Yale's top returning center, David Meckler, has left school after just one season to play junior hockey in Canada. I couldn't find a link for the story, but in the Aug. 22 New Haven Register, Yale's new coach, Keith Allain, ripped him, saying, "he's making a terrible mistake. I can't find any reason why a young player would leave Yale to go play major juniors . . . it doesn't make a lot of sense to me why he left." Meckler scored the winning goal in Yale's 5 OT win over Union in the ECAC playoffs, and was projected to be the center this season on their No. 1 line. He was picked by the L.A. Kings in the fifth round of this year's NHL Draft, making him the only Yale player selected. Not as big a blow to Yale as our losses, but we won't shed too many tears!
Presumably the Kings whispered in his ear a suggestion about what route would bring him up most quickly.
[quote David Harding]Presumably the Kings whispered in his ear a suggestion about what route would bring him up most quickly.[/quote]
According to the article, Allain checked with the Kings and was assured by them that they hadn't pressured Meckler to leave school early. Allain blamed the decision on "misguided advice" from Meckler's family.
Any idea on what Meckler's grades were like? Maybe an Ivy League education just wasn't for him.
[quote Will]Any idea on what Meckler's grades were like? Maybe an Ivy League education just wasn't for him.[/quote]
The article didn't mention anything about academics being a factor. It was all about how he felt he had a better chance of making it to the NHL if he went the Junior route instead of the ECAC route. Besides, no one flunks out at Yale!
I also suspect that if grades had been a factor, the coach wouldn't be ranting about what a huge mistake it was.
If the quote is a fair representation of the whole story, the new coach has some learning to do about moderating his voice in public. Disappointment can be expressed more subtly.
[quote billhoward]If the quote is a fair representation of the whole story, the new coach has some learning to do about moderating his voice in public. Disappointment can be expressed more subtly.[/quote]
Depends upon who this was intended for. It may be a message to the boosters. "I've been lied to, I've been made blue..."