>>> "Greg R. Berge" <[log in to unmask]> 08/12/97 04:12pm >>>
>>>
>>> >> Did anyone ever think that maybe Crowley would like to finish
>>> >> school and earn his degree?
>>>
>>> He can do both, of course.  Joe Nieuwendyk jumped from Cornell but
>>> returned for several summers until he gained his degree.  I am sure
>>> numerous athletes from other schools have done the same.
>>>
>>> There is a rookie salary cap in the NHL now, yes?  This suggests
>>> that Crowley can't do much better than 1 mil over three years, Hobey
>>> or no. With injury such a real possibility in hockey, I think he'd have to
>>> lack every ounce of risk-aversion to turn down the offer.
>>> - Greg
 
I think the rookie salary cap is about $950,000 a year, but they can
exceed that with bonuses. The terms haven't been revealed yet on
Thornton's contract with Boston, but I'm sure it approaches 3 mil over 3
years.
 
Crowley is no Joe Thornton, nor do I think he can command better than
333,000 a year. But, I don't think all college players make their decision on
whether they should stay or go based solely on $$$.
 
From what I can see, Crowley is no guaranteed immediate success in
the NHL. He needs a little bulking up. But,  he is guaranteed a very high
profile, highly successful year coming up with Minnesota. I imagine some
Minnesotan boys dream more heavily of a Gopher National Championship
than bringing a Stanley Cup to a bunch of fans in Anaheim, CA. I imagine
quite a lot of them Bloomington kids dream of winning the big one for the
home state. It might be different if Crowley was moving on the a
Minnesota North Star team that could contend for the cup.
 
The long and shot of it is these simple questions. Would Mike Crowley like
to spend next season bulking up and getting ready to play professional
hockey in some AHL/IHL camp ... and thereby watching the Gophers
attempt to achieve their long-awaited National Championship from afar?
Or, would he rather bulk up and play one more year for his "dream team"
and then pursue his NHL career afterwards?
 
Throw in some Hobey consideration as maybe a cherry on top of the
sundae. I'm not sure how important that would be. He's not guaranteed it,
especially with last year's runner-up (Drury) playing his senior year also.
There are also several other candidates and a few unknown stars that
have yet to rise.
 
Finally, I'm sure quite a few short-sighted fans who would love to see
Minnesota lose would also love to see them playing without Crowley. If I
was a Minnesota rival, I'd rather beat them on their best day with their
best team ... or lose to such a team ... rather than play and beat the "B"
squad. Which is exactly what the WCHA would be playing without
Crowley at Minnesota. Well, maybe a "B" rating is a bit harsh, but you get
the idea.
 
For the good of college hockey, let's hope Crowley stays, thereby
keeping the competition as high as it can be.
 
- Paul.
 
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