It’s that time of year when families of young, aspiring hockey players start thinking about next season.
The grass isn’t always greener on the other side of the fence. There are many factors that go into whether or not a player should make a move from one team to another or switch to a high level of competition.
For the purpose of this article, I’m going to focus on Bantam, Midget, high school, prep school and junior hockey. However, many of the principles can be used when making decisions at the younger levels. There are always exceptions to every rule, but these ideas are ones that I believe will help in the process. They are based on following the game closely for several years now and on discussions with agents, college coaches and NHL scouts who have been hockey professionals for a longer period of time.
Proceed with caution
The most basic rule should be proceed with caution. No decision that will affect a year or more of a child’s athletic life should be rushed.
Take the time to educate yourself on the pros and cons of making such a move. Talk with other families who might have been through a similar situation. If you have an advisor, ask for his thoughts on the decision process.
Be wary of any organization or program that insists you make the decision within 24 hours. Chances are if they want you that badly, they’ll still want you a few days or few weeks later. Be wary of an organization that forces your hand, as it likely means they’re concerned you’ll find out there are better options out there.
Don’t leave until you’re dominating the level you’re at
The message was given away in the subheading, but it’s such an important principle that families and young players often don’t follow. Whether it’s making the jump from MIAA to prep school, prep school to junior, or junior to college, if you move on too quickly, you might get lost in the shuffle.
With each step up in level of play, the pace picks up and decisions on the ice have to be made so much faster. If a player isn’t prepared for that, it could be detrimental to one’s development. If you’re not dominating at the MIAA level, chances are you won’t have much success, at least right away, in prep school or Midget hockey.
Most people have heard the phrase, “It’s a marathon, not a sprint.” Having listened in on numerous seminars at showcases and camps, it’s a message college coaches preach. Parents of young hockey players need to instill that in their children.
Nine times out of 10, a player is better off getting more puck touches at a slightly lower level than moving on and being a casualty of the depth chart. This is especially true for those thinking of leaving prep school for junior hockey.
In New England, a large majority of players commit to Division 1 college hockey programs out of prep school. I’ve seen countless examples of kids who’ve put up big numbers and gotten a college commitment out of prep school or while playing split-season hockey before and after the prep season.
Sometimes, young players can be lost in junior hockey. If the player isn’t ready to make the jump, it could negatively impact his chances at earning a college commitment or getting picked in the NHL draft.
Several local players have made the mistake of jumping straight into college hockey after prep hockey over the past couple of seasons. It’s a troubling trend that has hurt local college programs and individual players. It’s not hard to look through college hockey statistical pages and awards lists to realize that players who play junior hockey are more likely to find success. Don’t make the mistake of jumping up two levels at once.
Set realistic goals
Every 14-year-old hockey player should dream of playing in the NHL or lifting the Hockey East or Beanpot trophy over his head at TD Garden. It’s not a bad thing to want to be the best. However, it’s crucial for parents, advisors and coaches to help set realistic goals.
I’m not suggesting that a player shouldn’t work extremely hard to surpass expectations. However, setting realistic goals will help the player accomplish the task and avoid disappointment in the end.
While a lot is made of late bloomers, the fact remains that once a player gets to high school, it’s usually pretty clear whether that player can make it to the NHL, Division 1, Division 2 or 3, or club hockey. There isn’t anything wrong with any of those levels, and it’s great if a player can break through his projected ceiling.
Just look at Noel Acciari’s stats from prep school at Kent. He’s often lauded as a late bloomer and he should be credited for proving NHL scouts wrong. However, Acciari put up close to two points per game over his final two seasons of prep hockey.
Why am I mentioning this? It gets back to setting realistic goals and not moving up a level too quickly. Even late bloomers, such as Acciari, showed signs of being a really good hockey player. If a player isn’t putting up over a point per game in high school, prep school or Midget hockey, chances are Division 1 and the NHL aren’t in his future.
As I’ve said repeatedly, there is a lot of great hockey being played at the Division 3 level at elite academic institutions. If a player can get to a NESCAC school, Babson or Hobart, he’ll be playing high-level hockey while getting a great education. Furthermore, there are other great Division 3 hockey programs in the Northeast, including Norwich, SUNY Plattsburgh, SUNY Oswego, University of New England, UMass Boston and Endicott.
The advisor’s role in honest expectations
One father told me a couple of years ago that his advisor had promised him a spot at NTDP Evaluation Camp. Not only was this player not invited to Plymouth, Mich., for that camp, he didn’t get picked in the ensuing USHL Phase I draft. It’s great to hear a positive message about your child, but advisors who just spout out all these compliments and promises should not be trusted. It was clear as day to me and others I talked with that there was no way this player was going to get invited to the NTDP Evaluation Camp. But, the advisor played a gullible dad into believing him. As a side note, while it didn’t work out for that player then, he now is committed to a Hockey East school. More proof that it’s a marathon, not a sprint.
When deciding on an advisor and when listening to one you work with, make sure they are telling you strengths, weaknesses and realistic expectations. You want an advisor who knows what you’re good at and also what you need to work on to make it to the next level.
Return on investment
A child’s memories and experiences can be priceless, but there is a huge financial undertaking to play hockey in New England and across the continent.
If money is no object and a child wants to pursue a dream, go for it. However, families should look into prep schools, Midget teams and junior teams to know what the school or organization is providing.
At the end of the 2019-20 prep school season, there were 94 prep players committed to a Division 1 college hockey program. All 94 of those players came from 30 prep schools. A large majority came from Salisbury, Dexter Southfield, Kimball Union, Berkshire, Loomis Chaffee and Avon Old Farms. Don’t spend upward of $60,000 to go to a prep school that has no track record of producing Division 1 college hockey players. There are some rare exceptions, but about half of NEPSAC schools won’t help you get any more exposure to college coaches than you would playing in the Catholic Conference, Middlesex League or a few other top MIAA programs, such as Pope Francis, Hingham, St. Mary’s and Austin Prep.
What’s the point in bringing that up? There are a lot of good prep schools in terms of academics. Outside of the top 30 or so hockey programs, there is no added value in terms of going to one, if the only goal is to play Division 1 college hockey.
The EHL is a great option for players looking to pursue Division 2 and Division 3 hockey. It’s the leading junior league in the country for getting its players committed to colleges at that level. If your only goal is to play Division 1, chances are the EHL is going to be a waste of money.
If you have any comments, feedback or questions on this article, Jeff Cox can be reached via email at [email protected].
