C Will Smith - Boston College, NCAA (2023, 4th, SJS)

[Wieters]

They weren't all committed to BC in the beginning, but they all ended up going there together. I think there's a good chance they will all leave BC together as well, most likely after next season.

Leonard was the first to commit, then Smith flipped a commitment from Northeastern to BC, and then Smith has said he sold Perreault hard on joining them at BC. I believe Smith and Perreault are roommates. Clearly they're close in a way that affects their individual decisions. If for no other reasons, it would be surprising if Smith chooses to leave when Perreault is presumably staying and Leonard has already set the precedent of getting the band back together.

 

[Michoulicious]

College is fun, and you really only get to do it once. I'm surprised more guys don't stick around, and for longer.

Securing 1 million dollars early, especially when you play a dangerous sport like hockey or football, is also fun.

 

[CheckingLineCenter]

College is fun, and you really only get to do it once. I'm surprised more guys don't stick around, and for longer.

Not saying anyone in college hockey is making bank off NIL but these kids have money now too. Definitely getting enough to have a blast at school.

Not like old days where they had to scrap it together to buy some pitchers.

 

[Wallet Inspector]

College is fun, and you really only get to do it once. I'm surprised more guys don't stick around, and for longer.

Call me crazy but I think if it came down to

A. Paying to have to attend classes, do exams etc
B. Being paid hundreds of thousands of dollars to play a sport

Most young athletes are gonna choose the latter.

 

[Wieters]

Securing 1 million dollars early, especially when you play a dangerous sport like hockey or football, is also fun.

What you're describing is responsibility, which is often the literal opposite of fun.

Call me crazy but I think if it came down to

A. Paying to have to attend classes, do exams etc
B. Being paid hundreds of thousands of dollars to play a sport

Most young athletes are gonna choose the latter.

College hockey players are not paying anything to attend classes and now with NIL they're actually getting paid to do so while playing a sport.

 

[keppel146]

Call me crazy but I think if it came down to

A. Paying to have to attend classes, do exams etc
B. Being paid hundreds of thousands of dollars to play a sport

Most young athletes are gonna choose the latter.

Will Smith pays to go to college? Doubt it. Also, San Jose area is not a cheap place to live so, idk why all these people think 1 million is so great to play in the nhl.

 

[Frank Drebin]

I don't know one sane person that would turn down 1 million dollars per year to play in front of NHL crowds in NHL arenas while burning off a year of your ELC to stay in college. Its crazy.

 

[Bowie22]

1 mil will probably buy him a condo here lmao

 

[Juxtaposer]

Going back to college next season basically means forfeiting a year of prime-aged earning over the course of his career—his ELC will still be three years and he’ll become a UFA/have arb rights/etc. a year later than he would if he signed and played next season. Basically, millions of dollars in career earnings could be lost if he chooses to go back, unless the developmental year in the NCAA causes him to be so much better that he makes up the loss by improving that much.

But if another year in the NCAA is important to him, then I respect it. There isn’t another time in a young adult’s life that they basically get to f*** around with no responsibilities to hang out with their best friends. If I knew I had a multi-milllion dollar contract waiting for me even if I did another year of college and I was in a financially-stable situation already, I might do another year of college. In that case, he might only be risking injury.

Suffice to say, I wouldn’t be surprised to see this decision drag into the summer. It’s a big one.

 

[Bonin21]

He can just sign at the end of the year and burn the year. So he'll lose out on like $850K but get to enjoy the year with his buddies and be just as close to his big contract.

I don't know one sane person that would turn down 1 million dollars per year to play in front of NHL crowds in NHL arenas while burning off a year of your ELC to stay in college. Its crazy.

He can burn the year with one game at the end of the season.

 

[GAGLine]

I don't know one sane person that would turn down 1 million dollars per year to play in front of NHL crowds in NHL arenas while burning off a year of your ELC to stay in college. Its crazy.

There are a lot of sane people you don't know then, I guess, because Leonard did just that.

 

[Juxtaposer]

He can just sign at the end of the year and burn the year. So he'll lose out on like $850K but get to enjoy the year with his buddies and be just as close to his big contract.


He can burn the year with one game at the end of the season.

That’s true, I guess. Forgot about the 20 year old rule.

 

[Bonin21]

There are a lot of sane people you don't know then, I guess, because Leonard did just that.

And McGroarty. And Gauthier last year. And Owen Power. And Matt Beniers. And so on...

 

[Gaylord Q Tinkledink]

I don't know one sane person that would turn down 1 million dollars per year to play in front of NHL crowds in NHL arenas while burning off a year of your ELC to stay in college. Its crazy.

You get further along in your studies, so even though you're a high profile prospect that doesn't mean your career will be successful, so having a back up is worth it.

He/they can still burn a year at the end of the season anyways

He/they will still get a significant amount just for signing and will likely still get a game, or two (or more) at the end of the season.

He/they also get to take another run at the NCAA championship and likely their last time playing together until retirement.

Seems like a lot of wins for that line

 

[Bonin21]

That’s true, I guess. Forgot about the 20 year old rule.

Don't need to be 20. Owen Power's contract age was 19 and he burned the year. Celebrini will do the same if he comes back and leaves at age 18 (but his contract age will be 19).

 

[GAGLine]

Don't need to be 20. Owen Power's contract age was 19 and he burned the year. Celebrini will do the same if he comes back and leaves at age 18 (but his contract age will be 19).

Power burned a year because he turned 20 prior to December 31st of the year in which he signed his contract.

In the event that an 18 year old or 19 year old Player signs an SPC with a Club but does not play at least ten (10) NHL Games in the first season under that SPC, the term of his SPC and his number of years in the Entry Level System shall be extended for a period of one (1) year, except that this automatic extension will not apply to a Player who is 19 according to Section 9.2 by virtue of turning 20 between September 16 and December31 in the year in which he first signs an SPC.

Owen Power Contract, Cap Hit, Salary and Stats - CapFriendly - NHL Salary Caps

Owen Power contract, salary, cap hit, salary cap, aav, career earnings, lifetime earnings, aav, advanced stats, transaction history, trade history, and rfa or ufa free agent status

www.capfriendly.com

His ELC signing age is 20 due to the above rule.

Smith doesn't turn 20 until March 17, 2025, so if he were to sign now, his ELC would slide, so there's no way for him to burn a year. He can sign after next season and burn a year, which is probably what he will do.

 

[coooldude]

I don't know one sane person that would turn down 1 million dollars per year to play in front of NHL crowds in NHL arenas while burning off a year of your ELC to stay in college. Its crazy.

$1MM salary, taxes in CA leave you with $570K. Probably gets ~50% of the 12.5% california tax back because you're working in other states half the time, but then some of those states also have taxes, so maybe he gets back roughly $30-40K, make it an even $600K.

Escrow payment is what, 17%? I don't know, but that's another $170K that you don't even see, and you may get back, maybe not. $400K in take home pay is a lot of money for a normal person, but it's not so much that you would be insane to turn it down, because his rent in SJ could be $100K and then...

At college, he's living for free and he's a Chipotle athlete and probably makes $100K in NIL (BC is a rich school, rich donors -> NIL payments... Rumor has it that even depth players in college D1 football make nearly $100K/year, I can't believe BC Hockey stars don't make that much).

So that's $300K in takehome pay after rent, vs. $100K in takehome pay with no other living expenses and living the time of your life.

Plus, it's not like his development is going to get hurt. He may play better in year 1 of his ELC, and that may knock on to his first big contract.

Plus, as others have said, he could burn the ELC year anyway at the end of next year.

You get further along in your studies, so even though you're a high profile prospect that doesn't mean your career will be successful, so having a back up is worth it.

I agree with the rest of your post, lots of reasons to stay, but Smith is a Communication Studies major and it sounds like the school work is... not significant (podcast appearance talked about basically him, Leonard, and Perreault being stage hands for some performance for credit). And therefore the studies are ... not meaningful.

 

[Bonin21]

Power burned a year because he turned 20 prior to December 31st of the year in which he signed his contract.

Owen Power Contract, Cap Hit, Salary and Stats - CapFriendly - NHL Salary Caps

Owen Power contract, salary, cap hit, salary cap, aav, career earnings, lifetime earnings, aav, advanced stats, transaction history, trade history, and rfa or ufa free agent status

www.capfriendly.com

His ELC signing age is 20 due to the above rule.

Smith doesn't turn 20 until March 17, 2025, so if he were to sign now, his ELC would slide, so there's no way for him to burn a year. He can sign after next season and burn a year, which is probably what he will do.

Interesting... So Celebrini can't really burn a year at the end of next college season...

 

[jfhabs]

Many players choose to go back to school despite that money (which he won't make if he's in the AHL), so it's obviously not convincing enough in all cases. Leonard could have signed with Washington but has already indicated that he will return to BC. No word on Perreault, but the expectations are that he will return as well.

Once Smith signs, that's it. There's no going back. My guess is he goes back to BC with his friends to try to win a championship. They weren't all committed to BC in the beginning, but they all ended up going there together. I think there's a good chance they will all leave BC together as well, most likely after next season.

I think it would be best for him to turn pro, ahl or NHL. But we'll see.

 

[JiggsNY]

I don't know one sane person that would turn down 1 million dollars per year to play in front of NHL crowds in NHL arenas while burning off a year of your ELC to stay in college. Its crazy.

What about the numerous examples of NHL draft picks choosing to stay in school an extra year? I understand what some of you are saying but we’re not debating something that has never happened before. We literally see it happen all of the time.

 

[jfhabs]

Not saying anyone in college hockey is making bank off NIL but these kids have money now too. Definitely getting enough to have a blast at school.

Not like old days where they had to scrap it together to buy some pitchers.

True, US / Canadian kids making it this far in hockey probably come from upper class families to start with.

 

[CheckingLineCenter]

True, US / Canadian kids making it this far in hockey probably come from upper class families to start with.

Yeah for sure but I more mean it’s a different ballgame now when these bigger name kids can throw up an instagram story for some product and get paid $3K.

No longer finding money under the couch for beer, Chipotle, and tee times lmao.

 

[Frank Drebin]

College is fun, and you really only get to do it once. I'm surprised more guys don't stick around, and for longer.

$1MM salary, taxes in CA leave you with $570K. Probably gets ~50% of the 12.5% california tax back because you're working in other states half the time, but then some of those states also have taxes, so maybe he gets back roughly $30-40K, make it an even $600K.

Escrow payment is what, 17%? I don't know, but that's another $170K that you don't even see, and you may get back, maybe not. $400K in take home pay is a lot of money for a normal person, but it's not so much that you would be insane to turn it down, because his rent in SJ could be $100K and then...

At college, he's living for free and he's a Chipotle athlete and probably makes $100K in NIL (BC is a rich school, rich donors -> NIL payments... Rumor has it that even depth players in college D1 football make nearly $100K/year, I can't believe BC Hockey stars don't make that much).

So that's $300K in takehome pay after rent, vs. $100K in takehome pay with no other living expenses and living the time of your life.

Plus, it's not like his development is going to get hurt. He may play better in year 1 of his ELC, and that may knock on to his first big contract.

Plus, as others have said, he could burn the ELC year anyway at the end of next year.


I agree with the rest of your post, lots of reasons to stay, but Smith is a Communication Studies major and it sounds like the school work is... not significant (podcast appearance talked about basically him, Leonard, and Perreault being stage hands for some performance for credit). And therefore the studies are ... not meaningful.

Not going to get into the whole thing, and I'm not positive, but I would imagine escrow payments are made with pre tax not post tax income.

So his actual taxable salary after escrow would be 830k. Put you at $480ish after taxes and before rent. You think NHL players are paying $20k/month for accommodations? Most if not all young guys have roomates. Most stay with older/established players.

 

[Rob]

With all the returning players Boston College is sitting pretty to make another serious run. Good recruiting class with James Hagens.

 

[coooldude]

Not going to get into the whole thing, and I'm not positive, but I would imagine escrow payments are made with pre tax not post tax income.

So his actual taxable salary after escrow would be 830k. Put you at $480ish after taxes and before rent. You think NHL players are paying $20k/month for accommodations? Most if not all young guys have roomates. Most stay with older/established players.

Maybe rent is $25-50k... Bay Area is expensive.

You're probably right on the escrow. Point remains that if you believe you're going to earn $20-30MM over your career, a couple hundred thousand difference may very well be worth it to run it back with your bros, go to your family's college with your sister, etc.