A knowledgeable hockey source emailed Sports Headliners this week about the likelihood of Jordan Schroeder signing a contract with Vancouver and not playing for the Gophers next season, but Schroeder’s father said his son will return to school.
John Schroeder, who is a local business executive with Cambria, told Sports Headliners on Wednesday that Jordan informed Vancouver officials about three weeks ago he didn’t want to pursue contract negotiations. “They did want to sign him and he elected to come back to the Gophers and school,” John said.
Jordan attended an evaluation camp for the Canucks earlier this summer and his father said club officials are “very high” on the 18-year-old Gophers’ forward who Vancouver took with the No. 22 pick in the first round of the June NHL Entry Draft. Regarding the Gophers, John said his son “loves the team,” and the “camaraderie” with his teammates.
Schroeder, who was the leading freshman scorer in the country with 45 points last season, played on a Gophers team that was a disappointing 17-13-7 but could be a national title contender in 2010. John said his son wants to improve his “shooting” and leadership with the Gophers next season. Jordan also told his dad, “I am only young once and I want to enjoy the college relationships.”
A captain title is something Jordan wants as a member of the U.S. Junior National Team, his dad said. Earlier this week he finished as the leading scorer (five goals, nine assists in six games) at the U.S. Junior Evaluation Camp. He is a lock to be on the team, after making the roster the previous two years. The team will be finalized in early December and begin competing later in the month at the World Junior Championships.
“He said he thought he played well and had lot of fun (at the camp),” John said. “It was his first year as a leader,”
Jordan, who won’t be 19 until September 29, could have been a high school senior last year. Instead he played for the Gophers and was chosen national newcomer of the year. Looks like this fall he will be building on his resume here instead of Vancouver.