Satow, Clay wrote:
> Especially if that "tons of ice time" means lots of GAMES.
>
> One of the excellent points made in the Toronto Globe and Mail series was
> that European hockey development was more skills and practice based than
> North American hockey, which is competition and game based.  (snip)
 
Actually,  the European system you are discussing is more practice based
at a younger age (6-13/14).  Using a pyramid philosophy,  the practice
time should lessen with the advance to junior/college level--and game
time to utilize skills should improve.
 
Our problem in North America is most parents want to see their
7-year-old kid play 40 games.  And they certainly don't want to sit
through practices.  These are the key years for skill development--the
tools as coaches call them.  The late teenage years are the time to
polish the tools and develop the toolbox (brain).
 
I believe that a 17-20 year old player should be playing a bit more than
a college schedule (30-40),  but a bit less than a typical junior sked
(up to 80).  There is a happy medium there,  and college could really
help itself if it increase the schedule by even 4-6 games.
 
> What does this say for college hockey?  Well, most college hockey teams have
> game schedules that are relatively light during the week.  They practice,
> learn new things.  They aren't on the road a lot.  The good coaches are good
> teachers.  So college hockey more closely resembles a European system than
> the major juniors.
Yes and no,  because by the time they are 18 in Europe--top players are
in their pro leagues,  playing against older competition (like
college),  but in a longer schedule (50-60 games with
tournaments/international events).  They are also playing against MUCH
older competition.
 
> Rather than looking at the draft, let's look at actual performance.
> According to the NHL website, the top rookie scorers are:
>
>         1. Muckalt
>         2.  Drury
>         3.  Morrison
>         4.  Hejduk
>         5.  Parrish
>         6.  Sharifijanov
>         7.  Kaberle
>         8.  Hrdina
>         9.  Watt
>         10. Maneluk
>
> Mostly US Collegians and Europeans.  Now it's fair to note that the US
> Collegians are "old rookies" but at least with the case of Muckalt, Drury,
> and Morrison, they have been successful in the NHL without needing the "tons
> of ice time" that they might have gotten in major juniors or in the minor
> leagues.
This is a very positive sign for college development.  However,  watch
the next two months--as players who have only seen a 40-45 game season
get into games 60 through 80.  If they keep going,  that's awesome.
It's definitely a key point to watch,  though.
 
S. Monaghan
 
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