Harty’s gone

Published 9:09 am Thursday, May 15, 2008

Well, it’s official. Jonathan Harty will not be returning to the Silvertips next season as an overager.

Everett’s captain and defensive stalwart has made a verbal commitment to play for the University of New Brunswick next season. The Tips tried to convince Harty to return, but to no avail.

The gist of Harty’s decision is that even if he were to attract the attention of a professional team next season, the best he could hope for is a modest contract of around $30,000. Since he’s already accrued four years worth of schooling under the WHL’s education program, he figured he might as well get his degree as quickly as possible. Therefore, he’d have something to fall back on if his post-collegiate pro possibilities don’t pan out. And apparently UNB has had players sign with NHL teams in recent years, so he sees hope in that regard. Plus, his brothers both attend UNB and he’s a lot closer to his home in Oromocto, New Brunswick.

Since it was only a verbal commitment, I suppose it’s still possible he could change his mind later during the offseason. But knowing Jonathan Harty, that isn’t going to happen.

This is a tremendous blow to the Tips. Everett’s already facing the prospect of losing most of the core from a team that finished fourth in the U.S. Division. With Harty also now gone, the prospects of the Tips moving up in the division become that much more bleak, and you can bet the Tips are praying the Vancouver Canucks decide Taylor Ellington needs another year of seasoning in the WHL.