Prospect Info: #81 Reilly Walsh (D)

[Billdo]

He's staying four and then will turn down any of our offers to go play for the Panthers

 

[Brodeur]

At least Walsh had a good sense of humor about Ray's joke. I remember Jack Johnson, slated to attend Michigan, wore a maize and blue tie to his draft. After selecting him, Carolina GM Jim Rutherford made a joke along the lines of "you should lose the tie" aka "we want you to turn pro sooner rather than later." Johnson didn't appreciate the comment and their contract standoff would start shortly thereafter.

 

[Devils731]

 

[Stephen Gionta]

This is a great sign.

 

[OmNomNom]

This is a great sign.

Or dangerous, if he feels he can join a better team after 4 years

 

[My3Sons]

Or dangerous, if he feels he can join a better team after 4 years

Generally college UFAs want a direct path to the NHL. A good team might stick him in the AHL. As long as Shero shows the family they are invested in Walsh it should be fine.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

I would be absolutely shocked if Walsh stays in school for 4 years

 

[OmNomNom]

I would be absolutely shocked if Walsh stays in school for 4 years

but harvard... and this kid is most def an academic... i mean, he seemed to REALLY enjoy his chinese history class, and not even BS "liked", but went in depth as to why

 

[Darkauron]

He is doing sociology not a very hard degree for him to come back to after spending 3 years in school. Would be pretty dumb to stay in school that long, kid has skill.

 

[HenriquesJawLine]

Or dangerous, if he feels he can join a better team after 4 years

Better teams don't have room for college free agents and drafted players reaching FA rarely happens anyway, what a stupid post.

 

[Devils731]

He is doing sociology not a very hard degree for him to come back to after spending 3 years in school. Would be pretty dumb to stay in school that long, kid has skill.

Or summer classes to finish in 3 years.

 

[OmNomNom]

Better teams don't have room for college free agents and drafted players reaching FA rarely happens anyway, what a stupid post.

how kind of you, thanks asshole

i think it's a very legitimate fear. it's not totally out of the realm of possibility - we got butcher that way, and that was how losing kerfoot wasn't so bad. it DOES happen.

 

[HenriquesJawLine]

That was mean I apologize. But still unnecessary to worry about as a sophomore.

 

[OmNomNom]

That was mean I apologize. But still unnecessary to worry about as a sophomore.

i'll save it if he doesn't sign after junior year then lol

 

[Nubmer6]

i'll save it if he doesn't sign after junior year then lol

From:
Devils prospect Reilly Walsh plans to return to Harvard in 2018-19

Walsh talking about going 4 years, then going UFA:

"Each guy's path is different," Walsh said. "I think it shows some guys intentions are to go four years, some guys just want to be a pro hockey player. My dream job's to be in the NHL. Whatever I have to do to get there is my goal."

 

[Cult of Hynes]

I can see Walsh bolting from Harvard as soon as he can.

 

[Hischier and Hughes]

how kind of you, thanks *******

i think it's a very legitimate fear. it's not totally out of the realm of possibility - we got butcher that way, and that was how losing kerfoot wasn't so bad. it DOES happen.

Just because it happens doesn't mean you assume it unless something is shown to allude towards this path being taken. What would make you think Walsh wont sign?

 

[Lou is God]

From:
Devils prospect Reilly Walsh plans to return to Harvard in 2018-19

Walsh talking about going 4 years, then going UFA:

He doesn't mention anything about going the UFA route, are you getting that from somewhere else?

 

[Emperoreddy]

Isn’t someone on record saying they got the impression Walsh wanted to turn pro early?

 

[Billdo]

Isn’t someone on record saying they got the impression Walsh wanted to turn pro early?

He himself said he looksd forward to helping the team as soon as he can.

 

[NJDevs26]

Or dangerous, if he feels he can join a better team after 4 years

If we're not one of the 'better' teams after three more years we have bigger issues than Walsh signing with us or not.

And people hype up the few instances where players go UFA as the new norm but still the vast majority of the time it doesn't happen, it's just that nobody cares about citing those instances. The constant worrying around here about college kids going UFA gets old, especially with Shero - he's shown he's willing to burn the year of contract eligibility to get kids in. And yes I know Kerfoot, he happened to come up when our young center depth started to look imposing, and his celing is probably a borderline top six player that is replaceable.

 

[Zippy316]

Isn’t someone on record saying they got the impression Walsh wanted to turn pro early?

If I recall correctly, there was some friendly jokes going on with him and some of his Harvard teammates on instagram that people misinterpreted.

I think @Jason MacIsaac was the one who originally said he may turn pro early.

 

[Nubmer6]

He doesn't mention anything about going the UFA route, are you getting that from somewhere else?

The quote was in reference to going UFA after 4 years. The previous couple paragraphs were discussing other players like Butcher, Vesey, and Kerfoot.

 

[devilsblood]

If we're not one of the 'better' teams after three more years we have bigger issues than Walsh signing with us or not.

And people hype up the few instances where players go UFA as the new norm but still the vast majority of the time it doesn't happen, it's just that nobody cares about citing those instances. The constant worrying around here about college kids going UFA gets old, especially with Shero - he's shown he's willing to burn the year of contract eligibility to get kids in. And yes I know Kerfoot, he happened to come up when our young center depth started to look imposing, and his celing is probably a borderline top six player that is replaceable.

There may not be a lot of examples overall, but if you break it down to guys who look like NHL talent who have stayed at least 3 years, the rate at which those players leave their draft teams get's concerning. We were involved with 2 such examples just last year.

Now Walsh has said he wants to get to the NHL as soon as possible. And Shero has shown a willingness to sign guys, burn that ELC, and get them into NHL games so as to avoid entering that UFA season.

So, if Walsh progresses, I'm pretty confident that he will sign with NJ before it becomes an issue.

 

[Triumph]

There wasn't anyone significant who stayed all 4 years and became UFA this off-season. The media didn't even try to gin up a guy who teams might be after.

Most college players sign with the team that drafted them or whoever holds their rights.

I just know that for the next 10 years on boards like this, Devils fans will be saying 'remember Kerfoot' as if that's a normal thing that happens. It isn't. The vast majority of college players sign with their drafting team or don't sign an NHL contract at all. Even among Harvard players in the last decade, guys sign more often than they go UFA, even though most of them stay in all 4 years.