Prospect Info: 95th overall (2017): Vancouver selects D Jack Rathbone | Will he sign?

[Fatass]

The students I've heard from are pretty angry about the situation, actually. They feel cheated out of a full college experience and that online courses should be offered at a discounted tuition.

Maybe those students need to consider the faculty, and many of the employees of the university are in higher risk groups for more severe Covid 19 consequences than they are?

 

[Diversification]

Maybe those students need to consider the faculty, and many of the employees of the university are in higher risk groups for more severe Covid 19 consequences than they are?

It’s more about the cost of tuition. It’s astronomical and when you can’t attend in-person, they feel they deserve a discount.

 

[Diversification]

I wonder if the new CBA will close the college “loophole” for players getting to UFA status in August of their graduation (class) year?
As for Rathbone a year without any hockey could certainly hinder his development. I’d say he signs, and plays on the Canucks next season.

Agreed, although I'd say he's likely Utica-bound. I think the only thing holding things up is word from the AHL and NHL about their plans for 20-21.

 

[Fatass]

Agreed, although I'd say he's likely Utica-bound. I think the only thing holding things up is word from the AHL and NHL about their plans for 20-21.

Rathbone is too good for Utica. He will start in our bottom pair, and be playing top our minutes within 20 games. Plus, we are against the cap, and need ELC guys.

 

[VanJack]

Rathbone is too good for Utica. He will start in our bottom pair, and be playing top our minutes within 20 games. Plus, we are against the cap, and need ELC guys.

Rathbone's biggest hurdle in carving out a spot in the NHL won't be the faster pace of the game, it'll be coach. Unless your name is Quinn Hughes, Green would rather sacrifice his first-born than give serious minutes to a rookie d-man.

Whether or not Rathbone is 'too good' for Utica will be determined when he arrives in Central NY. And it's almost guaranteed that he at least starts the season in the AHL.

 

[Fatass]

Rathbone's biggest hurdle in carving out a spot in the NHL won't be the faster pace of the game, it'll be coach. Unless your name is Quinn Hughes, Green would rather sacrifice his first-born than give serious minutes to a rookie d-man.

Whether or not Rathbone is 'too good' for Utica will be determined when he arrives in Central NY. And it's almost guaranteed that he at least starts the season in the AHL.

IMO it’s a given Rathbone starts in Vancouver. Kid is ready, and will be a big contributor.

 

[701]

Agreed, although I'd say he's likely Utica-bound. I think the only thing holding things up is word from the AHL and NHL about their plans for 20-21.

Yeah that's the main thing, Utica and Vancouver, what will they be doing? I can't agree with Luckylarry that Rathbone is too good for Utica, since defence is a big part of the D job and Rathbone's NCAA defensive play didn't really stand out in a positive way, unlike with Hughes for example. He very well might have to improve the D side of his game while learning to be a pro in Utica . . . if Utica even has a season. That's the rub.

And then there's Vancouver. Will the Canucks have a season? And what will that look like? The virus situation keeps evolving . . .

Harvard is having the freshmen in the Yard dorms as usual for the fall semester, but they'll be doing distance learning from their suites, with no
physical classes. Then they'll leave town and the seniors will come into the houses for their final spring semester. The sophomores and juniors are
screwed. No Harvard for most of them all year, except with distance learning from home. Expect many of them to take leaves of absence, for which Harvard has traditionally had a wonderfully open and easy policy. Rathbone will be a junior, so, unless the upcoming league athletics announcement says something different, he won't be playing college hockey this coming season. So . . . Vancouver and Utica, I'm looking at you. Or maybe Europe?

Rathbone is a townie so he could easily stay home, study and work out, keep track of whatever the Bruins are doing, and keep running the clock on the period the Canucks hold his rights--unless the rules get changed on account of the viral disruption of normalcy. But if an NHL / AHL season actually happens this fall, he could sign and get on with his hockey career, earning big bucks for a college kid wherever he plays. The virus has given him an honourable reason for leaving school, or so it seems to me as a Harvard grad. Rathbone has already in effect sat out an NCAA year following his draft,
opting instead to continue playing prep school hockey for one more season before entering Harvard. Why sit out yet another season? That's really bad for development, and meanwhile your former D teammates and athletic peers, Fox and Marino, are cruising toward their *second* NHL contracts and the end of their ELCs. The sense I get from listening to Rathbone's radio interview last year is that he's more of an athlete than a scholar. I've been wrong before and I could easily be wrong again, but I think that, if the Canucks continue to want him, Rathbone will sign. It's the advice I'd give if I were his dad. He can afford to finish his Harvard degree at any future time he likes, if that's important to him. But he needs to keep playing hockey, and he might as well get paid for playing it.

 

[Diversification]

Yeah that's the main thing, Utica and Vancouver, what will they be doing? I can't agree with Luckylarry that Rathbone is too good for Utica, since defence
is a big part of the D job and Rathbone's NCAA defensive play didn't really stand out in a positive way, unlike with Hughes for example. He very well might
have to improve the D side of his game while learning to be a pro in Utica . . . if Utica even has a season. That's the rub.

And then there's Vancouver. Will the Canucks have a season? And what will that look like? The virus situation keeps evolving . . .

Harvard is having the freshmen in the Yard dorms as usual for the fall semester, but they'll be doing distance learning from their suites, with no
physical classes. Then they'll leave town and the seniors will come into the houses for their final spring semester. The sophomores and juniors are
screwed. No Harvard for most of them all year, except with distance learning from home. Expect many of them to take leaves of absence, for which Harvard has traditionally had a wonderfully open and easy policy. Rathbone will be a junior, so, unless the upcoming league athletics announcement says something different, he won't be playing college hockey this coming season. So . . . Vancouver and Utica, I'm looking at you. Or maybe Europe?

Rathbone is a townie so he could easily stay home, study and work out, keep track of whatever the Bruins are doing, and keep running the clock on the period the Canucks hold his rights--unless the rules get changed on account of the viral disruption of normalcy. But if an NHL / AHL season actually happens this fall, he could sign and get on with his hockey career, earning big bucks for a college kid wherever he plays. The virus has given him an honourable reason for leaving school, or so it seems to me as a Harvard grad. Rathbone has already in effect sat out an NCAA year following his draft,
opting instead to continue playing prep school hockey for one more season before entering Harvard. Why sit out yet another season? That's really bad for development, and meanwhile your former D teammates and athletic peers, Fox and Marino, are cruising toward their *second* NHL contracts and the end of their ELCs. The sense I get from listening to Rathbone's radio interview last year is that he's more of an athlete than a scholar. I've been wrong before and I could easily be wrong again, but I think that, if the Canucks continue to want him, Rathbone will sign. It's the advice I'd give if I were his dad. He can afford to finish his Harvard degree at any future time he likes, if that's important to him. But he needs to keep playing hockey, and he might as well get paid for playing it.

It is difficult to predict what will happen. The AHL is a gate-driven business, meaning they will need to resume if they can do so. Fortunately for them, their teams are largely located in lower population areas - Toronto and Philadelphia as the counter examples (workable for them to re-locate for the year). This means they could conceivably hold a season with mandatory masking, half-capacity arenas and try to make a go of it.

The NHL will be much harder to do. My guess is with them, their season will run into the fall, which will shunt their season opener into early '21. Basically use this year's playoffs as a dress rehearsal, re-tune and buy some time to see how things play out with cases in the fall.

As you noted, Rathbone needs, at minimum, a few months in Utica to shore up play in his own end. So the timing could work out well if things go well. I guess Europe is a possibility, but it's really no different than the AHL in terms of play, but with the added culture shock.

My guess is that he signs once the AHL solidifies its plans for this upcoming season.

 

[F A N]

The students I've heard from are pretty angry about the situation, actually. They feel cheated out of a full college experience and that online courses should be offered at a discounted tuition.

Sure and I wouldn't want to attend Harvard while living in Vancouver. But there's also a difference between an incoming freshman and a junior. The guy entering his 3rd year is less likely to be angry over having to take online classes due to the pandemic.Regardless, top NCAA hockey players rarely graduate from college before turning pro. They may go back to finish their degree. Rathbone's priority, presumably, is hockey. If he was a top 10 pick and guaranteed an NHL spot would he have graduated from Harvard before turning pro? I highly doubt it. Rathbone also delayed college to spend another year at home. I do think this is a guy who wants to be an NHL player but if there's no hockey, I don't think Rathbone would mind being at home and taking classes online.

I wonder if the new CBA will close the college “loophole” for players getting to UFA status in August of their graduation (class) year?
As for Rathbone a year without any hockey could certainly hinder his development. I’d say he signs, and plays on the Canucks next season.

I imagine they will once NCAA hockey players are allowed to earn money. There would be more incentive for players to stay in college if they are getting paid. For now, I don't think they will close the loophole. In reality, I don't think it's much of an issue. The big name college UFAs or those that were traded because they could be UFAs tend to be mid to late round picks. There's an advantage to using your later round picks on Europeans or NCAA players as you have more time to make a decision on them. That is balanced out by the fact that you have to a player drafted out of the CHL can re-enter the draft if he doesn't sign following his draft + 2 year.

 

[Fatass]

Sure and I wouldn't want to attend Harvard while living in Vancouver. But there's also a difference between an incoming freshman and a junior. The guy entering his 3rd year is less likely to be angry over having to take online classes due to the pandemic.Regardless, top NCAA hockey players rarely graduate from college before turning pro. They may go back to finish their degree. Rathbone's priority, presumably, is hockey. If he was a top 10 pick and guaranteed an NHL spot would he have graduated from Harvard before turning pro? I highly doubt it. Rathbone also delayed college to spend another year at home. I do think this is a guy who wants to be an NHL player but if there's no hockey, I don't think Rathbone would mind being at home and taking classes online.



I imagine they will once NCAA hockey players are allowed to earn money. There would be more incentive for players to stay in college if they are getting paid. For now, I don't think they will close the loophole. In reality, I don't think it's much of an issue. The big name college UFAs or those that were traded because they could be UFAs tend to be mid to late round picks. There's an advantage to using your later round picks on Europeans or NCAA players as you have more time to make a decision on them. That is balanced out by the fact that you have to a player drafted out of the CHL can re-enter the draft if he doesn't sign following his draft + 2 year.

Maybe online classes encourages Rathbone to play here? He can continue his education, while playing NHL hockey. Yup. He’s on our team starting the next season.

 

[Diversification]

Maybe online classes encourages Rathbone to play here? He can continue his education, while playing NHL hockey. Yup. He’s on our team starting the next season.

It's either/or. Online classes doesn't mean attend at your leisure. I finished off a class by zoom this year and we definitely did not drop standards or expectations just because it was distance learning. Can't imagine Harvard would do things any differently.

 

[Fatass]

It's either/or. Online classes doesn't mean attend at your leisure. I finished off a class by zoom this year and we definitely did not drop standards or expectations just because it was distance learning. Can't imagine Harvard would do things any differently.

Agreed. Rathbone will continue his education online, and play for the Canucks. He gets a win win.

 

[Diversification]

Agreed. Rathbone will continue his education online, and play for the Canucks. He gets a win win.

Maybe you should re-read my post.

 

[ChilliBilly]

Agreed. Rathbone will continue his education online, and play for the Canucks. He gets a win win.

Don't think he can do it. NCAA athletes are not allowed to turn pro. Not sure he can continue his studies while playing professional hockey.

 

[timw33]

Don't think he can do it. NCAA athletes are not allowed to turn pro. Not sure he can continue his studies while playing professional hockey.

He can do his continued online studies and finish his degree, he would just be ineligible to play in the NCAA sports programs and I believe would lose the last year of his academic scholarship (not 100% sure about the last part).

Cory Schnieder completed the final year of his degree doing continuing studies in the summers for example.

 

[ChilliBilly]

He can do his continued online studies and finish his degree, he would just be ineligible to play in the NCAA sports programs and I believe would lose the last year of his academic scholarship (not 100% sure about the last part).

Cory Schnieder completed the final year of his degree doing continuing studies in the summers for example.

I was going to go to Harvard and play hockey .... two problems. 1 - you have to be a good student, which I was not. 2 - you have to be a good hockey player, which I was not. (fun fact - there is a good chance that I had the worst academic record of anyone to actually get an engineering degree from UBC ... I had over 20 fails on my transcript).

 

[timw33]

I was going to go to Harvard and play hockey .... two problems. 1 - you have to be a good student, which I was not. 2 - you have to be a good hockey player, which I was not. (fun fact - there is a good chance that I had the worst academic record of anyone to actually get an engineering degree from UBC ... I had over 20 fails on my transcript).

Would love if you could provide a list of bridges you may or may not have been involved in building ;-)

 

[Hansen]

A majority of the university students I know are actually taking the upcoming academic year off. Online classes are brutal and result in lower grades in my experience. Most of the faculty are too old to know how to properly utilize the software schools will be coming up with. The full tuition expense is a joke too.

 

[timw33]

A new CBA transition rule may potentially speed up defenseman Jack Rathbone decision on signing with the Canucks or return for another season at the U of Harvard.

When the new CBA is announced there will be a 53-hour window to sign rookies and burn a year on their contracts.

Because Rathbone is 21 years old, he would sign a 3 year deal.

Based on what we’ve learned on the transition rule, the Canucks can sign Rathbone at noon ET the third day after the CBA agreement is signed, ends 5pm ET the fifth day.

IF Rathbone signs, he would get no signing bonus and would not play this season in the return to play format but it would still burn the first year of his 3 year contract.

Will Harvard hockey even play next season, seems less likely as each month passes. Some think there will be no fall sports at Harvard.

Is Europe a possibility for Rathbone, everything is on the table but not likely.

Rathbone has a decision to make, sign with the Canucks and burn a year off his deal or continue to play the waiting game with Harvard.

We may get clarity soon on one the top defenseman prospects in the Vancouver organization.

Talked with a scout in the NCAA today on Rathbone : "Great pick by the Canucks, this is a great kid who comes from a great family. He is a slick puck moving defenseman who defends well. Offensively he is really good as well, has a bomb of a shot from the point. He passes the puck like a pro.”

 

[Lindgren]

A majority of the university students I know are actually taking the upcoming academic year off. Online classes are brutal and result in lower grades in my experience. Most of the faculty are too old to know how to properly utilize the software schools will be coming up with. The full tuition expense is a joke too.

If I were a university student (those days are long, long past for me), and if I could afford it, I'd head to Europe and travel. It's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity: European travel with no American tourists.

 

[Frankie Blueberries]

For all this talk of “Canuck luck”, the pandemic has given the team a lot of breaks. Injuries, saving the team’s playoff hopes, and now maybe signing Rathbone based on the issues with continuing his education.

 

[Hansen]

For all this talk of “Canuck luck”, the pandemic has given the team a lot of breaks. Injuries, saving the team’s playoff hopes, and now maybe signing Rathbone based on the issues with continuing his education.

Capwise it has ruined us though

 

[Fatass]

Capwise it has ruined us though

Benning/Wisebrod ruined our cap. Signing Rathbone, and having him on our team next year will help out though.

 

[bandwagonesque]

For all this talk of “Canuck luck”, the pandemic has given the team a lot of breaks. Injuries, saving the team’s playoff hopes, and now maybe signing Rathbone based on the issues with continuing his education.

You're making an inference without evidence that he wouldn't have signed otherwise.

 

[Frankie Blueberries]

Capwise it has ruined us though

Benning/Wisebrod ruined our cap. Signing Rathbone, and having him on our team next year will help out though.

Yeah, that's a combination of very poor planning and bad luck. Everyone knew that the team would have a tough time re-signing Toffoli at the time they made the trade, so that's just bad planning from the beginning. Same goes for most of Benning's UFA signings.