Mike Van Ryn To Miss Another Year
It has been announced by Toronto that Defenseman Mike Van Ryn will sit out another year....http://www.thehockeynews.com/articles/34304-Maple-Leafs-announce-that-defenceman-Mike-Van-Ryn-will-sit-out-another-season.html.
It's really too bad..I always thought Van Ryn had a lot of potential...Especially being drafted in the First Round, 26th overall by New Jersey in 1998....Just another player that left Michigan early and then never lived up to his potential...add him to the list with Hilbert, Tambellini, Comrie, Jillson, etc, etc, etc....It's guys like those that make me extra happy to see guys like David Moss, Andrew Ebbett or Jed Ortmeyer (guys drafted late or undrafted) be just as successful.
I'd say Mike Comrie lived up to his potential
Also, your title is not informative.
Touche.
Yeah, I don't think you can characterize Comrie as a disappointment. He has had a solid 10 year NHL career and as markgoblue illustrates above, his personal life is definately above average.
I think you meant to say "aboverage."
Mike had a few solid years with Florida (back-to-back 37 point seasons) where it looked like he was starting to come in to his own, but then the problem is that every time he started to live up to his potential he got whacked by injuries. TSN has the laundry list.
Most of the older injuries were more day to day, miss a game here or there stuff, with the exception of a concussion in 2004. Plus I think he had wrist surgery after that second 37 point season (IIRC he still had pain from the first one and had to go back once or twice more to tweak it).
The games he was healthy with Toronto he looked good, but then it all came to a crashing halt. The stretch of injuries from the end of 2007 to 2009 was especially brutal. Ended 2007 getting wrist surgery that ended the year for him. Came back in 2008, suffered a concussion, missed 13 games, came back for one or two games, suffered another concussion and missed another 16 games, came back for a few more games, suffered a lower body injury that caused him to miss 9 more games, came back again and tore his left MCL and remains out still today. Just horrible what he went through that season.
The person on your list of early departees that surprises me most in terms of lack of pro success is Jeff Tambellini. One of the best shots I've seen at Michigan, fast skater, and just totally dominated the end of his junior year. Tore up the AHL, yet hasn't been able to produce squat in the NHL. I always thought he was going to be a good one when he made the NHL but for some reason he just can't find any success there.