Going back to college after getting drafted: Hockey makes it work, so why can't football?

Ryker Lee posed for a photo with NHL commissioner Gary Bettman, walked across the stage at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles and put on a Nashville Predators hat and jersey. The Preds had drafted Lee in the first round of the 2025 NHL Draft, with high hopes for his future.But instead of immediately joining the roster, as in the NFL or NBA, or awaiting an assignment in the minor leagues like baseball, Lee went on from that big moment to college. He scored 15 goals and helped lead Michigan State to a Big Ten championship and NCAA Tournament run this spring as a freshman. All the while, he remained in contact with the Predators about his future in Nashville.Advertisement