By Kevin Dillon/DFP Staff
The Boston University men’s hockey team now has its first commitment from a player born in 1998, as 15-year-old phenom Clayton Keller announced his commitment to BU via Twitter Thursday.
“Proud to announce that I have committed to Boston University for my college hockey career,” Keller wrote.
Keller, who is going to be a sophomore in high school, is set to arrive at BU in 2016 according to a USHR report. The 5-foot-10, 144-pound forward compiled 58 goals and 71 assists in 60 games with the Shattuck St. Mary’s Bantams last season.
Shattuck St. Mary’s has a history of producing great hockey players, as current NHL stars Sidney Crosby, Jonathan Toews and Zach Parise all have been a part of its hockey program. Nathan MacKinnon, who was the first overall pick of the 2013 NHL draft, recorded 54 goals and 47 assists in 58 games for the Tier I bantam program during the 2009-10 season.
Below is a highlight video of Keller.
Great, but were are our “extra” forwards this year? Are they on campus yet? Will Quinn go with only 12 forwards, one a walk on? Yikes!
Do you want to tie up scholarships on mediocre late picks? Give David a chance to build his team. Get used to the fact that this year may not be what we all want. But, if he builds it, they will come.
USHR also compared Keller to Parise.
Why worry about scholarships when only a few stay all four years. Looks like we get them back faster than we can use them.
Think about it. If you recruit players that are all 4 year players, then you are not getting the best players and you are doomed to be second rate. Think Amonte, Shattenkirk and many others that brought us great success. That is reality. The top players that can help you win a national championship are only coming for two years.
18 Scholarships have to be used wisely. Going out now and getting second rate players and using up shcolarships for 4 years is rediculous.
Agreed about divvying up the 18 scholarships. In practice, a national contender will some high-end players staying two years (e.g. Wilson), others staying three years (e.g. Shattenkirk, Strait, Bonino) and others for all four years (e.g. Gryba, Millan, Lawrence, Megan). High draft picks are unlikely to return for their senior year since the current CBA allows them to become free agents after their senior year.
Then there are players like Noonan who you expect to leave after 3 years but had such a poor season that he had to come back. There a scholarship that we expected to have available that we do not.