So do you still think that Crosby will play in the NHL this season?

[Genghis Keon]

No way. He'll be drafted, but he'll play elsewhere until he's 20. At 20, he'll see his first full-time NHL action. Any team that does different is idiotic.

I don't know if it's different under this CBA (assuming it gets ratified), but Crosby would be getting drafted out of the CHL, so presumably the team that drafts him will lose his rights if they don't sign him before two years (making him eligible for the 2007 draft). So if you don't sign him and don't play him, do you really think he's going to sign with the team or do you think he'll take his chances, go #1 in the draft again and then immediately sign with the new team that drafted him? I don't think he's going to stick around with a team that's not letting him pursue his dream of playing in the NHL. If the team signs him and doesn't keep him around (because they'd rather have him play at 26 and 27 than 18 and 19), there's probably little to no chance that he resigns with them and he might even request a trade if he's being jerked around like that (let him sit out and rot, if things come to a head and worst comes to the worst, you say? Not exactly a brilliant way of keeping him in your lineup for as long as possible which was the original goal).

Don't kid yourself. He's going to play at 18 and odds are extremely favourable that he's going to make an immediate impact (especially with the new rule changes). Most GMs aren't going to still be with the team in 7 years anyway (I don't know the average lifespan of NHL GMs, but I think it's well under 7), so I don't think many are going to look 7 years down the line for a player who's expected to make an impact right away anyway (and if they stow him for a year or two, that number goes up to 8 or 9 years down the road). If they do look 7 years into the future, they'd probably rather make sure Sidney stays as happy as possible to increase the odds that he would resign. In the case of a guy like Crosby, it makes absolutely no sense to make him wait. However, like others have said, playes like Hartnell, Bouchard, Burns, and maybe even guys like Nash--guys who could stand some more time in juniors or the minors to better prepare for the NHL--are probably a different story.

 

[norrisnick]

Hell play because he desperately wants to be an NHLer and he's good enough to be one. Any team that holds back his dreams will only increase the likelihood of him leaving at his first opportunity. Treat him well, create an environment he likes, and odds are you'll be keeping him longer than the 7 years.

Just because players CAN leave doesn't mean they will always take the opportunity, unless you give them reasons to WANT to leave. Like say letting him sit in Juniors or the minor leagues for two years to maximize his "prime."

 

[Doomsday Device]

Good point. It looks like whoever drafts Crosby is going to be in an interesting conundrum.

What conundrum? It's not like Crosby's your average prospect. He'll have an immediate impact so there's no reason to worry about wasting a year. Every team in the league would play him, not because of any worry about Crosby getting angry, but because he's good enough.

 

[speeds]

It seems like they designed this CBA with the intent to make the draft irrelevant.

If RFA compensation stays the same, it sure wouldn't shock me to see a meteoric rise in the number of RFA offer sheets out there.

 

[BigAl]

I seen Crosby in an interview on TV today. He said he didn't care which club drafted him, he was just looking to get ready to play in the NHL this season for which ever club drafts him. I think that pretty much says he will for sure play in the NHL this coming season.

 

[PecaFan]

It's either NHL or CHL, right? He can't go to the AHL?

If so, then it's NHL all the way. I think if he was eligible for the AHL, he'd have a decent chance of being there, because a good team would probably want him to get used to playing pros, as well as the reasons above.

And you want to get his seven *best* years, not just a couple of good or average ones, then some great ones.

 

[AdmiralPred]

Doesn't this kid have a shot at 40 or 50 points this year? And there is talk of him NOT playing in the NHL?

 

[Anksun]

A team like Minnesota might/will/should stop bringing in their prospects as fast. A guy like PM Bouchard will stay in the minors for 1 or 2 more years for example.

But considering Crosby's current talent and readiness for NHL play, he will play in the nhl imo, and easily.