highest level you played at/what would you do differently?

[jmiami 4]

I guess this more for the older MSH'ers

What is the highest competitive level you played at? Or may still be playing at?

And looking back, if you had to live your hockey life over again from day one, what would you do differently?

[sickwilly 37]

NCAA Div 1, didn't play much.

I would have played D instead of forward. It would have been better suited to my body type and playing style. Grew up in small-town Maine where (at that time) most of the guys with some skill wound up playing forward. More of a power skater/banger than a quick, finesse guy when playing at a high level. Probably could have played a lot more or gone higher as a D-man. I also would have partied less once I did get to school (although it was fun!). Might have gotten a few more breaks from the coach that way.

[Dupes 1]

Played 3 or 4 years of junior hockey back in the mid 90's. If i would of only taken it more seriously I might of played somewhere higher and get a degree while playing hockey!

[shooter27 116]

Played 3 years of New England prep and then NCAA Div 3, although I had a few D1 looks during HS.

If I could make changes it would be 2 things. 1) I would start working hard at conditioning, training in off-ice situations at an earlier age (I never really bothered with it till college) 2) I would have played a year in the USHL after graduating from prep school. I had a few D1 looks during my senior year but they were all contingent on my playing juniors and I figured if I had to take an extra year to play D1 I would never play in the NHL so why bother? Looking back, playing D1 would have been worth the extra year of maturity, regardless of whether or not I ever got to play pro.

[RecLeagueHero 0]

Junior, there really isn't anything I would have done differently.

[JohnnyCanuck 0]

Played Junior Hockey. The only thing I would have done would have been not taking it for granted and actually training etc.

I was too caught up in the High School drama of girlfriends, partying, etc. Had I applied myself I might have been able to get a scholarship out of it. But talking like that sounds like sour grapes, I hate it when other buddies of mine start telling the "Coulda, woulda, shoulda" stories after too many beers.

At the end of the day I didn't want it bad enough or realize what I had as far as an opportunity, and I only have myself to blame. So at least I don't have a crutch to blame my failures on like "Some coach had it out for me, or some rich kid's dad bought his kid a spot and I had to go, etc" ;)

[furlanitalia 1]

Junior Hockey and University.

Definitely wish I would've known what was out there and what I had to do in terms of training. Should've started training at a way younger age then i did.

[greech 4]

I wish I hadn't d!cked around with playing goalie as a teen. I had offers to play jr/prep hockey, but I just shut 'er down. I wish I hadn't given up the dream.

[Griff 2]

I played juniors,

I would have switched to D when a scout I knew recommended it. It went something like this:

Bards: Griff you should really think about staying back at D, good skater, good first pass, heavy shot, sounds like something teams might want.

Me: But I have no f$%king clue what I'm doing in my own end.

Bards: Neither does Sandish Ozolinsh look where it got him.

In hindsight he was probably right.

[legiahockey 3]

i play 1st league "pro" in poland. comparable to nahl. i know i could of been alot better than i am now. if i could go back i would stickhandle every day as a youngster and actually work out. and i wouldnt drink away my last two years of highschool just to bang some girls that are meaningless. although i havnt turned 19 yet i feel like i past my prime of getting better and am not sure if i can make it any higher up. havnt given up hope yet and will be workin my but off

[usahockey22 0]

i havnt turned 19 yet i feel like i past my prime of getting better and am not sure if i can make it any higher up. havnt given up hope yet and will be workin my but off

You're at your prime right now, keep working at it.

[Law Goalie 147]

Actually, prime for most hockey players is mid-twenties to mid-thirties.

[fawn111 0]

At age 19... You have not even begun to grow mentally and probably physically too....

Being a great athlete is 90% mental. I write this only because I am 38 and have been playing hockey since late 20's. Your HALF my age and you still your entire career ahead of you. Keep at it man.

As for me, my glory is yet to be lived in the beer leagues..... had I to do it over, I would have been skating at age three, drunk less and actually listened to coaches when they told me I could be great.

[johnson_13 0]

Stopped after my final year of Midget A for my city/Midget AAA for school

was offered a spot the following season for Junior AA with the city but i figured school wud be my best interest so i stopped playing...and ulimately i didnt stick to that career path...i dont think i cuda went pro here in a major market but if i wud do somehing differently i wuda continued playing and training and maybe look to smaller pro leagues which i only found out about lately...sometimes makes me wonder where i wuda endedup but hey im jus as happy wih my life now!

[dumbpolak9 1]

this is my last year of high school varsity hockey then hopefully ill get to monte clair in NJ and play for them HOPEFULLY

[jmiami 4]

OP here. Some interesting responses, thanks. Not surprising that a number of responses concerning what you'd do differently involve less partying and skirt-chasing. Who knew?

My highest level was Div 1 high-school in CT in early 80's. An injury forced me to sit out my senior year. While sitting out, I came across some other interests, one of which I decided to pursue in college. I could have done a year of prep as a PG, but wanted to get on with other things. The college I went to did not have a hockey team (but of course they instituted a program the year after I graduated. lol. Maybe they were just waiting for me to leave).

I basically did not play for a period of over 20 years. I always enjoyed watching the game though. Then a couple years ago I was visiting my mother and she asked me out of the blue if I still play hockey. I said no. "Why the hell not?" she said. Damn it, I thought...she's right. Why don't I play anymore?

So two years ago I jumped back into it and am since completely obsessed with the game again. It is fascinating to see how much info is available via the internet now to improve your game, be it via stickhandling videos, power-skating techniques, or off-ice training regimens.

I was a pretty good player in high-school, played near the top junior year, and it was a good team. Three guys from our team went straight to good D1 college teams, and a couple ended up minor-pro. I still wonder how my life would be different if I could have played senior year.

That aside, if I had to do it over, I wish I had focused more on learning finesse. I was a natural energy-player(wing), but a few more ounces of finesse would not have hurt me. I wish I'd gone out of my way and found someone to teach me how to dangle for instance.

I don't exactly know where I would have found this person, as we really had no finesse players on our team, and our coach would not have been much help. But I could have asked one of the players on the AHL team in our city for some tips, as we often practiced in the same rink. Or I could have hit up one of the Yale players for some stickhandling specifics. 20/20 hindsight.

I am actually a decent dangler today. It feels natural. And the reason for that is that I used resources available via internet to study the moves (ordered dvd's and such), and then went on the rink and practiced them till I was blue in the face. For most people, stickhandling skills, dangling, or soft hands is not something that comes naturally. You have to learn how to do it, and at least in my day, coaches did not have much interest, and were probably ill-equipped, to teach advanced stickhandling skills. But if you are an energy-player, and have some stickhandling skills as well, then you are sitting pretty. And unless you are the second coming of Gretzky, the advice I would give to any young player is, after you are tight with the fundamentals, learn how to stickhandle as well as you can. It will only help you.

I may be deluded, but i think that I am actually a much better hockey player today at age 44 then when I was 17. Certainly a smarter player. I regularly play against current Juniors, ex-NCAA, and ex-pros, and pretty much hold my own. I was even in a pickup game a couple months ago where Ron Duguay was on the other team, and let me tell you folks, at age 51 this guy is in unbelievable shape, loves to play, and can still motor with the damned puck. And I felt I went toe to toe with him on several occasions in the game. But as I said before...I may be deluded.

[legiahockey 3]

At age 19... You have not even begun to grow mentally and probably physically too....

Being a great athlete is 90% mental. I write this only because I am 38 and have been playing hockey since late 20's. Your HALF my age and you still your entire career ahead of you. Keep at it man.

As for me, my glory is yet to be lived in the beer leagues..... had I to do it over, I would have been skating at age three, drunk less and actually listened to coaches when they told me I could be great.

thanks for the words of wisdom everyone. im working to make some solid progress still. i guess its just seeing guys my age getting drafted that makes me 2nd guess everything..idk

[kovyperron5727 0]

At age 19... You have not even begun to grow mentally and probably physically too....

Being a great athlete is 90% mental. I write this only because I am 38 and have been playing hockey since late 20's. Your HALF my age and you still your entire career ahead of you. Keep at it man.

As for me, my glory is yet to be lived in the beer leagues..... had I to do it over, I would have been skating at age three, drunk less and actually listened to coaches when they told me I could be great.

thanks for the words of wisdom everyone. im working to make some solid progress still. i guess its just seeing guys my age getting drafted that makes me 2nd guess everything..idk

Best of luck to you man. I noticed you are from DFW as well. Don't take playing pro for granted, hockey is not about how far you go but more about fun IMHO.

I am 17, and so far the highest I've played is Midget AA. I work on my stickhandling everyday, sometimes up to 2 or 3 hours and I also spend a lot of time in the gym. If I can change anything, it would be to take care of my body when it needs it. I herniated 2 discs, and am scared everyday that I may not be able to live out my dream and play professionally. I have done all types of things to fix the problem since January, and I hurt it in October.

I wish I would have taken care of my body and taken the proper rest my back needed before it got serious. So whoever is reading this, do me a favor and if something on your body is not right take the steps needed to fix the problem ASAP and don't be stubborn like me and say it's fine when it is not. I regret it everyday that I didnt tell anyone my back was jacked sooner. My doc says that if I would have reported it sooner, the bulges would not be as big and I wouldn't be suffering from sciatica.

As for playing professionally, I know I can do it. I have the skill and work ethic. Like one smart poster stated earlier, hockey is 90% mental. You must have it in your head that nothing will stop you

I have enjoyed reading this thread so far and keep the responses coming

[HattrickSwayze 3]

At age 19... You have not even begun to grow mentally and probably physically too....

Being a great athlete is 90% mental. I write this only because I am 38 and have been playing hockey since late 20's. Your HALF my age and you still your entire career ahead of you. Keep at it man.

As for me, my glory is yet to be lived in the beer leagues..... had I to do it over, I would have been skating at age three, drunk less and actually listened to coaches when they told me I could be great.

thanks for the words of wisdom everyone. im working to make some solid progress still. i guess its just seeing guys my age getting drafted that makes me 2nd guess everything..idk

Keep workin at it dude. You've got a good thing going in that you can do what you love for a living. I'd trade you in an instant if I thought it'd give me a shot at semi-pro hockey. Keep your confidence high and keep working hard and you'll get there.

Highest level I've played is halfway up the rung in the local rec league. I just started skating last year. My ultimate goal is to get to the highest division (and actually do well there). I've got a delusional dream in the back of my head that somehow I'll get to the point of being able to walk-on to a semi-pro team (maybe in Kazakhstan) in my 20's with no junior or full contact hockey experience. Right.

[kovyperron5727 0]

At age 19... You have not even begun to grow mentally and probably physically too....

Being a great athlete is 90% mental. I write this only because I am 38 and have been playing hockey since late 20's. Your HALF my age and you still your entire career ahead of you. Keep at it man.

As for me, my glory is yet to be lived in the beer leagues..... had I to do it over, I would have been skating at age three, drunk less and actually listened to coaches when they told me I could be great.

thanks for the words of wisdom everyone. im working to make some solid progress still. i guess its just seeing guys my age getting drafted that makes me 2nd guess everything..idk

Keep workin at it dude. You've got a good thing going in that you can do what you love for a living. I'd trade you in an instant if I thought it'd give me a shot at semi-pro hockey. Keep your confidence high and keep working hard and you'll get there.

Highest level I've played is halfway up the rung in the local rec league. I just started skating last year. My ultimate goal is to get to the highest division (and actually do well there). I've got a delusional dream in the back of my head that somehow I'll get to the point of being able to walk-on to a semi-pro team (maybe in Kazakhstan) in my 20's with no junior or full contact hockey experience. Right.

You can do it. Some of the semi-pro leagues are not that great. Train hard daily for 3-5 years and don't lose focus and it can happen

[youngblack 0]

HS, and junior developement for metro moose

this is my last year of high school varsity hockey then hopefully ill get to monte clair in NJ and play for them HOPEFULLY

monte clair blue or white? theres two teams

[Gongshow11 1]

if you want a story of will listen to me. I am 24, a late bloomer, after pee wee I never played AA, got cut and played BB (montreal). I then went to a number of showcases and ended up going to prep school. my first year there i struggled. My next year I hit it big after not taking a summer job and training and skating everyday and came back and was unreal. I then went to a Div 3 university in a top conference, but had a hard time getting solid playing time to rack up points, and thus they suffered. but from the second i went to prep i said i wanted to play pro and after my sr season in university i did. granted this past year the league i played in wasnt great i was still getting paid and had a huge amount of ice time, and perhaps the time of my life. I did well and next year I have offers already coming in, and nothing will stop me. Even when everyone said I was done, I didn't listen, just trained harder. Never give up on your dreams, because even with people down on you, its whats inside you that will take you to the next level.

[maxamillion 3]

I played HS roller and didn't pick up ice until my freshman year of college, which was about 3 years ago now (Jeez). I managed to find a well paying job fall semester that year and saved up and said "you know what, I'm going to give it a shot" and i've only played roller once since. if i could do it all over again, i would have walked to the medford thunderbirds line instead of the mount laurel little league baseball line on rec league sign up day when i was 5. I am a bigger guy (6'4", 185 now) that can skate, and I could have played at least some form of fun competitive hockey had I started out earlier. se la vie i guess now, but moments like now I do have to sit and wonder.

[legiahockey 3]

if you want a story of will listen to me. I am 24, a late bloomer, after pee wee I never played AA, got cut and played BB (montreal). I then went to a number of showcases and ended up going to prep school. my first year there i struggled. My next year I hit it big after not taking a summer job and training and skating everyday and came back and was unreal. I then went to a Div 3 university in a top conference, but had a hard time getting solid playing time to rack up points, and thus they suffered. but from the second i went to prep i said i wanted to play pro and after my sr season in university i did. granted this past year the league i played in wasnt great i was still getting paid and had a huge amount of ice time, and perhaps the time of my life. I did well and next year I have offers already coming in, and nothing will stop me. Even when everyone said I was done, I didn't listen, just trained harder. Never give up on your dreams, because even with people down on you, its whats inside you that will take you to the next level.

this post has just helped me alot. along with just rereading david perrons road from midget C to nhl....thanks for posting

[mxihockey 0]

if you want a story of will listen to me. I am 24, a late bloomer, after pee wee I never played AA, got cut and played BB (montreal). I then went to a number of showcases and ended up going to prep school. my first year there i struggled. My next year I hit it big after not taking a summer job and training and skating everyday and came back and was unreal. I then went to a Div 3 university in a top conference, but had a hard time getting solid playing time to rack up points, and thus they suffered. but from the second i went to prep i said i wanted to play pro and after my sr season in university i did. granted this past year the league i played in wasnt great i was still getting paid and had a huge amount of ice time, and perhaps the time of my life. I did well and next year I have offers already coming in, and nothing will stop me. Even when everyone said I was done, I didn't listen, just trained harder. Never give up on your dreams, because even with people down on you, its whats inside you that will take you to the next level.

this post has just helped me alot. along with just rereading david perrons road from midget C to nhl....thanks for posting

Perrons' story is what keeps me going.

I have played AAA hockey my whole life(Since the age of 6) I was never one of the top players on my team because I was always nervous. I ended up getting a very good financial deal and went to a Division 2 new england prep school and have played varsity both years, logging in some good minutes. This passed fall I played on a top 10 Midget AAA team in the country. I decided after this Prep season that I will make the jump to juniors this year. Now at 16 I'm Trying to play in the EJHL, I have received some offers from empire Junior B teams but am waiting till I play in a couple showcases this summer to see if I get any other offers. I also train at Mike boyles, trying to gain some weight. If I could have done anything different I would have tried out for the national festival while I was young enough, because I feel like my name hasn't "gotten out there" yet. I realize the oppurtunity that hockey has given me so far in terms of education, and although it may mean less time to have a social life, I wouldn't want it to be anything different. My ultimate dream is to play NCAA Division 1, and I will work towards that goal until it is no longer possible.