Prospect Info: Will Borgen (2015, 92nd) – '17-18: Signed ELC, Reporting To Rochester

[AustonsNostrils]

He's still a junior. What's he supposed to say, that he's planning on bolting from college as soon as his season's over?

He could have said the same things Eichel and now Mittelstadt said, which is they think about turning pro but their college season is their concern and they'll make decisions with aid of family/advisors when the time is right. Neither mentioned completing their academic degree, which takes 4 years.

Good for him if the degree is important to him, extremely bad for us if he plays his senior year while completing his degree. There's no reason for him to sign with Buffalo over any other team if he becomes a UFA.

Hopefully unlike Petersen he feels some loyalty to the organization that drafted him and has treated him well.

 

[dotcommunism]

Are we seriously going to have to deal with this shit for every single NCAA prospect? It'd be one thing if it were new after Petersen left but it isn't. There was this same type of nonsense for Fasching and McCabe too.

Borgen is over a year away from being able to leave, can we at least wait until next season for the freak outs? It's tedious.

 

[Doug Prishpreed]

Are we seriously going to have to deal with this **** for every single NCAA prospect? It'd be one thing if it were new after Petersen left but it isn't. There was this same type of nonsense for Fasching and McCabe too.

Borgen is over a year away from being able to leave, can we at least wait until next season for the freak outs? It's tedious.

Well it's kind of important to think about before it's too late. We could add him to the Kane trade, for example, if he doesn't seem 100% set on joining Buffalo at this point. Let's hope Botts is communicating as much as possible on this one.

Just to play devil's advocate:

1. Why would he want to come a horribly run organization?
2. Why would he feel any loyalty to a brand new GM who he just met? A GM who somehow has so far done nothing but make a bad team worse?
3. If he plays his final year at school, what incentive or motive does he have to choose to play for the Sabres? One of the worst teams in one of the coldest cities.

Let's hope the kid has some kind of blind loyalty to the Sabres for some reason.

 

[Chainshot]

Are we seriously going to have to deal with this **** for every single NCAA prospect? It'd be one thing if it were new after Petersen left but it isn't. There was this same type of nonsense for Fasching and McCabe too.

Borgen is over a year away from being able to leave, can we at least wait until next season for the freak outs? It's tedious.

I'd be mildly surprised if he isn't signed after the Olympics.

 

[Doug Prishpreed]

I'd be mildly surprised if he isn't signed after the Olympics.

That would be ideal and I would be a very happy HF Boards poster. He's one of my favorites. But it's getting to be "now or never" time.

 

[Chainshot]

Well it's kind of important to think about before it's too late. We could add him to the Kane trade, for example, if he doesn't seem 100% set on joining Buffalo at this point. Let's hope Botts is communicating as much as possible on this one.

Just to play devil's advocate:

1. Why would he want to come a horribly run organization?
2. Why would he feel any loyalty to a brand new GM who he just met? A GM who somehow has so far done nothing but make a bad team worse?
3. If he plays his final year at school, what incentive or motive does he have to choose to play for the Sabres? One of the worst teams in one of the coldest cities.

Let's hope the kid has some kind of blind loyalty to the Sabres for some reason.

A couple of points:

Buffalo has a clear and present need for defensemen. They are if not the fastest, one of the fastest paths to the NHL of any possible team in the league and playing time matters.

The Amerks are thriving and will need young players - there is a clear emphasis on having capable vets there - as much as Buffalo has openings.

As for weather, have you looked at St. Cloud's average temperatures?

 

[dotcommunism]

Well it's kind of important to think about before it's too late. We could add him to the Kane trade, for example, if he doesn't seem 100% set on joining Buffalo at this point. Let's hope Botts is communicating as much as possible on this one.

Just to play devil's advocate:

1. Why would he want to come a horribly run organization?
2. Why would he feel any loyalty to a brand new GM who he just met? A GM who somehow has so far done nothing but make a bad team worse?
3. If he plays his final year at school, what incentive or motive does he have to choose to play for the Sabres? One of the worst teams in one of the coldest cities.

Let's hope the kid has some kind of blind loyalty to the Sabres for some reason.

We are fans and what we talk about has absolutely no connection with, or bearing on, what Botterill does. Of course Botterill should have some handle on how interested Borgen is in signing vs returning for his senior season. That has absolutely nothing to do with us, though. There is absolutely no rational reason whatsoever for us, as fans, to be worrying about Borgen at this point in time. Yes, pretty much everything that's discussed here is pointless to some extent, but not all of it is as absolutely tedious and mired in obnoxious defeatist self-pity.

 

[Chainshot]

It's also possible he stays the course after the Olympics so he gets a Frozen Four championship shot with SCSC.

 

[Doug Prishpreed]

We are fans and what we talk about has absolutely no connection with, or bearing on, what Botterill does. Of course Botterill should have some handle on how interested Borgen is in signing vs returning for his senior season. That has absolutely nothing to do with us, though. There is absolutely no rational reason whatsoever for us, as fans, to be worrying about Borgen at this point in time. Yes, pretty much everything that's discussed here is pointless to some extent, but not all of it is as absolutely tedious and mired in obnoxious defeatist self-pity.

There’s no reason to “worry” about anything hockey related, so I agree with you there. Including Borgen.

But I do think it’s a question worth asking when we’re talking about trading Kane, who will likely be packaged with prospects judging by the Hanzal/Ladd trades. Being able to include Borgen in that deal is a question no less worth discussing than anything else on here. Feel free to ignore it if you can’t handle it or you feel it’s beneath you. Spare me the finger waging though.

I think we should include him in a deal like that since I have no reason to believe he’ll come to buffalo. And that’s ok - it’s what I would do. But if Botts let’s him walk for nothing at the end of next season it will have been an entirely avoidable mistake.

 

[hizzoner]

If he does not sign before the draft then trade him if there is a decent return. The Sabres need to know what they have so as to act accordingly.

 

[sabrebuild]

Let’s hope SCSU wins the the national title. One less thing to come back for and most likely he would be a key piece to a championship run.

This Olympic stint will be interesting to see how he handles pro level speed and athleticism.

 

[hizzoner]

I hope he does well and that he signs with Buffalo. That said his chances of being a top 4 nhl Dman do not excite me. I have not seen him live as some posters have but he seems like a good college D Man with little offensive flair. Maybe I am tempering my prognosis for him because of my fear he will wait it out to go where he wants and it may not be Buffalo.

 

[dang111]

What's the rational anyway behind the NCAA becoming a UFA rule? Surely all teams would want their college draft picks locked in.

 

[Bearbait]

It's also possible he stays the course after the Olympics so he gets a Frozen Four championship shot with SCSC.

St Cloud has a darn good chance in the frozen four, I'm going with Chain on this one, he sticks around until after that tourney before he makes any kind of decision.

 

[Icicle]

What's the rational anyway behind the NCAA becoming a UFA rule? Surely all teams would want their college draft picks locked in.

They aren’t paid to play NCAA, and if your team who owns the puck won’t pay a pro contract for a player after 4 years then that team loses the rights.

 

[stokes84]

Hopefully unlike Petersen he feels some loyalty to the organization that drafted him and has treated him well.

The people that drafted him are gone. Is he supposed to have some loyalty to the logo or something? I think any college player that only has a year left and values their degree would be pretty dumb not to ride it out to free agency.

 

[AustonsNostrils]

The people that drafted him are gone. Is he supposed to have some loyalty to the logo or something? I think any college player that only has a year left and values their degree would be pretty dumb not to ride it out to free agency.

i know this and it's worrisome. i have been a big Borgen fan since his WJC, he's going to be a good NHL dman and soon. we lose him it is a big loss.
i still think there's **** that goes on behind closed doors in the NHL and I want my owner and GM to do what it takes - if that's diverting extra money to get Borgen signed then so be it, just be smart enough not to get caught.

the rules for college players are bad, here's what I think needs to be done, IF a team offers a college or college bound draft choice an ELC contract by the end of draft +2 season then the drafting team retains his rights.

 

[hizzoner]

I think the rules ought to be the same for all draftees. Sign in 2 years or back you go in the draft for 2 more years. End of 4 years if not signed you are a free agent. There has to be some freedom for the kid drafted and all teams will be in the same boat. One more thing--the drafting team should have the ability to offer a little something more to an about to be FA--perhaps 25 % more if the player on his ELC 2 way contract is sent to minors. Oh maybe something else-team losing the player they drafted gets an extra pick in last round.

 

[Paxon]

I think the rules ought to be the same for all draftees. Sign in 2 years or back you go in the draft for 2 more years. End of 4 years if not signed you are a free agent. There has to be some freedom for the kid drafted and all teams will be in the same boat. One more thing--the drafting team should have the ability to offer a little something more to an about to be FA--perhaps 25 % more if the player on his ELC 2 way contract is sent to minors. Oh maybe something else-team losing the player they drafted gets an extra pick in last round.

So if a kid wants to stay in college for more than 2 years his drafted team has to lose him. That is no solution. It is such worse.

 

[Husko]

The ideal "fix" would be that you can sign futures contracts but still play NCAA. Teams have to decide earlier to make a commitment, players get longterm financial security, and NCAA gets to keep a crop of players that would otherwise bolt for immediate financial security.

 

[joshjull]

The ideal "fix" would be that you can sign futures contracts but still play NCAA. Teams have to decide earlier to make a commitment, players get longterm financial security, and NCAA gets to keep a crop of players that would otherwise bolt for immediate financial security.

I'm pretty sure that wouldn't be up to the NHL/NHLPA. That's something the NCAA would have to allow since it's their rules that prevent the players from signing deals. I doubt they care.

 

[Jim Bob]

I'm pretty sure that wouldn't be up to the NHL/NHLPA. That's something the NCAA would have to allow since it's their rules that prevent the players from signing deals. I doubt they care.

The only way to modify things would be for all players to need to opt into the draft.

With that change, a player would give up their remaining NC$$ eligibility to enter the NHL Draft (like how football and basketball players lose their NC$$ eligibility once they enter the NFL and NBA Drafts).

Or, the NHL CBA needs to be modified to give teams ownership of the draft rights to players for a longer period of time.

 

[sabregoat]

Treat Kids who decide to stay all four years of college as a RFA. The team who drafted them has to qualify them when they leave college with a max ELC or lose their rights. Kids can then stay in college and teams would not have to push contracts on them earlier for fear of losing them.

 

[Jame]

How is Dennis Gilbert doing? lol

 

[Chainshot]

How is Dennis Gilbert doing? lol

Comparable as a junior?