What must hockey families know before tryouts? Before a player steps onto the ice, the family should understand who controls selection, how evaluations work, what… Read More »What Must Hockey Families Know Before Tryouts?
Best hockey path for ages 15-18 is not automatically AAA, Junior, prep, academy, AA or high school hockey. Those are environments. The best path depends… Read More »POST 12 What Is the Best Hockey Path for a 15- to 18-Year-Old Who Still Wants to Play?
Playing hockey for fun can sound almost rebellious in an environment where players are constantly told to reach the next team, tournament, league, ranking or… Read More »POST 11 Is It Okay to Stop Chasing Elite Hockey and Just Play for Fun?
When chasing elite hockey stops making sense is one of the hardest questions a hockey family can ask. There is no tryout score that answers… Read More »POST 10 When Does Chasing Elite Hockey Stop Making Sense?
Hockey development funnel getting younger is a concern increasingly voiced by parents watching recruitment, Junior movement and elite team decisions. The fear is understandable. If… Read More »POST 9 Is the Hockey Development Funnel Getting Younger?
NCAA five-year eligibility rule is the phrase many hockey families are using for the NCAA’s new age-based eligibility model. However, there is an important correction… Read More »POST 8 What Does the New NCAA Five-Year Eligibility Rule Mean for Hockey Players?
CHL and NCAA hockey changes have altered one of the most important development decisions North American hockey families traditionally faced. For decades, CHL hockey and… Read More »POST 7 How Have the CHL and NCAA Changes Altered the Hockey Development Pathway?
Teenagers choosing Junior hockey over AAA is one explanation hockey families frequently give for late U16 and U18 roster openings. It makes intuitive sense. Junior… Read More »POST 6 Are More Teenagers Choosing Junior Hockey Instead of U16 or U18 AAA?
Where U16 and U18 hockey players are going has become an increasingly important question when older AAA teams report openings late in the offseason. The… Read More »POST 5 Where Are the U16-U18 Hockey Players Going?
Too many AAA hockey teams may be part of the roster problem in some hockey markets. However, that statement needs an important qualification. We do… Read More »POST 4 Are There Too Many AAA Hockey Teams Chasing Too Few Players?