The NHL Dream - a Definite Longshot

Source: Roy MacGregor, National Post reporting to Open Ice Summit in Toronto in August 1999:

"What drives Canadian Hockey is the NHL Dream. Parents need to be convinced that the dream is unrealistic. A study of 30,000 Ontario minor hockey players was done involving players born in 1975. Here is how they fared in their hockey careers:

22,000 players were still in hockey at their bantam draft age (16) - 73%
232 players were drafted by OHL Major Junior Hockey clubs .77%
105 players played at least one game of Major Junior hockey in the OHL (.35%)
90 players finished their Junior hockey careers (.3%)
23 players went onto play college hockey (.076)
48 of the 30,000 players were drafted into the NHL and 2 others were signed as free agents (.16%)
22 players played at least one NHL game (.073%)
11 players were still active NHL'ers in 1998 - these players made the NHL as regular players (.036%)

.036% of the players in this study made it to the NHL and stuck

NOTE: It is likely that the % is lower now than it was with this group of players as the NHL is far more global than it was in the 1990's.

PLAY FOR FUN & PLAY FOR FRIENDS

The best three (3) goals a minor hockey player (and their parents!) can set are:

Have fun - otherwise, why play?
Make new friends - every season means a chance to meet new kids that have similar interests
Try to get better as a hockey player each year - if you work hard at something, you will improve.

Hockey offers so many life lessons for children to learn that will benefit them as they proceed through life. Enjoy the ride and just let them play!