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Any and all questions about playing junior hockey

kij

Registered User
Jan 31, 2016
269
130
JMCx4 said:
Yeah, right, it's the kids paying the bills. :nono:
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I mean, the "lowdown" provided says that it costs $3,500/player. Couldn't that mean that it would be the teams paying the fee? Also, how are teams going to enforce social isolation for a group of 16-20 year olds? I'm taking the under on how soon until somebody leaves/brings somebody into the hub.

I am so glad that I wrapped my competitive hockey career before all this trashed everything. A complete nightmare to try and navigate. Best of luck to all kids trying to do it and let us mourn all the fun they are missing out on.
 
JMCx4

JMCx4

Censorship is the Sincerest Form of Flattery
Sep 3, 2017
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St. Louis, MO
Barclay Donaldson said:
It can easily work. It seems outrageous, but it can easily work. ... They don't face interstate travel, they're in a state with much more relaxed rules than the ones they are playing in, and they continue their season to fulfill their contractual obligations. They can more easily look like they obey Covid rules with their living arrangements. And they have multiple golf courses available, so that satisfies the players and the coaches. ...
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Is golf really a popular pastime among mid-to-late teenaged male hockey players these days? :huh:
 

hockeydude12345

Registered User
Jan 8, 2020
24
4
Hey guys, I posted here before (2002 F), and with the season winding down to an end, I decided to comment here because you guys give to seem to honest and useful feedback. After being told of the border situation, most local 18UAAA teams in my region were already signed, however there was one that was willing to sign me since one of their top players was injured. I went in and filled his role and managed to get on the powerplay and ended up with 1 point in 3 games, two of those against a top 13 nationally ranked opponent. However, after the third game, my state went into complete shutdown, and with the new year, the roster freeze was put into place, and thus I could no longer play with them. Currently, I am practicing for next season.

The OJHL team that previously invited me to training camp said they will invite me back to camp again next season. I've also recently contacted a CCHL team, which also said they will invite me to camp, and have me "push for one of those spots". My advisor told me to go this other camp in the west coast for more exposure.

I definitely feel that I can play at the Tier 2 junior level, as I can compete with a lot of kids that I practice with who play at the level or at the NCAA level. My family doesn't really don't have enough money to just throw everywhere, as only the OJHL team has invited me to camp for free. Do you guys have any advice moving forward towards this off season/camp season? Thanks for any input guys.
 

kij

Registered User
Jan 31, 2016
269
130
hockeydude12345 said:
Hey guys, I posted here before (2002 F), and with the season winding down to an end, I decided to comment here because you guys give to seem to honest and useful feedback. After being told of the border situation, most local 18UAAA teams in my region were already signed, however there was one that was willing to sign me since one of their top players was injured. I went in and filled his role and managed to get on the powerplay and ended up with 1 point in 3 games, two of those against a top 13 nationally ranked opponent. However, after the third game, my state went into complete shutdown, and with the new year, the roster freeze was put into place, and thus I could no longer play with them. Currently, I am practicing for next season.

The OJHL team that previously invited me to training camp said they will invite me back to camp again next season. I've also recently contacted a CCHL team, which also said they will invite me to camp, and have me "push for one of those spots". My advisor told me to go this other camp in the west coast for more exposure.

I definitely feel that I can play at the Tier 2 junior level, as I can compete with a lot of kids that I practice with who play at the level or at the NCAA level. My family doesn't really don't have enough money to just throw everywhere, as only the OJHL team has invited me to camp for free. Do you guys have any advice moving forward towards this off season/camp season? Thanks for any input guys.
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The OJHL team offering you the free camp actually shows significant interest. I'll be honest, you really got screwed this year (as did many players in such a critical age group). Do not bank on getting across the border for next season though. It may not open in time for camp, may not open for the season either. Your best option would be to contact some American teams as well, look to the NCDC, NAHL, or even EHL, NA3, and USPHL Premier. As you've experienced this year, it is best to be playing over sitting on the couch/trying to scrounge together ice time wherever possible. Additionally, if you've had any NCAA interest, coaches are scrambling around trying to recruit and may be willing to take a flyer on you earlier than was normal. Everything is on the table, including another table.
 
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hockeydude12345

Registered User
Jan 8, 2020
24
4
kij said:
The OJHL team offering you the free camp actually shows significant interest. I'll be honest, you really got screwed this year (as did many players in such a critical age group). Do not bank on getting across the border for next season though. It may not open in time for camp, may not open for the season either. Your best option would be to contact some American teams as well, look to the NCDC, NAHL, or even EHL, NA3, and USPHL Premier. As you've experienced this year, it is best to be playing over sitting on the couch/trying to scrounge together ice time wherever possible. Additionally, if you've had any NCAA interest, coaches are scrambling around trying to recruit and may be willing to take a flyer on you earlier than was normal. Everything is on the table, including another table.
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Thank you!
 

PipeDream

Registered User
Jun 3, 2021
55
4
Newbie here. beginning to understand that being a goalie in the junior hockey world may be a bigger challenge than other positions. Are Tier II goalie positions for next year likely already filled at this point? Trying to understand the landscape.
 
Barclay Donaldson

Barclay Donaldson

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Feb 4, 2018
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PipeDream said:
Newbie here. beginning to understand that being a goalie in the junior hockey world may be a bigger challenge than other positions. Are Tier II goalie positions for next year likely already filled at this point? Trying to understand the landscape.
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Tier II positions, especially goalie, are filled by May. Those moneymaking ID camps, open camps, and pre-draft camps by design grab one or two depth players, never goalies, to continue the propaganda of "we signed kids who attending our expensive camp." By now, every NAHL team has their roster for next year picked, save for a 5th liner or 8th defenseman, and have however many ton of tendered, drafted, protected players as well.

Understanding the landscape though is something else entirely.
 

PipeDream

Registered User
Jun 3, 2021
55
4
Barclay Donaldson said:
Tier II positions, especially goalie, are filled by May. Those moneymaking ID camps, open camps, and pre-draft camps by design grab one or two depth players, never goalies, to continue the propaganda of "we signed kids who attending our expensive camp." By now, every NAHL team has their roster for next year picked, save for a 5th liner or 8th defenseman, and have however many ton of tendered, drafted, protected players as well.

Understanding the landscape though is something else entirely.
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Thanks for your reply. The the goalies to are selected in the NAHL entry draft in July, those are for future consideration?
 
Barclay Donaldson

Barclay Donaldson

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Feb 4, 2018
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PipeDream said:
Thanks for your reply. The the goalies to are selected in the NAHL entry draft in July, those are for future consideration?
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Mix depending on what the team's needs are. It is open to anyone under 21 years old, so some teams go younger and some teams choose ageouts depending on their goalie situation. Either way, they know what, and many times who, they're choosing by May.
 

PipeDream

Registered User
Jun 3, 2021
55
4
Do all USHL teams have an affiliate relationship with a NA team?

Some are very clear and public such as Youngstown and Maryland and some may be newer with the ownership group change at Lincoln which you would think ties them to North Iowa, but just curious how that works across all the USHL teams.
 
Barclay Donaldson

Barclay Donaldson

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Feb 4, 2018
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PipeDream said:
Do all USHL teams have an affiliate relationship with a NA team?

Some are very clear and public such as Youngstown and Maryland and some may be newer with the ownership group change at Lincoln which you would think ties them to North Iowa, but just curious how that works across all the USHL teams.
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It isn't an affiliation as much as it is a shared ownership. It isn't like NAHL having NA3HL affiliates or NCDC teams having their own affiliates. It's multiple teams under one ownership group rather than a developmental pipeline.
 
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PipeDream

Registered User
Jun 3, 2021
55
4
Looking for any additional information/thoughts that you may have on the the following in relation to the USHL and NAHL.

USHL - Unless the player is a draft pick for a team. it's relatively rare for a free agent player to make the 30 man camp. How accurate would you say that statement is in general (obviously every team and year are different, but just in general terms)?

NAHL - 3 buckets here, tenders, draft picks and free agents. I've read in other places that the % of tenders that make the final 25 man roster is approximately 30% (and less than that for the NAHPL/NA3HL required tenders). I haven't seen anything on the % of draft picks that make the roster, so I don't have any estimate there and similarly I don't know if free agents making a final roster or more or less likely than the USHL. Same qualifier as stated above that every team and every year is unique, I'm just looking for some general rules of thumb as it applies to the NA.
 
Barclay Donaldson

Barclay Donaldson

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Feb 4, 2018
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PipeDream said:
Looking for any additional information/thoughts that you may have on the the following in relation to the USHL and NAHL.

USHL - Unless the player is a draft pick for a team. it's relatively rare for a free agent player to make the 30 man camp. How accurate would you say that statement is in general (obviously every team and year are different, but just in general terms)?

NAHL - 3 buckets here, tenders, draft picks and free agents. I've read in other places that the % of tenders that make the final 25 man roster is approximately 30% (and less than that for the NAHPL/NA3HL required tenders). I haven't seen anything on the % of draft picks that make the roster, so I don't have any estimate there and similarly I don't know if free agents making a final roster or more or less likely than the USHL. Same qualifier as stated above that every team and every year is unique, I'm just looking for some general rules of thumb as it applies to the NA.
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USHL - unless the player is already in serious talks with multiple NCAA D1 coaches, it is impossible to make any non-money grab USHL camp. Forget about drafted/undrafted. You're not making a USHL team if you're not already set to go NCAA D1.

NAHL - about half of every NAHL roster returns every year. That's 15 players right there. They're getting 3-5 USHL cuts. That's 18-20. They're getting one or two kids every year from Canadian Tier II juniors who make the jump. That's the entire playing roster. The remaining five spots are between the tender, free agent, and draft picks. And that's just to start the season. Every NAHL team will have +35 kids rostered at some point in the season. None of those kids are free agents. No kid is suddenly getting a NAHL call-up from nowhere. If you're getting a NAHL team calling for you mid-season, you're either drafted, tendered, or playing at the Tier II level already somewhere.
 
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PipeDream

Registered User
Jun 3, 2021
55
4
Barclay Donaldson said:
USHL - unless the player is already in serious talks with multiple NCAA D1 coaches, it is impossible to make any non-money grab USHL camp. Forget about drafted/undrafted. You're not making a USHL team if you're not already set to go NCAA D1.

NAHL - about half of every NAHL roster returns every year. That's 15 players right there. They're getting 3-5 USHL cuts. That's 18-20. They're getting one or two kids every year from Canadian Tier II juniors who make the jump. That's the entire playing roster. The remaining five spots are between the tender, free agent, and draft picks. And that's just to start the season. Every NAHL team will have +35 kids rostered at some point in the season. None of those kids are free agents. No kid is suddenly getting a NAHL call-up from nowhere. If you're getting a NAHL team calling for you mid-season, you're either drafted, tendered, or playing at the Tier II level already somewhere.
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Thank you, very helpful!
 

PipeDream

Registered User
Jun 3, 2021
55
4
I'll keep coming back for answers, we've covered the USHL and NA fairly well, but next in line for US players are probably the NCDC and BCHL? What can you provide for insight into those two leagues?

I know the NCDC already held their draft and I see a number of signings on social media recently from BCHL teams, but are the teams in these leagues already largely formed are or they awaiting some of the trickle down from the other leagues to fill out their rosters?
 
Barclay Donaldson

Barclay Donaldson

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Feb 4, 2018
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PipeDream said:
I'll keep coming back for answers, we've covered the USHL and NA fairly well, but next in line for US players are probably the NCDC and BCHL? What can you provide for insight into those two leagues?

I know the NCDC already held their draft and I see a number of signings on social media recently from BCHL teams, but are the teams in these leagues already largely formed are or they awaiting some of the trickle down from the other leagues to fill out their rosters?
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BCHL is better than the NAHL. If you're not getting into the NAHL, you're not getting into the BCHL. Especially if you're non-Canadian. Those import spots are reserved 8-10 months in advance.

NCDC draft was already held. They also mostly get their players from New England prep schools. Minimal trickle down from higher leagues.
 
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