On the Move

On the Move

Why are more and more young hockey players and their families deciding to take a different path or alternative approach when it comes to playing elite level hockey?

Why do they feel it necessary to move away from home to get a “fair shake” or legit opportunity?

One of the most controversial topics when it comes to the game of hockey and player development is choice.

Let that sink in for a minute.

Choice is controversial?

How can that be?

It’s clear in the game of hockey when families make choices about the direction or path they decide to take some will ultimately ridicule them.

Are they chasing the dream?

Are they chasing the promise?

Is the grass greener on the other side?

In the hockey world people tend to hold grudges, gossip and criticize other people’s decisions practically all of the time.

When people make decisions about what they think is best for their son or daughter some people get really upset and resentful.

Moving away from home or taking a perceived “unconventional path” for an opportunity is often considered to be selfish, but that’s hockey perception for you. In reality moving away could possibly be the only shot at getting a “fair shot” which is mind-blowing if you think about it.

People will automatically think that players are on the move because they aren’t “good enough” to make the “local” team. Every player develops differently, every player have their own unique path in the game. I wish that last sentence would resonate with more people, but ironically it still doesn’t.

Again when some players move away or play abroad there’s still an undercurrent of resentment.

Now don’t get me wrong some of that resentment comes out of hockey lies, because there’s always two sides to the story. Nevertheless, there’s considering options and then flat out lying.

You see perception continues to plague the hockey world. Just like “hockey lies” do.

Of course money becomes the topic of conversation when discussing players on the move.

“Oh, they’re just buying that opportunity.”

That might be the case, but we still can’t judge.

Statements like,

“It will all come out in the wash” or “we will see where they end up,” get thrown around a lot in rinks all over the hockey world.

What about the fresh start theory?

What about the “we have been screwed over all the way up” so we are going to try something different theory?

What about, “they just want to play and have fun again” theory?

What about “they don’t develop players at that program” theory?

There’s a lot of theories floating around out there, and all those on the outside can speculate and judge, but you have no idea what that feels like until it’s happening to potentially your family or a close personal friend.

Clearly it’s a massive leap of faith for players and their families when they decide to move away, sometimes those families get burnt bad by hockey promises and have come back home and search for a place to play. Sometimes the kid isn’t good enough, sometimes it’s a massive wake up call, sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t, but at least they took a shot instead wondering what if?

There’s a very fine line between “considering our options,” to “we aren’t playing there,” “They’re not ready, or they’re not good enough.”

We all have opinions, thoughts and feelings about this topic. We all have experience within the game, we all want what’s best for the kid or what we think is best for the kid, and that’s where things get very murky.

Why are so many young players on the move nowadays? We can all speculate, assume and judge, but that just continues the vicious cycle of perception within the game.

It’s their decision to make not ours.

That’s difficult to understand sometimes, but that’s the reality of it. Their experiences or the advice they receive from their “trusted allies” within the game impact their decisions, in the long run we can all hope those decisions are the right ones for the best interest of the player especially those ones on the move!