What Happens When the Truth Comes Out?

A lot of hockey people claim their team, organization, association and league develop players. A lot of hockey people claim their team, organization, association and league has a track record of development. What happens when the truth comes out that they aren’t developing players at the frequency they once thought they did?

What is development?

Perhaps that’s the best question to ask when it comes to hockey’s newest dilemma. It’s hard to believe that “development” in the game we all love is now a “dilemma,” but its becoming more and more evident.

Hockey’s archaic thought processes and mindset of “We know how to do it better, we will show you” might not be what it once was. You see hockey people get really defensive when others question their processes or philosophies. A matter of fact a lot of people would no doubt love to settle it on the ice by dropping the gloves because that’s how confrontational and competitive this shit gets when hockey people discuss “developmental models.” How did it ever get to that point? Well, that’s an easy one to answer……money.

From a pure developmental standpoint does an organization take pride in the numbers, tradition, culture, the wins or banners or the amount of players they have produced and help get to the next level? What’s the track record like within the organization, league, association or team? Do players fundamentally improve, like I mean really improve and get better during their tenure at that level or year?

Those are legitimate questions to be asked, but God forbid anyone ask those because it’s instantly perceived as an automatic threat, challenge and an attack on the coach, team, association and league’s process and clearly people aren’t allowed to do that.

It really doesn’t matter the level whether it be U13, U15, U18 or even Major Junior, do players actually get better under the guidance of the coaching staff during their time with that organization and would that be considered “development”?

Do those organizations that promise or pride themselves as a “developmental leader” follow through or deliver on those lofty expectations? From a minor hockey perspective are parents’ and players getting their money’s worth for the development that is being promised?

Again, you can’t ask questions like that.

We can talk about demographics and certain regions being far more advanced than others or being left behind and all those aspects are perhaps ringing true now more than ever before. You can look at the numbers, and we can talk about the analytics, but the longer it takes for all parties to get on the same page or aligned the worse it’s going to get.

What is development? What does development really mean?

Perhaps in the most basic and stripped-down form of development would involve players getting better and improving. The parameters or how people can measure “development” varies. It’s safe to say both the coach and player are responsible for their role within that framework, but that doesn’t always mean that partnership or initiative is equal or shared collectively within that endeavour.

What if players aren’t developing? Who’s responsible for that? What if teams, organizations and leagues that are promising and promoting themselves as “developmental” leaders aren’t doing the job? Who holds them accountable? What happens when the truth comes out about development? Perhaps we are witnessing the truth unfolding in front of us all right now.