F Michael Misa - Saginaw Spirit, OHL (2025 Draft)

[frontsfan67]

I mean possible but that would mean Misa is not going to sign his ELC. I know other college guys do that but that's mainly because they're already in the NCAA. First round CHL guys get signed right away 99% of the time. It would be a new precedent to set. Can't imagine NHL GM's want to take the chance on guys becoming FA's.

That was before the chl guys were allowed to go to the NCAA. I expect the top Canadians at the draft to all give the NCAA some consideration. Some may go NCAA and some may stay.

If the rumours about misa are truth though and no offence to Saginaw but Boston University is an infinitely better program. I would say the same thing if it was wright they were talking about when he was on the fronts. Also not to mention if he did in fact request a trade like GensUpdates suggested (read this on Twitter) early in the season and drinkill didn’t honour the trade request- Misa may as well leave and give the big FU to his GM

 

[Kingpin794]

I'm assuming the framework mentioned in the tweet is going to be along the lines of "If the team that drafts me isn't going to give me a chance to make the NHL right away, I will come play for BU." It isn't a "I'm coming to BU no matter what" set up.

 

[frontsfan67]

I'm assuming the framework mentioned in the tweet is going to be along the lines of "If the team that drafts me isn't going to give me a chance to make the NHL right away, I will come play for BU." It isn't a "I'm coming to BU no matter what" set up.

Obviously you listen to the NHL team and what they suggest.

 

[Kingpin794]

Obviously you listen to the NHL team and what they suggest.

And there are zero NHL teams that want to NOT sign their high end prospects.

 

[Wieters]

I'm assuming the framework mentioned in the tweet is going to be along the lines of "If the team that drafts me isn't going to give me a chance to make the NHL right away, I will come play for BU." It isn't a "I'm coming to BU no matter what" set up.

I would change "chance" to "guarantee." Prospects seem to be using their NCAA eligibility now not as a means to threaten staying for four years and becoming a free agent but rather as leverage to negotiate assurances from the team that drafted them that if they sign, it's to be on the NHL team and not jerked around the AHL. If the team isn't willing to promise that, the prospect will very believably tell them that they would rather stay in college for another year than be sent down to the farm and that they'll sign when they're going to stick on the roster.

 

[Kingpin794]

I would change "chance" to "guarantee." Prospects seem to be using their NCAA eligibility now not as a means to threaten staying for four years and becoming a free agent but rather as leverage to negotiate assurances from the team that drafted them that if they sign, it's to be on the NHL team and not jerked around the AHL. If the team isn't willing to promise that, the prospect will very believably tell them that they would rather stay in college for another year than be sent down to the farm and that they'll sign when they're going to stick on the roster.

Exactly. Sure go back to the NCAA and you roll the dice that you end up with Adam Fox or Cutter Gauthier

 

[shello]

I would change "chance" to "guarantee." Prospects seem to be using their NCAA eligibility now not as a means to threaten staying for four years and becoming a free agent but rather as leverage to negotiate assurances from the team that drafted them that if they sign, it's to be on the NHL team and not jerked around the AHL. If the team isn't willing to promise that, the prospect will very believably tell them that they would rather stay in college for another year than be sent down to the farm and that they'll sign when they're going to stick on the roster.

What happened to players accepting they may need extra development in the AHL?

 

[Wieters]

What happened to players accepting they may need extra development in the AHL?

If you were to ask a college coach, they would tell you that the NCAA is at least as good if not better of a place for prospects to develop than the AHL. Reasonable minds can disagree on that point, but it's at least arguable. The facilities/coaching/resources are at least as good (and often better) in the NCAA than the AHL, and kids who are trying to put on weight actually have more time to spend in the gym on a college schedule. If you don't think the AHL is a clear step up, then you probably aren't in a hurry to leave what is usually a very comfortable situation in college to spend an indeterminate amount of time wallowing on the farm until the team decides to call you up. Worth noting that this scenario only applies to some prospects who have sufficient leverage that they can dictate terms like this, but when we're talking about lottery draft picks, it can apply.

 

[Intangir]

Exactly. Sure go back to the NCAA and you roll the dice that you end up with Adam Fox or Cutter Gauthier

I'm not sure about the technicalities of it since those guys would be drafted out of Junior and so would only be part of a team for 2 years before re-entering the draft.

Unless the NCAA rule overwrites that status and makes it so that those same players would now be set to have their NHL rights held by the team that drafted them for 4 years?

Either way you're right in the sense that the change of posture by the NCAA could and probably will cause some changes on the contractual front. We might end up seeing highly-drafted CHL guys have more of a say on where they play and their circumstances than ever before as a consequence.

And I personally like that potential change.

The draft maintains parity, and is necessary. But it also stops young players from choosing where they want to play, so any change that benefits the draftees on that front but doesn't go too far towards breaking the parity set forth by the draft is a good one in my opinion.

But I personally think Misa won't make it to BU. He's good enough that a team will sign him immediately and give him at least 9 games of NHL play (and pay) before sending him back to juniors.

The same is likely true of Martone.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Couldn’t he also play AHL?

But after you see what’s happened with Shane Wright, it makes you wonder if a year outside of pro hockey might be the right path.

He’s definitely not going to be back in the OHL though, which was probably obvious anyway, but this’ll give him another option.

 

[Mathieukferland]

Couldn’t he also play AHL?

The current CHL/NHL agreement doesn’t allow for that

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

The current CHL/NHL agreement doesn’t allow for that

Didn’t he get ES? The rule allows them to play AHL 19 year old year instead of usual 20 but not 18?

 

[Kingpin794]

Didn’t he get ES? The rule allows them to play AHL 19 year old year instead of usual 20 but not 18?

He can play AHL after 4 OHL seasons. So he’d get there by 19, a year early.

 

[WarriorofTime]

If we were to maybe assume a prospect’s preference would be NHL > College > Junior with AHL being a matter of personal preference as it relates to College but ahead of Junior then there will probably need to be a bit of re-thinking on rights and transfer agreement, as the sign an ELC then get double slid back to Junior Hockey doesn’t make a lot of sense within that framework.

 

[Leviathan899]

Couldn’t he also play AHL?

But after you see what’s happened with Shane Wright, it makes you wonder if a year outside of pro hockey might be the right path.

He’s definitely not going to be back in the OHL though, which was probably obvious anyway, but this’ll give him another option.

You have no idea that he won’t be back in the OHL next season. I’d say it’s likely he is. This is more about putting pressure on Saginaw to move him.

 

[Hockeyville USA]

If we were to maybe assume a prospect’s preference would be NHL > College > Junior with AHL being a matter of personal preference as it relates to College but ahead of Junior then there will probably need to be a bit of re-thinking on rights and transfer agreement, as the sign an ELC then get double slid back to Junior Hockey doesn’t make a lot of sense within that framework.

Depends on where a prospect is from and what they've done in junior. Misa is ready to be done with junior because he's done everything he could there (3rd year due to Exceptional Status, Memorial Cup Champion) and is ready to move on, whether it be directly to the NHL or to the NCAA for a year if the NHL team that drafts him doesn't give him a guaranteed lineup spot for his D+1.

 

[frontsfan67]

NCAA insider Bmgrundy on X/Twitter said Boston Colleges reported offer to Misa is 1.4 MILLION.

If that is true. I’m not sure how Misa stays in the OHL lol that would be a massive mistake not taking that. And it can work because he’s been living in the US for the past 3 years.

 

[Wieters]

Colby Cohen, who yesterday denied that BU had a "framework" in place with Misa, said that he had heard Misa was going to Minnesota.

 

[Zarzh]

What happened to players accepting they may need extra development in the AHL?

The AHL has an awful track record with 18 year old prospects, and a pretty bad one with 19 year old prospects.

 

[HawksDub89]

I mean possible but that would mean Misa is not going to sign his ELC. I know other college guys do that but that's mainly because they're already in the NCAA. First round CHL guys get signed right away 99% of the time. It would be a new precedent to set. Can't imagine NHL GM's want to take the chance on guys becoming FA's.

Suggesting truly elite CHL prospects are going to spend 4 years in NCAA hockey is next level idiocy.

Total nothing burger. The only people I’ve seen suggesting this are butt hurt CHL fans.

 

[Kingpin794]

Suggesting truly elite CHL prospects are going to spend 4 years in NCAA hockey is next level idiocy.

Total nothing burger. The only people I’ve seen suggesting this are butt hurt CHL fans.

I wouldn't be 4 years. It'd be 2.

 

[Hockeyville USA]

I wouldn't be 4 years. It'd be 2.

They're gonna change the rights holding period to 4 years for everyone that isn't drafted out of Russia (most likely)

 

[Kingpin794]

Suggesting truly elite CHL prospects are going to spend 4 years in NCAA hockey is next level idiocy.

Total nothing burger. The only people I’ve seen suggesting this are butt hurt CHL fans.

I wouldn't be 4 years. It'd be 2.

They're gonna change the rights holding period to 4 years for everyone that isn't drafted out of Russia (most likely)

Well that isn't the case now is it?

 

[HawksDub89]

I wouldn't be 4 years. It'd be 2.

No top 5 caliber prospect is going NCAA for more than a year.

And zero chance an NHL team takes a player without those assurances via the players agent.

Again, fear monger nonsense from CHL fans are the only ones bringing this up.

 

[Kingpin794]

No top 5 caliber prospect is going NCAA for more than a year.

And zero chance an NHL team takes a player without those assurances via the players agent.

Again, fear monger nonsense from CHL fans are the only ones bringing this up.

I agree.