Plus-minus: Saskatchewan Huskies navigate through changing hockey landscape, new NCAA rules
While NCAA eligibility rules have changed to allow major junior players to play there, and with purse-strings down south loosening tremendously in many cases to attract recruits, U Sports has countered with a rule change of its own. Former pros are now eligible to play Canadian university hockey without having to sit out a full year.
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Enter Roulette, Thomson and Thornton.
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Thornton, a native of Winnipeg, signed a one-way American Hockey League deal with the Hershey Bears but ended up in the ECHL for most of last season.
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'A real good player,' Cote said of Thornton. 'A good offensive-minded D-man. Very similar to Kosior, just left-handed. He'll really help us, obviously, with losing Landon.'
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Kosior heads south to the NCAA despite having played minor-pro hockey himself. That no longer seems to be a barrier for entry into the NCAA ranks as long as you haven't signed an NHL contract.
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'That's the thing — it is what it is,' said Cote. 'I never anticipated losing Landon. These guys aren't leaving because they didn't like it here. They feel they're getting to be able to take advantage of new opportunities — that's just the way the world is right now in our area. I don't know how he's eligible (for NCAA after playing minor pro), but he is. He got an opportunity to go down there, and there are other guys who are going to the same spot that are in the same boat as Landon, for the most part.
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'And Trevor, that was a tough one … (But) they're getting opportunities to play where they foresee themselves potentially getting a little more exposure with the pro level and whatever else they're being offered.
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'I have no ill-will against either of them. They were great Huskies for the short time they were here and they helped us win another Canada West championship. They're great people and great players, so I wish them all the best.'
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The Huskies' arch-rival Alberta Golden Bears have been hit particularly hard by off-season departures to the NCAA. They've lost goalie Tyler Palmer, D-men Aidan De La Gorgendiere and Marc Lajoie, plus forwards Sean Tschigerl, Brett Hyland and Ty Nash. Other departures include defenceman Elias Carmichael (European pro), forward Josh Prokop (pro) and Tyler Preziuso (graduated).
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The Dogs expect the majority of their team from last season to return, with some younger guys taking on larger roles.
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'We still have lots of guys that are returning that are in their second or third years that are ready to take steps,' said Cote.
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dzary@postmedia.com
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