2024-25 Players Graduating

[Swampy]

Surprised no team has taken a flyer on Ondrej.

Someone's going to pick him up, there has been a lot of interest in him.

He might be more interested in European leagues, considering the state of our country and it's immigration policy. He's likely on a student visa. Who knows what hoops he has to jump through (especially at 6'6"!!)

I forgot the student visa angle of it. Also a factor for sure. Though I'd be mildly surprised if he goes back to Europe. As we've talked about, you can't teach 6'6" (plus he's also pretty good at the whole hockey thing) and it's likely enough that one or more NHL teams will want to take a flyer on him. (Y'all already know who I want that to be, lol.) With an ELC similar to Bancroft's, he could be in the $150K a year range without playing a single NHL game - that's likely much more than he can get in Europe. Plus, the "boom" of the NHL - if he can secure a stable roster spot, it could be worth millions of dollars. Additionally, if it "doesn't work out" in North America and he tops out in the minor leagues, it's easier to go back to Europe to be a star there than it is to go from Europe to America.

I'd also note that Czechia's also got a tumultous political climate, if we want to go there, though I'd suspect that's not his number one priority, lol.

Wouldn't the most sensible thing be to join a Canadian NHL team?

(Except for Canada's tariffs on U.S.-produced goods, there wouldn't be much else standing in the way.)

And the Canadian tax rates and price levels. And the fact that he'd be spending significant time in the US anyway. If he is upset enough with the American political climate that he doesn't want to stay here (which is quite unlikely - hockey players skew conservative, and those that don't won't often "make a stand" like that, especially leaving significant money on the table), he would most likely go back to Czechia. That being said, even if the end goal is Czechia, he'd likely be better-served playing in the American minors for a year or few anyway to have a body of work at the pro level that will get him a large ("star" level) contract in Europe. Right now, he doesn't have that.

I understood the reference to

the state of our country and it's immigration policy. He's likely on a student visa.

to imply that he's in danger of having his student visa revoked and finding himself "disappeared" to Gitmo, El Slaveador, or some place worse. If he joined a Canadian NHL team, he could get a Canadian visa and not have to deal with Washington's anti-immigrant ideology. As for Canadian tax rates, he'd get health care, childcare benefits, and other things paid with taxes. Regarding price levels, it would depend on where he's located. ChatGPT gives the following costs of living:

• If New York City = 100:
• Toronto ~75-80
• Vancouver ~85-90
• Montreal ~65
• Mid-sized U.S. cities ~50-70

[The Rancor]

Surprised no team has taken a flyer on Ondrej.

Someone's going to pick him up, there has been a lot of interest in him.

He might be more interested in European leagues, considering the state of our country and it's immigration policy. He's likely on a student visa. Who knows what hoops he has to jump through (especially at 6'6"!!)

I forgot the student visa angle of it. Also a factor for sure. Though I'd be mildly surprised if he goes back to Europe. As we've talked about, you can't teach 6'6" (plus he's also pretty good at the whole hockey thing) and it's likely enough that one or more NHL teams will want to take a flyer on him. (Y'all already know who I want that to be, lol.) With an ELC similar to Bancroft's, he could be in the $150K a year range without playing a single NHL game - that's likely much more than he can get in Europe. Plus, the "boom" of the NHL - if he can secure a stable roster spot, it could be worth millions of dollars. Additionally, if it "doesn't work out" in North America and he tops out in the minor leagues, it's easier to go back to Europe to be a star there than it is to go from Europe to America.

I'd also note that Czechia's also got a tumultous political climate, if we want to go there, though I'd suspect that's not his number one priority, lol.

Wouldn't the most sensible thing be to join a Canadian NHL team?

(Except for Canada's tariffs on U.S.-produced goods, there wouldn't be much else standing in the way.)

And the Canadian tax rates and price levels. And the fact that he'd be spending significant time in the US anyway. If he is upset enough with the American political climate that he doesn't want to stay here (which is quite unlikely - hockey players skew conservative, and those that don't won't often "make a stand" like that, especially leaving significant money on the table), he would most likely go back to Czechia. That being said, even if the end goal is Czechia, he'd likely be better-served playing in the American minors for a year or few anyway to have a body of work at the pro level that will get him a large ("star" level) contract in Europe. Right now, he doesn't have that.

I understood the reference to

the state of our country and it's immigration policy. He's likely on a student visa.

to imply that he's in danger of having his student visa revoked and finding himself "disappeared" to Gitmo, El Slaveador, or some place worse. If he joined a Canadian NHL team, he could get a Canadian visa and not have to deal with Washington's anti-immigrant ideology. As for Canadian tax rates, he'd get health care, childcare benefits, and other things paid with taxes. Regarding price levels, it would depend on where he's located. ChatGPT gives the following costs of living:

• If New York City = 100:
• Toronto ~75-80
• Vancouver ~85-90
• Montreal ~65
• Mid-sized U.S. cities ~50-70

Correct. Him being here on a student visa might be a complication to get a work visa in the current political environment. I don't know that he's in danger of being gitmo'ed but who the hell knows anymore. Everyone I know that has any status other than the blue passport is worried about crossing in or out of the US right now. I'm guessing the NHL/AHL/ECHL has a special visa hotline? Or did that get cut too?

[CU2007]

Multiple things can be true. Our alumni having success in the pros is good for the program. That's why they have all those pictures of alumni in NHL and Olympic jerseys in the hallway. All schools do this and it does impact recruiting. That being said, Bancroft leaving makes next year's team worse. Undoubtedly true. Bearlover is within his rights to say "aww shucks that's too bad" as it relates to the chances of next year's success. But we can also hope that now that Dalton has made his decision, he goes on to a long and prosperous career which gets Cornell Hockey positive recognition as a good place for players to develop and hopefully helps get us the next productive player. And on and on she goes.

[scoop85]

Multiple things can be true. Our alumni having success in the pros is good for the program. That's why they have all those pictures of alumni in NHL and Olympic jerseys in the hallway. All schools do this and it does impact recruiting. That being said, Bancroft leaving makes next year's team worse. Undoubtedly true. Bearlover is within his rights to say "aww shucks that's too bad" as it relates to the chances of next year's success. But we can also hope that now that Dalton has made his decision, he goes on to a long and prosperous career which gets Cornell Hockey positive recognition as a good place for players to develop and hopefully helps get us the next productive player. And on and on she goes.

Nicely stated

[adamw]

Bearlover,

I think that your negative comment about Bancroft was probably made impulsively and a bit irrationally. For his or his parents' sake, would you consider editing it or deleting it entirely?  

He's given so much to Cornell hockey: been a super-valuable and exciting team player with a real zest for the game.  Personally, I'll never forget his hat trick at MSG.

I'm sure you wish him the very best at the Bruins, as we all do.

Umm, does Dalton or his family read this forum? Should we not be criticizing players here? A lot of people other than me were very critical of various parts of the team this year. I'll delete my post if you feel strongly about it. But for the record, I stand by what I said. Joe Miller of Harvard was drafted by the Leafs and has been Harvard's best player several years in a row, but is returning for his senior year and was just named captain of the team. I'm sure he had a deal on the table to go pro, but he decided he'd rather finish the job. The fact Bancroft took the money instead is just the reality, it doesn't make him a bad person or worse than the many other players who did the same thing. But he could have stayed and it's a shame he didn't.

Miller is 22. Thus the difference. Also, far from their best player this year. If you can't see the difference, then can't help you, per usual. You also have zero idea whether he had a deal on the table.

[stereax]

Robertson's in the transfer portal.

FUCK.

[chimpfood]

Ouch, losing 12 players is not good at all

[arugula]

Robertson's in the transfer portal.

FUCK.

What the fuck?  Where did that come from?

[ugarte]

Robertson's in the transfer portal.

FUCK.

What the fuck?  Where did that come from?

probably from being very good and young and teams backchanneling interest

[BearLover]

What the fuck? Is he flunking out of school or something? Does he hate Casey? This is impossible to explain. This team is winning absolutely nothing next season now. 10 players graduate, and then two of the remaining best three players on the team leave (at minimum). Put a fork in them.

[stereax]

Live look at the inside of Myron Taylor Hall right now.

[BearLover]

Guess we should have made the frozen four while we had the chance. Jesus Christ

[ugarte]

What the fuck? Is he flunking out of school or something? Does he hate Casey? This is impossible to explain. This team is winning absolutely nothing next season now. 10 players graduate, and then two of the remaining best three players on the team leave (at minimum). Put a fork in them.

it's not impossible to explain any more than it's impossible to explain "NIL" - i think it is much more likely that he is leaving for someplace that will give him a scholarship+$ than that he is dissatisfied with the coach or the program or the ILR curriculum. i suspect he was under-recruited and over-performed expectations.

this feeds into a different one of your fears but i think this is the more founded one: we are going to have a hard time competing in a more professionalized environment. We already have one hand tied behind our back on scholarships, ameliorated a little by the prestige of the degree (though that is crumbling in the market as well); this is definitely going to be a long-term drag on Ivy competitiveness.

[BearLover]

What the fuck? Is he flunking out of school or something? Does he hate Casey? This is impossible to explain. This team is winning absolutely nothing next season now. 10 players graduate, and then two of the remaining best three players on the team leave (at minimum). Put a fork in them.

it's not impossible to explain any more than it's impossible to explain "NIL" - i think it is much more likely that he is leaving for someplace that will give him a scholarship+$ than that he is dissatisfied with the coach or the program or the ILR curriculum. i suspect he was under-recruited and over-performed expectations.

this feeds into a different one of your fears but i think this is the more founded one: we are going to have a hard time competing in a more professionalized environment. We already have one hand tied behind our back on scholarships, ameliorated a little by the prestige of the degree (though that is crumbling in the market as well); this is definitely going to be a long-term drag on Ivy competitiveness.

There's almost no NIL money in college hockey at the moment.

But yes, the program will no longer be competitive nationally if NIL becomes a thing.

[Beeeej]

Guess we should have made the frozen four while we had the chance. Jesus Christ

Yup, every single one of those boys who didn't give it their all must really feel that egg on their faces.