In basketball, there is a direct road to the National Basketball Association. Athletes must excel in high school, commit to and play for a university, and get drafted into the NBA. However, in the sport of hockey, the path to the National Hockey League is much more complicated. In addition to collegiate hockey, there are a myriad of developmental leagues that the NHL pools from. Despite this complicated process, at the center of hockey is the ideal model in preparing its youth. This all comes down to the NHL’s draft format: players can be drafted, but continue to play as an amateur before turning pro. This style of draft is something that the NBA should implement. For those unfamiliar with the sport, attempting to make sense of all the various levels and leagues of hockey is comparable to reading a different language. At the amateur level, there are junior, major junior, and collegiate leagues. Junior leagues are the precursor to both collegiate and major junior hockey. NCAA Division I hockey consists of 60 teams in different conferences while major junior hockey consists of the three leagues in the Canadian Hockey League. Players choose either the NCAA or major junior route before the age where they can legally drive a car. They then play two years at the junior level before moving to the NCAA or major juniors. From ages 18-20, players can be drafted from these leagues in the NHL, but can continue to play as amateurs. By the time players move from amateur to professional leagues, they have played two years of developmental hockey at a minimum. There are no better examples of the ability to stay as an amateur and its benefits and costs than Zach Hyman and Jamal Sampson. Hyman was drafted in the fifth round of the 2010 NHL draft. Following this draft, he played five seasons of amateur hockey at the junior and collegiate levels. He then joined the Toronto Maple Leaf’s organization and has solidified his place on their NHL roster as one of the top rookies. Sampson played one year of college basketball and entered the NBA draft where he was drafted in the second round. Following this draft, Sampson played on 5 different NBA squads in the next 5 years. In this time, he played only a total of 72 games, averaging only 2 points per game. Yes, there are players who were one and done in NCAA basketball who have excelled in the NBA like Anthony Davis, but a majority of players could benefit from developing in the amateur ranks first.
With an alphabet soup of different hockey leagues at both the amateur and professional levels, it is easy to get lost. However, with its professional draft, the NHL and hockey have the best developmental program for its young players. By allowing them to develop and grow, players are not rushed to play one year of college and rush into the limelight of the NHL. It benefits both the young individuals as well as the game. Take note, NBA.
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Sean KageffSenior at the University of Michigan studying Actuarial Math CategoriesArchives |