Hockey players beginning to sign their pro contracts
In bittersweet news that should come without either surprise or unhappiness, the contracts are starting to get signed. Kent Johnson had signed with the Blue Jackets, and in pleasant news so has senior captain Nick Blankenburg.
If you’re tempted to be disappointed, don’t be: yesterday was disappointing. It’s disappointing because these players defied any reasonable expectation by returning to school. I’m delighted we got a whole season with them, with the fans, with the excitement, even if they didn’t win it all. 31 wins and a couple of trophies isn’t bad.
There will surely be more deals announced today and this weekend, and I would expect at least a handful of these guys (particularly the high draft picks) to make NHL debuts in the coming week or so. This should be relished by all fans of the hockey program.
And here goes Owen Power. Delighted for him.
not knowing what an 'ELC' was or the details, this is what the interweb tells me:
HOW DOES AN ENTRY LEVEL CONTRACT WORK IN THE NHL?
WHAT IS AN ENTRY-LEVEL CONTRACT? Players under 25 years of age must sign a two-way entry-level contract for their first NHL contracts. These contracts follow the NHL minimum salary guidelines, but they also have a maximum salary of $925,000. For players between age 18-21, entry-level contracts must be for three years.
and i found this:
An entry-level contract (ELC) is the rookie contract that all players younger than 25 years old sign. All ELCs are two-way contracts, the length of the deal is dependent on the player’s age, and the amount is capped at $925,000. If a player is between 18 and 21 years old, their ELC is for three years. If a player is 22 or 23, their ELC is for two years, and a 24-year-old’s will be for one season.
Players are also typically waiver-exempt for their first 160 NHL games so they can be sent down and called up at will. ELCs can also include performance bonuses, the only time a player is eligible for a contract worth bonuses until they are 35 years old. Players most often become restricted free agents when their ELC expires.
As a lifelong Sabres fan, it may be time for a Power jersey. 🤔
My condolences for the past decade. Sabres fans are truly amongst the greatest in the NHL. Year after year the Buffalo TV market is one of the top 3 for the Stanley Cup finals, etc. The NHL would (perhaps will) be better with a competitive team in Buffalo.
All eyes on Ben Meyers!
The rumblings seemed to indicate that Hughes would return. Obviously that would be good for Michigan and I think it probably makes a bunch of sense for Hughes.
Maybe we get Beecher back? I think Samo and Edwards likely return.
I expect that Brisson and Beniers are both gone and likely Bordeleau (although maybe there is a chance with him).
Do we think Portillo returns?
I'd be surprised if we got Erik back. I think with Devon Levi returning to Northeastern that the Sabres will probably put Portillo in Rochester (AHL). I don't even know who our presumptive starter would be next year if Portillo signs
Agree on the rest. Probably get Mackie and Ethan back. Brisson and Beniers have to be gone, Bordeleau probably gone as well. Beecher may go just because he's older and he may just want to go pro somewhere but we'd obviously love to have him back
Noah West would be the heir apparent I believe. Played in 19 games with Robert Morris as a freshman, posted a .915 and 2.66. Came in late in 2 games to relieve Portillo and it’s not worth looking at stats in that case (allowed 1 goal on 11 shots in the 2 games combined)
Off the top of my head I don’t recall any goalies in the recruiting class so I’d assume we hit the portal and also bring in an overager from the USHL/NAHL as a third goalie.
Depending on who you can get in the portal, we’ll probably end up splitting time with two goalies next year if Portillo does leave, as West doesn’t strike me as someone who will take the crease full time.
I would calibrate things this way:
Two of the picks are already known to be signed. Beniers signing is a sure thing. Based on rumblings and logic, so is Brisson.
It would be great to get Bordeleau and/or Beecher back, but it’s totally reasonable if they leave (though that may happen in the summer).
It would be more painful, but also not shocking, if guys like Mackie and Hughes and Duke and Portillo go. Because I think we have a chance to get them back and build a good team around them. As ljl says, Portillo might be a dodgy question depending on the wants of Buffalo; really, that’s an issue with all drafted players, since their organizations want some say in their progress and it is certainly a priority of Mel’s to make the program a good place for that.
Luke leaning to return could change, but that is promising for now, and suggests that any changes for him would happen in the summer. Same for some of the other guys. But some of the top guys are definitely going to sign and they should. Also, while I would like Beecher to return, a pro signing immediately might be a desirable option for him given his development and injury history, so him leaving this weekend wouldn’t be a total shock.
Yes, and just to make it clear I am not saying any of these guys that are on the fringe would make bad decisions and would wish each of them the best. Beecher has certainly "earned the right" to leave on his terms whenever he wants (same with many others). Beecher was really a good player for Michigan this year and selfishly we would all love him to come back.
Obviously if Portillo were to return, the team's ceiling is definitely higher. Let's hope for another (relatively rare) good Michigan hockey summer.
Asking because hockey is different... Is it possible that having so many high pick players who only play briefly in college actually hurts us because they have to keep their pro careers intact and safe? And as a result, they avoid the all in nature of winning a title. Not a dig, just wondering if hockey has more of that given how many kids are recruited from hs and take other routes. And there's less glory and fans with hockey than other sports etc...
It's more an issue that 25 year olds are stronger than 19 year olds and we often get outmuscled on the boards.
That's a great point. When I heard that they had a bunch of guys in their mid 20s... That was news to me
Yes it hurts. You would never turn down top recruits because they are incredibly talented. But think UK basketball and trying to replace 1 and dones every year. If you get a lot of talent EVERY year you will be competitive. But there is a reason older teams generally win the NCAA Tournament. 23-25 year olds can out muscle 18-20 year olds and that makes a huge difference in college hockey, even if talent-wise they aren't as good.
The reality is, a Junior/Senior laden team of solid players, with some freshman/sophomore pheonoms is likely to be your best bet. Experience matters.
I think it's less of a "will to win" issue and more of a physically stronger and more developed issue, plus having more mature guys in a system is also an advantage. And the older teams have been winning the titles lately.
That said, this Michigan team was dazzling to watch, played great hockey and hung some banners. I would not change a thing. I do think it was important and benefitted this team to have a strong senior class. They were not the stars but did play important roles.
The next step is to adopt the Izzo technique and manage to have all the 5 star talent play like only good players and keep them for 3-4 years (mostly joking on that last point).
Mel has pursued a two-pronged recruiting strategy from the beginning: he recruits both draft prospects and guys that will spend four years and graduate, sometimes at advanced ages. It’s a smart strategy, and did indeed buttress our team this season. We had Power and Beniers and Hughes and company; we also had Blankenburg and Pastujov (albeit with a COVID bonus year) and Van Whye. The fourth line was absolutely crucial down the stretch and helped keep us in the game yesterday.
Being honest, I think Mel was probably surprised how many of the younger prospects came back this year. My guess is that he wouldn’t normally plan for over half his skaters to be 20 or younger. We’ll take it, of course, but Mel has been at this a while and built Michigan Tech with older system guys and I think he’s got the right idea here.
The way you really strike gold is by getting a few of those mid-late round picks that are going to be around for 3-4 years. Guys like Dylan Duke for example. Zach Hyman being the comp for how that plays out over a collegiate career
A kid’s pro career doesn’t affect his play on the ice. They want to play and they want to win. This is particularly noticeable this year—Owen Power is the first #1 overall pick not to play immediately in the NHL in a long time. He wanted to play at Michigan.
Age is an issue. Not a bad one, but a real one. Some programs are getting guys after a couple years of junior and putting them on the ice until their mid-20s. That’s not specifically a strength issue—young guys can be big and strong too—but it is a physical and mental development issue. Kyle Connor is 25 right now. Imagine how good he’d have been at Michigan if last year were his senior season; he was scoring almost a point per game as an NHL regular.
Young guys with potential have a lot of developing to do. They have a lot of learning about systems and space on the ice. They have to learn to use the bodies they’ve only just grown into in the last couple of years. Owen Power is 19. He’s listed at 6’6. How long has he been 6’6? Not as long as some guys he’s playing against have been playing college hockey.
Yeah, the point about development physically is key. It's not that UM's young guys are physically capable but those 4-5 years of being that size and shape matters immensely. That's been one of the trends even I've noticed as a somewhat perceptive college hockey fan; you have these teams loaded with guys in their mid-20s who are reasonably talented but aren't stars and they can just grind down younger guys who are physical equals but clearly still developing. It's like extreme cases of BYU football, or how college football teams used to be full of factory workers moonlighting as college students.
The easiest way I’ve been able to explain it is comparing a team of 4th and 5th year seniors that were 3* recruits that don’t really have an NFL future and a freshmen heavy team of high 4*/5* players. Looking at Michigan football’s roster: Will Johnson is (in all likelihood) going to be a better corner than Gemon Green when all is said and done. Gemon Green probably has a case as the better corner today, and that could hold true all season long, but they’ll likely be close enough to each other at this stage that the difference is negligible.
Going back to the previous analogy, the younger team has more “talent” on paper and more potential down the line, but the experience and extra years of development levels the playing field to a large extent.
I don't believe that there is deliberate holding back to reduce the chances of injury. These are elite level athletes and they got to that level because they are elite competitors. It is against their nature to hold back. Also, not going all out can actually lead to injury.
College sports was a lot more fun when most of the student-athletes stayed, got a degree, and played together for years. What this team had was a lot of individual talent. What they lacked was playing cohesively as a team to take advantage of that talent. That lines were still being changed around at the end of the season is evidence of that.
They come in with talent. They have to stay to become a team. And to graduate with a valuable degree. I'd like to see athletic scholarships changed so that students who leave without a degree and sign a pro contract pay back the scholarship money, which is then used for non-athletic scholarships.
College sports was a lot more fun when most of the student-athletes stayed, got a degree, and played together for years. What this team had was a lot of individual talent. What they lacked was playing cohesively as a team to take advantage of that talent. That lines were still being changed around at the end of the season is evidence of that.
Not clear to me that there was anything unusual about the level of line combination changes. Especially down the stretch. And cohesion problems were more due to the wholly unprecedented issue of having a big chunk of the team leave for 3 weeks to play in the Olympics.
Still, they looked pretty cohesive to me. Not perfect, but sharp.
That lines were still being changed around at the end of the season is evidence of that.
Lines are consistently being shuffled and tinkered with at all levels late in the season, even the NHL, if things are not going right or to get a favorable matchup.
College sports was a lot more fun when most of the student-athletes stayed, got a degree, and played together for years.
Also, it’s almost unheard of that the 1st overall more or less any of the top 6 or so picks in the draft return to their major junior teams, Europe or college. The fact that Michigan had all four return after their draft season is pretty incredible.
College sports was a lot more fun when most of the student-athletes stayed, got a degree, and played together for years.
I used to agree with this take...
...then I examined at the most atomic level what is college for? Kids go to college to get a job.
So who really cares:
a) if they are a big tech leader who dropped out?
b) if they are a one and done?
c) if they get a degree and spend 30 years in cube farms?
In all of the above, college served its purpose even though the results are different!
I agree with you that the current system is better because it is better for the players. But I agree with Born that it was more fun for the fans when we could see these guys come in as raw freshmen and watch the all developmental stages they went through (sometimes ups and downs). We'd get to know more about them as people and often we'd also learn about their families.
We'd get to know more about them as people and often we'd also learn about their families.
That's really weird and creepy.
I think most of us felt that we got to know the Glasgows and Wagners a bit. Was that weird and creepy?
The notion that one grown ass adult has to explain to you, presumably another grown ass adult, that a student-athlete doesn't owe you anything more than 60 minutes of entertainment a handful of times a year -- LET ALONE you wanting to learn about their personal lives, is a very definition of weird and creepy.
Actually, you've eclipsed weird and creepy pushing back at this and have entered disturbing territory.
Thank you, I have probably said the same thing 100 times on this blog. We all go to college to get the job that we want. When your buddy gets accepted to dental school, law school, gets the interview they want, you take them out and celebrate it.
Why is it only athletes that get bashed when they get their dream job?
It says far more about the person bashing them.
Definitely still devastated from last night. Flew home early. But that's not the point here...so happy for these kids. They have earned every bit of those NHL contracts.
Yesterday I watched replays of the OSU and Iowa football games-very cathartic :)
Thank you for playing at Michigan!
This hits hard like the Fab 5 potential.
I just thought that if any team was ever going to win us a hockey championship, it would be this team. But unlike the Fab 5, we knew they weren't going to be able to run it back to at least try again.
It's depressing as a fan but i'm also happy for these guys that they will have the opportunity to continue their success in the NHL
This was definitely like the Fab Five but year 2. So they didn't get to run it back after Webber left. Year one was one exceptions-defying ride. Year 2, as a one-seed, they were the favorite.
IMO Mackie was the best Wolverine on the ice Thursday. But not a lot of room in Florida so maybe he stays? Interestingly Vegas has cap problems, a pretty loaded roster, and prospects with a similar profile to Brisson. I can see a world where he stays in Ann Arbor another year.
in any event, with three more future first round picks headed to Ann Arbor next fall, there will be no shortage of talent….
hope Pearson gets his contract sorted quickly…
also: time for a hockey depth chart by class in Useful Stuff?
Cap problems wouldn’t really keep Brisson out of Vegas, if anything it would actually entice Vegas to sign him. Rookie deals are maxed out at $925k. Vegas would actually help their cap situation by signing a rookie like Brisson and getting rid of one of their guys making a couple million.
Its more going to come down to whether they think he can stick on the NHL roster right now/if they want to start his ELC and control his development in the AHL or if they’d rather him be a top line guy in college for another year. With Brisson obviously having some say in the matter
I'm especially happy for Blanks in signing with the Jackets. I wonder if this was a byproduct of the CBJ development folks watching KJ and seeing how darn good Blankenburg is? If so, this is a perk of having high end talent playing each night that I never thought of - they simply bring more exposure to our undrafted / depth players. Go Blue!!