C Will Bitten (2016, 70th, MTL; traded to MIN; traded to STL)

[MXD]

Sorry, but getting to chose the language in which you get to study is a basic right...

 

[jason2020]

This sounds like a ploy to me, unless he hasn't graduated high school (which he should of by now). Very few OHL guys who have been drafted start post-secondary education after being drafted relatively high. Seems more like an agent back strategy to get public-opinion on his side to force a trade to the team he wants. Not a surprise, it is not like Flint has any chance in the court of public opinion, but I don't think Bitten has much ground to stand on if Ottawa don't make a good offer. I doubt the Habs would be happy with him either spending another year in Flint or having to go down to OJHL.

The thing is his value is very low right now.

 

[jason2020]

He's sort of bound to Plymouth/Flint for 4 years, and can't really go anywhere else outside of down to the OJHL. He absolutely signed something that locks him into Hockey Canada (and a particular Franchise) for 4 years, otherwise players could just transfer to Europe at any point if they wanted.

I think its very possible his jr a rights could be traded to Gloucester so he gets traded to the 67s or he gets traded to Gloucester he will be playing at home.

 

[MXD]

I think its very possible his jr a rights could be traded to Gloucester so he gets traded to the 67s or he gets traded to Gloucester he will be playing at home.

...players of Bitten's caliber usually dont play in Junior A.

 

[Kobe Armstrong]

...players of Bitten's caliber usually dont play in Junior A.

He'd be the best player be a longshot. Easy MVP, I have to say it'd be pretty entertaining.

 

[covfefe]

The thing is his value is very low right now.

Disagree, he will be one of the better players in the OHL next season and there are a variety of teams, with assets available, who lost key offensive players this offseason. You can also guarantee that he is in the OHL for the next 2 seasons, which also boosts his value.

 

[jason2020]

Disagree, he will be one of the better players in the OHL next season and there are a variety of teams, with assets available, who lost key offensive players this offseason. You can also guarantee that he is in the OHL for the next 2 seasons, which also boosts his value.

When ever a player refuses to reports he more or less has no value at the end of the day Flint will get a 1st round pick and mid level prospect that's about it.

 

[jason2020]

...players of Bitten's caliber usually dont play in Junior A.

As a rule yes but it does happen.

 

[LastWordArmy]

...players of Bitten's caliber usually dont play in Junior A.

t
There are sometimes 17 year olds who want to keep their NCAA eligibility.

Example Jake Walton in the OJHL a few years ago was picked close to where Bitten was picked.

the BCHL (Jr. A) had top 20 drafted players last year

 

[King In The North]

When ever a player refuses to reports he more or less has no value at the end of the day Flint will get a 1st round pick and mid level prospect that's about it.

That's not low value.

 

[Debrincat93]

You realize that Flint is not a normal situation in the OHL right now. Its a ****ing clown franchise with a ****ing clown ownership.

But yeah an 18 year old kid who has one shot to get to the NHL should take his chances that the owner who is suspended won't interfere, and that it won't effect his development or his education.

He's a third round pick with no guarantees of making the NHL. Do you think he wants to keep playing for an owner where last year was the most embarrassing season in junior hockey history, and has already proven once that he didn't obey an OHL suspension?

I sure as heck wouldn't

And guess what... its not just bitten.

Every NHL drafted prospect on that team was demanding out in December of last year, and all ended up traded.

doesnt help the city is a joke and a pure ****hole. How thee fack they got a team and it got approved is beyond me. Anyone who's been there would LOL at the notion that they got a team.

 

[Treb]

When ever a player refuses to reports he more or less has no value at the end of the day Flint will get a 1st round pick and mid level prospect that's about it.

Flint has been a real **** show. No one will hold concern of any player wanting out of there. He's been great to report and not ask for a trade past November 2015.

Blame Rolf Nilsen for pretty much ruining that team. I hope for them to get back up, but that's one hell of a **** storm to get out of.

 

[Quiksilver*]

When ever a player refuses to reports he more or less has no value at the end of the day Flint will get a 1st round pick and mid level prospect that's about it.

That's not low value.

They won't be getting a first round pick either considering you aren't allowed to trade those.

 

[Nac Mac Feegle]

I'm not offended by it at all, but the claims of where he wants to go for "education" see to be a joke and a way to dictate where he wants to go. This is just done to try to present him in the best possible light by basically demanding to be traded to only one place.

And at least know the facts, he spent one year in Flint. The prior year he was in Plymouth.

Ottawa is also unique as a government town that pushes bilingualism and has the most standardized and comprehensive government testing for both languages. There are also co-op placements within government for students (he would qualify) that also focus on language. It's a situation where Ottawa is the only city outside of the province of Quebec that is truly qualified to give a young person full (government level) bilingual status.

I'm sure any current federal workers in Ottawa or Gatineau can go into further details regarding testing regarding government jobs around here.

 

[93LEAFS]

Ottawa is also unique as a government town that pushes bilingualism and has the most standardized and comprehensive government testing for both languages. There are also co-op placements within government for students (he would qualify) that also focus on language. It's a situation where Ottawa is the only city outside of the province of Quebec that is truly qualified to give a young person full (government level) bilingual status.

I'm sure any current federal workers in Ottawa or Gatineau can go into further details regarding testing regarding government jobs around here.

You think an NHL prospect with a full-plate is going to go into a co-op situation? This is just posturing to play close to home. Drafted NHL players (or chl players in general) rarely do a full course load, let a long co-op programs on top. OHL players use school as an exuse all the time to force where they want to go. Some high-school kid on Peterborough last year tried to quit the team so he could go into a fashion program, yet he was still in high-school.

 

[Kobe Armstrong]

You think an NHL prospect with a full-plate is going to go into a co-op situation? This is just posturing to play close to home. Drafted NHL players (or chl players in general) rarely do a full course load, let a long co-op programs on top. OHL players use school as an exuse all the time to force where they want to go. Some high-school kid on Peterborough last year tried to quit the team so he could go into a fashion program, yet he was still in high-school.

This kid? It's just mind-boggling to me that some people are rubbed the wrong way by this. Lizotte was never gonna play a level higher than the OHL, why is it a problem for him to go where he can continue school?

“I'm going to look for opportunities to pursue school and also pursue my dream of hockey,†Lizotte said. “I'm kind of hoping I can work with both in the kind of field I want to work in and get a fresh start and a new beginning. That's all I'm looking for. Peterborough has done so much for me and I've learned a lot. I can't thank them enough for all they've done for me but this is something I needed to do.â€

When asked what he told Oke on Dec. 16, Lizotte said: “I told them I wanted to get home and think about things and I didn't know if I was going to come back. I wasn't asking for a trade or anything. I was just packing up and going home and from there I'll re-evaluate what I want.â€

When asked if something happened in Peterborough that made him not want to be a part of the team, Lizotte said: “No. Not at all. It's a personal choice. Like I said, with school I just want to give myself my best chance to pursue school as well. The team did a lot of great things for me and I'm going to miss it. I loved it but I needed a new beginning to pursue my other aspirations.â€

http://www.thebarrieexaminer.com/20...fenceman-fashions-himself-a-rugged-blue-liner

"There are more opportunities that are closer to Barrie, so in the future I can possibly continue in fashion and continue in my (hockey career). It (the trade) definitely opened up some things for me."

"Both are very important in my life," added Lizotte, who, heading into Friday night's action, had two goals and 12 assists over 135 career OHL games. "I'm just rolling with it and I'll see where it takes me."

 

[93LEAFS]

This kid? It's just mind-boggling to me that some people are rubbed the wrong way by this. Lizotte was never gonna play a level higher than the OHL, why is it a problem for him to go where he can continue school?



http://www.thebarrieexaminer.com/20...fenceman-fashions-himself-a-rugged-blue-liner

I have no problem with what he did, but it was a pretty garbage claim and was an example of someone attributing school when it really didn't matter at the time. It was just a way to disguise that he just wanted to be traded closer to home. Just say that you want nothing to do with Flint in Bitten's case, he's using the school claim just to make it look nicer. Why is someone whose trying to go to school figuring this out in late-august? most classes start tomorrow.

Edit: Maybe I'm wrong, but I seriously believe school has little to nothing to do with this very specific trade request. It is exactly the same as Mete refusing to go to Owen Sound because his parents didn't want him in a public school.

 

[MXD]

t
There are sometimes 17 year olds who want to keep their NCAA eligibility.

Example Jake Walton in the OJHL a few years ago was picked close to where Bitten was picked.

the BCHL (Jr. A) had top 20 drafted players last year

Well, yeah, but can we agree that it's completely moot in that case?

 

[joshyhockey26]

doesnt help the city is a joke and a pure ****hole. How thee fack they got a team and it got approved is beyond me. Anyone who's been there would LOL at the notion that they got a team.

Team got approved there because of $$$$$$ but yea, it's been truly something since day one

 

[Nac Mac Feegle]

You think an NHL prospect with a full-plate is going to go into a co-op situation? This is just posturing to play close to home. Drafted NHL players (or chl players in general) rarely do a full course load, let a long co-op programs on top. OHL players use school as an exuse all the time to force where they want to go. Some high-school kid on Peterborough last year tried to quit the team so he could go into a fashion program, yet he was still in high-school.

Not sure how things work in your area, but around Ottawa (at least in my day) seniors in high school and some colleges only had half-days (and sometimes even less) for kids in co-op. It all depends what kind of course load he has and how they're arranged.

Bitten is a good prospect, but let's not pretend is has a McDavid-like guarantee to be an NHLer.

 

[93LEAFS]

Not sure how things work in your area, but around Ottawa (at least in my day) seniors in high school and some colleges only had half-days (and sometimes even less) for kids in co-op. It all depends what kind of course load he has and how they're arranged.

Bitten is a good prospect, but let's not pretend is has a McDavid-like guarantee to be an NHLer.

He should be in Uni, and would be starting class this week. I know these programs exist, but on top of the demands of trying to make the NHL, I doubt he has the free time to be registered full-time in a co-op program. In my experience when I was in London and knew a couple of the Knights they were at most registered in 2 courses as a part-time student, and would possibly try to do some courses in the summer. I don't fault Bitten at all for wanting to get out of Flint and play closer to home, but claiming it is because of education just sounds like something to put a nice spin on it. OHL players and their agents constantly put these spins on things, particularly around the draft.

 

[MXD]

He should be in Uni, and would be starting class this week. I know these programs exist, but on top of the demands of trying to make the NHL, I doubt he has the free time to be registered full-time in a co-op program. In my experience when I was in London and knew a couple of the Knights they were at most registered in 2 courses as a part-time student, and would possibly try to do some courses in the summer. I don't fault Bitten at all for wanting to get out of Flint and play closer to home, but claiming it is because of education just sounds like something to put a nice spin on it. OHL players and their agents constantly put these spins on things, particularly around the draft.

Let's say Bitten can take at most two courses during each semester, and actually want to take those courses, because he isn't Conor McDavid or even John Tavares.

So he completes two courses during fall semester, two other courses during winter semester and, say, one course during summer.

That basically means one completed semester, unless things are drastically different in Ontario. He has two years left of junior hockey to play (and possibly one more, if OA). He can cut back on one year of University if ever he fails at pro hockey. That's... quite significant.

 

[93LEAFS]

Let's say Bitten can take at most two courses during each semester, and actually want to take those courses, because he isn't Conor McDavid or even John Tavares.

So he completes two courses during fall semester, two other courses during winter semester and, say, one course during summer.

That basically means one completed semester, unless things are drastically different in Ontario. He has two years left of junior hockey to play (and possibly one more, if OA). He can cut back on one year of University if ever he fails at pro hockey. That's... quite significant.

Whatever, no point in discussing schooling further in this thread. I personally believe this is just agent posturing to get him to Ottawa, and not an actual serious claim regarding school. Some people believe that its actually an academic based request (and not posturing to force a trade to a certain team), they are free to believe that, but in my experience following Jr. Hockey these requests tend to be spin on the real reason. If Bitten is serious about school more power to him, I just highly doubt that is his main motivation in trying to go to Ottawa. Anyone who has followed the OHL draft over the years know that education is used as a tool by players to force there way into more favorable situations. If it was just studying in French that he wanted he could easily go to Glendon (and play for Missasauga) or play for Sudbury and attend Laurentian.

 

[BigBuck]

If he doesn't get traded, why doesn't he go to Ottawa U join the Gee-Gees? They should have a decent team this year with lots of ex CHL players....

 

[MXD]

If it was just studying in French that he wanted he could easily go to Glendon (and play for Missasauga) or play for Sudbury and attend Laurentian.

Well, he'd have to be traded to these teams first, no?