NHL Looking To Sign College Underclassmen
From: Denver Post
By Mike Chambers
(left) Geoff Paukovich is the latest name to emerge as a flight risk
Among the West Regional attendees at the Pepsi Center on Saturday were a handful of NHL executives with blank checks in their pockets, and the so-called "family advisers" looking to formalize their relationships with players by becoming contracted agents.
The country's most talented regional features Minnesota's Erik Johnson and North Dakota's Jonathan Toews, selected first and third overall in the 2006 NHL draft, respectively, plus a bunch of other high-round draft picks and many attractive undrafted free agents.
In a single-elimination tournament and NHL late-season opportunities underway, yesterday's amateur stars could today become professional millionaires. And they don't have to be seniors. Johnson, a freshman, and Toews, a sophomore, head the list of NHL-bound players performing at the Pepsi Center, but some athletes not even playing this weekend are negotiating from Denver.
Among those is junior Ryan Dingle, who has led the University of Denver in goal scoring the past two seasons. Dingle, according to his family adviser who was speaking on the condition of anonymity, has "a dozen or more" NHL teams seeking his services.
DU coach George Gwozdecky also risks losing junior Geoff Paukovich to the Edmonton Oilers, sophomore Chris Butler to the Buffalo Sabres and junior goalie Peter Mannino (free agent) to the highest bidder.
Gwozdecky expects a decision from Dingle, who grew up in Steamboat Springs and Littleton, this week.
"He was going to take the weekend and early part of next week to decide," Gwozdecky said.
"Obviously, we'd like to know, and the teams interested in him would like to know."
From: Denver PostBy Mike Chambers
(left) Geoff Paukovich is the latest name to emerge as a flight risk
Among the West Regional attendees at the Pepsi Center on Saturday were a handful of NHL executives with blank checks in their pockets, and the so-called "family advisers" looking to formalize their relationships with players by becoming contracted agents.
The country's most talented regional features Minnesota's Erik Johnson and North Dakota's Jonathan Toews, selected first and third overall in the 2006 NHL draft, respectively, plus a bunch of other high-round draft picks and many attractive undrafted free agents.
In a single-elimination tournament and NHL late-season opportunities underway, yesterday's amateur stars could today become professional millionaires. And they don't have to be seniors. Johnson, a freshman, and Toews, a sophomore, head the list of NHL-bound players performing at the Pepsi Center, but some athletes not even playing this weekend are negotiating from Denver.
Among those is junior Ryan Dingle, who has led the University of Denver in goal scoring the past two seasons. Dingle, according to his family adviser who was speaking on the condition of anonymity, has "a dozen or more" NHL teams seeking his services.
DU coach George Gwozdecky also risks losing junior Geoff Paukovich to the Edmonton Oilers, sophomore Chris Butler to the Buffalo Sabres and junior goalie Peter Mannino (free agent) to the highest bidder.
Gwozdecky expects a decision from Dingle, who grew up in Steamboat Springs and Littleton, this week.
"He was going to take the weekend and early part of next week to decide," Gwozdecky said.
"Obviously, we'd like to know, and the teams interested in him would like to know."
5 comments:
Has anyone heard any news on Paukovich, Butler, or Mannino? Are these guys strongly considering jumping to the pros?
Yikes! With as much talent as the WCHA lost last year it is hard to imagine, but it looks like this off-season could be even worse.
Paukovich is the latest credible rumor. Many believe he is very close to signing. Perhaps as early as this week.
Its almost come to the point where you'd just like to hear someone is staying.
Hopefully these three stick around. Another year of college hockey would only help their skill set and maturity. DU needs all three. Plus I'd like another year of seeing Paukovich lay the lumber on the opposition. Go Pioneers in 2007-08!
I do not have a uscho account...Paukovich has not signed with Edmonton yet...the poster who could not spell his name right and referred to his father saying something is false..Paukovich HAS NOT signed with the Edmonton Oilers and is still in class at DU. I love how these rumors abound across the board. If he were to sign since he is under the old CBA as per being drafted in 2004 he would be capable of recieving more money than those under the new CBA. The rumor figure is around 625000 per year plus signing bonus.
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