Today I write on a topic that my friend the publisher bring to me out of frustration with misleading information.
In the old days it was always simple to recruit player for call up to higher level or for the following season. There were not so many leagues and teams, and everyone knew each other for the most part. The hockey world was smaller and the information moved fast on players, little work was needed because you could research any player with a few phone call.
Today it is not that simple, and not so quick to be done.
The old days of the one phone call are over. With hundreds of Junior team and more Midget AAA team it is impossible for every coach to have all information on all player. It is also impossible for every coach to know every other coach.
I speak to a dozen coaches in the last two day. Every Coach either at Major Junior, CJHL, USHL or NAHL level to be sure I speak to only Coaches at the highest levels of Junior Hockey.
I ask them all the same question;
When looking to bring in a player to help your team mid season how do you look?
Every Coach answer in the same general way. If they do not know the player personally, they look on line at statistics and/or video. Second, the call the current Coach or player acviser. The only time this vary is if the Coach have long standing relationship with the lower level coach and take his word on player.
If they know the player from the past tryout, or camp, then things change a little. They may be keeping the eye on the player during the season, or may be asking for periodic update from lower level coach or adviser.
In today age, every coach do not know every other coach.
One NAHL Coach say;
“If my team is not scoring goals and I am looking for a goal scorer, I go right to the leading scorer stats for lower level leagues. Its not rocket science. If the kid is scoring at one level, it would suggest he can score at the next level if you use him right.”
One QMJHL Coach say;
“It depends on what we are needing at the time. If we are looking toward the future we consider age as well as points. If we are looking for immediate impact, points or other numbers first and everything else comes second.”
One WHL coach say;
“It is different depending on the position, but it does start with numbers. Common sense tells you a goaltender with five goals against average, and an eight fifty save percentage is not going to be better at a higher level. A defenseman that is a minus fifteen is not likely to be better at the next level either. The only way we can look beyond those numbers a little bit is if we have a relationship with someone working with the player or if we know the player personally.”
All coach also say that watching the player in person is critical. If they can not do the watching, a scout or trusted “bird dog” usually watch the player in person.
Perhaps this seems too simple to some. This is not meant to be definative rule book on how thing work for in season recruiting, but it is a general idea on how it work.
The conclusion is simple. If you dont have adviser or coach actively promoting you in season to the higher level, the higher level coach is only likely to find you if you are a statistic leader in your league. Too suggest numbers do not matter is foolish. Unless you measure your bank account by how much you spend and not how much you save, numbers always matter.
To be sure there is much information out there. Think of when you go to buy a computer. You research. Most would research on line first with the certain criteria they are looking for. After you do the reasearch you continue to look, most time you go to the store to try it or look at it. Many smart shopper would look at many computer and compare. I have never had a computer store make the call to me to buy the computer, but I see all of the advertising for the sale.
It is not too different with the player. The Coaches do the shopping. If they did not want to compare player, there would be no try out camp. Player do not get invited to main camp if they have not performed the season before. Why would you expect it to be any different for in season recruiting?
Common sense say coach look at 20 goal scorer before he look at 10 goal scorer if he need goal scoring. Coach look at leader in goals against and save percentage. For defense it is a little different and depends on what coach need; either stay at home or offensive minded.
One thing that does not change is to be active in promoting the productive player. If you think the call is just going to come based on the good number, you will sit by the phone a long time.
If you are highly productive player, and you are not moving up, you have to ask yourself why? Is my coach trying to promote me to higher level? Am I doing something poorly? Am I not being scouted? Am I being held back because I am productive?
Coach
