Star prospect stays put
It was the kind of opportunity hundreds of young hockey players would kill for--the chance to play for an NHL club's farm team where, if you did well, a single phone call could propel you into "the bigs."
McGill Redmen star Pierre Gendron says he'd rather finish his studies first.
Don't get the third-year physical education student wrong--it was a wrenching decision. "I thought, what if this is my only chance? Sometimes the train only passes by once." But Gendron, who currently leads all Canadian university hockey players in scoring with 44 points in 16 games, decided to take that chance.
He was recently offered a contract by the NHL's Dallas Stars to play for their top farm team, the International Hockey League's Michigan K-Wings, for the remainder of the IHL season.
"I didn't want to [leave] my teammates right in the middle of the season," explains Gendron. "There are a lot of veterans on the team in their last year--a lot of guys who know this is our last chance to make something happen in the playoffs. This is a talented team--we have a shot at doing really well. Also, I wanted to complete my degree--that was very important to me."
The speedy centre has an abundance of hockey skills, says Redmen coach Martin Raymond. "He has excellent vision, good hockey sense and great hands. Pierre is a fierce competitor who plays with a lot of intensity."
Canadian university hockey doesn't generally produce many NHL players--Vancouver Canucks centre Mike Ridley and Anaheim Mighty Ducks centre Steve Rucchin are two notable exceptions. Raymond thinks Gendron has a legitimate shot.
"He will be playing pro hockey somewhere next year," says Raymond. "He was offered a contract this summer to play professionally in Europe and now Michigan is interested in him. Word is spreading." |