On Tue, 28 Mar 1995, Craig Woods - SHTM/W94 wrote:
 
>         I would like to know all of the opinions of the knowledgeable
> hockey-L subscribers out there.  I have a question that has been posed
> many times.  Do you feel that entering collegiate hockey as opposed to
> junior hockey (CHL) is beneficial to a players development and
> maturity?  Do you believe that the collegiate league better prepares a
> player for professional hockey?
>
I believe that playing US college hockey is a good way to prepare for a
pro career, but if the only criterion is that, then junior hockey is the
way to go.  There are many more games and the focus is almost exclusively
on hockey at the expense of education.  Having said that, most kids who
participate in juniors or college hockey never draw a paycheque from the
pros.  Juniors are therefore a trap for naive 16 year olds (and sometimes
parents with stars or dollar signs in their eyes.)  Kids sign with
juniors and leave with nothing if they don't have the talent to go pro.
At least at the responsible and ethical schools kids will leave with a
degree even if they disappoint themselves by not making it in the pros.
This is an important factor, as I'm sure most on this list will agree.
 
Arthur Berman [log in to unmask]
GO BU!!!