- Jun 10, 2014
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There's a VERY small subset of players that would be in the Ehlers situation.
First they need to be good enough to have already signed an NHL deal before their 19 year old year. Next they need to be good enough to be able to get significant minutes at a top European team. However you cannot be good enough to crack the NHL roster. You also must have played in NA for your draft year to be subject to the agreement. Then they need to WANT to go over there or have connections over there. So remove all NA players and most europeans (since if they came over before draft year they are trying hard to make it in NA first).
There's really very few players at all that are going to be in that subset of players. Barely any at all.
You are making an awful lot of assumptions there. If it is a better development experience NA plaayers would have incentive to do it. The opportunity to spend a season in Europe would be additional incentive for many. Actually being paid to play is another incentive. Who would not want that? How many 1st round picks would not be good enough by D+2?