First of all, you had to see this coming because, unlike Ciskie claims, this IS the trend for top end American players. Why else would Lansing born and bred MSU recruit Jimmy McDowell make the move to Oshawa? This is a trend and one that will continue, and ultimately consume college hockey. The college guys always complain about the “pressure” put on kids to go to the OHL. It’s not “pressure”, it’s called recruiting. The college coaches play the waiting game. They expect to sit on the high horse and assume that a kid will wait until he’s 21 years old to kneel before the shrine of college hockey. This is why colleges need to make more early offers to kids…and honor them. Furthermore, Ciskie’s comments about Pierre McGuire are abundantly uninformed. Pierre was a three sport varsity captain at Hobart college, and was a 4.0 student there as well. He IS a college guy, but he understands the bigger picture.

@wickedsmart —

1. Could it be because McDowell decided it was best for him? If this were the trend for top-end American-born players, then you’d think either the highest-rated American or the first American off the board in this year’s draft would be taking that route. Neither Jordan Schroeder nor Nick Leddy are going major junior.

I could rattle off examples of top-end American players from recent years going to play college hockey, but I’m pretty sure I don’t have to. Not even one-third of the 22-player World Junior roster came from the major junior ranks, and it could be fairly argued that Team USA’s best players in that tournament were almost unanimously college kids.

2. More and more 18-year-olds are showing up in NCAA hockey. That’s more of a growing trend than “elite NCAA prospects leaving for major junior at the last minute” is.

3. What did I say about McGuire that was inaccurate? Are you telling me that he didn’t say what I heard him say during the draft? I gave an opinion that McGuire fawning over the prospects of John Moore and Dylan Olsen playing major junior hockey was unprofessional, especially when both had signed letters of intent to play NCAA hockey.

I don’t really give a crap where McGuire went to college or what his GPA was there. I simply addressed the comments he made in the draft, combined with things I’ve heard him say about college hockey in the past.

He’s certainly entitled to say what he wants, just as I’m entitled to call him out when I think he’s being a jackass. I might not be totally rational on the topic, but when a growing number of NHL teams are reaping the benefits of college hockey’s ability to develop pro-level talent, I also think I have the basis for an argument.

1. Yes, he did believe it was best for him. Yes, there is a trend of Americans heading North. Two years ago, the total number shot up to 105 Yanks in the CHL, and this year the number was higher. You can look at the history of the number of Americans heading North and the number is increasing each year. That is called a trend.

2. Yes, the World Junior roster was laden with college kids this past year. However, there were 7 CHL kids on the team in the previous year, but like you say, not the majority…yet. What is happening with the 92 and 93 birth years is more interesting. Look how many 92’s and 93’s have opted for the CHL. 92’s Like Knight, Watson, Levi, Houser… and 93’s like McColgan, Jacobs, Trocheck, Sullentrop, Duinnick, Noesen, Malysa…

3. First of all, what is Pierre McGuire? He’s was a draft-day analyst. What good is any analyst that does not offer his opinion? Look at ESPN’s Mel Kuiper. He gets paid for offering his opinion. Pierre’s opinion reflects the same opinion held by all of the NHL scouts that I have talked to. You should care about McGuire’s background because it illustrates the point that he has been on both sides, and has an understanding of both routes. I believe that there is a “right path” for every individual, but not a "right path’ for the collective.

What is indisputable is that more and more top-end US kids are coming from nontraditional hockey areas. They are not going to have ties to college hockey and will take the fastest easiest route to the NHL.

John Moore from Illinois clearly had no compelling ties to Colorado College or college hockey in general and as his stock rose, was an easy mark for Kitchener.

Colorado College’s track record developing top end talent is spotty at best. Success with Stuart, a mixed bag with Billy Sweatt and others.

At the end of the day, I have no problem with top end players going to the OHL. Give the players their options and let them decide. Hopefully, they won’t commit to programs and then leave them holding the bag at the 11th hour.

@wickedsmart

I actually don’t disagree with your last statement. I’ve said for years that there is a different path for every kid, and that each kid has to figure out their own path.

I don’t dislike Moore or any other kid who goes the major junior route, nor do I think this is some sort of permanent change to the landscape.

Obviously the NHL teams want their top prospects playing against better competition in the CHL than in the NCAA. Otherwise they would tell them to play NCAA and opt to wait to sign them them for another year if they elected to go to the CHL instead. There is no comparison between the CHL and NCAA for the high end players at 18 and 19. Usually these players log loads of ice time playing with elite level linemates/d-partners and go head to head with other high enders on a game in game out basis. NCAA just doesn’t offer that type of development opportunity. NCAA is still a great route to go for many players but lets not kid ourselves …. any player who is drafted in the top two rounds of the NHL draft prior to enrolling at a university and than makes it to the NHL has done so in spite of going NCAA … not because of NCAA.