Charlie Coyle Aftermath

24 hours after the official announcement, the interweb has since calmed down about Charlie Coyle’s departure from Boston University. But, there was still plenty of aftermath to go over.

From a Saint John perspective, this is huge. Coyle joining the Sea Dogs is the equivalent of making a trade for top six forward. But instead of giving up young players, draft picks and/or a player at the draft, the Sea Dogs pick him up without losing any assets. Ain’t that nifty.

Sea Dogs associate coach and director of hockey operations, Mike Kelly, is surely quite pleased that Coyle decided to join his club.

“Charlie is a world-class player for his age group,” said Kelly in a team release. “We’re looking forward to getting to know him and we think he will fit in well on our team.”

"He decided he wanted to concentrate more on hockey, it's nice not to have to give up any assets while getting a real good player," added Kelly to the Telegraph-Journal.

In an interview with News 88.9 before last night’s game in Cape Breton, Sea Dogs head coach Gerard Gallant indicated that the Dogs have been in contact with Coyle’s agent for some time now.  Quebec Remparts head coach and general manager Patrick Roy told le Journal de Quebec today that he had been trying to land Coyle as well.

From le Journal de Quebec, as translated by Google.

"I'm really disappointed because he could help us, admitted Roy. He had been approached with Ryan Bourque (summer 2010) and we could not convince him. " 

"I spoke with his agent in June and the Wild in late November and a final time with his agent, but he was free to go wherever he wanted in life and we must make choices, he made the own and I respect that.

Roy suggested that having Zack Phillips, a fellow Minnesota Wild prospect, on the Sea Dogs could have played a factor.

"There was a certain comfort level there for him, getting to talk to Zack," Kelly said to the T-J.

Acadie-Bathurst Titan owner Leo-Guy Morrissette wasn’t as accepting of the news as Roy was. Shawinigan Cataractes reporter Steve Turcotte tweeted the following quote, as translated by Google.

"A team that buys championships, it has no business in our league!"

Yes, a team that brings good hockey players to the QMJHL has no business here. Get real, LGM.

As for Coyle, he first spoke about his decision to come to Saint John at the Edmonton airport yesterday afternoon as he and other members of Team USA touched down. The Pipeline Show was the first to speak to him about his move, and have a solid write-up on their blog.

"I did make the decision to go to the Q and play for Saint John. I'm leaving BU," said Coyle to TPS. "It's not for any academic reasons, I'm not failing or any of that stuff. It's just that, frankly, I just want to focus on hockey right now and pursue my NHL career; 100% towards hockey and just leave the school part behind.

"No part of it was me failing or anything like that; I loved my time at Boston University, the coaches the teammates, I'm definitely going to miss it but it's a decision that I think I have to make and I made it."

Check the full blog post here or listen to it here.

He spoke to the Boston Globe about his decision as well, stating once again that he left Boston University by choice and not because of bad grades.

“I don’t know where those reports came from,” Coyle said. “It was just the difficulty of being a student-athlete. You have a million things to do. It’s schoolwork, class, practice, games. It’s a lot on your plate. You definitely need to spread the effort around. You can’t just focus on hockey.”

Coyle's move comes just days after Boston University dismissed Corey Trivino "after the senior was arrested Sunday and charged with three counts of indecent assault and battery, two counts of breaking and entering in the nighttime, and one count of assault with attempt to rape," reports the Globe. These are some rough times at BU.

“Charlie has decided that he would like to focus on beginning his professional hockey career,” BU coach Jack Parker said in a press release. “We respect his decision and certainly wish him all the best in the future.”

Some other Coyle related readings:

• The Minnesota Star Tribune has a statement from Coyle’s agents regarding his departure from BU.
• The Patriot Ledger asks Coyle how difficult it was to tell BU head coach Jack Parker that he was leaving.
• The Hockey Writers' story on the move. The Sea Dogs’ top six will feature Coyle, Jonathan Huberdeau, Zack Phillips, Stanislav Galiev, Tomas Jurco, and Danick Gauthier. Wow.
• The Boston Herald’s article.
• The United States of Hockey takes a look at the CHL vs NCAA saga – Charlie Coyle edition.

Lastly, here’s CJ discussing the move.

Here’s his original prospect profile.

Photo Credit: The Boston Globe