On Thu, 21 Jul 1994 [log in to unmask] wrote:
 
> Two items from "The Nation's Newspaper" (their title, not mine):
>
> 1) In the "Gee, I'm Glad I Know that Now" box (bottom left corner of the front
>    page of the Sports section) was this graphic courtesy of the NHL:
>          No. of U. S. Collegiate hockey players drafted:
>                 1993- 17
>                 1994-  6
>    According to the NHL, this is a new record low (previous- 7, 1969).
>
>          I seem to remember there being more than 6 drafted, but I could be
>          wrong.  The number still seemed awfully low, and the trend does not
>          bode well for attracting players to college hockey with the idea of
>          using it as a stepping stone to the NHL.
>
 
I agree that this number sounds awfully low.  I haven't looked at the
entire draft selection list, but my guess is that the NHL is saying that
6 players were selected from college teams.  That doesn't necessarily
mean collegiate players.  This would not account for the large number of
incoming collegiate players who were drafted before they ever played in
college.  I think that this is not saying anything negative about college
hockey, but instead can be seen in a very positive light.  The college
hockey recruits are better caliber players that are being drafted before
playing in college.  I think the NHL needs to ask themselves how many
players in the league have played collegiately and not how many college
players have been drafted.  This is one shortfall of the current NHL
draft rights.  A team can draft a player and watch the college develop
the prospect.