Quote:
Originally Posted by buzzg
Of course it as happened, but it's VERY rare. It was more common in the 70s/80s, but drastically fell off when the rise of TV revenues and player salaries came, and parents realized their kids stood a far better chance making the NHL if they played junior hockey in Canada or the PNW.
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That is incorrect. Even Sidney Crosby spent time during high school playing in a private American school.
NHL players with backgrounds from US Colleges runs about parallel to the number of Americans in the NHL, and both have risen drastically in the last 25 years. About 32% of NHL players have an NCAA background, the highest number ever. Americans now represent about 28% of all NHL players, also the highest number ever before.
source:
http://collegehockeyinc.com/articles...caa-alumni.php
NHL players having a background in the NCAA is not rare by any means. Look no further than our beloved NHL Jets if you do not believe me:
Jacob Trouba (Michigan)
Andrew Copp (Michigan)
Kyle Connor (Michigan)
Connor Hellebuyck (UMass-Lowell)
Blake Wheeler (Minnesota)
Jack Roslovic (Ohio)
Brandon Tanev (Providence)
Matt Hendricks (St.Cloud)
Paul Stastny (Denver)
Tucker Poolman (North Dakota)