DU Recruit Matt Donovan Is Eligible For Draft

(above) DU recruit Matt Donovan is going to be one of the elite players in the USHL for the Cedar Rapids Roughriders next season


Today's Denver Post article by Mike Chambers mentions that 2009 DU recruit Matt Donovan is also eligible for the NHL Draft and is expected to be selected. Since Donovan is only a junior in high school, LetsGoDU assumed that he wouldn't be eligible until next season. Turns out, we were wrong.
Future DU defensemen David Carle and Matt Donovan also are expected to be drafted. Carle is the brother of San Jose Sharks defenseman Matt Carle, who became DU's first Hobey Baker Award winner in 2006. David Carle will join DU this fall.

Donovan recently finished his junior year of high school and will join the Pioneers in 2009. Donovan just completed an oustanding rookie season in the USHL and had one of the highest +/- ratings in the league.

Matt Donovan D.O.B. - 5/30/1990
Eligible Players For NHL Draft

Players who turn 18 by September 15 and are not older than 20 by December 31 are eligible for selection. In addition, non-North American players over the age of 20 are eligible.

A North American player who is not drafted by the age of 20 is an unrestricted free agent. All non-North Americans must be drafted before being signed, regardless of age.

2 comments:

Twister said...

Will this affect his status as a Pioneer?

dggoddard said...

Not in the least. Almost every full scholarship player in the WCHA has been drafted before they show up on campus.

Donovan is unusual because he's only a Junior in high school. He's probably good enough to play for DU right now.

It has been mentioned over at USCHO that he might have been able to defer in entry into the NHL Draft until 2009, but he probably would not have gained much.

Donovan could go anywhere from 2nd to 7th round on Saturday. It will be very interesting who drafts him and in what round.

He's a very good player.