Why Not Play on the Best Team?

As I watch the hockey development process and watch young American players struggle a number of thoughts come to mind. Conventional wisdom in the hockey community today is for young players to avoid town hockey and play for select teams. Many parents travel great distances to find select hockey with the view that they are helping their child. In fact this idea has trickled down into the Mite level. Parents in many communities don't even consider town hockey. The rationale is that better competition will produce better players.

I am going to give you some food for thought. Playing against older or better players may be important to periodically challenge our best players but, this process may also backfire. In fact I have seen the process backfire repeatedly. One key to ice hockey development in my mind is developing the ability to be offensively creative.  Watch any game from Mite to Pro and what is always in short supply is offensive creativity. Players who consistently play against better players in high pressure programs may miss out on the creative opportunities so necessary to the early development of offensive skills. In fact, in some select programs players are typecast by silly coaches and parents at a young age. I had a conversation with a parent of a young player who told me his 10 year old was a "4^th line grinder type of player". "A real hard worker".

If this is the case, that child needs to play at a lower level that will allow him to develop his offensive skills. As players progress to higher levels the limiting factor is always offensive ability.

Can the player make a play? The only players who need better competition are the offensively gifted players who dominate at their current level, the Sidney Crosby's of the world. The rest of the kids should be playing at a level that allows them to be creative offensive players.

I know what parents will say. "Every team needs those hard working guys" and, I would agree. Just not in youth hockey. The key to early development is to become as offensively skilled as possible at an early age. If you are playing for a coach who perceives your child to be a player who needs to dump the puck in, ask to move down a level. Move to a level where the child can be offensively creative and score goals.

I have heard executives in the NHL say that they never draft fourth line type players. They realize that they can make a skilled player into an excellent defensive player but, you can't take a grinder and make him into an offensive player. Offense is about skill, defense is about effort. As you think about what level you want your child to play, think about playing at a level that allows your child to be an offensive force. There will be plenty of time later for learning systems and defense.