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Canadiens first round pick might ditch Harvard

Louis Leblanc, Jacques Martin, George Gillett

Montreal Canadiens draft pick Louis Leblanc slips on his jersey as coach Jacque Martin and owner George Gillett look on at the 2009 NHL hockey entry draft Friday, June 26, 2009, in Montreal. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Ryan Remiorz)

AP

While the Stanley Cup finals move along, the Montreal Canadiens are preparing for the future by conducting a development camp for some of their top prospects, one of whom has a lot of drama surrounding him. 2009 first round pick Louis Leblanc had an outstanding year at Harvard University and while the Crimson did not fare so well as a team, the rumors about Leblanc possibly leaving Harvard are circling.

All the signs indicate that Leblanc, the Canadiens’ No. 1 draft choice last June, is leaving Harvard University after one year. Phil Lecavalier, the older brother of Vincent, and Boston-based Montrealer Kent Hughes have been serving as Leblanc’s family advisers, but there are reports that Pat Brisson has assumed that role and he is in negotiations with the Canadiens regarding Leblanc’s future.

For a quick primer, a “family adviser” is similar to an agent only that the “family adviser” isn’t paid for his work and only sees money once the player becomes a professional. The NCAA rules strongly prohibit athletes hiring agents and it means being kicked off your team should you hire one. In the case of Pat Brisson, he’s got at least one big-name client he works for by the name of Sidney Crosby. Perhaps you’ve heard a bit about him.

These kinds of things happen all the time with players leaving NCAA teams to join Canadian major-junior programs, it just happens that in this case, Leblanc is a Habs draft pick and he’s leaving freaking Harvard. It’s not as if Harvard is a major hockey school here. Their fan support is lacking and they haven’t resembled a powerhouse in ages. That said, it’s still Harvard the academic institution and Leblanc is getting what amounts to a free ride to go to one of the best universities in the world. So why would Leblanc potentially give that up? If you guessed “money” your answer could be right.

Leblanc’s options, should he ditch out on Harvard, are simple:

  • He can either join the major-junior team that drafted him. In this case, it’s Chicoutimi of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League.
  • He can make a run at joining the Habs’ AHL team in Hamilton.

As for what Leblanc is going to do, he remained very political in his answers.

“As of now, I’m signed to go to Harvard and that’s what I’m getting ready for and I’m excited,” said Leblanc. “But if I find something better, then I’ll do it. Harvard’s the better fit right now. I get to do my schooling at the best university in the world. My coach (Ted Donato, Harvard Class of 1991) played 13 years in the NHL and I think it’s the best combination.”

“I’ll discuss (any change), firstly with myself, I’ll think about it,” said Leblanc. “And I’ll talk with people who don’t have an agenda to follow, (people who) don’t own a team. I’ll make a decision with people who like me and want the best for me.”

I wonder if Louis is majoring in political science at Harvard, because based on that he’s ready to take graduate level courses.