The Canes won't have their second-round draft pick, forward Zac Dalpe, at training camp next month.
Dalpe informed the team Monday that he has decided to attend Ohio State this year, Canes general manager Jim Rutherford said today. Rutherford said Dalpe was offered a contract.
"I guess he can revisit it next year," Rutherford said. "We'll see how he plays next year and we'll revisit it.
"This does not change our position on drafting him or his future with us. Our staff was excited and surprised to get him in the second round. Hopefully, they were right."
Dalpe, the 45th overall pick of the 2008 NHL draft, was at the Canes' prospect camp this summer and impressed with his hustle and attitude. He had 27 goals and 36 assists in 46 games last season with Penticton (BCHL).
A Raleigh native, Chip has worked at the N&O since 1979 and is the Canes beat writer. He can be reached at 
Comments
Good on Zac
Wed, 08/20/2008 - 08:10 — JRs_FaultI'm glad to see Zac decide to honor his commitment as well. I hope that JR demonstrates more patience with him than he did for JJ.
uhh...wylde4canes, you're
Wed, 08/20/2008 - 05:36 — acidqueenuhh...wylde4canes, you're aware that Cole spent one season and change in the minors, right?
I am aware of both facts
Wed, 08/20/2008 - 07:17 — wylde4canes (not verified)I also remember that he was not projected to make the team the year he did, but had a big camp. I am sorry if you all don't agree with my personal opinion on the subject.
Personal opinion is one
Wed, 08/20/2008 - 08:56 — acidqueenPersonal opinion is one thing. Being wrong is another.
Just how I expect you to answer
Wed, 08/20/2008 - 12:05 — wylde4canes (not verified)shoudl I expect an entry in your blog on this?
How am I wrong if I think Cole could have benefited from another year in the A? You can not conclusively say that it would not have, I can not conclusively say that it would have. That makes it opinion, dear. Don't you have some stupid online dungeons and dragons game to play?
You may not be wrong that
Wed, 08/20/2008 - 19:56 — CaniacforeverYou may not be wrong that he would have benefited from another year in the AHL. Who knows? However, we do know that chances are good that without him we don't make it past the first round of the playoffs that season and to me that was reason enough for his elevation.
Your contention was that Cole was rushed. Common sense and a trip to hockeydb proves that he was nearly 22 years old when he made his NHL debut. Therefore, you were wrong in your contention that he was rushed.
fair enough.....
Thu, 08/21/2008 - 07:32 — wylde4canes (not verified)Maybe Cole was not the best example, but my overall point is that JR is dealing with Dalpe going to OSU in the wrong fashion.He may end up being the steal of last years draft and here he is in the media saying things like " I guess we will revisit....." He should be saying something like, we are disapointed that he will not be suiting up for Plymouth but are excited about his continued development at OSU.
BTW I want to apologize to Acid Queen, I got personal, and I should not have.
As long as JR doesn't make
Tue, 08/19/2008 - 21:40 — Punzil (not verified)As long as JR doesn't make the same mistakes with Zac as he did with Jack Johnson.
I think that JR's only
Wed, 08/20/2008 - 08:59 — acidqueenI think that JR's only mistake with Jack Johnson was in acceding to Pete Karmanos' desire to draft him in the first place--all that old drama aside, I'm really coming to believe that if JR hadn't traded JMFJ when he did, the kid would have gone through all four years at UMich and then declared free agency (which is what Blake Wheeler did to the Coyotes)...which meant that the draft pick that was used on JMFJ would have gotten the team nothing.
First of all, the 'Canes
Thu, 08/21/2008 - 16:52 — CollegeHockeyFanInNewYork (not verified)First of all, the 'Canes offered JMFJ a chance to join them for the '06 playoffs, and he turned it down because he wanted to be at Michigan. You don't do that unless you're really serious about your school (he's turned pro now, but still taking classes at Michigan in the off-season). Jack got traded because he didn't want to be on their schedule, and the 'Canes were the defending Stanley Cup champions when they traded him. There are teams I can see not wanting to play for - the Islanders, possibly the Oilers, maybe the Panthers or even the Leafs, the way they're going - but of all the organizations you could really not want to play for, would the defending Stanley Cup champions be one of them?
Second, Wheeler played three years at Minnesota, not four. He declared his intention to turn pro, and then couldn't come to a deal with Phoenix within a month, triggering free agency.
Third, the Coyotes got a compensatory draft pick for Wheeler not signing.
I'm not sure that JMFJ's
Wed, 08/20/2008 - 16:24 — atrioneI'm not sure that JMFJ's father was smart enough to take advantage of that loophole in the CBA...
We rushed along Cole?
Tue, 08/19/2008 - 21:41 — atrioneWe rushed along Cole? According to who's timetable? He played 3 years of college and a full season in the IHL before he made the Canes. That Cyclones team had the immortal Greg Koehler, Brian Ritchie, Gilbert Dionne, Brian Felsner and Craig MacDonald. It was a team full of has beens or never was-es. Cole turned 23 one month into his rookie season with the Canes. How is that rushed? Staal had the benefit of playing in a stacked A during the lockout and having Chuck Kobasew on his wing. Cole would not have had that benefit.
It's great that Dalpe is honoring his committment. Greg Stefan was heavy handed after the draft, trying to guilt him into playing for Plymouth I'm not convinced, however that college is the best place to round out his game. Typically, college players play 35-40 games a season. Major junior teams play 70. Of course, Plymouth's development record isn't that hot either.
Ditto
Tue, 08/19/2008 - 18:40 — McFish (not verified)Agreed. I've always thought that if a player needed to develope more, he should do it in college - which is free for the team. Keep good relations and keep him excited about playing in the NHL and Carolina.
good for Zac
Tue, 08/19/2008 - 17:24 — lizmitchmomGood for Zac. He stuck to his guns on this. He knew that he didn't have a chance to make the team this year and decided to go where he had already commited to go. He can now get a good education and still develope his hockey skills. Good luck Zac! Best wishes!
Zac and education.
Wed, 08/20/2008 - 07:31 — Paul (not verified)Zac will get a good education?
He's going to Ohio State, for Chr***sake. Do they even hold classes there?
First of all, he's going to
Wed, 08/20/2008 - 16:17 — ncBuckeye (not verified)First of all, he's going to THE Ohio State University. :-)
OSU is ranked very well in just about any academic rankings you will find. Do a little research before you spout off on message boards.
'I guess....?"
Tue, 08/19/2008 - 14:09 — wylde4canes (not verified)This is my beef with JR. I do not like the way he works with younger talent. This should not be an issue at all. Let the Kid play a year of College or Two and then move to Albany. Who care if Dalpe is 3 or 4 years away. If JR would have worked harder to stock our farm system in the first place, we could better afford to let these prospects "marinate" a little longer. We rushed along Ladd, and I think that hurt him. We rushed along Tanabe and that may be why he never lived up to his expectations. We did the same things with Staal and Cole, thankfully both worked out OK, but who knows how much more prepared Staal may have been had we given him one more year. His year in the A during the lockout did him tremendous good. Maybe a season or 2 in the A could have helped Cole find some consistency.
High draft picks (top 5)
Wed, 08/20/2008 - 23:00 — Anonymous (not verified)High draft picks (top 5) like Staal and Ladd routinely play in the NHL right away. Tanabe played half a season in the IHL for the Cyclones and was more than ready to come to the NHL after that. His best season in the NHL was his first. He was probably more a victim of being in a defensive system that didn't suit him. Cole spent 1 and a half season in the IHL before coming to Carolina and was also clearly ready for the NHL after scoring 23 goals and 43 points for Cincinnati. Do some homework - maybe Rutherfords record with developing young players isn't what it could be, but your examples are weak sauce.