What To Do When The Phone Doesn't Ring
Advice for high school seniors about how and where to play next year

By Dean Grillo • photo by Josh Holmberg

For the top high school players the options to continue their career are made clear by advisors, recruiters and coaches who call them with advice. For most high school players, however, once that horn blows — the final one they will hear in their high school career — what to do next can be a difficult puzzle to solve.

It is the time of a hockey career that many don’t think about until that buzzer sounds. Players who have been involved with youth and high school programs and had nothing to be concerned about over the last 10 or 12 years are suddenly faced with the reality about what the options are to continue playing.

Often, simply having access to information about the options that are out there can keep players on the ice for years beyond high school. The good news is, there are more options available today than ever before.

There are levels of junior hockey available for all levels of players. It has nearly gotten to the point that if a player wants to keep playing, there is a team somewhere waiting for them. There are plenty of leagues out there to help every player get to the next level. With junior hockey growing every year in this country, there are leagues in every corner of the United States.

So what are the factors in deciding what level a player should play at? This is the point where every kid needs to be realistic about their ability. By now they should know where they fit on their own team, within the state and also the entire country. It used to be Minnesota, Michigan and Massachusetts that supplied the bulk of the players to junior leagues around the country. But the sport has been growing so much in non-hockey areas that players are now competing for spots against players from all over the country. When deciding what level of juniors to try out for, there are a few things to remember.

Minnesotans all hear about the USHL and NAHL. With both leagues players have a one-time shot at the team’s final camp. Some teams have rookie camps and from these camps the best players are invited to the main camps. Rookie camps are becoming more and more popular with these teams to give more kids a chance to play at a high level. I always tell kids that no matter what your status is with a team, play at these camps like it is your last chance and you will be fine.

These leagues have drafts in May but every year there are kids who make it from rookie camp, or who were free agents that come in and take a veteran’s spot.

These leagues are run very similar to an NHL camp in the fact that you have veterans, rookies and free agents, and at the end of the day the best kids stay. My suggestion to a young man trying out for different teams is to choose one or two USHL teams and a couple of NAHL teams and that is it. If it doesn’t work out with your choices then it is time to take a different route.
So what are the other choices?

There are plenty of other options for players. The EJHL is a Junior A league based out of the eastern part of the United States. I have often told players who are looking at an East Coast school that this is a good choice. The EJHL has a nice foot print covering the New England area. There is also the Minnesota Junior B league, which is a great option for players who want to continue their hockey career before heading off to college. This league is expanding and growing each year. It is a great opportunity for kids to start at a community college and get a two-year degree before choosing a four-year college to continue their education while playing hockey. It is a league that over the years has placed players into many Division III programs. 

Preparing For Junior Camp
Proper preparation for a junior camp and tryout is extremely important. Junior camps are usually no longer than three or four days so there is only a short time to impress coaches and scouts. If there is ever a time to be in the best shape of your life, this is it. It is hard to do sometimes at this time of the year because camps are run in the spring and early summer, but every year kids make teams because they stand out at a camp by being in better shape than the rest of the group.             

The final steps to continuing your hockey career don’t stop at tryouts. Players must also understand that during the summer months after being selected for a team there is still a high price to pay. What many people don’t understand is that there can be roster movement during the summer months and at the beginning of every season. Players should never be satisfied with just making the team. Early on in every league they will have showcases or league tournaments that are done for several reasons. It gives NHL scouts and college coaches a chance to converge onto one location and see all the teams at one time. It also gives the coaches their first chance to see what the team looks like. Preparing for these tournaments will give players the best possible chance to shine, and this all goes back to that summer preparation.

Good luck!

Dean Grillo is the  Director of Player Development for O2K Worldwide Management Group and is part owner of Minnesota Hockey Camps. Minnesota Hockey Camps, founded by Chuck Grillo and Herb Brooks, is a premier summer training center located in the Brainerd Lakes Area. Dean can be reached at dino@mnhockeycamps.com.