Tucked away in Craig Custance’s piece for The Athletic (subscription required) is a report that Florida Panthers prospect Adam Mascherin will not sign with the team before the draft, forcing Dale Tallon to shop him around trying to get some sort of value out of their second-round pick.
Mascherin is having another strong season for the Kitchener Rangers, where he has collected 40 goals and 86 points in 67 games. He was selected 38th-overall in 2016, but will likely re-enter the draft if he doesn’t sign. That’s an interesting move for a player who was already selected relatively high, and who has attended Panthers prospect camps in the past.
As undersized players are welcomed more and more into the league, perhaps Mascherin feels he can find an even better situation for his professional career. The 5’9″ forward possesses an elite shot and is a talented goal scorer who plays much heavier than he is. He’s recorded at least 35 goals in three straight OHL seasons, and even broke 100 points last year. Despite that, he has never been included on the Canadian World Junior squad, and does have some who doubt that he’ll be able to create offense at the same rate as he progresses through the pro ranks.
I never get this. Why not sign with the team that showed faith in you and wanted you?
For real. As long as the Panthers are not offering a lowball deal the kid is just being a jacka!&@
Could be the role that they envision for him. That or a perceived lack of a chance at playing in the NHL based on the Panthers’ depth chart.
Money. Why should they not have a say on where their opportunity lies?
Because he was never offered a contract. Look at the players drafted in the first 2 rounds. All were signed exept Adam. It has nothing to do with being spoiled. Before you guys make foolish comments get your facts straight. Dale tallon will regret this move
He was never offered a contract. Before making foolish comments get your facts straight. Dale tallon will regret this move.
Why won’t he sign? This kids going to be a pain. How about leaving him unsigned for a while and see how he likes it?
I don’t get why spoiled kids don’t sign with their draft team.
Hahaha kids are so stupid for wanting control of their own careers damn them all…stay at your job forever even if you find a better situation because if you don’t your spoiled, I mean they hired you first and businesses are ultra loyal to everyone we all know that
Lets not pretend this is a similar career to 99 percent of the people. A team drafts you and thats where you start. If you dont like it you look like a baby.
How about at least showing up to work when you are hired?
He didn’t play any hockey at all after being drafted? Must’ve read the article wrong, people want to control their lives, why you want to be hurt about someone you don’t know and likely never will just shows how selfish and spoiled you are, must be a fan of a team who only has perfect humans on it, what team is that?
You don’t make a lot of sense. In this profession it is standard practice to relinquish control of your “team” once you play Jr. Hockey. You can be traded at any time
Imagine if this becomes the norm (and you are implying it should be). Then why bother having a draft? Just let the kids sign wherever they want to “control their lives”
He wasn’t hired though. The Panthers offered him a job and he declined. He wasn’t being paid while at college.
Sometimes with these players looking to challenge their own destinies…it works for their future. Look at Will Butcher?? He didn’t want to sign with a very badly managed team at the time (Colorado), so he made himself available to a better managed team with upside (New Jersey). I’m not sure that you can fault these guys sometimes for trying to make their own way if they can. Florida is another badly managed team… Sometimes they want more stability and the choice to do so. Is that a cry baby move or just business?
Of course sometimes they make the wrong move as well. Jim Vesey didn’t sign with Nashville so he could sign with the Rangers. Not the brightest move…but he made a choice. It’s like a young player being traded 3 times before he even plays an NHL game. Is that fair?? No…it’s business.
Why was Vesey not signing with the Predators a bad move? Because the Predators are a more competitive team? There are other reasons players would choose another team. Could be who they cheered for as a kid or perceived role in the organization. In New York, there is a clearer role for him as a top six winger (technically top nine since AV splits playing time pretty evenly). In Nashville, he likely would’ve been stuck in their bottom six.
Watched him all season in the OHL. Talented player but has lacked the drive and 2 way game needed to make it in the NHL. He should just sign play and develop further. Not signing he now risks not being re-drafted, being drafted by a team too deep to crack the lineup or drafted later and will now “get” less than what he he could have got with FLA.
Oh no…I understand why Vesey did it. The difference of team depth and playing time obviously. I’m just being outward about the point of Nashville being a very good team now and for the foreseeable future. May have very well cost himself a chance for the cup, early in his career. Nothing against his choice…just unfortunate lol
I can totally understand why Butcher did what he did though. They may be pretty good this year, but the Ava were a train wreck last year from GM to water boy lol
Panthers are not run very well. Other then sunshine and tax free pay…there is not much incentive there. This isn’t the same as a NCAA UFA though I guess. He could easily be drafted by the Oilers this summer and be way worse off lol.
I hope he gets picked up by Buffalo in the 8th round.
Ever think he’s not signed because they didn’t offer? When teams really want their pick, they sign him in the first year, usually at the end of the season. They don’t wait til the 11th hour. You also realized he’s just a kid, right? He’s 19, not quite 20. That he has agents who advise him what is best for him and his future? That FLA didn’t contact him during the past off season, while he was recovering from shoulder surgery? Not sure about you, but that wouldn’t make me feel too wanted or that my potential employer was concerned about my health. Do you think he’s not aware that most players who re-enter the draft fall down the draft? That if he’s been pegged as difficult or selfish, that he could end up in a worse situation or could even be bypassed altogether?
I assure you, he’s not stupid. I’ve been following the OHL for more than 35 years and have seen a lot in that time. I’ve had the pleasure of watching him over the past 4 years. This kid’s shot is incredible-fast and hard. He’s deadly anywhere between the face-off dots. He’s been constantly criticized for poor defensive play and has made huge improvements there this past season. His phsical play has been cranked up a notch also. He’s a good kid, from a good family. If it was just about money and FLA did make an offer, he’d have signed already. It’s about more than money, it’s about mutual fit, business, depth charts, agents and a whole lot more.
Well put. Finally, the only comment here that is worth acknowledgment.
Well put. Finally, the only comment here that is worth acknowledgment.