NCAA Free Agents

[Lindgren]

It's getting toward that time when speculation begins to ramp up regarding NCAA free agents. Here's an article listing some of the top possibilities:

http://www.sbncollegehockey.com/2017/1/12/14221856/top-ncaa-nhl-free-agent-prospects-for-2016-2017-aston-reese-brickley-pionk-kelleher

Any thoughts about the desirability of any of these players? Any reason we should be thinking that the Canucks are particularly in the mix for any of them? (You'd have to think that with opportunity being one of the things attracting these players, the Canucks would be in a good position, particularly with forwards.)

For what it's worth, here's the top dozen listed in the article:


1. Zach Aston-Reese, Left Wing, Northeastern

2. Daniel Brickley, Defenseman, Minnesota State

3. Mike Vecchione, Center, Union

4. Neal Pionk, Defenseman, Minnesota Duluth

5. Blake Winiecki, Center, St. Cloud State

6. John Stevens, Center, Northeastern

7. Peyton Jones, Goalie, Penn State

8. Mitch Hults, Center, Lake Superior State

9. CJ Smith, Left Wing, UMass Lowell

10. Adam Johnson, Center/Right Wing, Minnesota Duluth

11. Dominik Shine, Right Wing, Northern Michigan

12. Tyler Kelleher, Right Wing, New Hampshire

​

Click to read more...

 

[Hit the post]

What's the contract slot situation with the Canucks currently?

 

[FroshaugFan2]

What's the contract slot situation with the Canucks currently?

They have four contact spots available right now.

Contract spots aren't necessary to sign college free agents though. Stecher, Garteig, Lain, Tanev, and Sweatt all had their contracts start the following season. Zalewski is the only recent Canuck I can think of to go straight to the NHL and burn a year off his contract.

 

[Nucks for the Cup]

They have four contact spots available right now.

Contract spots aren't necessary to sign college free agents though. Stecher, Garteig, Lain, Tanev, and Sweatt all had their contracts start the following season. Zalewski is the only recent Canuck I can think of to go straight to the NHL a burn a year off his contract.

Lain also started that year i believe he played the last game of the year against edmonton

 

[Lindgren]

Going entirely by the descriptions in the linked article, Dominik Shine is the one I'm most interested in:

Shine is a bit off the radar because he plays at Northern Michigan, which is currently struggling through one of the worst seasons in school history. But despite that, Shine has managed to remain effective, scoring 12-4-16 in 18 games with minimal help. Shine has an excellent combination of speed and toughness, which makes him difficult to defend. He missed the first six games of his team’s season for an unspecified violation of team rules, which may be a minor red flag, but could be a great find for a team willing to look off the beaten path.

 

[FroshaugFan2]

Lain also started that year i believe he played the last game of the year against edmonton

Lain's first game was the following season. It was the Tortorella - Flames debacle where he was sent out to fight his first NHL shift and didn't play a second more.

CJ Smith and especially Tyler Kelleher look interesting. Seems like they could at least provide some skill to Utica.

 

[TheWanderer]

Lain's first game was the following season. It was the Tortorella - Flames debacle where he was sent out to fight his first NHL shift and didn't play a second more.

CJ Smith and especially Tyler Kelleher look interesting. Seems like they could at least provide some skill to Utica.

Oh yeah, he got 1 second of ice time in his NHL Debut! Hahaha I forgot about that part.

Don't push me.

 

[denkiteki]

They have four contact spots available right now.

Contract spots aren't necessary to sign college free agents though. Stecher, Garteig, Lain, Tanev, and Sweatt all had their contracts start the following season. Zalewski is the only recent Canuck I can think of to go straight to the NHL and burn a year off his contract.

They would/could be an incentive for the player to sign. After all being able to burn the first year of your ELC could be the difference between signing with team A vs team b. Most of the players listed by OP will likely have 10+ teams making offers (after all its a free prospect) so having contract slot could be a huge difference maker.

Also out of the players you listed, only Stecher was really a top end prospect/high profile NCAA UDFA. Garteig was considered the best goalie but almost no team would offer the goalie playing time right away. Tanev wasn't in a high profile program so was more or less a sleeper.

As far as going straight to the NHL, although not exactly the same, Tryamkin burned the first year of his ELC last year last year when he signed. Not exactly the same but similar situation and burning that year might (likely would have) been discussed when Benning/his agent were working out his contract.

Across the NHL, Gaudreau is probably the best example of requiring to burn a year off their ELC to sign (after all he played exactly 1 game and he wasn't even an UDFA). So having contact slots is important if you're going for say Aston-Reese. If you go through the last few years, i think Stecher might be one of the few that didn't play (in the NHL) right after they signed their ELC. DeKeyser is another example of a UDFA who played right away for the Red Wings. I believe 'nucks/Wings were among 20 or so teams that went after him when his NCAA career ended. Torey Krug being another example (and one that we'll probably want to forget...).

 

[sting101]

Hey Kellan Lain became the answer to a cool trivia question and record. Fastest to get in fight in an NHL debut....2 seconds if i remember correctly.

Aston Reese ive heard good things about. Button seems to think hes an NHL talent.

Brickley and CJ Smith i would be all over.

 

[Siludin]

Throw Andrey Sustr onto that list. He played two games for the TBL after they signed him out of college in 2012/2013

 

[M2Beezy]

Gaudette should convince Anton - Reese to sign with us could be worth it

 

[The Stig]

We've had fair luck with NCAA signings. Im hoping we go get someone.

 

[PG Canuck]

Would be nice to pick up one of the top centermen.

 

[denkiteki]

Gaudette should convince Anton - Reese to sign with us could be worth it

Wasn't that the hope with Caggiula (with Stecher/Boeser?). Didn't seem to work last year so i'm not sure it'll work this year.

 

[M2Beezy]

Wasn't that the hope with Caggiula (with Stecher/Boeser?). Didn't seem to work last year so i'm not sure it'll work this year.

Boeser convinced Stecher so why not

 

[denkiteki]

Boeser convinced Stecher so why not

I thought he decided to sign here because he grew up as a 'nuck fan (plus family/borned in Richmond)? Not sure how much Boeser factor into that decision since it seemed like he more or less decided 'nucks beforehand. Pretty sure he helped Boeser with recruitment and that didn't seem to help.

 

[me2]

Boeser convinced Stecher so why not

Pretty sure stecher wanted to sign here because this is his home team.

Stecher hails from Richmond, B.C. and grew up a fan of the team – weaned as many Canucks fans his age were on the West Coast Express and their high-flying brand of hockey.

“I grew up a big Canucks fan,†Stecher told Sportsnet ahead of the Frozen Four tournament. “The company my dad used to work for had season tickets so we used to go to a lot of games.

“(Markus) Naslund at the time was my favourite player and I tape my nob the same way (Todd) Bertuzzi did.â€

 

[Zombotron]

I hope our kind-of-sort-of-halfway-decent NCAA recruitment + development faculties land us a good one this year.

 

[clunk]

Any of these guys from B.C or known Canuck fans? If not, I highly doubt they'd sign here with the current state of this franchise.

 

[Gaunce4gm]

I think Stecher being given the opportunity he has will show other college FAs that Vancouver will play them if they're good enough. If you're a college Centre looking at depth you have Henrik (old) Bo (Good) Sutter (Bad) Granlund (Winger/Vegas) Chaput (Gross) Skille (Gross) Gaunce (If you can't beat gaunce for his spot you shouldn't even be signed)

 

[Siludin]

From that list (and from my shallow knowledge) I am interested in:

- Daniel Brickley
- C.J Smith
- Tyler Kelleher

Kelleher is really undersized but looks like he has some skill.

 

[FroshaugFan2]

Any of these guys from B.C or known Canuck fans? If not, I highly doubt they'd sign here with the current state of this franchise.

He's not on this list, but Alex Kerfoot will be a UFA this summer if the Devil don't sign him.

 

[Lindgren]

He's not on this list, but Alex Kerfoot will be a UFA this summer if the Devil don't sign him.

Kerfoot will definitely be an interesting one to watch.

On 1040 today, Linden said he and Benning will be on the road soon and will be checking in with a few of the upcoming free agents that they have their eye on.

I'll mention again that Stecher said recently that Vancouver being his hometown team wasn't as important in his decision to come here as was the opportunity available. It makes sense to me that this will be the case again, which is why I advocate clearing out a few forward vets, making it more likely the organization can attract a top forward free agent.

 

[M2Beezy]

Kerfoot will definitely be an interesting one to watch.

On 1040 today, Linden said he and Benning will be on the road soon and will be checking in with a few of the upcoming free agents that they have their eye on.

I'll mention again that Stecher said recently that Vancouver being his hometown team wasn't as important in his decision to come here as was the opportunity available. It makes sense to me that this will be the case again, which is why I advocate clearing out a few forward vets, making it more likely the organization can attract a top forward free agent.

I didnt know Stech said that this is HUGE

 

[Street Hawk]

I didnt know Stech said that this is HUGE

You want to get an opportunity to make the big club. Otherwise he would spend a long time in Utica.

If the Canucks d was as deep as Anaheim's then maybe Stecher doesn't sign here. Not with Theodore, Larsson, Montour on the depth charts.