Exit Cooper Marody
[Ryan McLoughlin]
The writing was on the wall for this as soon as Edmonton traded for Marody's rights earlier this year:
The #Oilers have signed Cooper Marody to a three-year ELC. The 21-year-old forward, whose rights were acquired from Philadelphia on March 21, led @umichhockey with 51 points (16 goals, 35 assists) in 40 games this season. pic.twitter.com/vUn9NNjqva
— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) April 8, 2018
Even though his departure was more or less expected, Marody is a big loss for a team that now loses its entire top line and often struggled to put up points with 2-4. Michigan's incoming class is large and old but might not have many instant impact guys to pick up the slack; M will be banking on roster-wide improvements to maintain their scoring punch.
Thanks Cooper Marody for your tremendous role in this year's incredible rebuild!
Best of luck in the NHL.
if we didn't have at least one of our best players bail before his senior season.
Doesn't have to be "the nature of the game" - if someone was expected to be a captain and leader of their team and decides to bolt for the first payday that comes along, what does that say about their character? Everybody buys into "the team, the team, the team"... until it becomes inconvenient for them.
....this is not how relationships between professional hockey teams and their college draftees work...
Especially when the nature of bolting for the pros is significantly different than football or basketball. These guys are drafted. They know where they're going. They have conversations and relationships with the teams who own their rights.
Dragging their feet on signing a contract can mean getting traded. It can mean losing an opportunity. It can mean missing a roster slot. These guys aren't leaving on speculation--they know exactly what the score will be, and when it's time to go. When it's time, it's time.
Meanwhile in the 21st century...
This is a lifelong dream for these guys and most of them only get a handful of years to be a professional. I think it makes sense for them to go as soon as their NHL team is willing to take them rather than losing that year to try to appease random fans speaking in platitudes
Okay, let's say you are a Michigan hockey coach recruiting Quinn Hughes. Mr. Hughes tells you "I would like to play for Michigan, but I consider a full stay there as 2 years, not 4, so expect me to leave with some eligibility left."
Do you want him on your team? Or do you tell him to go somewhere else?
Especially when we're not too far removed from a time when NHL-potential guys like Hughes wouldn't even consider the college game.
Staying for another year does not improve draft stock for athletes who are already drafted. For the most part, NHL-potential college hockey players are already drafted, and their rights are held by that team. This is not football or basketball.
Well, I can tell you what that conversation looks like from a parent's point of view. I have a girl starting to field college hockey interest so I don't have to have that actual conversation. but if I did, and she knows this, it would look like this:
"Sit down junior, let's talk. You have two avenues here. School A want's you to play for them. They are offering you a scholarship and opportunity to represent them for four years. There will be good times and bad times. The other opportunity is Junior Team A also wants you just as badly. Both are excellent opportunities and both will develop you considerably on your journey to your dream of playing professional hockey."
"If you choose college, it is a four year committment. Outside of some significant internal turmoil I expect you to complete the four years you agree too. It is the right thing to do and failing to do so will reflect very poorly on you. Further, I will be extremely disappointed in you if you leave early. Your committment is to the team and your teammates. The expectations are not the same in Juniors."
"Juniors offers you the same development opportunity without the committment. I would expect you to get and give the same effort and development in juniors as I would in college but the long term committment is not part of the deal. I will expect you to complete full seasons, however, and depart in the off season."
"Now, I don't give a EFF which you choose. I want you to do what is best for you but remember; one comes with a considerable and binding committment from you. No go represent your team, yourself, and this family to the best of your ability."
If you want to do one to three years just go the junior route. If you commit to a college program you should actually be committing. I don't think enough parents of the talent, however, do have the talk. Like I said, I don't have to have that talk. I get to just sift through the interest emails and smile for now.
Hockey is not field hockey. Your daughter does not have potential professional options, nor does she have a professional franchise holding her draft rights while she's a student-athlete. But it is a nice helicopter parent red herring.
My daughter is an ICE HOCKEY player on a AA boys travel team. Try again.
Fortunately, I am also a helicopter pilot but that has no affect on my parenting.
Your anger and judgement are both wholly misplaced.
Want to develop with no committments? Go Juniors. It's the better route for you.
Nobody seemed to have a problem with it when Michigan grabbed Marody a year early from Sioux Falls after Dylan Larkin signed with the Wings. Why is this any different?
His scholarship is still good if he ever wants to finish his education.
for any DI hockey player is to someday make it to the NHL. When you have been drafted and are being told you are now ready to play in the league and be paid, why would you not go? He has put his time in developing and he's not going to change his status with NHL teams by sticking around one more year. It's the nature of the business and when your time comes you need to move on.
Good luck to him and I appreciate his time he spent at UM playing his butt off.
As far as Michigan Hockey Summer™ goes, this barely registers.
Well, your Russian grammar is good. That's admirable.
he misused the subjective of "воды" which totally changes the meaning of the paragraph.
Damn Russian trolls again
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