What's happening with AJ Thelen?

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cagney

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Jun 17, 2002
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The player I saw this year wasn't nearly the player from last year. What Thelen did last year was pretty amazing. It's rare for a 17 year old d-man to play in the NCAA, let alone become an all-american. The few times I've seen him this year he's been awful.

If it's up to him I think he would want to play in the AHL next year but I think it might be better if he rededicated himself and played in the WHL. He may have the talent but he shouldn't be handed a pro contract considering his poor play this year. I feel he should prove his worth with a strong year in the WHL.

It will be interesting to see what happens.
 

firstroundbust

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my boss is good friends with thelen's family, even coached AJ in his formitive years....its good news for Prince George fans, it appears that AJ will be up that way next year...


I hate to jump to conclusions and fuel hype...but Thelen is home here in Minny...speaking of AHL teams, Houston (minny's affiliate) is playing grand rapids here at the X tonight...maybe see thelen or an announcement he signed a deal?

If I hear anything I'll post it asap
 

bleedgreen

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says here in this espn crosby article that players can only sign with the ahl affiliate of the team that has drafted them. i would think he could finish out with the aeros this season. normally, after the college season a bunch of college guys finish out in the nhl, or ahl. how many guys are affected by this rule this year? im sure a bunch of undrafted guys are graduating - can they only go to the echl and such? im being lazy not checking myself, but how many unaffiliated teams are there in the ahl? any?http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/columns/story?id=1997591
 

Vlad The Impaler

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Sunday night, Thelen told the Minneapolis Star-Tribune, "I feel the coach has double standards for certain players. I definitely was confident in my schooling and academics was not a problem. I've been eligible all season and would have been next season. He's set in his ways. I tried to work with him and he tried to work with me and it didn't work out."

http://www.collegesports.com/sports/m-hockey/stories/030705aae.html
 

Schlep Rock

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Funkymoses said:
I think he'll probably sign with Minnesota if at all possible.

Considering the NHL lock out, not possible ;)

Their AHL affiliate can sign him though if the organization desires.
 

SpaceGhost79

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More details emerging

Detroit Free Press article has more info...

Thelen: MSU season 'just out of control'

Underage drinking, missing a VIP reception. Thelen admits to the situation, however says others were drinking and one other player missed the reception, yet he was the only one punished. Same with other times this season. So it gives some of his side on the double standard he talked about. Comley said his dismissal was not the result of just this one instance.

And Thelen also talks about how there's a lot of mistrust internally with the team. See what he said Comley said to him about blackballing.
 
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Levitate

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underage drinking in college? by athletes?? *gasp* :amazed:

:joker:

seriously though...i somehow doubt this is all "poor thelen he's being picked on". my bet is he did something more to warrant this attention than he wants to let on, though i'm not saying he was ultimately treated well either...

just sounds like thelen is trying very hard to make himself out to be a victum, which makes me think he's not as innocent as he is trying to portray himself
 

Hossa

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Could he go to the USHL?

I know Ryan Salvis formerly of the Moncton Wildcats was dropped from the team because they had too many overagers, and went to the USHL.
 

SpaceGhost79

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Hossa said:
Could he go to the USHL?

I know Ryan Salvis formerly of the Moncton Wildcats was dropped from the team because they had too many overagers, and went to the USHL.

I think he's still young enough that he could, but it would be a step backwards. I suspect he might just sit out the rest of this season (there was only a few weeks left in MSU's season anyway) and focus on next fall. Probably either major juniors or AHL.
 

Hossa

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SpaceGhost79 said:
I think he's still young enough that he could, but it would be a step backwards. I suspect he might just sit out the rest of this season (there was only a few weeks left in MSU's season anyway) and focus on next fall. Probably either major juniors or AHL.

Ya, I meant for just the rest of this year.
 

SpaceGhost79

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Hossa said:
Ya, I meant for just the rest of this year.

Nope, he can't. I just did a quick Google search and the USHL trade deadline date was Feb. 10. Whatever you roster is that day is what you take into the playoffs.
 

Vlad The Impaler

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Defenseman A.J. Thelen, the Wild's first-round pick in 2004, met with Wild General Manager Doug Risebrough for about an hour Monday. Thelen, who is from Savage, was dismissed from the Michigan State hockey team last weekend.

"He just wanted to talk to me and let me know how they feel," said Thelen, who attended Monday night's game. "I don't want to get into details about it but I came out feeling really good. We set up another date to talk in about two weeks. He just said, 'Relax, take a break. You don't need to hurry anything right now.' "

Lynn made it clear the Wild won't rush to make a decision on Thelen's future. "We haven't changed our opinion of him since we drafted him," Lynn said. "He has so many options for next year. Another college, junior hockey, try and do something professionally. You've got to weigh out these things. Development is the key word."



I dunno, I would have thought the Wild would find him an option somewhere as soon as possible. They seem to be taking it easy.

http://www.startribune.com/stories/1330/5279217.html
 

bleedgreen

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i would think that thelen must really need the time off if they dont want to push him to play somewhere. sounds like they want him to cool off for a week or so. it must be a pretty ugly situation overall, and im sure we dont know the half of it from either side. ive coached teenagers before, of course not on a remotely professional level, but i know that if one of them gets set against you for whatever reason it can get really ugly behind closed doors. i had a problem with a kid on a team that led to me feeling we were just better off without him - but it lead to everyone on and around the team thinking i was the one being confrontational and responsible for it all. the kid played innocent and told everyone he could of my tyranny, while i kept quiet not wanted to be part of mudslinging. not to be on the coaches side, but these things get turned around and there is no way to know the truth unless you were there.

if it came to this, the only conclusion you can draw is that it was best for everyone. im sure in a year or two thelen will be stronger for it regardless of whether or not he did anything really wrong.
 
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