3 college free agents that didn't live up to the hype

While the hockey world awaits the decision of Harvard standout Jimmy Vesey, many are speculating about how much impact the 23-year-old will have on whichever team he finally picks.

Vesey, the reigning Hobey Baker winner as the NCAA's best player, is a coveted prospect for his complete game driven by offensive skill, which many believe can translate to the pro level.

Though he seems like a surefire prospect at this point of his career, many college free agents over the years have failed to live up to the hype after being courted by multiple teams.

Here are three examples:

Justin Schultz

Although he rejuvenated his career with the Pittsburgh Penguins last postseason, Schultz's breakthrough to the NHL didn't go as expected.

Schultz used the same clause Vesey did in spurning the Anaheim Ducks, the team that drafted him 43rd overall in 2008, and joined the Edmonton Oilers after his final season at Wisconsin in 2012.

The Oilers anticipated Schultz to be the top defenseman they had long coveted, but average offensive numbers and below average defensive play made for disaster in Edmonton.

Sure, maybe he just needed a better team, but in hindsight, Schultz's initial impact was underwhelming.

Drew LeBlanc

Who? You might ask.

While LeBlanc's recruiting process to the NHL didn't garner the attention on the same level of Schultz or Vesey, the Chicago Blackhawks inked him out of St. Cloud State in 2013, coming off a 50-point season that earned him the Hobey Baker Award.

Yes, the Blackhawks have a pretty tough roster to crack, but LeBlanc amassed just two games with the pro club in 2013, and spent the next two seasons with their AHL affiliate in Rockford, collecting 28 points over 117 games.

Matt Gilroy

Perhaps the most comparable buzz to Vesey's was Gilroy's, as the Boston University product was highly courted after winning the Hobey Baker and National Championship.

He ultimately chose the New York Rangers, signing a two-year, $3.5-million contract in 2009.

After two seasons with the Rangers, Gilroy signed with the Tampa Bay Lightning, and spent time with the Ottawa Senators and Florida Panthers, bouncing from the AHL to NHL regularly.

All told, Gilroy produced respectable defensive numbers but only contributed 48 points in 225 contests, failing to live up to the No. 1 defenseman reputation bestowed upon him as a college free agent.