Men's Hockey Recruiting

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NCAA Recruiting Calendars

TOP 5 RECRUITING THINGS TO DO


1. Develop a recruiting plan and get evaluated by a third party.

What are you currently doing to get evaluated for college scholarships?  What results has your current plan produced?  If you are not currently being contacted by college coaches at least once per week, then you are not being actively recruited.   

You need to be evaluated by as many college coaches nationwide as possible to maximize your scholarship opportunities and securing a college roster spot immediately!  Attending several camps and showcases also increases your evaluation exposure to coaches.


 2. Create your FREE MyScoutingReport NOW! 

Online profiles are the fastest way for college coaches to evaluate a prospects academic qualifications, athletic attributes, highlight/game videos, review game schedules, news articles and how to contact you.   Create your FREE MyScoutingReport immediately for scholarship evaluation by college coaches nationwide!

 

3. Take charge of your game, highlight, or skills video!

DO NOT wait around for someone else to burn game DVD's or edit a highlight video for you!  Take control of your recruiting process by taking action each day until your video(s) are complete and accessible by college coaches.   


4. Be realistic about your projected college level. 

Too many college prospects get focused on playing ONLY for major NCAA Division I programs, that they miss out on opportunities to play at a lower level and possibly on a scholarship.  


5. DO NOT LIMIT YOURSELF! 

Time and again college prospects limit themselves to only wanting to play at a certain level, local area, in-state, U.S. region or certain conferences.  The fact of the matter is that college coaches get to choose which players they want on their roster and which to offer scholarships to.  It's not the players or parents that choose...once again, it's the college coaches.  By limiting yourself to only certain areas for recruitment, you can bet your life that there will be some college coach around the country that could use a student-athlete like you!    

MEN'S HOCKEY RECRUITING FAQ 


1. What should my hockey highlight video include?

Highlights from your games and a skills tape if you’re a goalie. Keep the camera high enough to get good perspective on the ice. Refer to our video guidelines to gather what coaches are looking for in particular positions. Generally, they’re looking for break up plays, shots from the blue lines and how you’re able to adapt to different game situations.


2. What are NCAA I hockey coaches looking for?

The key is playing in highly competitive leagues. For Men’s Hockey they want to see you’ve played for a USHL or NAHL junior level or solid prep school.  You may consider doing a graduate year at the prep school to gain more experience.


3. Should I play another year of juniors or take the offers I have now?

Start by evaluating your situation. If you have offers from a Division III school and want to play at the Division I level, need to contact coaches and have as much dialogue as possible to see where you are realistically. If you aren’t making huge leaps in the Junior levels, you might want to consider continuing to play. Take the Division III or any offer seriously, the offers may change.


4. Why do college hockey coaches want junior players?

Junior players tend to be more physically and emotionally mature because of the highly competitive, fast and physical level at the Junior Level.


5. Should I be working more on strength or speed?

Both!  Continue working on your strength, speed and all phases of the game!

MEN'S HOCKEY SCHOLARSHIPS


                    Programs     Scholarships

NCAA I:             59                    18

NCAA II:             7                       0

NCAA III:          73                       0      

NAIA:                 7                       0

NJCAA:             9                        0

TOTAL:           155       


NCAA III do not offer athletic scholarships, but offer academic scholarships and financial aid.  

             WHAT ARE COLLEGE HOCKEY COACHES LOOKING FOR?


Knowing how your talent on the ice stacks up against other hockey recruits can make the process of earning a college hockey scholarship little easier.  AASR's hockey recruiting guidelines can help you decide the level of competition that you’re best suited for. The guidelines also provide an overview of how many hockey scholarships and men’s college hockey programs are available to choose from (in the NCAA, NJCAA and ACHA).

Knowledge is an important tool in the hockey recruiting process. Use AASR's guidelines to help determine what programs you should be interested in.  Knowing where to look makes the recruiting process much easier.


MEN'S ICE HOCKEY CENTER

Grades: 3.0+GPA, 22+ ACT, 1000+ SAT

 


Tier 1 Center

  • 5'9''+

Stats:

  • 60%+ on face-offs

Coaching Keys:

Coaches want a center who is strong on face-offs, speedy, reads the ice well, 

strong in the D zone, especially in front of the net.

 

 

Tier 2 Center

  • 5'8''+

Stats:

  • 55%+ on face-offs

Coaching Keys:

Coaches want a center who is strong on face-offs, quick, can read the play and is strong in D zone

 

 

Tier 3 Center

  • 5'8''+

Stats:

  • 55%+ on face-offs

Coaching Keys:

Coaches want a center who is strong on face-offs, quick, can read the play and is strong in D zone

 

 

Tier 4 Center

  • 5'7''+

Stats:

  • 50%+ on face-offs

Coaching Keys:

Coaches want a center who can win face-offs, knows his position in D Zone and skates both ends of the ice.


MEN'S HOCKEY DEFENSEMAN

Grades: 3.0+GPA, 22+ ACT, 1000+ SAT

Tier 1 Defenseman

  • 6'1''+

Coaching Keys:

Coaches want a defenceman who is physical, can move bodies in front of net, can read the ice well, quick lateral movement, strong shot from the point.

 

 

Tier 2 Defenseman

  • 6'0''+

Coaching Keys:

Coaches want a defenceman who is physical, sees the ice well, strong in front of net, can get shots through from the point, has good lateral movement

 

 

Tier 3 Defenseman

  • 6'0''+

Coaching Keys:

Coaches want a defenceman who is physical, sees the ice well, strong in front of net, can get shots through from the point, has good lateral movement

 

 

Tier 4 Defenseman

  • 5'10''+

Coaching Keys:

Coaches want a defenceman who is physical, takes care of puck in D Zone, can move the puck up ice quickly 


MEN'S HOCKEY GOALIE

Grades: 3.0+GPA, 22+ ACT, 1000+ SAT

Tier 1 Goalie

  • 5'11+

Stats:

  • 90%+ Save Pct
  • <2 Goals Against

Coaching Keys:

Coaches want a goalie who is really quick up and down and side to side, who is very vocal, who can and will play the puck, is a great skater, and has great rebound control.

 

 

Tier 2 Goalie

  • 5'10''+

Stats:

  • 88%+ Save Pct
  • <2.3 Goals Against

Coaching Keys:

Coaches want a goalie who is quick, vocal, can play the puck, is a strong skater and has solid rebound control

 

 

Tier 3 Goalie

  • 5'10"+

Stats:

  • 88%+ Save Pct
  • <2.3 Goals Against

Coaching Keys:

Coaches want a goalie who is quick, vocal, can play the puck, is a strong skater and has solid rebound control

 

 

Tier 4 Goalie

  • 5'8''+

Stats:

  • 80%+ Save Pct
  • <2.5 Goals Against

Coaching Keys:

Coaches want a goalie who is under control in movements, quick to recover, can play the puck, and control rebounds.


MEN'S HOCKEY WINGER

Grades: 3.0+GPA, 22+ ACT, 1000+ SAT

Tier 1 Winger

  • 5'11''+

Coaching Keys:

Coaches want a winger who is strong on the boards, can win battles in the corners, fast, shoot the puck, score goals, adapt in D zone

 

 

Tier 2 Winger

  • 5'10''+

Coaching Keys:

Coaches want a winger who is strong on the boards and in corners, physical, quick,  has a good shot, can score, solid in D zone

 

 

Tier 3 Winger

  • 5'10''+

Coaching Keys:

Coaches want a winger who is strong on the boards and in corners, physical, quick,  has a good shot, can score, solid in D zone

 

 

Tier 4 Winger

  • 5'8''+

Coaching Keys:

Coaches want a winger who can win the puck on the boards, can get the puck to the net, is quick and good on forecheck

                                                                      HOCKEY RECRUITING CALENDAR

Freshmen Year

  • Research 2-3 schools per week
  • Create a list of prospective schools consider both athletics and academics
  • Film highlights tape
  • Attend camps with the goals of honing your skills and to gain exposure 

Rules/Tips to Remember:

  • Coaches are watching your development throughout high school at camps, in school and on the field
  • DI and DII coaches can’t personally contact you until Junior year 
  • DIII and NAIA coaches can contact you at anytime
  • Important to do be familiar with the school both athletically and academically

 

Sophomore Year

  • Film your highlights tape
  • Get an evaluation of your skills tape
  • Continue to research prospective schools
  • Narrow your list to top schools
  • Fill out questionnaires 


Junior Year

  • Film your highlights tape
  • Fill out questionnaires
  • Respond to EVERY coach
  • Make unofficial visits to schools
  • Narrow down your prospective schools list

 

Rules/Tips to Remember:

  • Can get calls and letters from DI coaches June 15th after sophomore year.

  • DI and DII programs will start to put offers on the table for top recruits
  • DI coaches can have up to seven evaluations and contacts during your senior year
  • DI coaches can start calling twice per week starting August 1st and off campus contact on or after September 16
  • DII coaches can write, call, text, and visit off campus or after June 15 of their sophomore year
  • DIII coaches can see or talk to you off campus after your Junior year
  • Junior College is another option if you need like to develop academically, would like to compete for immediate playing time or have the opportunity to play one year then sign a professional contract.


Senior Year

  • Make official visits – only allowed 5, unofficial visits are unlimited
  • Narrow your top list of schools
  • Keep communicating with coaches
  • Follow-up with coaches and respond in a TIMELY manner
  • Apply to the schools- applications
  • Apply for financial aid- FAFSA.ed.gov starting Jan. 1st
  • Sign and Commit to a school and program (DI/DII –early signing 2nd week Nov, regular starts in August)
  • November is NCAA Early Signing Period that non-football sports sign recruits to their best scholarships.  After that NCAA Early Signing Period ends, college coaches are not allowed to sign recruits to scholarships until the middle of April.  The middle of April is the middle of the season for spring sports, students are also preparing for prom, finalizing college applications, applying for financial aid, studying for final exams and getting ready for graduation.  For all those reasons, it's imperative to gain early exposure for scholarship evaluation by college coaches to sign a scholarship during November of the senior year for non-football sports.
  • Find out the summer workout schedule
  • Get ready for an experience of a lifetime 

 FILMING YOUR HOCKEY VIDEO

How to Film:

  • Show enough of the ice so that we are able to see the player's vision, movement with and without the puck, knowledge of position, passing with teammates, etc.
  • Coaches want to see the development of each play so you need a wide enough angle to capture multiple players. 


Information Based on Position:

  • Physical Dimensions - speed, quickness, agility, strength, power
  • Technical Abilities - decision making with the puck, finding open players, position without the puck
  • Psychological Dimensions - work ethic, reaction to adverse situations, interaction with teammates
  • Optional Skills Inclusions:
  1. Show yourself performing basic drills that demonstrate your technical abilities.
  2. Skating around half circles and shooting on the net.
  3. Transitioning from forward to backward.
  4. Slap shots from the point, and one-timers.

SAMPLE  MEN'S HOCKEY RECRUITMENT VIDEO