A perspective worth looking at

Here is another perspective worth looking at on the Ryan McDonagh story. I do think sometimes fans of NHL teams that are unfamiliar with the college game lose touch with the fact that many of these young men really like playing college hockey and attending college. I don’t think it’s such a bad thing that some of these young men aren’t going to be in hurry to sign with their professional teams that drafted them.

From watching college hockey over the years, we have seen quite a few players rushed to sign with their professional teams only to fizzle out and never reach their full potential. Very few college hockey players go on to play in the NHL. Some of these players have been on record as saying they wished they would have stayed in school. While Ryan McDonagh will probably play in the NHL, I can't fault him if he wants to play another year in Madison.

That being said what is kind of funny in a sad way is the way some Ranger fans are reacting to the possibility that Ryan McDonagh is choosing to return to Wisconsin over leaving to sign with the Rangers.

From shock to wanting the soon to be Wisconsin captain to issue a public statement; some Ranger fans are acting as if McDonagh does not have the right to turn down the Rangers. If Ryan McDonagh wants to return to Wisconsin for his senior season it is his right and he does not owe anyone an explanation why.

Sorry people but I could list a whole bunch of reasons why McDonagh would want to remain in school and they just might start with something so simple as wanting to finish his degree. Anyone who bothers to look at McDonagh's biography at Wisconsin's website might discover that McDonagh was named to the named to the Academic All-Big Ten and WCHA All-Academic teams as a sophomore (repeated as a junior on the WCHA team).

And if you think the Rangers have not made an effort to get McDonagh to sign (or for the matter Stepan and Hagelin) that would also be a mistake. The Rangers spend a lot of time and effort in watching their prospects and we are not talking scouts alone as the Rangers have been well represented in Madison Wisconsin.

The Rangers also for their part really do not want McDonagh to speak up either way until after the free agent period is underway. The Rangers as everyone knows need help on defense so the price to bring in quality help is going to want to squeeze the Rangers as much as possible whether it be a trade or a free agent. [Read the rest of the story here]