[Ryan]

Leblanc was the 18th overall pick in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft. He is eligible to be sent to AHL, but he has signed with the Montreal Juniors of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. The current plan is to have him play in the QMJHL, but it depends on what happens in Canadiens camp.

Wonder how difficult it was to turn down a Harvard education.

[Mr Ricochet]

Well, he fills his pockets with some dough, but it would have been nice to see him with a Harvard sheepskin.......

[Mr Ricochet]

Hockey Independent While staying in Harvard would have shown maturity and his dedication to an education and bettering himself, and his life after hockey, coming to Montreal shows guts, determination, and that he isn’t afraid of what this city might do to him.


Eye On The Prize Bring on the Scrutiny! Habs Prospect Louis Leblanc Subjects Himself to All Varieties of Canadiens Media Speculation

[Hockey Fan]

First, let me start by saying Louis is a great kid. Having said that, I beleive it would have been in his best interest to wait at least one more year before bailing on Harvard. First of all, it would have put him another year closer to graduation and harder to walk away from school at that point, especially Harvard.

I saw every game he played in a Lancer uniform. In my opinion, his greatest attribute was his work ethic. He "brought it" every night. You could always count on him giving his very best effort on every shift. On the other hand, his teammate and equally touted player Danny Kristo, did not display the same effort and desire and it was very noticeable on the ice. Louis' effort was on display every shift.

His skill set, while special, is not "NHL ready". He had, by all accounts, a pretty decent Freshman year last year at Harvard with 11-12-23 and Ivy League (not ECAC) Rookie of the Year Honors. However, his 23 points did not put him in the top 100 in NCAA scoring and he still has some maturing to do physically. He is strong for his size, but he is thin. I think he is listed at 180 lbs but when you see him, he looks more like about 165 lbs. The NHL is a game of speed and strength. If you don't have both, you had better have a lot of one or the other! I am not sure Louis' speed compensates for his lack of size and strength at this point in his career (19 years old), which takes me back to my original point...why not stay in school?

Sure, he is going to be earning a paycheck while he prepares his game and his body for the NHL, but we are talking about walking away from Harvard, not Bemidji State (no disrespect intended to the Beavers). I would think a degree from Harvard would be more financially beneficial over a lifetime than a stint in the NHL. Oh well, economics prevail...a dollar today is worth more than a dollar tomorrow. I'm sure this wasn't an easy decision for him either way.

Just my .02.

[kwey24]

Unless things have changed on me, one thing to remember is that Ivy League schools do not offer athletic scholarships. They will provide some financial assistance on the basis of need, but (last I knew) they do not offer athletic scholarships. So, it's very possible that Leblanc was paying quite a bit to go to Harvard. The question really becomes, when you're paying for some part of your schedule, is it better to take your signing bonus and an AHL paycheck or go to Harvard? After all, if he plays all of his entry-level contract in Hamilton, he'd be no further behind in getting to the NHL than if he skated at Harvard. Could Louis struggle at first in Hamilton? Maybe, but he'll make the jump at some point, and his two-way awareness and effort will ensure that he can fill in on Hamilton's fourth line ably during his rookie season. This wouldn't be drastically different than the role Nick Spaling started with in Milwaukee, where Spaling lacked speed and size his rookie year but still received fairly regular ice time on lower lines at even strength and still saw some PP and also PK time because of his awareness. I have faith Leblanc can do the same, and Montreal will be patient with him. Fans might not, but the organization will be.

[Hockey Fan]

If I remember correctly, most of the athletes at Ivy League schools earn "academic" scholarships and grants in aide that equate to nearly 100% tuition reimbursement. It seems to me they have an "ability to pay" clause that structures tuition differently for each individual based on income. Once that is figured, then grants and "academic scholarships" are figured and the final tuition amount is determined.

I don't think most of the athletes at Ivy League schools are paying much "out of pocket" for their college educations. I know a guy who played at Cornell and he was on the equivalent of a "full ride" scholarship with tuition grants and academic scholarships. This was a guy that was only offered "partial" schollies at more traditional, "hockey" schools. In his case, the Ive League was the "cheaper route".

Kwey24, I agree with you about Louis' two-way awareness. That is rare to find in an 18 year old "scorer" and will be a beneficial part of his development. That is one less thing he has to learn to do at the next level.

This post has been edited by Hockey Fan: 13 August 2010 - 10:29 AM