As many of you know, I’ve been immersed recently in courses and research into the world of scouting, advising and agency. I’ve been taught by, and personally talked to, numerous junior, collegiate and NHL professionals the past several months. Some of what they’ve shared in evaluating players isn’t particularly surprising, but the key attributes they look for in a player might be different than what one would assume. And more importantly, they are all things that are completely within your control as an athlete.
Skills
Overall skills of course is a given at high levels of the sport. And it’s no surprise that skating is the number one item coaches and scouts look for when it comes to skill — and one that is still greatly neglected by youth hockey players. Many a GM and scout curse the advent of YouTube and social media, where individuals can become internet stars with fancy moves that kids want to emulate. The problem is they say, is that players tend to focus on learning how to do showy plays like the “Michigan” and spend less time working on fundamentals such as skating. One WHL scout called it the “Harlem Globetrotters on ice.” They all agreed that once players are at a level where they’re being scouted, their general skills are usually quite good, but jumps in specific skills such as shooting, technique and especially skating can still be attained.
Hockey I.Q.
Hockey I.Q. is another characteristic that scouts look for. We all talk about how important hockey I.Q. is, but never talk about how you actually develop hockey I.Q. Contrary to some, hockey I.Q. isn’t something your born with, or some nebulous trait that just happens by luck or God given ability. Hockey I.Q. is learned. As mentioned above, do you spend your time watching guys with slick shots all day on Instagram, or do you watch complete hockey games, paying attention to who is where on the ice, how plays develop, and positioning away from the puck?
One of my favorite stories involves Wayne Gretzky. When he was growing up, he and his dad would watch games on Hockey Night in Canada every Saturday night. He had a notepad where he would mark where the puck started, and where it ended up on any given place on the ice. He started to notice patterns and began to anticipate plays, rather than reacting. It’s one of the reasons he was perhaps the greatest player of all time. His hockey I.Q. was off the charts due to his diligent study of the game and ability to innovate based on his learned knowledge.
You want hockey I.Q.? Become a student of the game. Watch the pros, pay attention in practice, even when it’s not your turn, instead of keeping your head down, messing around with the puck. Watch the best players from the bench and see what they do. And watch you own game, no matter how painful. What can you do better? How can you outsmart your opponents? Now go try these out in a game. You’ll be surprised by how much you improve.
Body Language
Attitude and body language are another area that every single scout and GM that I talked to put in their top 3-4 attributes they look for. There are the basics which again, at higher levels is assumed. It sounds simple, but there are nuances. Slamming your stick on the ice when the coach calls you off because you think you got short-shifted, throwing your head back when your teammate misses your pass, not hustling to the bench when your line is changing or kicking the boards when you get to the bench all will quickly get you crossed off a scouts list forever. Even if you’re simply mad at yourself, those watching you won’t know that. Control your emotions and be team player. There simply are too many talented players out there for a scout to turn a blind eye to a bad attitude. Chewing out your teammate, yelling on the bench or even a frustrated shaking of your head won’t go unnoticed by scouts who look for these intangibles.
Compete Level
Finally, probably the most important thing scouts look for is compete level. Not to be confused with work ethic, compete level is having that seemingly innate drive to beat your opponent to the puck, win every battle along the boards and to make sacrifices every time you’re out on the ice. Think about it. Are you the player that gets to the dirty parts of the ice, digging along the boards and sacrificing your body by standing in the paint, or do you just hang out in the slot waiting for someone to pass you the puck? Do you back check, forecheck and rattle the other players, or do you cherry pick at the opposite blue line hoping to get that breakaway pass? Do you initiate contact or take a hit to make a play? Or, do you coast into the corners and stand back, reaching in with your stick to try to grab the puck without getting hit?
Yet again, the ability to compete can be learned and is not necessarily a trait that you’re born with. Take for example a player who came to me as a senior in high school on a very average high school team. He needed work on skating. Badly. He had some fast-twitch muscles, but couldn’t even cross over. But what made up for it was his incredible compete level. Gavin had only played hockey a few years, and had only played rec hockey until midway through his sophomore year in high school when he decided he wanted to play juniors. He played so well at the CCM showcase (and by then could cross-over, by the way) that he was offered a contract with a Tier 3 team by his bench coach. Even knowledgeable hockey dads who had played college hockey noticed him due to his complete level. He simply stood out. No one could believe he had only played competitive hockey for just two years.
What is Gavin’s secret? He played football his entire life. Anyone who has played or is familiar with the sport knows there is no hiding in football. There is no coasting, no disappearing from opponents, no shifts you can take off and no cherry picking for pretty plays. It is a physical battle every single play. Days spent in the gym are grueling, not just for getting stronger and faster, but for preservation of your body. There is no team sport that demands the work that football does. As a result, Gavin came to higher level hockey with the training, confidence and experience to compete every shift. Battling on the ice is easy for him and he’s learned not everyone else is willing to get their nose dirty (he currently sits second in rookie stats on his team.). The moral of the story? Work hard every day on an off the ice, gain confidence, and you will discover that you can compete at a high level. And with repetition, as with all hockey skills, it will become simply part of your game.
Now go earn it
In summary, everything that scouts look for can be learned and earned. It’s not magic, and it’s not natural athleticism. It’s dedicating yourself to the sport, addressing the issues above and showing scouts your value as a player.
Becoming a pro or a higher-level hockey player isn’t easy. It’s a grind. When I go to my local gym, I find plenty of high school athletes: Football, basketball, lacrosse and even baseball players working out in their offseason, or weekends and off-days in-season. I have yet to see a hockey player, however (more on this in the next article). There are so many things that you have control over, so stop dreaming and start becoming that player you want to be.
