Too many Collegians, not enought Canadians?

[TCB]

And aren't those mainly college players?

They are, but I think its more of how and who the bruins drafted, and not that they are/were college players.

Current non-Bruin players like B.Tkachuk, C.Kreider, Nyquist, D.Keith, Eichel, Pavelski, Greenway, Toews, Mcdonagh, Guentzl,Werenski and even Gaudreau all play with a competitive spirit, of a I'm in your face and I"m not backing down competitiveness. Past players like K.Tkachuk, Chelious, Hull, St.Lious, G.Anderson, R.Blake, D.Taylor, Nieuwendyk, Oates and Brindamour all had it.

I think its more of the the type of players the Bruins have drafted not from what country or whether they played College or Juniors.

 

[ODAAT]

don`t think it`s an issue, makes sense more teams electing to either sign a College FA or draft them. Often they are getting a young man in comparison to a kid who is 18 that are able to often step right into the NHL and not get overwhelmed physically.

Also, with more leagues out there, I suppose we could use the USHL as one example, just a larger pool to pick from and some terrific talent everywhere.

 

[DominicT]

don`t think it`s an issue, makes sense more teams electing to either sign a College FA or draft them. Often they are getting a young man in comparison to a kid who is 18 that are able to often step right into the NHL and not get overwhelmed physically.

Also, with more leagues out there, I suppose we could use the USHL as one example, just a larger pool to pick from and some terrific talent everywhere.

The USHL as an example?

Look at how many players were drafted out of the USHL last year compared to the OHL .

 

[ODAAT]

The USHL as an example?

Look at how many players were drafted out of the USHL last year compared to the OHL .

Yeah, feels like each year there are more and more. I would love to see some of these games, feel free to submit a totally legal streaming site and/or gimme all your passwords for the sites you may use to access games Dom

 

[finchster]

Yes just like Senyshyn

Lol

 

[DominicT]

Yeah, feels like each year there are more and more. I would love to see some of these games, feel free to submit a totally legal streaming site and/or gimme all your passwords for the sites you may use to access games Dom

There were more players drafted from the USHL/NTDP hen the OHL .

Economics plays a role. Contract limits. How close are your other prospects. It's why they draft a guy like McFaul who is years away but heading to the NCAA.

Until there is a balance on when you can sign players from the CHL compared to NCAA the trend will continue. Right now you have to make a bona fide offer to a CHL player 1 year after his draft. A guy like McFaul the Bruins could have up to 5 years.

 

[wintersej]

Goaltenders aren't relevant to the discussion IMO. Finland has roughly 70k minor hockey players, yet crank out goaltenders like a factory assembly line. I have no idea why that is.

If you can stop pucks, you can stop pucks, doesn't matter if they learn to stop pucks on a ice sheet in the middle of the Sahara desert.

Read something in the athletic recently where they make every kid give it a shot (and the league supplies the pads). Opens up a lot more chances than just “the kid who doesn’t skate great with folks who can afford pads”.

 

[BMC]

It doesn't matter where a player is born. What matters is his mindset. I want players who won't back down/away from anything/anyone. I don't see enough of that on this Bruins roster.

 

[Estlin]

Goaltenders aren't relevant to the discussion IMO. Finland has roughly 70k minor hockey players, yet crank out goaltenders like a factory assembly line. I have no idea why that is.

If you can stop pucks, you can stop pucks, doesn't matter if they learn to stop pucks on a ice sheet in the middle of the Sahara desert.

This might help to explain it: The Oracle of Ice Hockey

 

[chizzler]

The current Bruins roster has 4 Canadian players: Bergeron, Marchand, Debrusk and Heinen (who was also a college player). 12 American players who all played college except for Moore, who played Canadian Juniors. Chara and Krecji played juniors also, JFK played college hockey.

The point is, this is an unusual roster for an NHL team. Question is, is it by design? Or did it just happen to fall that way? Is this an early indicator of a trend for the NHL?

Of note, the most recent successful Bruins teams (2011 & 2013) were overwhelmingly Canadian. As are most Cup champions.

Anyone think this is an issue of concern for the franchise?

You know better. Who ever can play.

 

[BruinDust]

It doesn't matter where a player is from, but I certainly would prefer prospects focusing on hockey.

Not to derail the thread, but Ryan Donato has a lot of tools to be successful in hockey and any time you get a chance to go to Harvard, you need to take it. However, one can't deny going to an Ivy League school meant hockey wasn't going to be his only focus. I can't help but think if he went to a more athletics focused program or major jr, he would be ready now at the NHL level.

I guess in that sense it would really depend on the player.

Donato's major issue is his balance on his skates, which from observation has more to do with his poor technique and mechanics than it does hitting the weight room more (although that wouldn't hurt either).

 

[Bruinaura]

*does the math*

*calculates exchange rate*

One Bergeron = 6 Canadians

 

[BruinDust]

Read something in the athletic recently where they make every kid give it a shot (and the league supplies the pads). Opens up a lot more chances than just “the kid who doesn’t skate great with folks who can afford pads”.

Could very well be, although when I was in Novice in Canada we had the same thing. While if a kid really didn't want to try it, I don't think they would of forced him (its too far back for me to recall), but if they wanted to, the minor hockey room had equipment to supply you and you could give it a whirl.

 

[Bruins1993]

we need more Canadian players they seem to have more heart

 

[ODAAT]

There were more players drafted from the USHL/NTDP hen the OHL .

Economics plays a role. Contract limits. How close are your other prospects. It's why they draft a guy like McFaul who is years away but heading to the NCAA.

Until there is a balance on when you can sign players from the CHL compared to NCAA the trend will continue. Right now you have to make a bona fide offer to a CHL player 1 year after his draft. A guy like McFaul the Bruins could have up to 5 years.

Thx for all the info, didn`t know much of that

 

[Friar85]

Pretty sure the Pens the two years they won the cup had more former NCAA players than any other NHL team. Some of their fan base thought this was an issue when they hit some rough patches. Turned out it wasn't.

 

[ODAAT]

so I`m a touch bored, went and looked at the Caps cup winning lineup and their country of origin to see how impactful having a lineup chalked full of Canadians proved the point of a few here.

Looks to be only 6 Canada born players, Wilson, Smith-Pelley, Beagle , Stevenson, Connolly, Chiasson (6 games), Holtby

Take Wilson/Holtby out of the lineup, big loss but I`ll discount Holtby as we are talking about forwards who play with toughness/grit/heart from what I gather. So......a touch over 20% from Canada, seems like they did ok not having a lineup dominated by Canadian born players

 

[JoeIsAStud]

College is getting more competitive. Nice

Funny thing is, I'm not sure it has been good for the college game, as so many of the top players are one and done guys, or at most gone by their second year

 

[LSCII]

Nope. If they can play I’m ok if they come from Mars.

This is exactly right. Doesn't matter where the guy comes from as long as he can play. In fact, tailoring your roster to be more Canadian, American, Russian, Swedish,etc, comes off like something the stinking Scabs would do with all their xenophobic tendencies...

 

[Donnie Shulzhoffer]

This is exactly right. Doesn't matter where the guy comes from as long as he can play. In fact, tailoring your roster to be more Canadian, American, Russian, Swedish,etc, comes off like something the stinking Scabs would do with all their xenophobic tendencies...

Do those nimrods still insist the head coach speak French ?

 

[Deleted]

I can send over half a dozen Irish lads. Won't be able to skate for **** but they'll throw punches!

 

[northeastern]

Funny thing is, I'm not sure it has been good for the college game, as so many of the top players are one and done guys, or at most gone by their second year

Yeah I agree with that but I'd rather see a year of Eichel than no Eichel...

 

[Estlin]

we need more Canadian players they seem to have more heart

 

[Donnie Shulzhoffer]

we need more Canadian players they seem to have more heart

I know I have always judged an entire group of people on how much they care based on geography.

Christ

 

[Gee Wally]

we need more Canadian players they seem to have more heart

And on that asinine note...we be done here....but thanks for the xenophobic bs.