Taking Note

Here we go again . . . With a number of players having recently vacated their commitments to U.S. colleges in favour of teams in the OHL, Paul Kelly, the executive director of College Hockey Inc., has opened fire.
Fluto Shinzawa of the Boston Globe leads his Sunday hockey notes with a look at the players who have walked away from U.S. college commitments to play major junior hockey.
“There isn’t an overriding reason why future collegians are opting out of the classroom,” Shinzawa writes. “It could be academics. It might be heat from NHL personnel who believe junior is the preferred route over college. Money could also be a factor.”
Which is where Kelly unloads.
“As much as the CHL denies it,” Kelly told Shinzawa, “there are still instances where money is being paid to the family to lure kids away and de-commit from colleges. It’s off the books, under the table, whatever you want to call it. If your dad is a fisherman, an out-of-work machinist, or a farmer, and a CHL program comes along and offers you $300,000 in cash, it’s tough for these families not to accept that type of proposal.”
Shinzawa’s complete piece is right here.
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THE COACHING GAME:
Kevin Hasselberg is the new general manager and head coach of the SJHL’s Battlefords North Stars. Hasselberg signed a two-year deal to replace Ken Pearson, who now is the GM/head coach of the MJHL’s Winkler Flyers. . . . Hasselberg had been an assistant coach with the BCHL’s Alberni Valley Bulldogs. He also has worked as head coach of the AJHL’s Olds Grizzlys.

gdrinnan@kamloopsnews.ca
     
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