It’s that time of year. St. Patrick’s Day! No, wait, it’s college signing season. As seasons begin to end for teams not making the NCAA Men’s Tournament, aka the Frozen Four, drafted college prospects begin to turn their eyes to professional hockey. For some, signing their first professional contract may come with a slight pay cut thanks to NIL deals, but for most, it’s the first taste of a steady paycheck.
The Tampa Bay Lightning currently have seven of their prospects playing college hockey. A few of them are at that point where they can start thinking about turning pro. The big question for a few of them is – does it make more sense for them to stay in a major college program with guaranteed ice time playing against their peers, or is it time to step their game up a level and see how they do in the AHL or ECHL?
Jack Harvey was a seventh-round draft pick for the Lightning in 2023. For the last three seasons, the soon-to-be 23-year-old has skated at one of the elite programs in the United State – Boston University. He’s yet to taste collegiate glory as the Terriers have not won the NCAA championship during his tenure at the school. A rocky regular season followed by an early exit from the Hockey East tournament ended this season a bit sooner than Harvey and his teammates were planning, and now he’s faced with a decision.
BU has already lost Cole Hutson (Washington), Sacha Boisvert (Chicago), and Cole Eiserman (New York Islanders). The team is still boasting a tremendous amount of talent (they had 18 drafted players on the roster this year), but if they are taking a step back, could Harvey take the chance to turn pro?
Harvey had the best goal-scoring season of his career as he hit the back of the net 13 times. Overall, his point total was down from 27 to 21 this season, but he also played in four fewer games (and wasn’t on a line with Macklin Celebrini). Is it time for him to test the professional waters?
The biggest question for him skill-wise is his skating. He has the puck skills necessary to have an effect at the AHL level already. He does well to set up his teammates, and he’s played with some talented ones while at Boston University. Of his 13 goals, 4 came on the power play, and 3 were short-handed, so he’s able to play in all aspects of the game.
There is some question about his willingness to battle in the dirty areas in order to make plays. He’s not the biggest guy on the ice (5’10”, 176 lbs.), nor is he overly physical in his play. For someone who projects as a bottom-six forward, that’s not great. The Lightning like seeing their third and fourth-line forwards grind things out and play in the corners and in front of the net. If Harvey can’t develop that part of his game, he might not be cut out for the organization.
Staying at BU for another season could have some benefits for the Minnesota native. First of all, he’ll be one of the more experienced players on the squad, and will likely have a leadership role. He was an assistant captain for them this past season and could wear the “A” again next year if he comes back. With Eiserman and Boisvert leaving, that could open some ice time up for Harvey, and give him a chance to take his game to the next level. He’ll have the benefit of playing in a comfortable environment, and in a system he is familiar with.
A few seasons ago, Dylan Duke left Michigan after his junior year as the Wolverines had a mass exodus of talent to the pros. Harvey could follow a similar path, but his path to success in the AHL could be a bit rockier than Duke’s. Still, it’s something to keep an eye on over the next couple of weeks.
