Chris Brown signs with Phoenix

Submitted by SCS100 on

Per Darren Dreger (TSN): 

Coyotes news. Phoenix agrees to terms with '09 2nd rd pick Chris Brown from U of Mich. Brown will forgo senior year and turn pro.

 

Well this sucks.

bacon1431

March 29th, 2012 at 2:47 PM ^

Frustrating. Spath just tweeted that 20 guys since 2000 have left early from Michigan. Crazy. Good luck to him and hopefully he gets to the NHL quickly.

lhglrkwg

March 29th, 2012 at 9:32 PM ^

It's crazy to think about all the guys who we've lost just the last few years. Patch, Jakiel, Palushaj, Quick, Czarnik, Burlon, Fallon, Llwellyn, Brown. Obviously 3 of those guys are rightfully gone, but that's a lot of missing bodies on a roster as small as a hockey team

Mr. Robot

March 29th, 2012 at 2:57 PM ^

Chris is one of the few guys I figured as certain to come back. He almost certainly had captain status locked down and I figured he realy liked it here.

*sigh* There goes a lot of my hope and expectations for next year. I'm sure we'll still make the tournament and everything, but I'm not so sure next season will have the potential to be as special as I thought it could be without Chris.

Allin4Blue

March 29th, 2012 at 3:17 PM ^

Really didn't see this coming.  He had a decent year but nothing too spectacular IMO.  Good to see the NHL recognize the Michigan talent!

I really think he would have been a stand out player next year!

JustGoBlue

March 29th, 2012 at 3:26 PM ^

but less because he wasn't ready (he isn't, but his style of play and his body are type are such that I think teams just want their hands on him when he wants to go, regardless of the precise amount of polish) and more because I thought he really enjoyed college, with the friends and the Yost experience and all that.  The students can't really roll out the red carpet much more than making a flag and singing "Deep in the Heart of Texas" all the time.  Hmm, oh well.  Best of luck to him.

ak47

March 29th, 2012 at 4:32 PM ^

If you just finished your junior year of college and your dream job offers you a six figure salary with no gaurantee that if you wait a year its still there you would probably leave early too. college is great, its not worth possibly throwing your future away for one more year.

Don

March 29th, 2012 at 5:26 PM ^

if my dream job did not involve or require getting a degree, I wouldn't bother with the charade of college in the first place. As it is, it's simply using Red and Michigan's status as a hockey program to burnish credentials in order to get the best contract offer. Attending class is just an inconvenience one has to endure en route.

JimLahey

March 29th, 2012 at 3:36 PM ^

Hard to turn down. As a 2nd rounder this deal will have him making six figures for the next three years at least, even if he's in the AHL.

Clarence Beeks

March 29th, 2012 at 7:20 PM ^

Yeah, exactly. Plus, with Phoenix's current situation, he has a decent shot to NOT have to spend long in the AHL. Phoenix has shown a propensity to allow their new signees a chance to see NHL action early and then decide from there if they are ready or not based on that performance. They are going to go through a major transition over the next year or two and I suspect they wanted Brown to be in the mix when that happens (and not be coming in during the middle). Sucks as a Michigan fan, but I think this was the correct move for both Brown and the Coyotes organization.

VictorsValiant09

March 29th, 2012 at 4:50 PM ^

The expectations for next year just took a huge hit.  He's been one of my favorite players.  After reading all of the articles and watching all of the segments on what a huge Michigan Hockey fan he was growing up, I thought for sure he'd want to stay, graduate, and make a run for a National Championship next season.  I mean, would you really trade your senior year at Michigan, playing in Yost, for riding a bus in the AHL?

I can understand when some of the younger players (out of those 20 that have jumped ship since 2000), have done it, but not when you're a rising senior.  He's got the hands and the size to make an impact, though, so best of luck.

We're going to miss you, Brownie!

MastaDon

March 29th, 2012 at 8:31 PM ^

Being a rising senior makes it feel odd, but he has said that he feels like he can make the team next year. If he does then who are we to question him?

I've never understood leaving after your junior year unless the money is in the 7 figures. You can easily wait a year and (I would think) get a better offer after another strong season.