NCAA is not a garage league

For those still wondering, the NCAA, in which two of Canada’s best players, Cole Caufield and Jordan Harris, is not a second-tier league.

Matthias Brunet
Journalism

Take just the last six of the NHL drafts: 42 of the first round selections came or played in the NCAA, including Jack Eichel, Cale Makar, Zach Werenski, Quinn Hughes, Charlie McAvoy, Brady Tkachuk, Joel Farabee, Brock Boeser, and Clayton Keller.

That’s 23% of all the first-round selections, in a league where they are tied now everywhere, in Canada, of course, in the United States, Sweden, Russia, Finland and even in Denmark, Germany and Slovenia!

There were 11 NCAA alumni in a Wednesday night match between Jets and Canadiens: Jeff Petry and Jake Evans in Canadiens, Connor Hellebuyck, Blake Wheeler, Kyle Connor, Paul Stastny, Neal Pionk, Andrew Copp, Mason Appleton, Derek Forbort, Tucker Pullman with Planes.

Elsewhere in the NHL the list goes on among the best players of the past decade: Jonathan Toyoz, Johnny Godrow, Jake Goentzel, Dylan Larkin, GT Miller, Kevin Hayes, John Kwik, Ben Bishop, Ryan Sutter, Joe Pavlesky, Zach Barries, Chris Kreider Eric Johnson, Cam Atkinson, Max Pasciuretti, James Van Rimsdiek, TJ O’Shea, Matt Niskanen, Ryan McDonagh, Alex Tuch, Jacob Tropa, Jacob Slavin, Phil Kessel, Kyle Okboso, Colton Parayko, Shane Gustespierre, Jake McCabe, Kyle Torres Kevin Shatenkirk, Alex Kilorn, Thomas Vanik, David Bucks, Ryan Kessler, Jimmy Howard and Matt Mulson.

Team Wisconsin Badgers have produced Cofield FC, Pavlsky, Ryan Sutter, Brian Elliott, McDonagh, Torres, Derek Stepan, Craig, Brendan Smith, Jake McCabe, Justin Schultz, Luke Konin, Andre Miller, Alex Torkott, and Jake Gardiner, among others. .

Caiden Primo, Chris Nylan, Josh Manson, Dan McGillis, Jimmy Olesiak, Matt Benning, and Adam Judith played for Northeastern Club, Jordan Harris.

However, it is very difficult to compare the top teams in the NCAA and those in the Canadian Junior Leagues.

There is likely to be a greater depth of talent at the top emerging clubs, but the NCAA teams are more mature. You can stay there until the age of 23 or 24, while the junior teams are limited to two 20-year-olds, the oldest of them.

Therefore, the exploits of Al-Kindi’s hopes, Cole Caufield and Jordan Harris, cannot be underestimated, without considering that they are developing in strong divisions.

Dominance is at 22, 23 in the NCAA is one thing, dominance is at 19, 20 is another. Caufield, 20, now has 28 goals and 49 points in just 30 games. Harris, 20, played between 27 and 30 minutes a game in Northeastern. He has collected 19 points in several matches.

Max Basuretti had barely a point in every game, 39 on 37, including 15 goals, before joining the Canadians. Ryan McDonagh scored 18 points in 43 games in his third and final year in Wisconsin, defender Charlie McAvoy 26 points in 38 games in his final year at Boston University before joining the Bruins and making an immediate impact.

Jeff Petrie stayed in Michigan until the age of 22 and was not a formidable score builder.

Ryan Boiling, the Canadians’ Choice Top Pick of 2017, has been no better than 31 points in 36 games in each of his last two years at St Cloud State. Hence the prospects for a third-streak position, despite playing with three goals in his NHL debut.

Cal McCar, Queen Hughes, Johnny Godrow and Kyle Connor dominated outrageously, and they dominate the National Hockey League as well.

As GM Marc Bergevin wisely mentioned in his mid-season review on Monday, we won’t know how quickly Caufield and Harris can adapt to the NHL game until we see them in contact with the pros.

So we have to wait. The Wisconsin Badgers are sure to compete in the NCAA National Championship later this month. If they do not reach the semi-finals, and count on a two-week quarantine, Caufield can join Canadians on April 11th. There will then be 14 matches remaining. If Wisconsin arrives at the Final Four, the Canadian 2019 Team Selection will not be available until April 24th. There will be seven meetings remaining.

In Harris’ case, Northeastern has a slim chance of reaching the End of Season Championship. We’ll find out on Sunday. If the Husky family is unsuccessful, Harris could join the club on April 4, with 18 matches remaining.

But let’s not put the cart before the horse. Mark Bergevin appears to be still pondering whether he intends to waste a year of contract with his hopes of reinforcements at the end of the season; He should also make sure that these guys are not sent too early into the wolf’s mouth.

Macar and McAvoy did so in the course of competing for a tipping point, or directly to the previous qualifiers. But neither Macar nor McAvoy.

Continued…