Sasha Pokulok signs with the Capitals

[bigred06]

http://www.insidecollegehockey.com/7Archives/News/0506/prosignees_0428.htm

[KeithK]

...and I was having a pretty good day. :`(

[Rita]

Bummer.

I hope this works out well for Sasha from a personal/professional standpoint. I just wish that the Cornell education and the training that they receive from Coach Schafer would keep our players here all four years. However, this is one of the drawbacks of bringing in really talented players, they are ready for the next challenge a lot sooner.

Good luck Sasha.

Any word on O'Byrne? Is he still staying?

[RichH]

Well...in lieu of an obsenity, I jeer this.

http://www.washingtoncaps.com/news/news.asp?story_id=4109

And it's also on the front page of the Captials' website, with a huge picture of him from a CU home game.

http://www.washingtoncapitals.com/index2.html

[duffs4]

bye, bye!!!  I hope he learns to skate before he gets to camp.  His last year was mediocre at best, I'm guessing some of the fr. we have coming in will fill his spot and we wont miss a beat.  Now if O'byrne were to go  ::help::

[redhair34]

If you want to soften the blow, watch game tape from last year (except for @ Yale and the home weekend vs. the North Country).

[ebilmes]

[q]"Sasha is a big, strong defenseman who we are excited to add to our group of young prospects," McPhee said. "His game has progressed nicely in two years at Cornell and we feel confident that he is ready to take his talents to the professional level."[/q]

Is it just me, or is "progressed nicely" not the phrase I would choose?

[ursusminor]

Hockey's Future thread http://hfboards.com/showthread.php?t=268022

[redice]

[quote ebilmes][q]"Sasha is a big, strong defenseman who we are excited to add to our group of young prospects," McPhee said. "His game has progressed nicely in two years at Cornell and we feel confident that he is ready to take his talents to the professional level."[/q]

Is it just me, or is "progressed nicely" not the phrase I would choose?[/quote]

I'm with you on this one.   His freshman year was cause to hope for big things from him.   His sophomore year was largely disappointing.   It won't be real difficult to replace him.  He has a lot of potential...But, he's got to play harder & smarter to realize that potential.    I put him in the same category as Kent Manderville.....loads of unrealized potential.

[KeithK]

[q]It won't be real difficult to replace him. He has a lot of potential...But, he's got to play harder & smarter to realize that potential.[/q]It will be extremely hard to replace the player Pokulok could have been for the '07 and '08 squads.  He had the potential to be one of the best blueliners in college hockey by his senior season.  Not to say that he certainly would have.  But I think it's reasonable to expect that he would've been better as a junior than he was as a sophomore.

When a player leaves you can't only think about his past performance when considering what you've lost.  As a general rule good players get better through their college careers as they get bigger, stronger and more experienced.

This loss hurts big time.  Not too surprising though.

[Will]

Good luck Sasha.

[Trotsky]

The price of getting good prospects is losing people early.

Sigh.

Good luck, Sasha.  Rip it up, and I'll be seeing you at the MCI ("MIed in the Capitals' Indifference") Center.

[Ben Rocky '04]

Please, Verizon Center.

[Harrier]

You'll probably see him in Hershey...for a long time.  Physically and mentally this guy isn't ready to lead a college team, or cut it in the NHL.

[kaelistus]

Good luck to you, Sasha, and here's hoping you tear it up in the Profesional leagues!