Good age

[socom 0]

Do you think 14 years old is too old to start playing hockey if there's intentions for being a defensemen in the NHL?

[pantherfan 0]

I would say yes almost definatley, but i would LOVE to be proved wrong

[hockeysew 0]

In reality probably-

But YOU are the biggest factor in that equation

[Squirrel 0]

I'd say definately start playing. Even if things don't work out with the NHL dream its a fun/cool sport to get into.

[flip12 712]

I started at 13 and got nowhere near the NHL, but I'm addicted to hockey. I love it. It's a great hobby to have. It could happen, but if it doesn't, play to enjoy it.

[Eazy_b97 1]

Start whenever you can, never expect to make the NHL.

[wickedwrister 0]

Here is a snipit of an article a while back. The NHL is a LONGSHOT even for the best of the best. These numbers are ONLY Canadian born players much less worldwide!

In the 1991 and 1992 OHL Drafts, there were 232 Ontario developed players selected by the 16 junior teams. The following breakdown shows how those 30,000 players active that year "progressed".

* Out of those 232 players drafted to the OHL, only 105 ever played one game in the OHL.

* Out of those 105 players, only 90 finished their full 3 or 4 years of eligibility in the OHL.

* Of those 30,000 players, only 42 played NCAA Division I hockey! Remember too that U.S. scholarships are not the large educational packages that have been offered by NCAA schools in the past (see more information below). The following "1975" players had either full or partial NCAA scholarships.

* There were 56 players from the "1975" age group that were either drafted or signed by a National Hockey League team (by far the most of any birth year Ontario has experienced!). Fourty-eight (48) of those 56 players were drafted by NHL teams!

* Of the 48 drafted players only 39 signed contracts with NHL teams. Eight players signed as free agents after going un-drafted as NCAA or major junior players.

* Of the 48 signed players, only 32 have seen action to date in an NHL game.

* Of the 32 players with NHL experience, only 15 have played more than one (1) full NHL season!

* Of these 32 players, only 21 were active in the NHL as of April 1, 2002 .

* Of those 32 who have played an NHL game to date, only 18-20 will earn a second contract with an NHL team. About half of those players earning second contracts will see them finish that second contract with an NHL team. The remainder of the 56 players will toil in the minor pros in the IHL, AHL, ECHL or Europe .

* Of the 32 players who have seen action in an NHL game, only six (6) have qualified for the NHL's Player Pension (minimum 400 games in the NHL!).

[Kovy_Ribs_Fedo 3]

Didn't Theo Fleury start playing hockey at 14?

Why not try it, at least, you won't regret it if you don't make it to the NHL.

[Edge 0]

To be honest, yes, it probably would take much more experience to reach that level, but just playing hockey to have fun is enough of a reason to start. I'm sure once you get into it, you'll love it!

[pantherfan 0]

Didn't Theo Fleury start playing hockey at 14?

Why not try it, at least, you won't regret it if you don't make it to the NHL.

He was number 14, i dont think he started at 14 because that would have ment he had benn playing for 2 years before he iced in the WHL and got over a point game

[Eazy_b97 1]

Some players started later, usually goalies, but it's becoming rarer every year. People are playing year round in the best schools in the world from a very early age.

[Kovy_Ribs_Fedo 3]

Maybe he was playing before 14, but I think he started in a league at 14.

[kosydar 0]

You might be confusing Fleury w/ Jovo. I am fairly confident Fleury started well before that age

I've also heard Jovo started at 14. Michel Goulet who played for the Blackhawks in the 80s (maybe 70s, I'm not too sure) started at 14 or 15 as well.

[socom 0]

So if I'm focusing on a defensive, no offensive defense, what do you think should be the main practices I should focus on? What muscles should I work on, and how much should I focus on shooting?

[Quintin 16]

Not really to be too old. As long as you keep at it, know what you're doing, I think you're ok. Work on legs muscles and core muscles too. You'll be tying up people a lot and also, work on your backwards skating.

[KingPest19 0]

Zhitnik also started playing at 14 over in russia.

[jbyun04 7]

maybe

i started when i was 14 but never had intentions of making the NHL. I've never played in a league so I don't even know how I stack up against my age group (I probably suck big time compared to everyone else) but I've never regretted starting even if I have to get up at 6AM

[kovalchuk71 212]

I thought jovo started at 16, at least thats what i heard

[Edge 0]

So if I'm focusing on a defensive, no offensive defense, what do you think should be the main practices I should focus on? What muscles should I work on, and how much should I focus on shooting?

If you have aspirations on the NHL, no matter what position you play, your shooting, passing, positioning, vision, skating, agility, quickness, athleticism, endurance, stength, conditioning all have to be at elite levels.

You have to work on all your muscels, probably focusing on lower body and core.

You need to focus on every aspect imaginable to hockey

I would just start playing on teams and seeing how you compare and noting your weak areas. Improving them, etc.

exactly. A common thought is that hockey players only have to focus on what they are "supposed to do" at that position. Similar to how some believe that certain skates are meant for forwards, and some defensemen. All hockey players need to work on all aspects of their game regardless of position.

Like someone mentioned, in todays game where kids are playing every day at high levels and starting when they are very young, it is HIGHLY unlikely to be able to make it to the NHL level. The players who have made it starting at such a late age had to be extremely gifted naturally to give them the advantage over the players who had been playing practically their entire lives.

[Cheesehead 0]

try your hardest, practice everytime you get the chance, and work your hardest at everything, including school. cuase then you can get into a good college, play college hockey, make it to the ECHL, move up to the AHL, then BAM! your in the NHL

[Adam91 0]

Im almost certain Jovo started around 12. When on the ice for the first time , AA coached picked him up as a goon

[hocckey77 0]

someone on here said Tkachuk started playing at 16 a while back. is this true?

[Shorthanded67 0]

Yeah I've got a Blues media guide from a few years back and there was a question of, "How old were you when you put on your first pair of skates?"

Tkachuk answered 16 and Mike Keane answered 13.

[biff44 0]

Alot depends on if you have been skating all your life and then took up hockey at 14, or just started at 14 cold.

I guess it is possible with no skating preknowledge at 14, but you would have to be a natural born hockey player.

[Patrick67 1]

Our old Coach used to say it was never too late to improve once game, he claimed there was a NHL player that skated for the first time ever at 16 and was a natural (obviously).

We thought it was a meaningless statement, since that guy never "improved" his game but was a pure born natural, not some 2nd line grinder working on his puckhandling skills and improving over time... This "guy" was simply good from the get-go.

Never knew who it was, but Tkachuk? :o