Thank you for sharing your opinion. If only you could have done it without somehow thinking it's more valid than others.

So, support your argument with facts. Find me a U.S. player that was a first round draft pick that stayed in college for four years in the last half dozen years.

But, you say, JW isn't a first round pick, yet. True...but that's where he was projecting before he got to Plymouth. Locally, he was considered the same type of prospect as JE at equivalent points in their playing careers. He was projected considerably above OW, for example, who has continued to blossom. At the time they committed, it was JW, neck-and-neck with TJW, with JW getting the edge based on size, then OW. It became an arms race. You don't get commits at age 14 from BU and BC if you aren't projecting as a special player.

So, if JW goes in the late second or third, or fourth round, wouldn't that mean he has "fallen off?" If TJW goes undrafted, wouldn't it mean the same thing?

None of that means they won't make it. I hope they do, I wish nothing but the best to all the local boys. But, that doesn't mean we can't have observations about them as prospects.

It really comes down to Hyperbole. He is the next this or that. He is further ahead of so and so at the same age.

Each athlete develops uniquely. All of the mentioned have had very nice careers so far and hopefully will continue to do so. Each of their paths have been a little different then the other, while other prospects have come along and others have dropped off.

As far as commitments go for 14 year olds go, lets not put too much weight into that. These three committing was the beginning of the silliness that this whole commitment thing has turned into. The kids were the elite of the elite at that age and the colleges had nothing to lose and everything to gain by offering them. If the player falls off enough than they will push him out to jr's until he ages out or perhaps they honor the commitment but have a heart to heart with him. Either way, a good bet to hedge on.

In any case these three and many others have had some unbelievable experiences that they can always look back on and cherish. Hopefully, all these prospects continue working hard and following their dreams.

You are correct on these three committed right about the time that the process became silly. Just three years earlier, Jack Eichel, Noah Hanifin and Colin White committed at roughly the same age. All three went on to be first round picks, all three are in the NHL. Then, it made sense. Now, it has become much less meaningful.

To answer one of the posters previous questions...Mark Jankowski (Providence) and Kevin Hayes (BC) were both 1st rounders who played 4 years of college

Many have played 4 years but the landscape is changing. Teams lure kids in with promises of an NHL paycheck / potential one way contract if you will (Andres Bjork and Charlie McAvoy) and playing time now to avoid the chance they go free agent (Jimmy Vesey).

There's no crime in it anymore.

Good luck to the kid...even though I was one who thought that Squirt goalie should have gone after him with his stick for showing him up in that spin-o-rama B.S. shootout goal. What a turd.

That was OW. And it was Jimmy Hayes that showed Vesey the way. But Vesey wasn't a first round pick. Losing a 1st rounder is devastating to a team.

Hayes was drafted more than 5 years ago. Times have changed, which is why I put that time frame on it.

Jankowski is Canadian - and also was a total reach as a 1st rounder by a badly run organization.

Jankowski was a reach ( uncle is or was chief scout for Hockey Canada) but it has worked out pretty well. Should be a good 200' player in the league for many years.

Huh? Worked out well? He's 23 and has played 3 NHL games. That's fewer than Malcolm Subban.

He went to college as a true freshman. Just turned 23 a month ago and last year was his first full year in pro hockey. Yeah, that is pretty good. Many 1st rounders never make it to the NHL. He plays a solid 200' game. I like his chances.

Do some research before you chime in Dummy. Last year was his first year pro. He played 4 years of college and 1 year in AHL...up with the big club now...so yes working out well for him

I did research it, "Dummy." 2015 and 2016 1st rounders are contributing. He's a 2012 that has played - literally - three games, one this year so far. Being on the roster doesn't mean it's "working out well" as a first rounder. Bit early to call him a successful draft pick.

And, I'd be saying the same thing if he were my kid.

Real mature response, BTW. Name calling by a so-called "adult" because you disagree with someone's opinion.

This post was even worse than your last one. Dumb and Dumber!

Yeah, you really furthered the discussion with that one. Kinda hard to take someone seriously that is content to sit on the sidelines and throw out insults without an original thought of their own.

What discussion? The one you started about a 17 year old falling off because of unrealistic expectations people like you put on him as a 14 yr old.

Actually he wasn't the one to start it. I was. In typical, albeit predictable form, the th thread morphed into something else. Good Fun:


I saw that JW did not play at all this weekend against Dartmouth or Harvard. Looking at player stats and it appears he has only played in 2 of 10 games. Can't find anything about him being injured or leaving the team. Any ideas??


Please continue.

As mentioned earlier he is out with shoulder injury. I'm sure you are disappointed in that as you most likely hoped he didn't play due to poor performance. Misery loves company!

If that was directed to me the OP, you are absolutely wrong on that. I am rooting for him all the way. Great talent! Initially, I was curious as to why he was not playing because there was no mention anywhere of him being injured. I still think he will find his groove and make it to the top.

I mentioned the initial post because as per usual the conversation went off topic. All good, we back now!

Can someone point me to the Rules that define what is "off topic" and what is "on topic?" I mean, I wouldn't want to mistake this for a Discussion Board.

So get back to the topic, JW is obviously not what everyone thought he was. Kid hasn’t done anything dating back 3 years to central catholic, not a team player and was way overrated. Kid can’t take hit and never could.

He was 4th in scoring on last years u17 team and one of four kids pulled up to the u18 team. Frosh and Soph year had 86 points in 46 games playing D1 / CC hockey.

Not good enough? Not a likely 1st round pick? Ok true, but hasn't done anything?

Sounds like he gave you an autographed stick and you are hoping it is worth a few bucks one day!

Nope. Just not sour. Glad to see somebody else's kid doing well. You should try it someday.

He's to small and doesn't like contact. I posted this last year on this board and everyone had a hissy fit. Now it's becoming more clear to people. I too hope he does well but he is clearly trending in the wrong direction. In the end the only player of the super 3 that will make it in the show is OW, he does it every time. TW AND JW not so much.

His shoulder injury was pretty severe, so it probably bothered him last year. He still played well, despite injury.
He will be fine when he's healthy.

Thayer kid is a late 1999, so he's only about 2 months older. Didn't get the same hype through youth hockey as JW, but he was always a great player.

OW is the top prospect.

Always has been. I was surprised he was entertaining college commitment, figured he would go right to Q and then pro by 20.

For the guys bashing these kids, what has your kid done? These kids have sacrificed their teen years to get to where they are and all you can do is bash them. Your losers.

No one was bashing "the next one"!

Then you haven't been playing along. OW's dad has pimped the kid out for years. Had his kid commit to his alma mater as a 7th grader, youngest NCAA kid in any sport at the time, for the pub.

I'm really happy for him that he is thriving, now that Dad is in the background.

Maybe dad could have a little discussion with Tom and Gigi on ah... ‘nutrition.’ Word is they have HGH in candy dishes around the house.

Word also is you are mildly retarded....

As well as redundant. He posted the same thing 10 days ago.

Maybe it's posted by two different people and it's because it's becoming common knowledge. I'll have to stop by and take a look myself.

Maybe your just a disgruntled old fart that is mad his bender’s last days of hockey were at CC