Prospect Info: Patrick Harper, C, Avon Old Farms, 138th Overall

[Drake744]

We've been burnt more by Euro's than we have college players. In fact, we've done well with college players.

Suter
Smith
Wilson
Geoffrion
Dougherty

Only Vesey was not signed.

On the flip side, we've lost way more than that to the KHL or other Euro leagues.
And then there's the Radulov, which was way worse than Vesey.

This won't be popular but I've never TRULY blamed Radulov 100% for leaving. It was terrible timing for us that our top forward prospect happened to be Russian and he was coming up at the same freaking time Russia decided to start their own damn league and throw money at all their players to come home and play. I mean, yeah, morally should he have been committed to playing in Nashville? Probably, but if I recall, wasn't he making something like the equivalent of 12 million dollars, tax free, in his home country where he's more or less a celebrity? Compared to his rookie deal here of less than a million? It sucks how it's played out but I chalked a lot of that up to terrible luck and timing more than the Vesey situation which was more of a slap in the face by flat-out turning us down and picking a different team in the same league.

 

[Roman Yoshi]

We've been burnt more by Euro's than we have college players. In fact, we've done well with college players.

Suter
Smith
Wilson
Geoffrion
Dougherty

Only Vesey was not signed.

On the flip side, we've lost way more than that to the KHL or other Euro leagues.
And then there's the Radulov, which was way worse than Vesey.

I'm not talking about players "burning" us, I am talking about the prospect of them leaving plus the likelihood of them being as good as billed.

Just out of curiosity, which players have we lost to the KHL/Europe besides Rads that you are comparing to these college players? Besides Rads and Hlavc, I can't think of any recently.

 

[triggrman]

I'm not talking about players "burning" us, I am talking about the prospect of them leaving plus the likelihood of them being as good as billed.

Just out of curiosity, which players have we lost to the KHL/Europe besides Rads that you are comparing to these college players? Besides Rads and Hlavc, I can't think of any recently.

Cehlin was another one, I'll think of more if you give me time.

Outside of Vesey, where have we been wrong with NCAA players?

I can't address the "Not as good as billed" part, that's been every forward we've drafted.

 

[Roman Yoshi]

Cehlin was another one, I'll think of more if you give me time.

Outside of Vesey, where have we been wrong with NCAA players?

I can't address the "Not as good as billed" part, that's been every forward we've drafted.

IIRC Cehlin was not offered a contract and went home st the end of the season.

 

[Gnashville]

Wow, are you guys scarred.
Pretty dumb, imo, to dismiss college prospects. But good luck with that. Euros are much more predictable and dependable.

Euros and CHL kids don't jump to free agency like college players. There is zero reason to even follow this kid. If he does real well he just goes to free agency. Basically he is getting free jerseys, t-shirts and a caps. He is also getting free coaching and using resources that could be used on others.

 

[Drake744]

Euros and CHL kids don't jump to free agency like college players. There is zero reason to even follow this kid. If he does real well he just goes to free agency. Basically he is getting free jerseys, t-shirts and a caps. He is also getting free coaching and using resources that could be used on others.

This is just wild speculation and generalizing. Again, outside of Vesey, where have we been burned by NCAA players?

One could even argue that if these kids keep pulling a Vesey and screwing over the teams that draft them, the NHL will change the rules and by the time Harper can even play 4 years in college it won't be an option for him or anyone else to go UFA anyways.

 

[Gnashville]

This is just wild speculation and generalizing. Again, outside of Vesey, where have we been burned by NCAA players?

One could even argue that if these kids keep pulling a Vesey and screwing over the teams that draft them, the NHL will change the rules and by the time Harper can even play 4 years in college it won't be an option for him or anyone else to go UFA anyways.

We went how long without drafting Russians?

 

[Drake744]

We went how long without drafting Russians?

This has nothing to do with claiming this prospect will be pointless to follow due to an NCAA career or your claim that good college players will inevitably go to free agency.

I'm a big fan of Euro prospects also, but dismissing players just because they're going to the NCAA isn't terribly fair and our franchise has no legitimate history of being screwed over by them on multiple occasions.

 

[nomorekids]

You have a different opinion. I have a another one. Short sighted I'll accept in your opinion. But posters, like me, who have a different opinion from yours are not ignorant and I resent that inference

I'm not saying you're ignorant, I'm saying IT is ignorant to write off an entire type of prospect based on the actions of a tiny minority.

 

[Gnashville]

This has nothing to do with claiming this prospect will be pointless to follow due to an NCAA career or your claim that good college players will inevitably go to free agency.

I'm a big fan of Euro prospects also, but dismissing players just because they're going to the NCAA isn't terribly fair and our franchise has no legitimate history of being screwed over by them on multiple occasions.

Before getting screwed multiple times you still have to be scewed the first time.
Vesey was just the first

 

[King Weber]

 

[BigFatCat999]

Well, it's a start...

 

[Gnashville]

Just our luck we find a steal and it's another wasted pick on a college free agent

 

[NSH615]

Just our luck we find a steal and it's another wasted pick on a college free agent

Has he already said he's going Free Agency? No he hasn't, all he has said to date that I am aware of is he wants to get his degree. I could say the same thing about wasted pick on Watson. This is a case where it is best to wait until he actually goes to free agency.

 

[King Weber]

Harper's goal from yesterday's game.






the 2 assists he also had in the game.


Really looking forward to seeing how well he does on his 2nd season with BU.

 

[nomorekids]

How hard to spell is "Harper?"

 

[Gnashville]

How hard to spell is "Harper?"

Must have confused him with the Ottawa guy.

http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/pdisplay.php?pid=145050

 

[Rogie21]

https://twitter.com/ryanbiech/status/894002693085184001

 

[AdmiralsFan24]

https://twitter.com/ryanbiech/status/894002693085184001

 

[SauceMyBiscuit]

He had a snipe yesterday versus Fabbro, Girard and company

 

[monix11]

Six points (4-2-6) in two games at BU

He's the 3rd best prospect in the organization behind Tolvanen and Girard for me....

 

[Flgatorguy87]

Man is he small though. Even at prospect camp he was the smallest player on the ice.

 

[NSH615]

Man is he small though. Even at prospect camp he was the smallest player on the ice.

I thought Kelleher was the smallest at camp.

 

[TitansVolsPreds615]

I'm still not convinced those guys can play in the NHL. I understand guys like St Louis but they are more the exception than the rule.

 

[King Weber]

I'm still not convinced those guys can play in the NHL. I understand guys like St Louis but they are more the exception than the rule.

Harper right now is the same size as Johnny Gaudreau and Paul Byron, and when you consider his elusiveness and quickness, I don't see why he couldn't play at least a top 9 role in the NHL. Plus he'll probably gain weight as he gets older too, bumping him up to that Atkinson-Arvidsson-Sheary weight class.