Prospect Info: Aidan McDonough (will not sign this year; returning for senior year in NCAA)

[Nucker101]

He’s McDone as Canucks property

 

[Tim Calhoun]

Makes sense. Getting a degree should be extremely important from someone who’s an outside shot to make it.

He can finish his degree while still playing pro (like in the summer). Pretty sure a lot of players have done that.

 

[Just A Bit Outside]

Meh.

 

[TruGr1t]

Would not be surprised if convincing US prospects to play in Canada becomes more of an issue moving forward. It's already a problem at the pro level. He can wait it out and play for an American team.

 

[Blue and Green]

He’s McDone as Canucks property

This is what a lot of people said when Lockwood decided to stay at Michigan for his senior season.

 

[kanucks25]

Whatever. Still a long-shot anyway.

If he doesn't want to be here, so be it. His life, his choice.

 

[iceburg]

This actually makes complete sense. He has parts of his game that are clearly NHL ready and parts that need a lot of work. The organization's stated goal to get faster makes this outcome not surprising. Thing is, he turns 23 in November. If/when he turns pro next year he will effectively be going into is first pro game as a 24 year old. That's really, really, late.

 

[StreetHawk]

This actually makes complete sense. He has parts of his game that are clearly NHL ready and parts that need a lot of work. The organization's stated goal to get faster makes this outcome not surprising. Thing is, he turns 23 in November. If/when he turns pro next year he will effectively be going into is first pro game as a 24 year old. That's really, really, late.

Blake Coleman was the same age when he went pro. Born in 1991 and went to college for the 2011-2012 season after playing in the USHL. Did all 4 years there.

But like we have said he’s among the oldest kids in ncaa hockey next season. So stats wise, have to consider that given that half the competition is between 18-20 years old.

 

[David Bruce Banner]

This is only news because our prospect pool is so paltry that this longest of long shots is nearly all we have to talk about.

Thanks Jim!

 

[wonton15]

Honestly, I would've probably done the same thing as him. Finish the degree and get to decide after you spend another season trying to win a championship. Opens up his UFA possibilities (could still sign here) as someone who's probably a long shot anyways.

 

[timw33]

Thats cool and all, but he won't play a single professional game until he's 23 (and turning 24 one month into first full pro season).

 

[Deeds26]

Thats cool and all, but he won't play a single professional game until he's 23 (and turning 24 one month into first full pro season).

Darn, can't believe we wasted a 7th rounder on this kid who was a longshot to make it to the big leagues and might just do it but will be old. Gross.

 

[timw33]

Darn, can't believe we wasted a 7th rounder on this kid who was a longshot to make it to the big leagues and might just do it but will be old. Gross.

Completely missing the point.

He's a 7th rounder who has developed above the expectations for a 7th rounder, and should move up to the next level of competition if he wants to make a real go at being a pro hockey player.

 

[Frankie Blueberries]

Maybe I'm reading too far into that tweet, but "Canucks new management have handled this situation so well" could be interpreted in many ways. I didn't know there was a "situation." Seems like he prefers dealing with new management over old management. Lol.

 

[M2Beezy]

This is only news because our prospect pool is so paltry that this longest of long shots is nearly all we have to talk about.

Thanks Jim!

Yeah David but get over it! Benning has been gone for three months! Time to move on

But Gillis

 

[MS]

This is only news because our prospect pool is so paltry that this longest of long shots is nearly all we have to talk about.

Thanks Jim!

Yeah, in most organizations this would be a fringe top-10 prospect that nobody even really took notice of. It's bigger news because he's like the #3 or #4 prospect in this astonishingly thin pool.

 

[StreetHawk]

Yeah, in most organizations this would be a fringe top-10 prospect that nobody even really took notice of. It's bigger news because he's like the #3 or #4 prospect in this astonishingly thin pool.

This market since Umberger has freaked out over every ncaa prospect. From Schneider, Demko, Rathbone, Lockwood, etc.

Malone from Cornell will return for another season his final in which the Canucks hold his rights. Had to spend last season back in the USHL because the Ivy League shut down for covid.

 

[VanJack]

Meh....McDonough would have been ticketed for Abbotsford anyway. And unless he showed something special, he likely wouldn't have gotten any games in Vancouver, unless the Canucks were willing to blow off a year of his ELC contract eligibility with a few token games this spring.

I guess I can understand a kid who wants a degree in his back pocket before giving pro hockey a try. There are no guarantees for 7th round draft picks. The only disappointment is that for a 24-year old player, another year of college hockey is basically a wasted year of development, despite all the 'spin' about working on his game.

 

[strattonius]

At 24, he will essentially be a what you see is what you get player. So if he doesn't excel in the AHL he will never make it.

 

[Jyrki21]

Thats cool and all, but he won't play a single professional game until he's 23 (and turning 24 one month into first full pro season).

It's still kind of cool to see enthusiasm to that degree when everyone was kind of suspecting the opposite, right down to name-dropping Rathbone and alluding to the management change (which I love, even if that's not really how he meant it). I mean, he could have held his cards tight.

 

[VanJack]

Even if he arrives in training camp a year from next September, he's basically a 26-year old college hockey player, of which the Canucks have signed a baker's dozen over the years....some of the more recent guys like Griffin Molino, Marc Michaelis, Josh Teves and Brogan Rafferty come to mind. Other than Chris Tanev way back when, none of them ever panned out.

I suppose there's a chance Lockwood and McDonough might be different. But the track record of college players who spend a full four years in the NCAA and are signed by the Canucks, is less than stellar.

 

[F A N]

I'm going to choose to believe that McDonaugh will stay loyal and sign with the Canucks after he completes his senior season. But there is new management in place. I wonder if management refused to burn a year off his NTC to get it done or it never reached that point.

 

[StreetHawk]

I'm going to choose to believe that McDonaugh will stay loyal and sign with the Canucks after he completes his senior season. But there is new management in place. I wonder if management refused to burn a year off his NTC to get it done or it never reached that point.

Only needs 1 game to burn it. And it realistically likely wouldn’t cost them anything as McDonaugh would more likely than not, spend 22-23 in the A mostly. So minimal games at nhl level when he would be a free agent. And based off his age would t be arbitration eligible.

 

[KingofSurrey]

Another season of NCAA with all those practises. / skill development.. might actually help him more than riding the bench in Abby....

Just sayin.

 

[VanJack]

Another season of NCAA with all those practises. / skill development.. might actually help him more than riding the bench in Abby....

Just sayin.

And after all those practices and skill development at Northeastern next season, he'll still be riding the pine as a rookie in AHL. It's just that he'll be a year older.