NCAA Watcher posted over on USCHO that DU recruit Stepan Novotny has decommitted from DU and is going to play for Kelowna in the WHL. He cites ROI as his source. The Kelowna Rockets site has an press release on their site about him being taken in the CHL import draft.Kelowna got him by making a trade with Saskatoon for the 24th selection in the CHL import draft. The Kelowna press release says they expect Stepan to play on one of the two top lines. From the Kelowna Press release it sure sounds like Stepan will be going there otherwise I doubt they would have selected him where they did.
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Stepan signed an LOI with DU so he cannot play with another NCAA team unless DU releases him from his LOI. DU deferred Stepan for 2008 and he was to stay in the USHL for the coming season which is also his draft year. He was to enter DU in 2009. With this coming season being his draft year and he wouldn't be playing at DU, he probably decided his best chance of getting the highest exposure was in the WHL.
Kelowna Press Release
Kelowna Press Release
6 comments:
emailed dggoddard the other day about this, maybe he didn't get it.
I asked a friend of mine, who is a buddy with Stepan, whether he was going north or not and he replied with a "no comment". That led me to believe he was indeed heading to Kelowna. Tough loss for the Ice/USHL/Pioneers.
Not exactly great news for DU, but in all honesty, is losing Novotny really that big of a loss? Seems was pegged to be a 3rd or 4th line player here. And he hasn't exactly been tearing up the USHL. With an already strong 2009 class the Pios should be fine.
Agree with 11:40. He left SSM and they did even better without him. Was not a factor in Indy. Not sure exactly what Kelowna see in him.
Who are they looking at to replace Carle?
According to Mike Chambers' latest blog, DU will not sign anyone to replace Carle this season and will go with the d-men they have.
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