After Michigan defenseman Jack Johnson turned down the Canes last offer to join them a few weeks ago, they began efforts to trade him apparently not understanding why he would want to stay in college over going pro. The Canes offered him the rookie max AND guaranteed him a spot in their top six for this year. Johnson will be at Phaneuf's level when he gets to the NHL. He is really really good. The Canes got a terrible return on him, shipping him along with Oleg Tverdovsky to LA for Tim Gleason and Eric Belanger. Gleason will be a solid top four guy but Johnson will be an All-Star. There were rumors that Johnson would go to Pittsburgh for one of Eric Staal's younger brothers, Jordan, who went second overall in the last draft. Again, terrible return. Really interesting though considering this all started because Johnson didn't want to leave college.
Was there an issue with Carolina losing the rights to him (is Jackson a senior)? IIRC, wasn't there was a change a few years ago that once a player is drafted, the team only retains his rights for 3 (or 4?) years. Thus, if a team drafts an 18 yr old incoming freshman and the player decides to stay in school all four years, then the drafting team only has a few months (March - June) to make a decision on the player and sign him to a contract before he becomes a free-agent.
Isn't that what happend with Matt Moulson and Pittsburgh?
I think prior to this change, teams had the rights on a college kid that stayed 4 years for another year and I think New Jersey would use this rule very well in that they would get mature 22 yrs with a solid 4 year college career and then indoctrinate them into the "The Trap" ;-) in the minors and have solid 2-way players for the Devils.
This wasn't an issue. Johnson is only a sophomore and will most definitely leave after this year. His rights are retained by LA (Carolina before) until August 15 after he graduates if by some miracle he does. LA will be signing him probably right after Michigan's season ends if he wants to leave school at that point.
For a player drafted out of Canadian Juniors (OHL, WHL, QMJHL), a team has two years to sign him before he can re-enter the draft (the second June 1 after the draft is the deadline). A player is allowed to play in Canadian Juniors even if he has signed an NHL contract though which is obviously not true in college.
[quote calgARI '07]This wasn't an issue. Johnson is only a sophomore and will most definitely leave after this year. His rights are retained by LA (Carolina before) until August 15 after he graduates if by some miracle he does. LA will be signing him probably right after Michigan's season ends if he wants to leave school at that point.
For a player drafted out of Canadian Juniors (OHL, WHL, QMJHL), a team has two years to sign him before he can re-enter the draft (the second June 1 after the draft is the deadline). A player is allowed to play in Canadian Juniors even if he has signed an NHL contract though which is obviously not true in college.[/quote]
Thanks Ari for clarifying this.
though i wonder if this sheds some light into moulson's situation, in that he may have deflected or turned down offers from pittsburgh to go pro and they were pissed at him for it.
[quote The Rancor]though i wonder if this sheds some light into moulson's situation, in that he may have deflected or turned down offers from pittsburgh to go pro and they were pissed at him for it.[/quote]
That's an interesting point. I've heard that Moulson just wanted more money than Pittsburgh was willing to give.
[quote The Rancor]though i wonder if this sheds some light into moulson's situation, in that he may have deflected or turned down offers from pittsburgh to go pro and they were pissed at him for it.[/quote]
I seem to remember Moulson mentioning in an interview sometime last season that Pittsburgh had not made him an offer. But, I'm not positive.
Long story with Berenson interview.
http://www.cstv.com/sports/m-hockey/stories/092906aag.html
[q]Not only does Johnson love to play, but he loves to play for Michigan, something he made clear to Lombardi in a phone conversation after the deal was completed.
"I talked to him after the trade," Lombardi said, "and I just asked him: is that his wish, to stay in school? He said yes, and I have no problem with that, and I actually think that we were prepared to be patient when we made this deal. I think, in the long run, it will be good for him to spend another year there, and then, certainly, evaluate it in March when his season's over. Ron Hextall called [Michigan head coach] Red Berenson right away, and told him that if that's what [Jack] wants to do, we're behind him. Don't worry, he's not going anywhere, and we'll review it in March."[/q]I like the part about Michigan's season ending in March