Mailbag: Best NCAA free agents? How do teams handle schedules?
Plus: More mailbag questions, the latest on Landon DuPont and a bunch of assistant coaching notes
Opening Faceoff
Today’s issue of College Hockey Insider is a mailbag. The topics include:
Am I surprised that Harvard has not announced Rob Rassey as head coach yet?
What are the chances the NHL moves up the draft age?
What does Maine need to do to return to the glory years of the Shawn Walsh era?
Who are the best undrafted college free agents ever?
Will the shift toward Canadian-born players playing NCAA be less dramatic because more Americans may choose the CHL?
How are non-conference games arranged, and why do teams travel so far outside their regions?
Other topics in today’s issue include:
Landon DuPont is making college visits in Michigan over the next few days. But, could. Minnesota still be in the mix?
A bunch of assistant notes, including promotions at Denver and Clarkson. Plus, a new hires at Brown and St. Cloud State, and a note on the UMass Lowell opening.
Mailbag: A later NHL Draft? Best NCAA free agents? How do teams handle schedules?
Q. Are you surprised that Harvard has not announced Rob Rassey as head coach yet?
No, not really.
Every university has a background-check process that new hires must complete before they can be formally announced. I’ve heard that Harvard’s process is a bit more extensive than most. Regardless, if Rassey accepted the position on Tuesday — as I’ve been told — it’s possible the onboarding process didn’t begin until Wednesday. That could easily push an announcement to sometime next week.
Q. MLB proposed a later draft to the MLBPA today. You’ve discussed the possibility of a later draft in hockey before. Do you think it has a chance of passing in the NHL?
Yes, I saw the MLB proposal. Within a matter of hours, the MLBPA aggressively pushed back against it.
Personally, I think a later NHL Draft would benefit teams. I’m not sure the impact on players would be universally positive or negative — it probably depends on the individual. Some players would benefit from an additional year of development. Others might stagnate and lose value because of the delay.
From a team-building standpoint, a 19-year-old draft would likely be more efficient. As more players pass through the NCAA at some point in their development path, it could also bring hockey more in line with football and basketball.
Overall, I’m in favor of a 19-year-old draft. I don’t expect the NHLPA would support it, and for that reason I don’t think it’s particularly likely to happen. But generally speaking, I think older drafts make sense across most sports.
