Hockey Career Paths Pee Wee to Pro: AHL, CHL, ECHL, USHL, CJHL, NAHL, NCAA, USport, etc.
2017 ж. 5 Қыр.
110 746 Рет қаралды
Hockey Careers. Hockey Leagues. Hockey Teams. What Hockey Career Paths exist after Pee-Wee and Minor Hockey?
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Figuring out all of the hockey options can be a huge challenge. Understanding the difference between Minor Professional, Juniors, NCAA, and other Collegiate Hockey is the goal!
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Id like to share with you all my path. I played division 1 NCAA at Michigan State University. I graduated in 99, so my path was in the 90s. I am from New York. Not a hot bed for hockey at that time. I played youth hockey locally. I played local high school and JR.A in the EJHL (Eastern junior hockey league) which was the ONLY junior A League in the north east at the time. Equivalent to what the NAHL is now. I could have played in the USHL, but i did not have the family or financial support. In those days, scouts were not travelling south of connecticut to watch players. If you wanted to play college hockey, you had to either play in the USHL, minnesota high school, or New England Prep school like cushing, exeter, Avon (brian leetch.. who was from texas). So i had to really put myself out there. Cold calling coaches and scouts.. playing in as many tournaments as possible. My lucky break came when my NY HIgh school team (st.Marys) played at the hockey night in boston tournament. I got noticed, played in the empire state games (NYC was the worst team but i wad tourney MVP). I played 1 year for the springfield pics (mass.) An "independent" junior team. Spent the majority of my senior year playing tournaments, busted my ass 24/7. I played half a season my freshman year of college at Quinnipiac (which was still D3 at the time), and the coach from MSU said hey, wanna play here? I transfered and the rest is history. I remember being the kid for NYC nobody ever heard of. 4 best years of my life. I COULD have played pro. I wasnt drafted cuz my size, but i wanted to join the army anyway. I was a career officer (2nd bat, 75th ranger regiment). I recently retired. OH MY GOD how times have changed with USA hockey. Especially here in NYC. SO many opportunity for the kids now. The moral of my story boys, if me, an unknown kids from NYC can skate and run and shoot and lift and dangle skate and skate and skate (til i puke) my way onto an elite division college roster, ANYONE can! Dont worry so much about going here and going there and "oh i gotta play for this team or i have to be in that league". Itll come. The key to success.. if you really want the dream to come true.. BE-THE-BEST. Whatever you love and youre good at, always remember Youre never good ENOUGH. you HAVE to get better. Somebody out there wants it more than you. Bust your ass to be better than him. Never stop dreaming. Never quit working. Never settle for less than perfection. The more you sweat and puke and cry and bleed in practice, the less youll have to in a game. And one last thing.. if youve gotten this far, this advice is golden. ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS practice and play as if there is a scout in the stands watching you. Because.... there usually is. You can have 99 perfect shifts. You get in a fight with your mom, or your girl, you failed a test... leave that crap in the locker room. Get on the ice and turn that anger into a killer shift. Cuz that scout has your number. Good luck boys
this was so fucking inspirational. i am trying to bust my ass but my foot has sever pain rn but when i get it fixed i gotchu.
Noah Stone Thats awesome! Go Blue though
That was probably the best hockey-themed story I have read on YT. Thanks. I am maybe a year older than you (by your grad date). First part of my childhood was in a high western area that had ice, even outdoors in the winter. I couldn't get enough of it, and was even out there before school, I loved it. When I was 11, my dad's job transferred to a west coast area that didn't have ice for hours around it (and still doesn't). That was it for me, even if I had been old enough to go to some ridiculous hockey prep school, my parents weren't in a position to spend that kind of money, and as they were the opposite of insane asshole sports parents, wouldn't have anyway. I got into other activities, was maybe subconsciously resentful, but moved on. Then I got into a west coast university with an ACHA team, and was able to embrace my love again. Even at that not exactly D1 level, I was over the moon, it was the highlight of my days back then and gave me memories I will never forget. Not long before grad, I was in an accident, I couldn't walk for some time, so I was off the ice again. I finished school, got into the typical corporate job which can be both rewarding and exhausting, and although I still followed hockey, I didn't hold it so close. Not long ago, I became resentful over this, how I wasted time and wasn't able to keep my old dream, and started back again, just as an adult almost learning it all again as a rec/beer leaguer. And I love it again just as much as when I was young. I find peace in it. To all the young guys out there who are in it for the love the game but might feel daunted by the work - keep trying, keep working, go for it. This is your chance, this is your time. You'll have painful regrets if you don't go for it now. From those of us who weren't able to take such a shot, embrace the game and work for it. It won't be easy, but it is worth it. Time starts moving fast, and second chances are more myth than reality. You will thank yourself later even if you don't go to the show. Do it for yourself, do it for us who would have loved to have your opportunities. It is much more competitive out there than it was 20-25 years ago, but there's better training and development now, too. It's the best game in the world, and you'll have the best time of your life playing it.
Go Green!
sammyd19801 That’s is so cool! Very informative.
Been there, done that. As a parent I can tell you it takes $$$, and lots of it.
You can say that again! I got 3 boys going. Sometimes I feel like my heads gonna pop off and spin around!
The AHL is the minor league affiliate of the NHL. They are essentially part of the NHL
Yea and the echl
The ECHL is effectively part of the AHL. However, most ECHL teams do not have drafted or signed players on the roster. Moving from the ECHL to the NHL is exceptionally rare.
99codemister not as a goalie it isn’t. being a goalie in the echl is a good thing (if you’re a starter) and can’t make nhl yet
99codemister echl is the minor to Ahl and the Ahl is the minor to nhl
One question that I would like to know is what's up with all those Canadian junior B and C leagues that use the same logos as the NHL, or even the AHL for that matter?
I actually play for the London Knights In NHL 19...
#relateable
I like how he included the SPHL, the league that has the team to me. I play for the U-18 Jr Ice Bears.
I played in the OHA Jr C for the Amherstview jets for a 6 month stent 06-07 season, then in 2007-08 the AJHL for the sprouce groove royals/regals Jr A and Jr B and finally played in the WSHL for the Long Beach Bombers. In 09 I hung up the skates, but landed a job as a stick locker room attendant for the LA Kings and went on to be apart of two Stanley Cup championships and earned two of my own rings. All is well that ends well. I miss hockey a lot but I have never stopped being a hockey player, the life sessions, and dedication and desire to finish what you start are with me forever. Thanks for the video!
Nicholas Coen that’s awesome
What an amazing video, such good work put into this one. Awesome job man!
Thanks for making these...finally me and family can figure out where to go from here! I'd love to see one on what opportunities exist in European hockey for a developing youth goalie.... We keep pulling them here on billet, why not go the other way...? Finland and Sweden make some awesome goalies.
Where did you guys go from here?
Hello Culturama. Really like your videos, particularly about the Prep Schools and this video. Wanted to ask though about another league the KHL, which some people say is just under the NHL. Will you make a video about the KHL and players coming over from that league to the NHL like you did with this video about these leagues. Thanks again.
I play for the Lehigh Valley Phantoms youth and a lot of the times we either practice with riley cote or some AHL players
I play in Bloomington Illinois bantam AA and it was cool to see the flying aces on there knowing I practice on their ice all the time
ye, how you like those drives to the North shore?
I wish this information was available when I was coming up in the late 90's. I went and played high school varsity as a freshman in Michigan when I should have played juniors at 16. It was a dead end as we were not a winning team with any visibility.
Same bro. Chicago. I was 1980. Late 90s it's was dead end after senior year. I tried to play college level at UIC..
Thanks for the video. My son plays for the Fairbanks Hockey Club 6U Ice Puppies.
Great video....as a beer leaguer I'd say that's the route for an enforcer
in the nahl map it is missing the Maryland black bears also loved the video, keep it up!
Roll Saint Paul academy hockey glad to see we made the video
What a video! Wow! It makes so much more sense now!
Great video! one thing though payers are allowed a 36 hour pto before if they choose to stay junior then they are ineligible for ncaa
The MHL made me a hockey fan again. CJHL Junior A. It’s fast fun hockey! A lot of the young men play college (U Sport or NCAA) or pro in Europe.
Saginaw Spirit, ah my home town, but now i live in everblades country so i guess i should go to a game
Fort Wayne Komets, since 1952. Doc Emrick grew up listening to the Komets play on WOWO radio, announced by Bob Chase. Also, pronounced "Sue" Saint Marie lol.
Fort Wayne Komets Hell yeah My city my team
OMG!! How I like to see Mike as a Coach. He has good speaking voice. And seeing himself Coach excites me. I haven't seen him at Michigan State. I'm anxious to see him. I am sorry but I am difficulty my phone .
All my friends are going to the ushl or prep and I’m stuck still playing aaa.😂
So basically this guy just mentioned the top non professional teams....Sick vid
I play in the na3hl for the Danbury Colonials! This is our inaugural season so wish us luck!!
how did it go?
Where does the naphl rank on these or even the usphl
Great video! Thank you
This man said “OOO”tica Comets.😂 It’s one of those words that’s actually pronounced how it looks bro. I know it’s a bit odd but you actually pronounce it the way it sounds, with the U. “YOU”tica Comets. I’m picky about grammar, but love the content man. Grew up loving hockey, but never knew how the system worked because it was so complex. Thanks for breaking it down
You should do a video on the MN HS Hockey
Thanks for the video. Good content. IMO though ditch the listing of the teams and stick to the title "Career Paths". The teams are easy enough to lookup.
great job! Greetings from Germany (from a Russian;)!
it is 2019 and the most direct way to get to the NHL is NCAA but nice video gave me a good idea of the levels
Its getting into the NCAA thats the hard part. You have to play in one of those hundred of leagues to even get noticed.
Patrick Kane also played in the NAHL
I play bantam b and is it simply too late to get into a league like the ushl or is there even still a chance that I can go farther in my hockey career? What I got from this video is that if you aren't the best of the best you won't go anywhere. Is that true or is that just the way that it seems?
Well I’m going into first year bantam in Florida and I’m Considered one of the best defensemen for the level but I’m A and AA plus the occasional call up to help out a AAA open team as a decent 4th line the only path I see is playing college
Not Corruptions not necessarily,you could play for a lower level junior league maybe get noticed by a d3 college team and the get drafted late rounds for the show get sent down to ahl work your ass off for a few years and get up to chel
Where u at now?
where are you now
I used to live in a town and there team was Iroquois Falls Eskimos and they were in the northern ontario league
For the Muskegon Lumberjacks, it’s pronounced ‘Musk-eegan’
Trey Salonen thanks! I don’t mispronounce often - but I know of four times I did in this video. Haha. Oops.
Ternedo3 yeah. With such a long video, all those words start to get away from me a bit. Haha.
As a resident of Muskegon I physically cringed
No it's məsˈkēɡən
i laughed hard at "keh-lown-yah"
Great Video.... Tks
im a second year peewee and i want to make the nhl and college hockey and stuff like that, so im not sure what i should do for highschool hockey to get scouted for college hockey so i dont know if i should play for a highschool team, aa team, or aaa team or if im able to do jr hockey but i dont really understand that. I would like if you could help me with that
I’m from Ontario so it enjoyable
Hi there I have a few questions. i was wondering if you knew how a person would and would not be eligible to play for an Olympic hockey team. For example. someone who plays semi pro ECHL vs someone who has no team at the moment. I did look up team Canada. Largest PDF file EVERRRRR LOL Thank you for your time >;-)
Where did the list of U Sports teams go. U of A Golden bears. Greatest collegiate team there is!
Captain Canada yup they constantly are in the championship game for USports. I was surprised my alma mater StFX was in the final this year.
You forgot about Northern Michigan in the Division 1 American college hockey
great video.
I play A as a bantam minor do you think there is still a chance for me to play pro or semi pro?
Are you with sno king? Like in renton
great video
Missile Defender thanks! Lots to get through!
Great video
Thank you!
The pronunciations were great: Pedo-bury Petes, Soodbury Wolves, Gelf Storm, Salt Saint Marie Greyhounds,
My big problem is I want to get to at least OHL level but my parents aren’t big on me getting good at hockey so while I want to try out for AA or AAA my parents won’t fund it. Cuz it’s expensive to be on a travel team
Lehmmi go to junior combines such as the Nahl combine or the USHL combine,and if u play good enough there u might have a better chance at getting drafted to the USHL (which is free to play) and from there you will get noticed by college scout and could possibly be offered a scholarship and then go play college
There is also the European hockey route. Very good professional hockey.
Salt saint greyhouds, Gelph storm
Yeah good vid but learn the city names I’ll bet a bunch of us canucks aren’t too pleased
Like the Gelf Storm and salt sainte marie
The Ke-LOWN-a one amused me most. I don't know if this guy is originally from Seattle, people there know how to say it :)
Will you still get a good chance to get on the radar if you start playing AAA at the midget level 16u?
No,that typical when kids starting playing juniors in the USHL or NAHL so it’s gonna be hard for u,not impossible tho if u put in the work
Go T-Birds!
You forgot about the LNAH, it is the same level as the SPHL and the FHL
The Halifax Mooseheads, Cape Breton Screaming Eagles, Moncton Wildcats, Charlottetown Islanders and the Saint John Sea Dogs are in the Q but they have English names.
All these teams are in the Q but in cities from the Maritime provinces. That’s why their names are english.
In other words for the USHL More than half of the teams play in Iowa and Illinois
Nate Don yep
Actually only one ECHL team in Canada. Brampton but it appears that St. John's Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada is getting an ECHL team, affiliate for the Maple Leafs.
I remember Victoria BC used to have one but now they have a WHL team
PlayStation Platinum Cup. Hosted by the Toronto Maple Leafs & the GTHL. Hosting 24 teams across (3)U11 divisions: U11A,U11AA,and U11AAA. Open to any OHF or USA teams.
Well i don’t play in any of theese leagues but i play im the SHL, Europes probably best hockeyleague. I’m 18 and i play for Brynäs IF, i am being scouted at the moment by first of all the Chicago Blackhawks since i played with Adam Boqvist for a while and we had a really good chemistry and assisted each other and got a pretty good ammount of points together, obviously Adam got more since he got drafted hahah. I can’t tell you who i am since privacy and so on with Brynäs and Chicago, I’m trying to get more playing time so i can get myself noticed by the NHL.
Om du har spelat/spelar denna säsongen för Brynäs A-lag, är 18 och spelat med Boqvist då antar jag att du är back, då gissar jag på William Alftberg? Lycka till med din hockey karriär iallafall.
RMJHL ceases operationd this year and now I don’t have a team to play for sadly
Haha funny hearing him say the ohl names
im 21 and i just wish i could play timbits, thats the level im at, and that the kind of hockey id want to join
Did I miss the Providence Bruins in the AHL somehow?
Ok, I started playing organized house leauge hockey at 12, I'm decent. Is there anyway I can get better, to get to these elite levels, or is my dream too late?
Sunic ur dream is never too late. I played house league my whole life but worked harder than anyone and I’m now playing Team Maryland Tier 1 (AAA). If you have the talent they’ll come find you that’s what I live by.
Pretty much impossible. Judging by your comment, your about fourteen, so if you’re still playing house, yeah I’d say it’s over, since travel is such a huge step from house. If you made a travel team, then you still have a shot.
R u a coach for tbirds
Laval rockets 🔥
You did mention that collegiate hockey goes after more older athletes
I like how he says kelowna. Not supposed to make an ow sound saying it lol
I play for the Elite AAA Jr. coyotes 13u
It blows my mind how many leagues there are
My team is Minot minotauros
I think the most overlooked league is the AUS !
Where do the US national under 18s place in this?
I just want to play goalie and win my game ;-) It's that simply
College hockey in my oppinion it best option but it’s hard to get into
Lincoln Retzlaff playing in chl is best option if you don't care about a degree
@@landendelormier7954 Just play in the show and buy a degree later if you want/need it.
If you want a degree and dont wanna keep playing after college then yea college hockey is a good path but if you want a chance to make the pro league then chl ushl or European league is another path to go down
EHL? USPHL?
haha i feel u. im from new england and im an 03. i plan to play ncdc and then college hockey.
He talked about the usphl
Fort Wayne Komets ECHL fan right here
I’ve wanted to make a lot of teams but I just can’t make it. They cut me every time so what’s the point of playing. My dreams of the nhl are officially over
Keep fucking going and never give up all it takes is one year of hard work to get you developed and noticed I played bb hockey for years but last year I moved to Canada and tried out for their 16u aaa team and I made it because of the work I put in
I would prob go to echl cause my home team is in that league
BWK HYPE
Just curious how does D 1 NCAA compare go the ECHL or other lower farm leagues?
The FHL and SPHL are truly more independent unlike the AHL and ECHL whose teams are all minor league affiliates of NHL teams. Both the FHL and SPHL are long shots at developing anyone for the NHL. Many DI NCAA college players who cannot crack NHL lineups will start in the AHL or ECHL. Over 80% of American born players in the NHL played DI college hockey. I would like to see the USHL expand more, especially eastward, and down south.
That explains why crosby went to Minnesota for high school
Guelph not gelph
I have a game against Honeybake today
muhs-kee-guh n Lumberjacks
Long story short, the most IDEAL pathway for an "elite" North American player is: 1. Play AAA (Canada) or Tier 1 (USA) from age 8 or 9-15 2. Play CHL (Canada) or USHL (USA) from age 16-17 3. Play NHL at age 18
How can i get noticed at 19
We really dont need you to list off all of the teams one by one, please.
Studsy_14 yes we do it’s fun to waste 20 mins
Filling up time to get past the 10 minute limit for ad revenue.
How do I make the nhl if I live in Virginia
Claw 005 try to get on an AAA team and tryout for a showcase team for the spring that goes to big tournaments in Minnesota, Massachusetts, etc. don’t worry about HS unless you go to a really big private school. Try to get to Prep school or USHL. Call admissions directors or scouts, put yourself out there. I recommend the Ashburn Extreme if you’re by them they get a lot of attention on a national level
kalowna......kel-own-a
Nice jacket:)
Every football fans brain melted and poured out of the ear. Hahahaha
So if you play college hockey first you can't play in any other league?
Yes because you are committed to that college and if you decide to play pro then that degree is withdrawn
I play for Grand valley stars bantam AA😂
My hockey coach played for grand valley and went to play D1 you got this
Salt sainte Marie lol... its soooo ste. Marie
Apologies, but this is the second vid from you guys where Muskegon was mispronounced. Respectfully, mus-KEY-gun.