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Former 2nd-Round Pick by the Detroit Red Wings refuses to sign with the Team and will return to the NCAA
Photo credit: Inside Hockey
There's been a troubling announcement for the Detroit Red Wings, as GM Steve Yzerman was unable to come to terms with forward Dylan James, a 2022 2nd-round pick.
Dylan James isn't seduced by the allure of the Red Wings organization, it seems. The former 22-point forward who plays for the University of North Dakota will be returning to develop his game another season in the NCAA.
James' refusal isn't based on any pretenses or holdout; he is just not turning professional at this moment.
James' Reasoning
The 21-year-old forward gave reporter Brad Elliott Schlossman an idea of why he'd rather return to the NCAA, instead of signing his contract offer from his drafting team:
'His decision came one day after UND announced longtime associate coach Dane Jackson as the program's new head coach.
"I have a lot of faith in Jax and how he coaches the game and how he will coach our team," James said. "I'm super excited to play for him. Liver (Jake Livanavage) coming back, and the defensive corps, is the perfect mixture of what we want out of the team."
"I have a lot of faith in Jax and how he coaches the game and how he will coach our team," James said. "I'm super excited to play for him. Liver (Jake Livanavage) coming back, and the defensive corps, is the perfect mixture of what we want out of the team."
The former 2nd-round pick will be returning to play his second season with the University of North Dakota, and the reasoning wasn't about money or term.
It was purely about the announcement of a new head coach.
James, who is excited more about his future development prospects under Dane Jackson has remained steadfast about staying with UND for the next season.
"Hopefully, I can be a driver on the offensive side," James said. "I trust Jax, and whoever the coaching staff is, will put the right pieces together."
While we won't expect to see James' name grace the team's rebuild anytime in the near future, the prospects of his arrival are exciting, as he remains a humble talent who is concerned about his growth as a player.
| POLL | ||
MAI 26 | 79 ANSWERS Former 2nd-Round Pick by the Detroit Red Wings refuses to sign with the Team and will return to the NCAA Do you think forward Dylan James, a Detroit Red Wings prospect, will turn pro in 2026-2027? | ||
| Yes | 39 | 49.4 % |
| No | 40 | 50.6 % |
| List of polls | ||
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