April
8, 2004
NCAA
to Allow Opt-in Waiver for NHL Draft
By
Nate Ewell and Mike Eidelbes
Inside College Hockey.com Exclusive
BOSTON –
The NCAA has decided to allow current student-athletes to opt-in
to this spring's NHL Entry Draft and retain their college eligibilty,
Notre Dame head coach Dave Poulin told Inside College Hockey.
Poulin –
who has an opt-in prospect on his roster in defenseman Wes O'Neill
– spearheaded an effort to convince the NCAA to reverse
its policy, which previously allowed future collegians to opt-in
without jeopardizing their college eligibility, but not current
collegians.
| 2004
NCAA Opt-In Candidates |
| Player |
Team |
Pos. |
| Sean
Bentovoglio |
Niagara |
F |
| Steve
Birnstill |
Northeastern |
D |
| Jeff
Caron |
Merrimack |
D |
| Matt
Cohen |
Yale |
D |
| Steve
Hartley |
Miami |
G |
| T.J.
Hensick |
Michigan |
F |
| Wes O'Neill |
Notre
Dame |
D |
| Adam
Pineault |
Boston
College |
F |
| Jonathan
Sigalet |
Bowling
Green |
D |
| Drew
Stafford |
North
Dakota |
F |
| Paul
Szczechera |
Western
Michigan |
F |
| A.J.
Thelen |
Michigan
State |
D |
The opt-in
rule, enacted in 1995, requires prospects born between Sept. 16,
1985, and Sept. 15, 1986 to declare their intentions by May 1
in order to enter the pool for the upcoming National Hockey League
Entry Draft.
Twelve current
players are affected by the rule, including top NHL prospects
O'Neill, A.J. Thelen of Michigan State, Drew Stafford of North
Dakota and Adam Pineault of Boston College.
Officials
from Notre Dame sent a waiver request for O'Neill on Wednesday.
The NCAA will send waiver requests to the other 11 schools impacted
by the situation.
According
to Poulin, an NCAA Management Council sub-committee modified the
organization's opt-in rule on a short-term basis. Any long-term
change to the policy would have to proceed though the NCAA’s
standard legislative path.
The only player
to forgo his remaining college eligibility by opting in to the
NHL Draft is former Boston University goaltender Rick DiPietro,
who left the Terriers after his freshman season and was selected
by the New York Islanders with the first overall pick in 2000.
