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Category: Women’s Hockey

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Girls Hockey Hockey Tryouts Women's Hockey Youth Hockey

Why Playing at the Right Level of Girls Hockey is Better for Your Development

Recently, we have received the same question from players and parents during our webinars asking if a U18 (Canada) or U16 (USA) aged player should play on a U22 (Canada) or U19 (USA) team. This post provides some perspective on this topic.

In youth hockey, it’s common to hear about players “playing up” – joining a team at an older age level to challenge themselves or gain exposure. While this can be a great move for some elite players, it’s not always the best path for everyone. If you’re not going to be one of the top players on the older team, it’s often better to stay at your current age level or a younger one. Why? Because what matters most in youth hockey isn’t just saying you’re on an older team – it’s about developing the skills, confidence, and experience that will set you apart in the long run.

Here’s why playing at the right level for your abilities can be a game-changer for your hockey journey:

1. Development Comes First

The ultimate goal in youth hockey is to become the best player you can be, and that requires consistent development. Playing at a younger level gives you more opportunities to take on key roles, be involved in critical plays, and contribute meaningfully to your team.

  • More Ice Time: On a younger team, you’re more likely to play in key situations like power plays, penalty kills, and crunch-time moments. This experience is invaluable for your growth.
  • Skill Mastery: Repetition builds mastery. You’ll have more chances to handle the puck, take shots, and make decisions on the ice – all of which sharpen your skills faster than sitting on the bench or playing limited minutes on an older team.

2. Confidence is Key

Confidence can make or break a player’s performance. Playing at a level where you can excel boosts your self-belief and encourages you to push yourself even further.

  • If you’re constantly struggling to keep up with older players, it can be frustrating and demotivating. But if you’re thriving at your own level, you’ll build confidence in your abilities – and that confidence will carry over when you do eventually move up.

3. Exposure Happens at All Levels

One common reason players (and parents) push to play up is the belief that older teams get more attention from scouts and college coaches. But here’s the reality:

  • Scouts Watch All Age Levels: College recruiters and scouts aren’t just looking at older teams. They’re watching for talent and potential at all levels. If you’re a standout at a younger level, you’ll still get noticed – and probably more so than if you were just another player on an older team.
  • Consistency Matters: College coaches want players who have a strong foundation and consistently perform well. If you’re excelling at your age level, it’s a sign that you’re on the right track.

4. Team Impact Matters

Being a leader on your team – even at a younger level – teaches valuable skills that will help you as you progress in your hockey career.

  • Leadership Opportunities: On a younger team, you’re more likely to be a captain, lead your team in scoring, or play a pivotal role. These experiences are essential for developing leadership qualities and resilience.

5. It’s About the Long Game

Youth hockey isn’t just about today – it’s about where you’ll be in the next 5-10 years. If you skip steps in your development by playing up too soon, you might miss crucial foundational skills that you’ll need at higher levels.

  • Skill Progression: By staying at the right level, you can master the fundamentals that will make you a more complete player. This sets you up for long-term success, rather than short-term bragging rights.

Final Thoughts: Focus on Your Growth

At the end of the day, playing at the right level for your abilities is about prioritizing your growth as a player. You’ll still have plenty of opportunities to move up when the time is right, and by then, you’ll be ready to stand out. Remember, the goal isn’t just to say you’re on an older team – it’s to develop into the best player you can be.

Stay focused, work hard, and trust the process. Scouts and coaches notice players who are improving, regardless of what level they’re playing at. Your development is what matters most.

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2024 Women's College Hockey Women's Hockey

How does the level of DI NCAA women’s hockey compare to U Sports and Girls Hockey

A couple of questions many folks have are:

  1. What’s the difference in level of play between NCAA DI and U Sports (Canadian University) hockey?
  2. How different is NCAA DI women’s hockey from top U22 Canadians (or U19 in the States) girls hockey? 

Well, the NCAA DI pre-season provides an opportunity to do a little triangulation to compare these different leagues.  This month several Canadian U Sports and U22 Girls teams play exhibition games against DI women’s hockey teams.  Here are the results:

2023-24 RankNCAA DI TeamNon-DI Team2023-24 Rank
25 Boston University41Concordia (U Sports)1
27Merrimack23Concordia (U Sports)1
26Vermont13Concordia (U Sports)1
18Mercyhurst
40Stoney Creek (U22)12
36Syracuse60Windsor (U Sports)4th in Ontario West
16Northeastern40Durham West (U22)4
8St Cloud State41U of Manitoba (U Sports)6th in CanWest
12Minnesota State62U of Manitoba (U Sports)6th in CanWest
20St Thomas91U of Manitoba (U Sports)6th in CanWest
11Yale51McGill (U Sports)Last in RSEQ
17Brown60McGill (U Sports)Last in RSEQ
Updated 10-15-2024

A few notes to keep in mind – since the data may not be exactly comparable to real games:

  • Keep in mind that these are the first games for the NCAA DI teams, while all the U Sports teams have already played at least a couple of games beforehand. So , the NCAA teams might be still adjusting to each other and new systems
  • These may or may not be the regular season line-ups for the NCAA DI teams, because this is the first time to watch their freshmen in action.  So the NCAA line-ups may be below their regular season quality
  • Games vs U22 teams may not be a full 60-minutes – so the goal differential may be less than a normal game
  • U of Manitoba played St Thomas 15 hours after their game vs. MSU. Their 3rd game in 43 hours.

The data is only directional, but a couple of trends:

  • Given how strong Concordia has been the last few years, it seems the top U Sports teams would be in the middle of the pack (15-25) if they played a DI NCAA schedule
  • There is still a pretty big gap between a good DI team and a top U22 Canadian girls junior team

As more games are played, the final scores will be added to this post.

Updated 09-29-2024

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Champs Girls Hockey Women's College Hockey Women's Hockey

Introducing CHAMPS+

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Introducing CHAMPS+! A new way for Champs to be your recruiting and development copilot!  If you are new to the women’s college recruiting process, you can check out our age-specific playbooks for girls at the 12U, 14U, 16U and 19U age groups that provide a guide to figuring out a path to playing women’s college hockey. Explore the Champs+ Articles, Videos and Events Directory now!

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2025 Development Camp Girls Hockey Player Development Women's College Hockey Women's Hockey

Insights on Preparing for the USA Hockey Girls 15’s and 16/17’s Camps

I have paid close attention to the USA Hockey development camps for the last 3 years and written quite a few posts on the subject.  As the USA Hockey Girls 16/17’s Camp kicks off this week and the 15’s Camp starts next week, I thought I would put together some information and links that might be helpful to players who might be going for the first time.

Expectations for Development Camp

By now, all players have been training to prepare for their week of development camp.  Some parts are more important than others.  After you arrive, you are being evaluated by all the coaches, all the time.  At the same time, unless you show careless disregard for others or basic unprofessional behavior, basic interactions with coaches won’t make much of a difference.  Focus on having fun and learning and not just trying to butter up to the coaches. 

Off-ice testing has little to no impact on your evaluation. The only way it may impact you is if you are significantly above or below the standards for your age group.  Even at the NHL level, little correlation has been found between combine testing results and performance. The only commonly accepted metric is that some of the vertical and horizontal jumping measurements can be connected to on-ice speed.  But that is just one contributing attribute in the making of a professional hockey player.

“Based on just results, the combine has little to no bearing on how successful a player will be in the NHL or elsewhere.”

How you play in the games is the most important element in how you will be evaluated. Do the best you can with your on-ice performance.

Another item to keep in mind, is that many of the coaches working the camp definitely have dual objectives. Of course they want to be involved in USA Hockey and have their personal coaching development agenda – at the same time, many recruiting relationships are formed at these events that continue on after the camp.  It is quite common to hear how the recruiting journey of a player started when they met their future college coach at one of these events.

For 15’s Camp Players:

The Girls 15’s Camp is the first introduction for most players to the USA Hockey National Development Camp process. I wrote about attending the camp as a parent back in 2021:

What I learned attending the 2021 USA Hockey 15’s Girl’s Development Camp Part I

What I learned attending the USA Hockey 15s Girls Development Camp Part II

What I learned attending the USA Hockey 15s Girls Development Camp Part III

Unfortunately, there is no way to make the 18’s camp from the 15’s camp.  If you didn’t make the 18’s camp straight from District Camp, then you will need to wait to next year to be considered again for 18’s no matter how well you perform at the 15’s camp. The only exception might be for a goaltender – but that is highly unusual.

Secondly, keep in mind there is about a 60% chance a player for the 15’s camp does not get invited back next year to either the 16/17’s or 18’s camp.  It’s just how the numbers work as you get older. So don’t take anything for granted and appreciate the time in Oxford, Ohio – because this might be your only USA Hockey National Camp you attend.

Make no mistake, you are being scouted by college coaches at this event.  I had a DI coach tell me that they identified a 2024 recruit at the 15’s camp. This player was on a lower ranked AAA team that did not get much exposure, but their performance at the camp got the player on the schools radar for the coming season.

For 16/17’s Camp Players:

Last year I documented the event as it was going on:

A Few Thoughts After the First Two Days of the 2023 USA Hockey Girls 16/17 Development Camp

More Thoughts on the 2023 USA Hockey 16/17 Girls Development Camp

As I’ve commented in the past, the process is not perfect.  In my opinion, there is not enough data-driven elements included in the evaluation of players. I have seen players with lots of points in the games get passed over for selection, and I’ve seen players with few (or no) points get moved on.  There is also clearly a bias to offensive oriented defenders over stay-at-home ‘defense-first’ players.  

These two analyses provide a good perspective on the level of play needed to be selected to move on to the 18’s Camp. 

Analyzing the USA Hockey Girls 16/17 Camp Defense Selections for the U18 Camp

Analyzing the USA Hockey Girls 16/17 Camp Forward Selections for the U18 Camp

My apologies to goalies, but I don’t have the background to evaluate the goalie selections, other than to look at the online stats such as GAA and Save %.  But I would not trust those statistics, because the folks recording those numbers are not professional statisticians.

There are many attributes that factor into players being selected to advance, but also recognize that the relationship with your coaches and how much they ‘like’ you can play a role. I know of a couple of examples where relationships seemed to have either helped or hurt players being chosen.

Also, keep in mind there were 6 players from last year’s 18’s Camp back competing at the 16/17s Camp.  Those players had to have been pretty good to even have been selected last year – so there is going to be a lot of competition to be one of the few players selected to move on to the 18’s camp. 

From a recruiting perspective, almost every DI school and many DIII school will make an appearance during the week. Some will prefer to come for the early few days when players are still fresh and the quality of hockey is highest. Other coaches will arrive late in the week when they can watch the last day or two and then stick around for the 15’s camp.

Before You Go – Let College Coaches Know you’ll be at the USA Hockey Development Camp

If you still have not yet committed to a college team, take the opportunity to let the coaches at the schools you are interested in know you’ll be there.  Make sure to update (or create) your free, beautiful Champs App hockey profile.  Then use the Champs App Messaging Tool, to save time and ensure accuracy when sending coaches your hockey profile, team information and game schedule for the week.

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2024 Coaching Player Development Women's Hockey Youth Hockey

Summer Hockey Camps – Skills vs. Drills vs. Tips

Over the past decade, my children have attended at least one hockey camp each summer. From a hockey perspective, very few of these camps significantly advanced their development. However, the true value of these camps often lay beyond mere skill improvement. These camps often coincided with family vacations, provided fun experiences, helped them regain hockey shape after a break, or offered a glimpse into a college’s environment. It’s rarely worth traveling solely for a hockey camp unless there are other compelling reasons to visit the destination.

Tips: Necessary but Not Sufficient

At most camps my children have attended, coaches tend to focus on running various drills as a means to enhance players’ abilities. There is nothing inherently wrong with emphasizing skating, stickhandling, and shooting drills. Repetitions and fundamental work can be beneficial, especially for younger players (e.g., 12 and under). However, these camps typically involve large groups, with everyone undergoing the same repetitions. Individual coaching usually consists of sporadic tips and tricks as coaches move among the campers. While tips and drills are valuable, they rarely constitute comprehensive skill instruction. The USA Hockey Development Camps epitomize this approach—featuring excellent coaches who primarily offer pointers and tweaks over the course of several days.

This is why, for the past few summers, I have preferred enrolling my children in local private or semi-private lessons with experts rather than traveling for hockey camps. I would rather invest in trusted coaches who can provide individualized attention and feedback.

Belfry Summer Camp

This summer, I decided to take a chance on a camp that promised to focus on skill development. A few weeks ago, my son attended a destination hockey camp that yielded the highest return on investment (ROI) from a development perspective. The Darryl Belfry Camp distinguished itself from other camps because the coaching staff was dedicated to adding new tools to the players’ toolkits.

The camp had 22 skaters and 2 goalies, with 7 coaches on the ice, many using iPads to record segments of the sessions. Players spent 3 hours on the ice each day, accompanied by a daily 30-minute video review with Q&A and a 1-hour professional gym workout. Notably, there was not a single whistle used during on-ice sessions. Coaches explained and demonstrated drills using their voices without yelling. Each day had a specific skill theme that built on the previous day’s lessons, ensuring that by the end of the week, players had acquired a suite of new skills applicable to game situations. Examples of these skills included making area passes, various types of steals, and explosive skating with and without the puck.

One of my favorite aspects of Darryl Belfry’s coaching is his commitment to keeping the nets in their standard positions for drills. Even in small-area games, he simply shrinks the offensive zone but keeps the nets in place. This ‘ice geography’ approach teaches players to be acutely aware of their location relative to key markers like the faceoff dot and the boards.

My hope was that my son would learn 5 or 6 new skills by the end of the week. He ended up acquiring 8 or 9 new skills, ranging from hook passes to reading the position of the defense on zone entries. This represented a significant ROI for 4 days of training, with each new tool directly applicable to game situations. The personalized feedback report, complete with links to short YouTube videos of my son demonstrating the week’s skills, was particularly valuable. I have been a big advocate of providing feedback to players after attending a camp, but feedback is only as good as the effort put into it. In this case, the detailed feedback, supplemented by video, was especially appreciated.

Setting Expectations

In conclusion, it is crucial to set realistic expectations when choosing a summer hockey camp. If a coach claims, “We will be on the ice for 15 hours this week; your child will definitely improve,” take that with a grain of salt. While this might be effective for younger children, merely repeating the same bad habits does not make a player better. There are few coaches who can both manage a large camp and teach new skills simultaneously; they need to have a background in coaching and a commitment to continuous improvement. Otherwise, ensure that your other priorities are met and view the camp as an opportunity for your child to enjoy being on the ice and having fun.

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Women's Hockey

Champs App Girls Recruiting Webinar July 2024 Registration

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Women's Hockey

How Hard is it to get Drafted to the NHL?

This past weekend our family was very interested in the NHL Draft, because both my kids have played against, practiced with or know several of the draft-eligible players. What was surprising to me was the number of exceptional players we are familiar with who did not end up getting drafted. Specifically, there were several players who did not get selected that were seen as ‘special’ for several years and almost all of them are committed to play DI college hockey – most of them at top schools.

However, knowing that there were only 225 players selected in the 2024 NHL Draft, I wondered how many of the players selected were American?  From there, the math started to kick-in and it helped me realize just how difficult it is to get drafted to the NHL – even in the 6th or 7th round.

Here is how the players selected in the draft breaks out by country:

2024 NHl Draft Picks by Country

Then, when looking at just the American players, you see that by their draft year, almost all the players are playing at the USHL level or higher.  Those who aren’t playing USHL or better this past season, surely will by this fall.

2024 NHL American Draft Picks By Level

Odds of Being Drafted

Now let’s estimate how many players were eligible in the U.S. to be drafted.  If we look at the number of teams for a single birth year, this year’s draft class was playing 15O hockey during the 2021-22 season. That year there were 113 15O AAA teams according to MyHockeyRankings.To make the math simple,  let’s assume most of the Minnesota High School and New England Prep School players also played on a 15O AAA Club team.  Therefore there were about 113 x 20 = 2250 players who played AAA or better who were eligible to be drafted this year in the U.S.  But only 39 or 1.7% were drafted.  Another way to look at it is, that less than 2 full rosters of players ended up being drafted this year.  And if you didn’t make the US NTDP team, your chances dropped by ~40% (when you include NTDP alumnni playing elsewhere this past season). 

There is Still a Chance

Another interesting piece of data I learned recently is where NHL players were drafted by round. No surprise that the most players drafted were in the 1st and 2nd round. But what was surprising is that there were more undrafted players in the NHL than 3rd round selections. 

Bottom line, it is very hard to get drafted. Even harder to make the NHL. But if you didn’t get drafted, there is still hope to make it as an undrafted player.

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2024 Coaching College Hockey Recruiting NCAA DI Commits Women's College Hockey Women's Hockey

Women’s DI Hockey Head Coaching Changes – Implications on Recruiting

(Updated June 29, 2024)

Since the end of this past season, at the NCAA DI women’s hockey level, there have been nine head coaching changes, along with the announcement of Allison Coomey as the first Head Coach at Delaware.

SchoolOld CoachNew Coach
AssumptionJack SweeneyJoe Grossman
Bemidji StateJim ScanlanAmber Frykland
ColgateGreg FargoStefan Decosse
DartmouthLiz Keady NortonMaura Crowell
DelawareN/AAllison Coomey
Minnesota-DuluthMaura CrowellLaura Schuler
Minnesota StateJohn HarringtonShari Dickerman
PostGretchen SilvermanPat Bingham
St Michael’sChris DonovanMeghan Sweezey
UnionJosh ScibaTBD

Coaching changes can occur for various reasons—positive, neutral, or negative. These may include retirement (e.g., Bemidji State, Minnesota State), a coach moving on to a new opportunity (e.g., Colgate, UMD), or a coach’s contract not being renewed due to on-ice performance or program dynamics. Often, it may be a combination of these reasons. When there is a change at the top, it can have multiple implications for potential recruits, current commits, and existing players.

Potential Scenarios from a Recruiting Perspective

  1. Status Quo – A planned succession process is in place. Generally, the same principles or cultural philosophies will be maintained with minimal changes, aside from the new coach adding their personal touch to the team.
  2. New Sheriff in Town – The new head coach brings in their own assistants, changing the entire leadership of the coaching staff.
  3. Best of Both Worlds – A hybrid approach that combines the best of the old with new ideas and personnel.

Impact on Potential Recruits

If you are a player interested in a school undergoing a head coaching change, you could be directly affected. You might have built a relationship with the previous coaching staff over several years at showcases or camps, which influenced your interest in the school. With a new coach, you may need to establish new relationships and reassess your interest.

For players from the Class of 2026 who are now eligible to speak with the school, conversations might be delayed or paused due to the transition. Currently, there are a few top schools without head coaches (e.g., Colgate, Minnesota Duluth, Union), and it’s unlikely that players will commit until a new head coach is appointed.

Additionally, a “New Sheriff in Town” head coach may have their own list of potential recruits, which could exclude you. Thus, having backup options is advisable.

Impact on Incoming Recruits

Data from recent years suggests that most of the time, incoming and future commits remain unaffected by a new head coach; both the coaching staff and the recruits stay committed to each other. However, there have been instances where a new head coach implements a different recruiting strategy, resulting in commits being told they no longer have a spot. Depending on the situation, a de-committed player may have limited options for the 2024 or 2025 seasons.

Conversely, NCAA rules allow players to de-commit and seek another school if they do not favor the new coach. Essentially, both parties have the opportunity to re-evaluate the relationship and decide if they want to stay together or move one from each other.

Impact on Existing Players

When a coaching change occurs, existing players have the option, under NCAA rules, to enter the transfer portal and find a different school. The NCAA grants a 30-day immediate portal window for players whose head coach departs. Recently, I spoke with a parent of a first-year player at a top DI women’s team who expressed concerns about uncertainty. The player loved the previous coaching staff and culture, and there is nervousness about whether the same philosophies will continue under the new staff.

Similar to minor hockey, any time a player gets a new coach, they must adjust. Most players will need to re-establish their role on the team, which could affect their ice time. Each student-athlete should evaluate their situation and decide whether to stay or explore options in the transfer portal. Ideally, new coaches will take the time to get to know their team and communicate their plans for each player, allowing players to make informed decisions.

One final point to consider is that assistant coaches are also affected by a change in head coaches. They too can experience positive or negative impacts under new leadership. In some situations, most of the staff is retained, while in others, the incumbent assistants do not return, and the new head coach assembles their own team.

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Champ of the day Champs Girls Hockey Women's Hockey

Today’s Champ of The Day: Annie McDonell

June 10, 2024

Today’s Champ of the Day is Annie McDonell.

Check out Annie McDonell’s Hockey Player Profile here. 

I am a 200-foot player that is relied on as a strong defender and a go-to on the penalty kill, as well as for creating space and opportunities in the offensive zone. As a two-way centre, I am recognized for both my technical skills (puck control, playmaking), as well as my relentless work ethic and ability to win tough battles in the corners.

  Create your own free, beautiful hockey player profile here.

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Champ of the day Champs Girls Hockey Women's Hockey

Today’s Champ of The Day: Saige Ruback

June 9, 2024

Today’s Champ of the Day is Saige Ruback.

Check out Saige Ruback’s Hockey Player Profile here. 

I am passionate about art, nature, learning new things, and growing as both a goalie and a person. I am a dedicated independent learner, who enjoys challenging myself with new goals on and off the ice. I have a growth mindset and I am the hardest worker.

  Create your own free, beautiful hockey player profile here.

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