Letters of Intent ???

[Purple Phart]

With the most recent Entry Draft behind us, there's a question I've had in the back of my mind for several years. It has been reported that some players have signed " Letters of Intent" with various NCAA schools, or with the US NDT program. Actually, the question is two-fold: Exactly what legal standing has a " Letter of Intent". In these instances, these "Letters" would be signed by players 15 or 16 years of age. It's always been my understanding that "minors" , or those who have not yet reached the age of majority can not sign a legally binding document. If I'm mistaken, and I very well might be, could someone explain with some clarity, just how much legal sway these letters have ? When such declarations are made, how much "weight" should a potential drafting team attach to the situation ?

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[EvenSteven]

From what I understand, these "letters of intent" to NCAA schools mean absolutely nothing. They pretty much aren't worth the paper they're written. All it shows, I would imagine, is that a player "intends" to go to that school after graduating high school. But they are not legally bound by these letters.

They may be used by the player and his "camp" to deter undesirable CHL teams from drafting them.

They may actually be signed to genuinely inform all who may be interested they are actually going the NCAA route.

I presume that NCAA schools consider these "letters of intent" the first step in the recruiting process in hopes that player does eventually go to that school. If nothing else, it might give them a leg up on other NCAA schools by getting a commitment from that player. But from what I understand, it also does not keep a player from jumping from one NCAA school to another.

Obviously, the CHL does not recognize these letters either.

 

[Sam14]

Source: Copied and Pasted this information found on the web.

London’s All-Decommit Team
John Carlson (UMass)
Patrick Kane (Boston University)
*Max Domi (University of Michigan)
Anthony Stolarz (University of Nebraska-Omaha)
Michael McCarron (Western Michigan)
Mitch Marner (University of Michigan)
Matthew Tkachuk (Notre Dame)
Christian Dvorak (Wisconsin)
J.J. Piccinich (Boston University)
Sam Miletic (University of Michigan)
Ian Blacker (Western Michigan)
Jacob Golden (Harvard University)
Alec Regula (University of Michigan)
Antonio Stranges (University of Michigan)

 

[jjhound]

From what I understand, these "letters of intent" to NCAA schools mean absolutely nothing. They pretty much aren't worth the paper they're written. All it shows, I would imagine, is that a player "intends" to go to that school after graduating high school. But they are not legally bound by these letters.

They may be used by the player and his "camp" to deter undesirable CHL teams from drafting them.

They may actually be signed to genuinely inform all who may be interested they are actually going the NCAA route.

I presume that NCAA schools consider these "letters of intent" the first step in the recruiting process in hopes that player does eventually go to that school. If nothing else, it might give them a leg up on other NCAA schools by getting a commitment from that player. But from what I understand, it also does not keep a player from jumping from one NCAA school to another.

Obviously, the CHL does not recognize these letters either.

They have no consequence. And it is non binding on the school's part as well. You can turn down a top OHL school package because you want to go to the NCAA sign a letter of intent and in the 12th grade the school can decide not to offer you a scholarship.

 

[MJ5]

Letter of intent only holds weight in the NCAA. Once signed, you are locked in to playing for that school or will be penalized for transferring. Once in a great while a kid will get released from a LOI, but usually once that's signed, you aren't going anywhere else.

Kid from Sarnia was playing for Michigan State this year and then just decided to leave school and sign with the Sting. So it has no weight from NCAA to OHL at all.

 

[foghorn]

correct me if im wrong but if an OHL team signs a player that has signed with the USNDP it costs them a pile per year that player will miss on his committment thus the OHL teams with high budgets can afford to sign these kids (london) and other small market teams cant even get into the door which once again causes parity issues ....east vs west

 

[Ward Cornell]

There can be 20+ LOI signed to attend a NCAA school for what 5 or 6 positions open a year? There are also varying degrees of athletic scholarships and maybe a player who does bolt was being lowballed in the scholarship.
It's not just the kid who can back out of the deal!

 

[LDN]

Source: Copied and Pasted this information found on the web.

London’s All-Decommit Team
John Carlson (UMass)
Patrick Kane (Boston University)
*Max Domi (University of Michigan)
Anthony Stolarz (University of Nebraska-Omaha)
Michael McCarron (Western Michigan)
Mitch Marner (University of Michigan)
Matthew Tkachuk (Notre Dame)
Christian Dvorak (Wisconsin)
J.J. Piccinich (Boston University)
Sam Miletic (University of Michigan)
Ian Blacker (Western Michigan)
Jacob Golden (Harvard University)
Alec Regula (University of Michigan)
Antonio Stranges (University of Michigan)

do it for Kitchener as well

 

[nelli27]

Source: Copied and Pasted this information found on the web.

London’s All-Decommit Team
John Carlson (UMass)
Patrick Kane (Boston University)
*Max Domi (University of Michigan)
Anthony Stolarz (University of Nebraska-Omaha)
Michael McCarron (Western Michigan)
Mitch Marner (University of Michigan)
Matthew Tkachuk (Notre Dame)
Christian Dvorak (Wisconsin)
J.J. Piccinich (Boston University)
Sam Miletic (University of Michigan)
Ian Blacker (Western Michigan)
Jacob Golden (Harvard University)
Alec Regula (University of Michigan)
Antonio Stranges (University of Michigan)

You missed (among others)...
J. Tinordi
K. Montgomery
D. Meckler

The question to be asked is: why would all those players de-commit to play for the Knights? Why London? What does it have to offer?

 

[OHL insideout]

$$$, more than any other franchise.

 

[bobber]

do it for Kitchener as well

Why show our one? It would be embarrassing

 

[youngblood10]

It's a letter of intent all right lol!
I think the Knights have a stack of them, fill in the school of choice for the player & have them sign it.
It's the first step of recruitment.

 

[EvenSteven]

correct me if im wrong but if an OHL team signs a player that has signed with the USNDP it costs them a pile per year that player will miss on his committment thus the OHL teams with high budgets can afford to sign these kids (london) and other small market teams cant even get into the door which once again causes parity issues ....east vs west

You are right that once a player signs with the NDTP program, and wants to get out of that commitment, it cost him thousands of dollars per year to get out. In other words, if he signs in at 16 years old and is committed to the program for two years, then it cost thousands of dollars per year to get out.

But from what I understand, and I may be wrong, OHL teams are not allowed to pay that cost. That money has to come from within the family itself. So when Max Jones left the NTDP early, he and his "camp" had to pay to get his release, not the Knights.

 

[Ward Cornell]

You are right that once a player signs with the NDTP program, and wants to get out of that commitment, it cost him thousands of dollars per year to get out. In other words, if he signs in at 16 years old and is committed to the program for two years, then it cost thousands of dollars per year to get out.

But from what I understand, and I may be wrong, OHL teams are not allowed to pay that cost. That money has to come from within the family itself. So when Max Jones left the NTDP early, he and his "camp" had to pay to get his release, not the Knights.

Didn't the Jones family win the alltime high for the 50-50 draw at the Bud his first game he played there??.....ok ok...joking!

 

[NOA]

The purpose of an NLI is to make sure kids can’t flip their recruitment. Once signed, you are locked into that school. LOCKED. You still must gain admission into the school, meaning things like eligibility based on grades must be met. But other than that, other schools can no longer recruit you.

From my understanding of it, no actually schools are locked in too. So when some of you say that the schools “can change their minds too”.. not necessarily. When they agree to signing these NLIs, they are officially allowed to talk openly about player on team. They use NLIs as a way to know what they are “locked” into. The only way it changes is if the player fails to meet the college eligibility requirements for the actual scholarship or if the player himself asks to be released from it - which is rare. Only like 2-5% of college football athletes do that per year. It’s rare.

But actually when a player signs an NLI in America then leaves the school by his choice, he in fact is screwing over that program in a way. They assumed that kid was committed... basically signed. They just were waiting to confirm scholarship eligibility. So they already used him to “fill” a spot on their open roster..

 

[OMG67]

The purpose of an NLI is to make sure kids can’t flip their recruitment. Once signed, you are locked into that school. LOCKED. You still must gain admission into the school, meaning things like eligibility based on grades must be met. But other than that, other schools can no longer recruit you.

From my understanding of it, no actually schools are locked in too. So when some of you say that the schools “can change their minds too”.. not necessarily. When they agree to signing these NLIs, they are officially allowed to talk openly about player on team. They use NLIs as a way to know what they are “locked” into. The only way it changes is if the player fails to meet the college eligibility requirements for the actual scholarship or if the player himself asks to be released from it - which is rare. Only like 2-5% of college football athletes do that per year. It’s rare.

But actually when a player signs an NLI in America then leaves the school by his choice, he in fact is screwing over that program in a way. They assumed that kid was committed... basically signed. They just were waiting to confirm scholarship eligibility. So they already used him to “fill” a spot on their open roster..

Please clarify one additional question if you can...

It was my understanding that the player had to also make the team. For example, a player comes in and has a full ride scholarship, plays like crap and doesn’t make the roster. Does that player still get the four year full ride scholarship? Player X that wants to be a Doctor decides that he doesn’t really want to play hockey anymore and wants to jsut concentrate on studies could, theoretically, dog it in camp and not make the roster. I’m sure that has never happened but for arguements sake, what would happen in that situation. Because I know there must be situations where teams make agreements when kids are 17 years old and two years later they are nowhere near capable of playing in that program because they did not envelop as expected. Hell, we see it with first round picks in the OHL now and then that “make the team” but never really pan out and get cut at some point before they are done.

 

[Ward Cornell]

Please clarify one additional question if you can...

It was my understanding that the player had to also make the team. For example, a player comes in and has a full ride scholarship, plays like crap and doesn’t make the roster. Does that player still get the four year full ride scholarship? Player X that wants to be a Doctor decides that he doesn’t really want to play hockey anymore and wants to jsut concentrate on studies could, theoretically, dog it in camp and not make the roster. I’m sure that has never happened but for arguements sake, what would happen in that situation. Because I know there must be situations where teams make agreements when kids are 17 years old and two years later they are nowhere near capable of playing in that program because they did not envelop as expected. Hell, we see it with first round picks in the OHL now and then that “make the team” but never really pan out and get cut at some point before they are done.

College Athletes Should Be Guaranteed Four-Year Scholarships. Anything Less Is Morally Indefensible.

 

[OHL insideout]

EvenSteven, come on... do you actually believe that CHL/OHL teams have never "coughed up under the table $$$" to cover these cost's/penalties???

 

[NOA]

Please clarify one additional question if you can...

It was my understanding that the player had to also make the team. For example, a player comes in and has a full ride scholarship, plays like crap and doesn’t make the roster. Does that player still get the four year full ride scholarship? Player X that wants to be a Doctor decides that he doesn’t really want to play hockey anymore and wants to jsut concentrate on studies could, theoretically, dog it in camp and not make the roster. I’m sure that has never happened but for arguements sake, what would happen in that situation. Because I know there must be situations where teams make agreements when kids are 17 years old and two years later they are nowhere near capable of playing in that program because they did not envelop as expected. Hell, we see it with first round picks in the OHL now and then that “make the team” but never really pan out and get cut at some point before they are done.

I think this is sorta why scholarships are technically on a year by year basis.
I would imagine that there is stuff in place for the school to get out of that if a player indeed doesn’t show full effort. Just like the school can get out of it if the player gets involved in criminal activity for instance. There are always ways to get out. But just like kids leaving a school (before actually playing for them) after signing a NLI, these things are rare.

Schools can yank their scholarship at any time after that first year. Schools that offer full ride 4 year deals are doing so as a way to entice the top end recruits. Others have to earn it each year from my understanding of things.
In other words, schools don’t have to give out full rides .. ever. They never have to. They can to entice players, giving them a guarantee. Other than that its essentially a year by year thing. So they can drop you because a new coach comes in, your grades drop, your performance suffers, you get involved with criminal activity, etc

But schools aren’t going to bail from a letter of intent. When those are signed, about 97% (at least in football/basketball) of those athletes end up at that school for at least 1 year. The other 3% of athletes leave on their terms. The schools don’t drop players (and if they do it’s super, super rare) from their NLI. Those players are guaranteed a scholarship assuming the academic side of things go through. But athletically, they are locked in to that school for a year. After a year, it can all change.. but there has to be specific reasons for it to change

 

[wisssh]

 

[wisssh]

 

[Ward Cornell]

View attachment 116365

By reading the first part of sentence 7 , it does sound that all the school needs to do is inform the player in writing that the LRI is null and void.
Then the last paragraph of 7a which allows the school to defer the LRI to a later term/year. Wouldn't this basically allow the school to hand-out/accept more NLI's than they could possibly use for when that player wants to enrol and play for the team. This could possibly leave player is left "high and dry" even though all obligations by the player is fulfilled??

I seem to recall the OHL did pick up at least one player the last cpl years because of the delay tactic by a NCAA school.

 

[ETA 2000 Fan]

As it pertains to NCAA vs. CHL, Letters of Intent are usually not a factor:

High school Freshman and Sophomore year. these rules also apply until September 1 of your Junior year.
Coaches are allowed to:

Send you athletic or sports camp brochures, NCAA Educational Information and Questionnaires.
A coach can also accept phone calls from you as long as they are at your expense but remember that if you leave a message on an answering service the coach is NOT ALLOWED TO CALL YOU BACK.
Coaches are not allowed to:
To call you on the phone.
A coach cannot send you any written recruiting information.
NCAA Recruiting Guidelines, Unofficial Visits:
You can make unofficial visits to a college campus.
It is also permissible for you to receive a maximum of three complimentary tickets to a college sporting event.
You can talk with college coaches but this must be on campus.

Remember, the players drafted into the WHL are only in Grade 9 and in the OHL and QMJHL in Grade 10. Coaches are not even allowed to call a prospect, never mind offer a Letter of Intent until after September 1 of his Junior year (Grade 11), after they've already been drafted.

All of these "commits" seen on social media by hockey players are them committing (athlete-to-school, NOT school-to-athlete) to a school to make other schools and CHL teams believe they are following that path. These commits are verbal and non binding (a player can commit, de-commit and re-commit as many times as they please).

 

[Ward Cornell]

All of these "commits" seen on social media by hockey players are them committing (athlete-to-school, NOT school-to-athlete) to a school to make other schools and CHL teams believe they are following that path. These commits are verbal and non binding (a player can commit, de-commit and re-commit as many times as they please).

So the school sends them the LRI to be signed by the player but it's not official due to the fact that the school hasn't signed it??

 

[ScoresFromCentre]

Jacob Golden (Harvard University)

I'm not sure about that decision.

EvenSteven, come on... do you actually believe that CHL/OHL teams have never "coughed up under the table $$$" to cover these cost's/penalties???

I'm of the view that it's irresponsible to speculate unless and until a team gets caught. If the league can't put together the proof, who am I to think I know better?