As you may be aware for years the NCAA has considered the CHL professional leagues due to the small living stipend teams give players. Now they are counting this junior league as an armature league and skaters who have played in the Canadian major juniors will be eligible for playing including scholarships for U.S. college hockey.
Well that and longer term it might be the better paying move. Floundering in Buffalo (sorry I’m picking on you Buffalo, you just make a good example) isn’t good for the long term payoff. Even if you light it up, you won’t get anywhere and that affects value.
Look at that deal McDavid signed this morning, 2 years 12.5, first glance you are like ok great this is a we win in 2 years or I’m outtie deal. But it’s 4d chess on his part, let’s say they DO win, imagine what his AAV is going to look like as he goes to market in two years. If they don’t, he’s still getting a payoff. But he’s (wisely) saying, you know what, here’s some cap room to get something done, he’s probably got a say in who they get, and he obviously feels they are close. Same principle applies, what’s the longer term payoff, for McKenna if he faces going to a dunce team, it’s probably staying in the NCAA.