Pretty rare - Auston Matthews signs in the Swiss league.

[chuckcouples]

Going to play in Switzerland next season would be the equivalent of the top student at MIT deciding to leave MIT for his senior year to finish up his degree at a community college in a beautiful part of the world because they are offering him $25,000 to attend. He will make a little bit of money sooner and he will still get his engineering degree but whether he will get the best job offer remains to be seen. There's a chance that the world's best employer liked what he saw of him in his first 3 years at MIT enough that they still offer him the job but there's also a chance that the top guy in the MIT grad class now gets the best job offer.

[RyWill09]

Going to play in Switzerland next season would be the equivalent of the top student at MIT deciding to leave MIT for his senior year to finish up his degree at a community college in a beautiful part of the world because they are offering him $25,000 to attend. He will make a little bit of money sooner and he will still get his engineering degree but whether he will get the best job offer remains to be seen. There's a chance that the world's best employer liked what he saw of him in his first 3 years at MIT enough that they still offer him the job but there's also a chance that the top guy in the MIT grad class now gets the best job offer.

Not really the best comparison.

IF he goes, it is to skip the CHL rule (as others have suggested). If he isn't able to make the jump the NHL the first season he gets to play in the AHL, and thats a head start on most new draftees. You don't think Draisaitl/M.Domi/Virtanan/Bennet/exc. wouldn't have been better off playing in the AHL?

It would be the equivilant of a lawyer completeing his last semester at another university to avoid articiling (entry level job) for a firm, which they are probably overqualified to be doing. He would have nothing to learn from playing in the CHL.

[Zorro]

Not really the best comparison.

IF he goes, it is to skip the CHL rule (as others have suggested). If he isn't able to make the jump the NHL the first season he gets to play in the AHL, and thats a head start on most new draftees. You don't think Draisaitl/M.Domi/Virtanan/Bennet/exc. wouldn't have been better off playing in the AHL?

It would be the equivilant of a lawyer completeing his last semester at another university to avoid articiling (entry level job) for a firm, which they are probably overqualified to be doing. He would have nothing to learn from playing in the CHL.

They may need to change the AHL rules or we will be seeing alot more of this..

I wish Ehlers was able to play with Moose next year, but he's not.. He either has to play with the Jets or the Mooseheads, which sucks..

[Mr. Guru]

If he has to play in the AHL after his draft year you could argue the Swiss league hurt his development.

[RyWill09]

If he has to play in the AHL after his draft year you could argue the Swiss league hurt his development.

I guess you could, but how highly touted was Drouin going into his first year after lighting it up the QMJHL....only to be sent back. Stupid. Playing in the CHL didn't help him, what if he was able to play in the AHL that year?

They may need to change the AHL rules or we will be seeing alot more of this..

I wish Ehlers was able to play with Moose next year, but he's not.. He either has to play with the Jets or the Mooseheads, which sucks..

THIS! They just need to have an exeception rule, like they maybe one per team per year?

[Mr. Guru]

looks like zurich

[Godin]

So what kind of points did he put up this year and where did he play??

Just picked up the Draft Preview and there is an article about US hockey. Matthews broke Kane and Kessels goal scoring record with 55 over 52 and points with 116 over Kane's 102 and Kessel's 98 points in the National Team Development Program.

[kovalchuk17]

after further thought, if he does do it i will cheer and support him for being trailblazer.

Anyone already playing in the CHL wouldnt dare do this, theyve (presumably) invested 2-3 years to get top line minutes for their draft year in the league that gets the most exposure. This situation only came up because hes done with the US development team and he's up for a probable one and done in either the CHL, NCAA or in Europe.

jack eichel chose the NCAA and if he doesnt make the team *cough* sabres *cough* i believe he goes back to college (inferior competition) so that would not be ideal for his development. patrick kane chose to play for the london knights for 1 year. im sure theres plenty of examples where us players probably believed they only had 2 options. Matthews can get bank a year early and avoiding the dreaded AHL rule, guaranteeing to play in pro hockey next season regardless of whether he makes the team or not. as mentioned in one of my previous posts, if hes ok with not being the #1 pick for these benefits.... good on him he should do it.

[chuckcouples]

The biggest thing that people are missing in this entire argument is that he is a grade 11 student this year. He will be in grade 12 next year unless he takes courses to finish up this summer. This is also holding him back from going to college next year.

[Axeman33]

The biggest thing that people are missing in this entire argument is that he is a grade 11 student this year. He will be in grade 12 next year unless he takes courses to finish up this summer. This is also holding him back from going to college next year.

I am sure tutoring will be part of the deal for him to go play over there and allow him to finish his high school.

[Mr. Guru]

The biggest thing that people are missing in this entire argument is that he is a grade 11 student this year. He will be in grade 12 next year unless he takes courses to finish up this summer. This is also holding him back from going to college next year.

There are many students who complete a few extra courses in the summer to be college eligible. This isn't a big deal.

Just like Hanifin this year.

[ericdaoust]

Doesn't take much to finish high school. He'll be fine.

[ultrawhiteness]

fwiw the work on NHLE shows the Swiss league as similar to AHL quality and slightly better than both NCAA and CHL.

[Mr. Guru]

Slightly better in terms of quality? Of course. He will be play against men.

Slightly better in terms of development? No. No one can say for sure. It's not even NHL sized ice lol