Prospect Info: Clayton Phillips | Left Defenseman | Fargo (USHL) | 3nd round, 93rd overall

[Jacob]

I thought it was simply that he can't sign elsewhere because he'd lose his college eligibility.

 

[clefty]

You can't sign elsewhere because your rights belong to one team.

If you go the college route, your drafted team owns your rights until August 15 after you graduate, however long that is. In this guy's case, that's five years from now since he's playing an extra year of junior hockey. For the guy we took in the 7th, that's three years.

Of course, you're free to sign with your team whenever you want. But if you put in enough time, you can forego college eligibility and become a free agent.

This explains it all. One pertinent section here, but all the CBA jargon is there if you can digest it.

the CBA ensures that if a prospect legitimately wants to leave college in his third college year (if he did a post-draft USHL year, thus making his third college year his "fourth" June 1) -- or even in his fourth year if he quits college before January 1 -- to start his career, he can still do so and, if not signed by his drafting club by June 1, he is free to shop his services.

However, a prospect who is completing all his credits (or very nearly) as a senior in college (so, he stayed enrolled past Jan. 1 his fourth year, probably because he wanted to finish his hockey season first), cannot then use the loophole to "leave college" early and become a free agent on June 1. Such a player's rights would be held through Aug. 15.

So if you decide college isn't your thing anymore, the NHL says you still belong to your drafting team -- unless you've put in three years (for USHL or junior B-type players) or four years (for traditional college-bound draftees) without your drafting team coaxing you out of college already. I've always read that minor "loophole" as some sort of recognition for the fact that a prospect in his fourth June 1 since his draft has already given up some earning potential by pursuing his degree through age 21-23 instead of taking an ELC at age 18-20.

https://www.lighthousehockey.com/2013/6/7/4404684/nhl-cba-college-loophole-ncaa-change

 

[Bonin21]

You don't have his rights for five years. Since he's playing a year of juniors after being drafted, he can choose to be a FA after his junior year of college if he wants on June 1. See Blake Wheeler, Jimmy Vesey, and Justin Schultz.

 

[clefty]

You don't have his rights for five years. Since he's playing a year of juniors after being drafted, he can choose to be a FA after his junior year of college if he wants on June 1. See Blake Wheeler, Jimmy Vesey, and Justin Schultz.

I've explained this multiple times, he has to physically leave school for that. If he plays his senior year, his rights are still ours. You've added nothing.

 

[TKNoodle]

The downside with him going back to the USHL is we'll lose his rights before he graduates college. So gotta hope he's ready after 3 years in the NCAA.

From the CBA:

"If a Player drafted at age 18 or 19, who had received a Bona Fide Offer in accordance with Section 8.6(a)(ii) above, becomes a bona fide college student prior to the second June 1 following his selection in the Entry Draft and remains a bona fide college student through the graduation of his college class, his drafting Club shall retain the exclusive rights of negotiation for his services through and including the August 15 following the graduation of his college class."

So he can play 1 more year in the USHL, then head to college in 2018, and as long as he doesn't leave school early the Penguins will retain his player rights until August 15 of his graduating year (2022).

 

[jmelm]

I just noticed, Clayton Phillips had a very strong showing at the NHL combine, scoring pretty highly in many of the categories. Interesting to see he was invited since players ranked in that range often are not.


https://link.nhl.com/centralscouting/public/

 

[Merc29]

he will also be wearing the number 99 and i see no reason why he could not.

I guess you're right, 99 is league retired. Maybe he could just flip it and just be 66. An upside down 99

 

[Bonin21]

He's joining the Gophers midway through the season. He should be a senior in high school right now. It's not often defensemen accelerate to play college early, especially non first rounders with Luke Martin, Brett Pesce, and Jake McCabe the only ones I can think of. (Hughes, McAvoy, Hanifin, Werenski I think for first rounders.)

 

[Empoleon8771]

That's really nice that Phillips is starting in college earlier than he was expected to. I was a little iffy on taking him when they did because he was going to play a full year in the USHL before going to college, but this is a very nice development.

 

[DesertPenguin]

Is he joining them to play, or is he enrolling in school a semester early to get settled academically and essentially redshirt the season? It seems odd for him to come on when the collegiate season is already rolling.

Edit: He's joining the team proper while another defenseman is heading back to the USHL for more playing time. Even if he's mostly inactive, it gets him experience in the system and if he's not planning to stay for 4 full years anyway, it doesn't really affect his eligibility.

 

[Bonin21]

They wouldn't bring him in and waste half a year of eligibilty if he isn't going to get the chance to play A LOT, including a significant chance to QB the PP right away.

 

[Jacob]

Nice.

 

[Big McLargehuge]

Well this is an interesting development.

 

[Jacob]

Minnesota’s a PMD assembly line and it seems like he was pretty productive by USHL standards, this seems like a good step in his development.

 

[WayneSid9987]

Caught a bit of him in the JrA Challenge last week i think it was. Definitely the new breed type of D in the mold of Samuel Girard. Small, fast, skilled.

 

[Le Magnifique 66]

This is fantastic news, hope he keeps to develop fast and well and like others have said this is the new style of young D's that teams are looking for.

 

[larueskee]

I once heard or read that Erik Johnson was the best player available. That turned out to be false, the best player available that year may have been Phil Kessell or Toews. Bottom line is that too much emphasis is placed on Central Scouting and a kids hair do and less time spent actually doing the investigative research needed to find great players that might not get the attention others get.

 

[Jacob]

I once heard or read that Erik Johnson was the best player available. That turned out to be false, the best player available that year may have been Phil Kessell or Toews. Bottom line is that too much emphasis is placed on Central Scouting and a kids hair do and less time spent actually doing the investigative research needed to find great players that might not get the attention others get.

A little early in the day to be wasted IMO.

 

[Speaking Moistly]

May as well start hyping him now. Letang's replacement.

 

[57special]

He is, and always has been, a very good player. Cut his teeth playing against Mittelstadt, Poehling, Samberg, Joey and Mikey Anderson(all on the U20 team),etc.. Will be interesting to see how effective he is with the Gophers and beyond.

 

[FreeBobbyFarnham]

May as well start hyping him now. Letang's replacement.

Well he was drafted in the 3rd round. Coincidence? I think not.

 

[Shaffer]

Well he was drafted in the 3rd round. Coincidence? I think not.

So was Murray and Guentzel

 

[66-30-33]

Well he was drafted in the 3rd round. Coincidence? I think not.

As long as he's much smarter then Letang. Give all the skill in the world and a really good brain to Philips and we can see what Letang could have been.