a kick at Kane, whom we suspect will need to make a decision on his future within the next six to eight weeks.

 

[Chuck Schwartz]

From what I understand, Michigan and Wisconsin are the other schools trying to land Kane. Any knowledge if he's made his visits to either and how they went?

I know he made a visit to Wisconsin when the NTDP was in town for an exhibiton. He toured with Geoffrion who is commited to UW. I believe it went well. I know he also toured BU and I cant imagine why he wouldnt have toured Michigan living in the same town.

 

[VOB]

VOB's post about Kane officially visiting BU last month is incorrect. His visit is supposed to be in June. Kane did, however, see BU's new arena and campus this past Fall when the NTDP U18s played an exhibition game against the Terriers.
.[/I]

No, Kane in fact did make a visit to BU in early May, whether he is prepared to make another one, I can't say.

It would be very unusual for him to go back to the NTDP as an 88 born player when the program is designed for 16 and 17 year olds.

Has he enrolled in summer classes to ensure that he will graduate by December?????