It provided him with structure, taught him time management skills, as well as discipline, and helped him mature so he was ready to become a committed freshman at 20 years old, instead of fresh out of high school.
There is no blanket right answer, rather each player is different and has to apply his decision to his plan for the future. Is Junior Hockey For Me? And the coach told him that he would get to play at a college he wanted to attend. He was invited on a college visit that week, and then the following weekend he was back in the lineup, creating and contributing and a big part of two more wins. It restored my faith in the system — for the most part. But that morning, as I started to walk out of that hotel room and looked at him sleeping, I wondered if I had steered him down the right path.
I wondered if we were doing the right thing. I worried about what the next weeks and months would hold for him. That would happen later in the day with me hundreds of miles away. His entire life was packed into his car. As a parent, you want to be there for your kid and make sure everything turns out okay. Devin got himself out of bed a few hours later, drove to his new home and moved in. He did what he always does, and without complaint put his head down and did what he needed to do.
The next time I saw him he was smiling after a big win and waiting on five teammates with whom he would carpool home. That quickly he was one of the boys. While that may not always serve him well personally, as I get older and see the all the hatred and contempt that exists in the world, I consider that an incredibly amazing quality. He does not hold grudges, but is resilient and extremely motivated after proving many people wrong for many years now. While it is frustrating as a parent to see a kid go through the often unfair challenges that junior hockey presents, there is no doubt that his will and fortitude to overcome those challenges helped him mature and get to where he is now — playing a key role as a freshman on an NCAA hockey team with a 3.
It was hard to stay out of the way at times and let him make the decisions that would shape his career and ultimately his life. As I left his room that Monday I wondered if I had done enough, said enough, pushed enough.
Looking back, there is no doubt that while we definitely made some mistakes, letting Devin make the important decisions along the way is the biggest reason that he is living his dream. As he came out of the locker room a few weeks after the trade he asked how his two previous teams had done that day. In a million years he would never say anything bad about those programs. He still loves the guys he played with and respects his coaches. He said the last guy who traded him was the nicest coach he had ever played for.
We looked at each other. The feelings and emotions are understood. I share this story here only to help others understand that junior hockey is not an easy life or an easy road.
But even in its unfairness it provides young athletes with valuable life experiences and an opportunity to confront and deal with situations to which even college students may not be exposed. For better or worse. And if families make sure the player is the one who wants it and makes the important decisions, no matter what there will be no regrets in the end. November 10, Information On Contracts. There are a number of different contracts that a player could sign.
The best is an NHL "1-way" which guarantees the negotiated NHL rate of pay regardless of whether the player is sent down. A good hockey agent, particularly one with legal experience, can help to make sure you get the best contract The more common contract for players who are signing their first contract is the NHL 2-way , which means you have one level of salary for when you play in the NHL and another lower salary when you play in the Minors.
Lastly there is the ECHL contract. All of these contracts discussed are all guaranteed, except for the ECHL contract, where you can be waived at any time with only one week of severance pay. These are the very basics. It's important to know the differences between available contracts. Well, for example, what if you're battling for a single position on a team? If a competing player has a better i. In this case, the club may decide to cut you simply as a matter of economics.
They'd choose to keep the player - even though you're better! This happened to me. After an exhibition game where we won 5 to 2, where I had a goal and an assist, I was still sent down to the Coast the next day. That is another example of why having a better contract is important in North America. It is also an example why Europe may be a better option for the player who is squeezed out because of a team's financial decision. This is not to say you cannot make it to the "show". There are players every year that make NHL teams on a tryout, for instance.
A player that I played with went to the Boston Bruins camp on a tryout and made the team. He played 7 games that year and put himself in a position to stick with the club the following season. It can and does happen! The point is: if you are properly advised and know what you are up against, that knowledge will help you do the things that will best assist you to position yourself to "make it".
In sum, playing pro hockey is a great experience. There are a plethora of other junior leagues that exist and can offer opportunities for development. Not everything is about success at the next level. Many Junior B teams consist of players that will eventually go on to play Junior A.
Due to the vast expanse of the country, not every city can support or afford to have a Junior A team. These cities often times host Junior B or Junior C competition. In cases where multiple leagues make up a greater league, strength of schedule and games versus teams in matching leagues is a major factor in ranking Junior Hockey Teams.
Junior C Hockey in Canada is popular in areas where towns are located close together geographically. Juuse Saros is currently one of the two starting goalies for the Nashville Predators. During the the play-ins, Saros was wearing the newest lineup …. For athletes that compete at the highest level, they will take every advantage they can get.
Without a doubt, one of the most important things a hockey player yes, even a hockey goalie is concerned with is the quality of their …. Goalies can give themselves a sustainable leg up on the competition ….
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