Aidan McDonough | #25 | LW

[Sean Monahan]

5 hours ago, Off_The_Schneid! said:

I can’t recall the last player we had coming out of college that actually turned out to be a decent player. Kevin Bieksa? I don’t want to see Troy Stetcher thrown around he’s been through waivers multiple times and is fighting for a league min contract 

Brock Boeser? But he was a first rounder 

5 hours ago, SID.IS.SID.ME.IS.ME said:

I knew that’s what you meant. Was just being cheeky. 

 

Chris Tanev is probably the best example under those criteria.

Does Demko in the second round count ?

[SID.IS.SID.ME.IS.ME]

This isn’t directed at anyone in this thread, but just seemed like a good place to drop this info. I’m seeing a fair amount of posts around CDC that underestimate just how significant the NCAA has become as a pipeline for NHL players. So here are a couple good sources that breakdown the numbers:

 

https://collegehockeyinc.com/in-the-nhl.php

 

https://collegehockeyinc.com/articles/2022/05/record-breaking-year-for-ncaa-alumni-in-nhl.php
 

Around 1/3 of all NHL players these days are NCAA alumni. That’s a staggering number. There were nearly 350 former college players who played in the NHL in 2021-22. That’s over ten college players per team, on average. And the numbers just keep going up. The NCAA is currently the fastest growing producer of NHL players. The NCAA now rivals the CHL (as in the OHL, WHL, and QMJHL combined—which recently accounted for about 400 active NHL players) and may pass them, if trends continue.

 

[Fred65]

7 minutes ago, SID.IS.SID.ME.IS.ME said:

This isn’t directed at anyone in this thread, but just seemed like a good place to drop this info. I’m seeing a fair amount of posts around CDC that underestimate just how significant the NCAA has become as a pipeline for NHL players. So here are a couple good sources that breakdown the numbers:

 

https://collegehockeyinc.com/in-the-nhl.php

 

https://collegehockeyinc.com/articles/2022/05/record-breaking-year-for-ncaa-alumni-in-nhl.php
 

Around 1/3 of all NHL players these days are NCAA alumni. That’s a staggering number. There were nearly 350 former college players who played in the NHL in 2021-22. That’s over ten college players per team, on average. And the numbers just keep going up. The NCAA is currently the fastest growing producer of NHL players. The NCAA now rivals the CHL (as in the OHL, WHL, and QMJHL combined—which recently accounted for about 400 active NHL players) and may pass them, if trends continue.

 

Frankly it comes as no shock to me. They practise 4-5 ays a week + gym time and then generally play 2 games. The system is made for development. PLus of course it's an older league then the CHL, there's no 16 year olds in this league where you can pump up your stats. To me  it's the NCAA, KHL and SHL

[SID.IS.SID.ME.IS.ME]

4 minutes ago, Fred65 said:

Frankly it comes as no shock to me. They practise 4-5 ays a week + gym time and then generally play 2 games. The system is made for development. PLus of course it's an older league then the CHL, there's no 16 year olds in this league where you can pump up your stats. To me  it's the NCAA, KHL and SHL

I was only surprised that they’ve come so close already to matching the CHL in number of active NHL players.

 

Good chance the NCAA becomes the #1 producer of NHL players within the next five years. 
 

I just have read some posts recently where people still seem to think that the NCAA is some sort of backwater, lower tier system that’s only producing a trickle of noteworthy NHL players, which is so far from the truth.

 

Even the undrafted free agents, which are admittedly more long shots than the top drafted guys, are still pretty significant. Around 75 active NHLers were undrafted college free agents, so even that pool is far more significant than most people realize.

[Mike Vanderhoek]

12 hours ago, BCNate said:

While I have pretty low expectations for McDonough, anytime we sign a prospect with potential to the Organization it is a good thing.  Hope he gets some looks with us down the stretch here.

I think what might be noticed is the need to work on his skating, think Raty in that department.

 

Otherwise will be interesting to see how he connects in the offensive zone.

[flat land fish]

1 hour ago, SID.IS.SID.ME.IS.ME said:

This isn’t directed at anyone in this thread, but just seemed like a good place to drop this info. I’m seeing a fair amount of posts around CDC that underestimate just how significant the NCAA has become as a pipeline for NHL players. So here are a couple good sources that breakdown the numbers:

 

https://collegehockeyinc.com/in-the-nhl.php

 

https://collegehockeyinc.com/articles/2022/05/record-breaking-year-for-ncaa-alumni-in-nhl.php
 

Around 1/3 of all NHL players these days are NCAA alumni. That’s a staggering number. There were nearly 350 former college players who played in the NHL in 2021-22. That’s over ten college players per team, on average. And the numbers just keep going up. The NCAA is currently the fastest growing producer of NHL players. The NCAA now rivals the CHL (as in the OHL, WHL, and QMJHL combined—which recently accounted for about 400 active NHL players) and may pass them, if trends continue.

 

Not to discount the NCAA but I wonder how much of that can be attributed to USA hockey seeing higher numbers of minor hockey players feeding the system with the growth in non traditional hockey markets?  The NCAA does offer a better development path than the CHL.  There are too many CHL teams and it would be a better development league for 19 and 20 year olds if there were fewer teams.  Too often it’s a contest of biggest/strongest(physically developed) versus most skilled.

[Locke Lamora]

21 hours ago, BCNate said:

While I have pretty low expectations for McDonough, anytime we sign a prospect with potential to the Organization it is a good thing.  Hope he gets some looks with us down the stretch here.

This is the right view to take in my opinion. His skating, which looks just ok vs. his college peers will look less so in the NHL. But, the more prospects we have in the cupboard the better. Apart from his skating the kid has other, very worthy tools applicable to the NHL.

 

They get this done, that’s a feather in the cap of this management group…who slowly, so slowly, are emerging from my personal doghouse.

[Ray_Cathode]

16 hours ago, Off_The_Schneid! said:

I can’t recall the last player we had coming out of college that actually turned out to be a decent player. Kevin Bieksa? I don’t want to see Troy Stetcher thrown around he’s been through waivers multiple times and is fighting for a league min contract 

Brock Boeser? But he was a first rounder 

While what you say is true, even disregarding the college qualification, other than Demko and Hoglander (who were high second rounders) only Forsling that I can think of under Benning’s regime, have turned out as decent NHLers. Gaudette and Lockwood have played a few games, though hardly to any great success, and Rathbone is still an incomplete story. So that may say a lot more about Benning than the value of college picks in general. Lots of other teams (especially eastern teams) have thrived on college free agents and later picks. 

[Fred65]

12 hours ago, SID.IS.SID.ME.IS.ME said:

I was only surprised that they’ve come so close already to matching the CHL in number of active NHL players.

 

Good chance the NCAA becomes the #1 producer of NHL players within the next five years. 
 

I just have read some posts recently where people still seem to think that the NCAA is some sort of backwater, lower tier system that’s only producing a trickle of noteworthy NHL players, which is so far from the truth.

 

Even the undrafted free agents, which are admittedly more long shots than the top drafted guys, are still pretty significant. Around 75 active NHLers were undrafted college free agents, so even that pool is far more significant than most people realize.

I was in Bemidji a couple of years back and warched the team get put through thier paces in the gym, unbelievable. Most Uni's have trainers, physio's skill coaches etc etc for the players. They take the develpment very seriously, the Uni's prestige is on the line. Most fly now for long road trips. It's not only hockey, most of the USA athletes are in the Olympics are from the NCAA, including golfers, track and field, basketball and of course football. There's a lot of money invested. Strangely enough students are not going to university like they did before. Student debt is a major problem. Some students have incredible debt often lasting well into their adult life. This may be the dtermining factor for the future of hockey in the NCAA

[DownUndaCanuck]

Sounds like he'll join the Canucks right after his team is eliminated. I never get my hopes up with these college players but you never know. Think he'll probably get a shot alongside Miller for a bit, then disappoint and drop down to our 3rd or 4th line. No way he deserves more of a look than Hoglander or Podkolzin next season.

[higgyfan]

51 minutes ago, DownUndaCanuck said:

Sounds like he'll join the Canucks right after his team is eliminated. I never get my hopes up with these college players but you never know. Think he'll probably get a shot alongside Miller for a bit, then disappoint and drop down to our 3rd or 4th line. No way he deserves more of a look than Hoglander or Podkolzin next season.

The Nucks will have a good look at him when he joins up for the rest of this season.  They'll have a pretty good

idea where he stands, in terms of other young players.  Podz has made the team; the coaches love his game.

The problem for Hogz is that he is an RFA at the end of the season and will no longer be waiver exempt, which

might work against him.

 

 

[SID.IS.SID.ME.IS.ME]

Just saw that TSN+ will have the full national tournament, including regionals, viewable on the TSN app.

 

McDonough and the Huskies will need to get in first, of course.

 

Right now, they’re trying to win a spot by winning the Hockey East tournament. 

(They’re kind of on the bubble for rankings so no guarantee they get in if they don’t win a spot and their fate is left to the selection committee.)
 

Tonight, they’re leading 1-0 after one period versus Providence, in their first game of the Hockey East tournament. 

 

McDonough with no points yet. He has 3 shots on goal through the first period.

Edited March 12, 2023 by SID.IS.SID.ME.IS.ME

[SID.IS.SID.ME.IS.ME]

Not sure if posted but McDonough was named a Hockey East First Team All-Star for this season:

 

[ilduce39]

23 hours ago, Off_The_Schneid! said:

There we go! I guess I should have phrased it as late round picks or free agent NCAA players 

IMO that’s more of a late round / free agent thing than a NCAA thing.
 

As always, young players have upside, but if McDonaugh hits even close to Boeser-level production that’s a major grand slam.

[-Vintage Canuck-]

 

[VegasCanuck]

I think fans are overestimating this kid’s ability to step into the NHL.

 

In my opinion, he’s going to need at least a year in Abbotsford working on his skating. Have only seen him play a couple of times, but even though his puck skills are NHL level, I don’t think his speed is anywhere close.

 

Just saying, don’t hang too much on this kid, the talent is there but there’s lots of work to do. He would have likely been better off signing last summer and spending this season in Abbotsford working with NHL level skating coaches. He will likely struggle in Abbotsford, outside of the power play.

[-Vintage Canuck-]

 

[Alflives]

1 minute ago, -Vintage Canuck- said:

 

Holy! That was quick. Get him here and fast. He could play 15 games with us. 

[Elias Pettersson]

So, McDonough will sign with us on Monday and be in the lineup on Tuesday?

[Elias Pettersson]

28 minutes ago, VegasCanuck said:

I think fans are overestimating this kid’s ability to step into the NHL.

 

In my opinion, he’s going to need at least a year in Abbotsford working on his skating. Have only seen him play a couple of times, but even though his puck skills are NHL level, I don’t think his speed is anywhere close.

 

Just saying, don’t hang too much on this kid, the talent is there but there’s lots of work to do. He would have likely been better off signing last summer and spending this season in Abbotsford working with NHL level skating coaches. He will likely struggle in Abbotsford, outside of the power play.

I agree.  He wasted an entire year of his development.  His team just got eliminated as well and didn't even make the main tournament, so not sure what he accomplshed this season.

 

He needs to sign a contract with the Canucks ASAP and get into some NHL games before the summer so Tocchet and the boys can help him to figure out how to make the NHL...