Division I College Hockey

 

 

Editor’s Note: The following article is the 13th installment of our “Navigating the Frozen Waters” educational series aimed at helping both new and veteran players and parents understand the different levels and pathways of hockey available in Michigan and across the United States. Michigan Hockey will explore other topics in youth hockey in future issues.

We invite you to share your questions and concerns regarding Navigating the Waters by e-mailing us at: mh@michiganhockeyonline.com.

 

By Tim Wilson

 

Many American kids working their way up the hockey ladder have aspirations of donning the colors of their favorite university and playing at the Division I college level.

 

Similar to most other popular sports in the United States, college hockey is the peak for most amateur athletes.  But unlike college football, baseball and basketball, hockey at the collegiate level faces competition for players from the “major junior” Canadian Hockey League (CHL).

 

In Minnesota, New York and the New England states the majority of players opt to take the college route. And while most Michigan players still choose to play in college versus major junior, the state is a battleground between the NCAA and CHL due to the location and proximity to programs in both leagues. In the eyes of the NCAA, the three leagues that make up the CHL (OHL, WHL and QMJHL) are professional.

 

“I was in major junior and it was a great experience. But there is a big difference in the number of kids who complete their college degree,” said Notre Dame head coach Jeff Jackson, who spent two full seasons with the OHL’s Guelph Storm from 2000-02.

 

That opportunity to get a college education and learn valuable life skills, all while competing at a high level on the ice, is what college hockey advocates are promoting.

 

“I’m a big believer that college hockey is the way to go,” said Jackson. “We (college hockey) want to be the best development league in the world. We want our players to get their degrees and we also want to put them in the best position for hockey and life after hockey.”

             

 

Getting the word out

While major junior teams can talk to a player of any age and often draft them at 15- or 16-years old, college coaches are not allowed to make any contact with a player until June 15 after that player has completed his sophomore year of high school. That means no e-mails or phone calls from a coach to a potential recruit before that date – and then only one per month to go along with recruiting materials about the school.

 

Off-campus contact with a potential recruit is first allowed after July 1 following a player’s junior year. Then as a senior, schools may have phone contact with a student once per week beginning August 1 of that year. An official on-campus visit is allowed once classes at a university have begun during the player’s senior year.

 

During this time, players and parents are free to contact or visit the campus and initiate contact themselves.

 

These NCAA regulations can put college programs at a disadvantage when recruiting players. To help promote the NCAA route, a new organization, College Hockey Inc., has been developed to tell players in the United States and Canada about the benefits of playing Division I men’s college hockey.

 

Part of College Hockey, Inc.’s message is that college hockey is unique: it allows for social and academic pursuits with mostly weekend games, limited travel and no fear of being traded.

 

College hockey also offers players high profile exposure, as games are carried on regional and national TV networks.  The NCAA Championship, dubbed “The Frozen Four,” is carried on ESPN, as is the presentation of the Hobey Baker Award, given to college hockey’s best player. The national championship has been played in front of sold out crowds in NHL buildings across the country and the 2010 Frozen Four at Detroit’s Ford Field set an attendance record for an indoor game.

 

Several NHL general managers, like Atlanta’s Don Waddell and Washington’s George McPhee, have college hockey backgrounds and know the benefits of competing at that level.

 

“My college education… was extremely valuable,” said Waddell, who played at Northern Michigan University. “I did think about junior hockey, but it was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. Not only do you get good hockey, but you get the education.”

 

College hockey has increasingly become a proving ground for players to make the National Hockey League. A college player drafted by a NHL team may attend an NHL camp as long as he pays his own way after more than 48 hours.  The experience allows players an opportunity to compete against other top players in the team’s system and get feedback from the coaching staff to take back with them to college.

 

“We are talking to 14-, 15- and 16-year olds and their parents to educate them that college is a great path to the NHL,” said Kevin Lovitt, College Hockey Inc. senior director of business operations. “Around 275 NHL players from last season played college hockey.”

 

Development on and off the ice

Much of what the college game is selling is the opportunity for young players to develop both on and off the ice.

“Life away from the rink has a lot to do with that development,” said Jackson. “Hockey does end, even for the best players. And there is a lot of life after hockey. A player needs to make sure there is more than just hockey development.”

 

With less than five percent of all college and major junior players making it to the NHL, the opportunity to play at a high level and earn a college degree becomes pretty important.

 

“There used to be a greater opportunity to land a good blue collar job,” said Bob Daniels, Ferris State University head coach. “With those jobs drying up, college is going to become even more critical.”

Over the past ten years, 80% of Daniels’ players have graduated with a four-year degree.

 

“When a potential player visits I can list every player and their degree,” Daniels said. “I would encourage a parent to ask that question to a major junior coach. At the end of the day, does your son come out with a diploma?”

 

Attention to scholastic success as a teenager can make or break your chances of getting into a college.

 

“We take a good look at academics when recruiting players,” said Daniels. “Last semester our team GPA was above a 3.4 and 24 of our 26 players were above a 3.0. We’re looking for kids that take both their hockey and academics seriously. We’re looking for character not characters.”

 

Notre Dame’s rigorous academics mean that Fighting Irish student athletes have the best of both worlds in the classroom setting and the ice arena.

 

“Our standards are pretty challenging,” said Jackson. “Our admission policy is probably not a lot different from the Ivy League schools. And the Notre Dame academic support system is extremely strong. Our team GPA over the last few years has been a 3.4.”

 

To be eligible all players must be enrolled full-time during the college season, which at Ferris State amounts to a minimum of 12 credits per semester. Most players take between 12-15 credit hours.

 

Each player on the team is assigned an academic advisor associated with their curriculum to ensure that they are on the right path.

 

The focus on education and regular practice – where coaches have the opportunity to teach and players have the time to improve their skills and get stronger – is a hallmark of the college game.

 

At Ferris State, the Bulldogs practice every day at either 11 a.m. or noon and often work on strength training before or after practice.

 

Jackson points out that he can have a quality hour and a half practice without worrying about having to play a game within 48 hours.

 

“It allows for physical development to take place,” he said.

 

Recruiting process

Unlike other sports, hockey players usually don’t make a college team directly out of high school.  A look at any Division I roster shows nearly every player competed at some level of U.S. (i.e. Tier I USHL or Tier II NAHL) or Canadian junior hockey before making the jump to a college campus. Although there are exceptions, most players need to develop in junior hockey before making this transition.

 

The recruiting process often starts before junior hockey, as college coaches notice a player at a high school or midget game and then track their progress.

 

In some instances college programs will make a verbal offer (basically a gentlemen’s agreement that a player will attend a certain school) to a young player well before that player can sign a binding Letter of Intent.

 

Most NCAA teams carry a roster of 26 players during the season. Per NCAA guidelines, hockey programs are only permitted to offer a total of 18 scholarships. These scholarships can be broken down in a number of different manners. In addition to a full-scholarship, which includes tuition, room and board and books, a number of players receive quarter- or half-scholarships.

 

This also leaves a number of positions open that may get no scholarship money at all. Although the term “walk-on” is still used, most walk-ons are players that have been recruited. These players often have the opportunity to later earn some scholarship if money becomes available.

 

Potential recruits lose their NCAA eligibility if they sign a major junior contract or sign with an agent.  A player can attend a major junior camp without signing and still retain NCAA eligibility as long as he picks up the cost of the camp after more than 48 hours. But that player can not dress for any game, including exhibition contests, or he would lose eligibility as well.

 

Because a potential college player has to have a strong interest in academics and be prepared to work towards getting a degree, the college hockey route isn’t going to be right for every single player.

 

But if you are good enough to play in the NHL you will make it no matter what path you choose. And the reality is that most players do not make the NHL.

 

“Over the years I’ve talked to a ton of kids,” said Daniels. “I have found a lot of kids that wish they had gone the college route. I have never had one college player say they wished they had played major junior.”