Paul Bittner

[coach95]

You have got to be kidding me. If they blow a knee out and can't play again, they get all 4 years of college paid. I am pretty sure Iverson has been at Breck since pre-school. A long time before he played hockey, which means, yes, he was there for an education. These boys are a select few that have a chance at 15 to play at a top level, not many 15 years can say that. I hope they all go on to do great things and represent the state of hockey--MN

[mn miracle man]

I think this is a major mistake by both of these players. Name me the last Minnesotan who left at this age and actually made it to the NHL. I would be surprised if you can even think of 5 players in the last 10 years. The odds are not on their favor!

What about gettting a free ride to college if they would have stayed. They gave up a lot of in my opinion NOTHING except playing against older players?? This does not make sense.

Name me the last player from Crookston that had a shot at playing in the NHL. How about even tier one junior hockey? He will not get the attention he deserves if he stays at Crookston. The odds aren't in his favor if he stays at home. It must have been a difficult decision for him and his family, especially with his dad as coach, in the end they have to do what they feel is best for him as a player.

I am pretty sure guys get discovered from "bad" hockey schools all the time. If you are good enough the scouts will find you. I am pretty sure the NTDP found him, so I would say people were beginning to notice his talent. He now gave up playing in his hometown with guys he grew up with for a chance to play pro hockey. Not very good odds in my opinion, and the risk is pretty large compared to the reward.

[Tigers33]

So, if my squirt goes to Canada when he is 15. Well he should be able to. Right now he is outside shooting pucks, pushing sleds, and running sprints at 9am on a Saturday. He has been at this since 7am. LOL!!

So, he blows out a knee the 6th game of the season. You mean to tell me they will pay for a 4 year degree of his choice. So, he could come back to the U of M and get a 4 year degree from carlson school of business. Or he would be able to go to St. Thomas. Really?

I dont believe it...Show me it in writing that says they pay for a 4 year degree of the players choice if he gets hurt 6 games into the season.

If he went for the education than why is he leaving. The education not good enough at Breck? Write that down to remember not to send my kids there. I thought all kids that go play hockey at private schools is for the education.

[rockcrusher]

I believe in the WHL they get one year of paid college for each year they play. So, four years in the W would equal a four year scholarship. One year of playing, one year paid.

[keepyourheadup]

There seems to be a common theme here, Size! The WHL is a common destination for young Canadian players who have the one thing you can not coach. Both the players being discussed are still quite raw but possess the physical qualities to qualify as possible NHL'ers. The trouble is that every kid that leaves for major juniors is told the same thing. There are about 60 major junior teams, so do the math on how many make the show. They may or may not make it but the bigger concern to me is the break in the path to a college degree. Both these BOYS will be playing with kids that have predominantly given up education for hockey. Yes the opportunity to go to school when they are done is there but I'd like to see the stats on how many take advantage of it. We've got college coaches begging kids to stay for their third year because they know how much more likely they are to finish their degree if they stay that third year. Lets face it, the WHL's goal is not to get kids and education, its to produce professional hockey players.

The NTDP puts a team together that all must attend school together, how many of Portland's players will be attending school next year while playing? Even the USHL, granted its a league that specializes in getting kids to D1, tries to keep their players involved in academics so as to lighten the impact of not being in the classroom for 2 or 3 years. I really hope that Keagan and Paul have made the right choice, its up to them and their families alone to decide what is the best path. I feel much like a previous poster stated...if you can play they will find you, no matter where that might be.

[xy]

As a parent I know that having my son live anywhere other than under my roof before he was 18 would be my absolute last resort, but I think it's good to remember that there can be considerations in some of these cases that aren't obvious to us when we're looking from some distance. For example, in Bittner's case, if he wanted to stay at home, he was going to be looking at an awful lot of long car rides from Crookston if he wanted to find a level of competition that would challenge him - elite league, training opportunities, etc. Obviously that's not the only factor but you can see it being a consideration.

There's also cost; once you go to a Canadian junior league I assume everything's paid for, and a family that's incurred the cost of having a kid play that long might find that attractive. Again, not the only factor, and I have no idea if it applies in any case we're talking about, but it might.

And finally, something we don't really want to admit in this country is that college isn't for everyone. You hope your kids will want to go to college and do well there, as that will keep the most doors in life open. But there are plenty of successful people - auto mechanics, carpenters, salesmen, inventors, soldiers - whose aptitudes and personalities are just not suited to sitting in a classroom and doing the things academic success requires. That also might be in play for some of these kids (and again, I have no idea regarding particular cases). If a kid has struggled academically and just never shown interest there, but has the kind of potential in hockey where a possible pro future is realistic, the decision to forego college isn't quite so black and white.

[old goalie85]

Great post XY.

[mnhockfan99]

I'm sure for these kids it is a tough decision they had to make. For all of you who know kids who left to play jrs. somewhere, you know how hard a decision it generally is for the boys to leave HS early.

I love HS hockey in MN but the WHL is a tremendous league, that league along with OHL and QMJHL are heavily regarded. Excellent hockey if you've ever seen a game. Johnston at Portland is a top notch coach who develops players and has a great reputation with NHL people.

I say good luck to them, they are taking on a big challenge and I for one respect people in life who do that instead of people who criticize and take potshots and do nothing themselves...

[bafata88]

Well, I have seen the typical WHL contract. If I remember it correctly, the player gets one year of college paid for when he commits/signs; and then gets another year paid for when he plays in a game. The third year would be paid for when he plays in a game in the following season. Based on this, a player will get four years of college paid for when he plays in one game in at least three different seasons [obviously the commitment from the team to the player and vice versa suggests the player will be playing in many more than one game per season]; and the financial aid does not disappear if the player suffers an injury and can't play much; the amount of financial aid is set at the tuition rate of the typical state university where the player comes from; a player can attend a private college but will get school aid only up to the cost of the state university. And, I believe, the school aid does go away if he signs a professional contract. And the school aid is not limited to Canadian universities; these boys can come back to Minnesota and attend college here if they do not sign a pro contract.

[MrBoDangles]

http://www.puckprospect.com/about/news.php?nid=88

[OnFrozenPond]

http://www.puckprospect.com/about/news.php?nid=88

Good article.

[WCHBlog]

Well, I have seen the typical WHL contract. If I remember it correctly, the player gets one year of college paid for when he commits/signs; and then gets another year paid for when he plays in a game. The third year would be paid for when he plays in a game in the following season. Based on this, a player will get four years of college paid for when he plays in one game in at least three different seasons [obviously the commitment from the team to the player and vice versa suggests the player will be playing in many more than one game per season]; and the financial aid does not disappear if the player suffers an injury and can't play much; the amount of financial aid is set at the tuition rate of the typical state university where the player comes from; a player can attend a private college but will get school aid only up to the cost of the state university. And, I believe, the school aid does go away if he signs a professional contract. And the school aid is not limited to Canadian universities; these boys can come back to Minnesota and attend college here if they do not sign a pro contract.

Then it makes sense to leave at age 16 if you're planning on your hockey career being done by age 20.

[bafata88]

Well, I have seen the typical WHL contract. If I remember it correctly, the player gets one year of college paid for when he commits/signs; and then gets another year paid for when he plays in a game. The third year would be paid for when he plays in a game in the following season. Based on this, a player will get four years of college paid for when he plays in one game in at least three different seasons [obviously the commitment from the team to the player and vice versa suggests the player will be playing in many more than one game per season]; and the financial aid does not disappear if the player suffers an injury and can't play much; the amount of financial aid is set at the tuition rate of the typical state university where the player comes from; a player can attend a private college but will get school aid only up to the cost of the state university. And, I believe, the school aid does go away if he signs a professional contract. And the school aid is not limited to Canadian universities; these boys can come back to Minnesota and attend college here if they do not sign a pro contract.

Then it makes sense to leave at age 16 if you're planning on your hockey career being done by age 20.

Like Peter Mueller? Sure, ones competitive hockey career can end after three or four years in Juniors. But then you can go on to college after you're done playing; and the cost is paid by the WHL. Or...perhaps, a player has given himself the best chance to develop into a professional hockey player, like Mueller. It really boils down to the circumstances of the individual player and his family.

[Tigers33]

The bottom line is both routes can be very successfull. Last night I watched many superstars that took both routes.

The big question to me is...at the age of 16. What type of value are you putting on education for your kid? Obviously these kids ARENT going to Canada in hopes that they can begin attending college at the age of 20. Correct? They hope to play in the NHL and that is their #1 priority in life, at age 16. Really?

Someone find this stat for me. How many players that make it to the NHL from Canada go back and complete their degree?

[icehornet]

The bottom line is both routes can be very successfull. Last night I watched many superstars that took both routes.

The big question to me is...at the age of 16. What type of value are you putting on education for your kid? Obviously these kids ARENT going to Canada in hopes that they can begin attending college at the age of 20. Correct? They hope to play in the NHL and that is their #1 priority in life, at age 16. Really?

Someone find this stat for me. How many players that make it to the NHL from Canada go back and complete their degree?

VERY well said and your last question would be a great one to have answered.

[Hoc2x21]

I find it interesting that Bittner was selected to go to NY with the HP 16s after having committed to the WHLs Winterhawks only a few weeks earlier.
Is he really going to the WHL?