Do you have a legitimate chance to make the NHL?

[Backlund]

I'm 15, 5 foot 9.5 inches, 120 lbs. A decent skater, alright playmaking ability and a pretty good scorer. If I worked out really hard and grew I might have a shot.

 

[Regina Pat]

Patrick Scherr, 17 years old, 6'0", 156 lbs, Goaltender.

I've been on some fanstastic teams, but Goaltending competition in Regina is unreal, where you have 4 Tier I teams and 2 Tier II teams, and 7 Tier III. Some T3 teams had 3 goaltenders.

My Dad thought I hated hockey when I was a kid (wrong) and never played me in higher leagues.

No. No I don't. Beer leagues for me.

 

[duul]

probably not, but i played most of my minor hockey with skinner and later on seguin (young nats). those two were obviously on a whole other level but the amount they worked out and practice, it makes sense. i haven't worked out a day in my life and kind of regret it hahaha.

 

[ponder]

I played NCAA for a full 4 years and went undrafted mainly due to size. I'm in the ECHL and played a few call up games for the Lowell devils in the AHL but chances are I never see the bigs. I just turned 23 and last season i had close to 50 points in 70 games as a defenseman so I'm hoping for a full time spot on Lowell this season but who knows, gotta work my butt off. I dont really want to say my name since i dont know who is on here and i'm an obvious fan of a rival of my program.

If I'm guessing who you are correctly, congrats on a great season in the Allsvenskan! Have a good time playing pro hockey in Sweden? Think you have a shot at making the SEL next year?

 

[PuckHogs29]

I scored a lucky goal in training camp with an IHL team, and got cut after that day's scrimmage. Good enough for me.

 

[Cams]

I was told that I could've played Jr. C if I wanted (back around 1990). If I had taken the power skating, etc. that my Dad wanted me to when I was really young, I think I could have probably played Jr. B, maybe a level up from that, but size isn't on my side (now I am 38, 5'8", about 170lbs). I really don't think I could've played pro, OHL a distant possibility back then - however I had other things beyond my control that would've killed that dream anyways.

The natural skill - plus the commitment to working out, off season skating, etc. (especially for players today) that is needed just to even get a chance to play Jr. A is amazing.

I always think to myself, if I knew then what I know now... Plus I tell my daughter too - you have to really, really, really work at it to go where you want to. Plus, Mom & Dad have to have the money to do said camps, etc., which unfortunately my wife and I don't right now.

 

[Muscles Glasses]

Aside from the handicap that I never played hockey, and I am an awful skater I figure I could have a shot...

I legit could have played low level baseball (Indy ball, low A level) if not for a torn rotator cuff injury though. :-(

 

[Hacker10]

If there's a team looking for an out-of-shape 25-year old that has a no slap shot to speak of, I'm their man!

How was your season with the Sharks, Mr Wellwood?

 

[kuick]

If I'm guessing who you are correctly, congrats on a great season in the Allsvenskan! Have a good time playing pro hockey in Sweden? Think you have a shot at making the SEL next year?

If he's who I think he is, I think he's playing in the SEL for Brynäs IF next season. Congrats to him.

 

[rmartin65]

I think I could have had a shot if I continued to play after high school. I had the option for some colleges, but decided that doing 4 years of college hockey plus the years playing in the E and the A were just not worth it for a "shot". I had a blast playing, and I was pretty damn good LW (got a hat trick against a guy who got drafted later- he was 17, I was 16), but I feel I hung up the skates at the right time.

 

[Lord Helix]

I'm 23, 6'0" 210lbs, and have a 10 month old son. Not a chance, LOL! In all reality, I never had a chance. Good natural ability to play, but my parents didn't have enough money to support me. They chose to put time and funds into my music and the education involved, and it worked, so no regrets. Beer leagues for me when I find a beginner league around St. Louis.

 

[DrakeAndJosh]

No, but if I ever have kids I'm living out my dream through them.

That's the right way to parent!

 

[GCM]

I'm basically Kyle Wellwood with lamer hands. I think I'd have an outside chance if I had unlimited funds and could devote all my time to it.

 

[Eaglepride*]

sure when pigs are starting to fly...

 

[SEALBound]

Not unless there's an NHL scout winning to come watch a college club hockey team...and even then I would have get off the 3rd line...

 

[duul]

Not unless there's an NHL scout winning to come watch a college club hockey team...and even then I would have get off the 3rd line...

there are more scouts watching than you think bud. couple guys from one of dallas' affiliates came out to watch some of our games (i don't play in a high level organization)

 

[Reverend Mayhem]

I didn't even pick up a hockey stick till I was 12. Haven't played ice hockey at all.

I bet if I had started skating at around 3, and played hockey since Tyke, devoted countless hours to the dream I didn't even realize I had until I was 13. Yeah, I'd have an outside shot.

Right now, my speed is average enough for an NHLer, though I'm far from agile on skates. My stick skills are pretty good, not that great though. My hockey sense is alright, it wouldn't do me a whole lot of good in a hitting league. My shot and vision are probably my best assets, size and skating my downfalls.

Had I been focused on hockey since I was a child, I'd probably be like Alex Burrows.

 

[Jarick]

Considering I was the worst player on my squirts house league team, no. But then again, I was fat, avoided physical activity like the plague, and never tried. Sometimes I wonder what it'd be like if I had the skills and drive then that I have now, but I know I'd still probably not even make my high school team (granted my high school team sends players into the top rounds of the draft nearly every year). But it would have been fun.

 

[Poozer]

Ha no. I didn't learn to skate until I was in college (24 now, played for 3 years). I can entirely hold my own at this point.. against other beer leaguers. Every minute's been a blast though.

My wrist shot is about 100x better then all of my other skills, I'm really unsure as to why, it was the one part of hockey that came entirely naturally to me... really bothers some people who I play with though.

 

[AIREAYE]

Ha no. I didn't learn to skate until I was in college (24 now, played for 3 years). I can entirely hold my own at this point.. against other beer leaguers. Every minute's been a blast though.

My wrist shot is about 100x better then all of my other skills, I'm really unsure as to why, it was the one part of hockey that came entirely naturally to me... really bothers some people who I play with though.

Never seen that before haha

But haters gonna hate

 

[Bulls9220]

I'm 14, 5'10" 180lbs. LW and my skating is pretty good but my shooting when I'm not moving is just one big joke. I'm pretty fast though. Dont let the 180 fool you I'm not fat.

 

[SuicideKings15]

Well, I recently came off an over PPG season in my league, won a championship with my team, recording a GTG late in the third. I get paid to coach hockey, all that great stuff.

Thing is, I was over a PPG in a comp "B" level beer league, the goal was a deflection off my stick on a shot from the point that was deflected twice before it got to me, and when I say coach hockey, I mean I do learn to skate with 4-7 year olds, then do some power skating and minor hockey skills with 9-13 year olds then baby sit while we go to Laserquest...

No, the show is not in my sights.

Maybe Senior A, one day. I have decent size (6'3, 200), can fight pretty well and have a decent nose for the net. But no, I only for-see paying to play hockey the rest of my career.

 

[Alex Jones]

I once stole the puck from a guy who played some USHL, so I obviously have the skill. I guess I just didn't have the commitment when I was like 8. Dammit all.

 

[TopShelfSnipes]

Ha no. I didn't learn to skate until I was in college (24 now, played for 3 years). I can entirely hold my own at this point.. against other beer leaguers. Every minute's been a blast though.

My wrist shot is about 100x better then all of my other skills, I'm really unsure as to why, it was the one part of hockey that came entirely naturally to me... really bothers some people who I play with though.

Heh...similar. I'm 24 also, been playing for years when I was younger, now mostly on and off so the skills have gone away a bit.

"Scouting Report": OK skater with decent north/south speed and balance, but poor agility and east/west. A very good wrist shot and an inconsistent slap shot (but when it's good it's really good). Above average passer but below average stickhandler. Above average body checker when I hit which is inconsistent. Very responsible defensively, play the angles well, and go to the right places. Slightly below average size though. Versatile, can play any forward position.

Prospect Grade: 0.5 D

 

[ponder]

I didn't even pick up a hockey stick till I was 12. Haven't played ice hockey at all.

I bet if I had started skating at around 3, and played hockey since Tyke, devoted countless hours to the dream I didn't even realize I had until I was 13. Yeah, I'd have an outside shot.

Right now, my speed is average enough for an NHLer, though I'm far from agile on skates. My stick skills are pretty good, not that great though. My hockey sense is alright, it wouldn't do me a whole lot of good in a hitting league. My shot and vision are probably my best assets, size and skating my downfalls.

Had I been focused on hockey since I was a child, I'd probably be like Alex Burrows.

Not to be a downer, or to specifically call you out (there are many posts like yours), but there are a COUNTLESS kids who are naturally athletic, naturally very talented at hockey, who work like mad at the sport since a very young age, who still do not play a single game in the NHL. I know very athletic guys, who dominated every level they played at since they were tiny little kids, who devoted massive amounts of time to the sport, and even still they've made it no further than Jr A, the CHL, the CIS, or for one friend of a friend, low level pro hockey in Europe. To make the NHL you need not only exceptional commitment, but very exceptional talent. For example, only about 15-30 Ontario kids from any given birth will play a single game in the NHL, with only about half of those able to stick around for anything more than a few games here and there. There are an insane number of incredibly talented kids playing hockey at a very high level, who are super dedicated to the sport, and the vast, vast, vast majority of them will not make the NHL. We're talking about a countless number of kids who were always among the best players in the top leagues growing up, who were very dedicated to the sport, who still didn't make it. In any given birth year there is a good chance that the absolute best player from Kitchener, Oshawa, London, Hamilton, wherever will still not be good enough to play in the NHL. Unless you've played in at least the CHL I don't see how you could honestly think "if I did this differently, I could have made it." And I'm just talking about playing a few games here and there, nevermind being a first liner like Burrows, which is massively less common. If you've never even played ice hockey at all I don't see how you could possibly think "had I been focused on hockey since I was a child, I'd probably be like Alex Burrows."

I will say this, I played a good amount of hockey when I was younger, was a decent HS player in Toronto, am now a decent beer leaguer, I'm 6' tall with wide shoulders and am naturally fairly strong and decently athletic, but even if I was ridiculously committed to hockey from an early age I don't think I would have had even the slightest chance to make the NHL, I just don't/didn't have that truly exceptional natural talent that all NHLers are born with.