The Stacked Elite Prospects Page

Let me start out by saying that the idea for this post came about when another parent mentioned that their kid didn't get credit for 2 goals in a league game.

Not that it matters, but this is one of those leagues where the volunteer in the box is required to enter the data onto a tablet so the league updates scores and stats near real time.

It's, like, pro level reporting...for kids.

Ridiculous, I know, but it is what it is.

The issue is that, even on the tried and true carbon copy score sheets of the past 40 years, the roster and stats are almost ALWAYS incorrect.

Proof in point -- this is a real picture. Two kids with the same number. It happens. A lot.

The difference now is that, in this digital world, those stats are posted online whereas, in the past, they ended up in a trio of binders (home team, road team, and officials) never to be referenced ever again.

Then it happened to my own kid and, well, kids are a lot more nimble on the internet than you'd think.

You should monitor the team chats of the younger kids every now and then...

Anyway, my kid noticed and was, ultimately, more bothered by it than he should have been.

It didn't just roll off his back...

But...I understand.

These kids all work really hard out there on the ice and to be slighted an accomplishment -- an accomplishment that's posted publicly that your peers look at frequently -- well, I can understand how that could throw his pre-teen emotions out of whack.

It's kind of like a bad yearbook photo -- that stuff just doesn't go away regardless of how insignificant it is, generally speaking.

True story -- at my 25 year High School reunion, they printed up name tags with our 9th grade photos on them.

For one of the girls, her picture that year was clearly one of those "I cut my own bangs last night" pictures.

She was mortified then, didn't find it funny and, then, decades later, it haunted her again.

30 year reunion name tags won't feature a photo, I'm guessing.

Not just for her sake...but all of us!

And here's the thing -- I've always said the stats don't matter but when it's what you're being publicly measured upon, well, it does.

Or does it?

Having been in the role of a coach, signing the game sheets, and having two kids referee, and having three kids that play, and a job in professional hockey, I look at stats from a lot of viewpoints.

Sometimes they're obviously padded.

In the past, they were often exaggerated.

I mean, every squirt team has that one kid (and their dad) boasting that they've got 96 goals already before December.

It's never true, of course, so maybe the public posting of "real" stats is a good thing, you know -- to mitigate some of the ridiculous claims out there.

Are the stats just bragging rights?

Sort of. Sure.

But they can also be utilized as a third-party verification of "that" dad's boasts.

So, like...they're good...and bad. Whether they're even correct.

I spend more time than I should looking up the path of players or coaches that my kids work with and players that play in the Fed or SPHL -- low level minor leagues in North America.

Being realistic -- if my kids were to play pro, those would likely be the leagues they'd land in so those are the guys to research.

All too often, you look at the bantam or midget stats of players in those leagues, they're middle of the pack.

Sometimes deep in the lower half.

And I know what you're thinking -- it's cause they suck.

Single A hockey is a joke.

Borderline men's league.

It's not even pro.

Anything below the NHL is a failure.

That's fine -- think that way. You, and your kid, are already lined up perfectly for disappointment.

But if you look a little closer and start clicking on the players that were leading their respective teams, stat-wise, you'll encounter something pretty fascinating.

More often than not -- those guys don't go anywhere.

This is even true in the WHL, OHL, and QMJHL.

The dude that finished 7th or 8th in scoring is the guy that went on to have a lengthy NHL career.

And that's where stats can be deceiving.

Or...misleading?

Exceptions aside, players like Connor McDavid or Connor Bedard, the player with the most points usually isn't the "best" player.

Not trying to pump the tires of my single digit per season scoring kids at all, and I know I've said it before, but if you look at the statistics of guys in the NHL when they were 14, 15, or 16 years old, there are almost always players on their midget teams that outscored them and you've never heard of those guys.

And that's why my kids' stats -- which I keep for my own baseline to, hopefully, align with the improvements I witness from year to year -- aren't super important to me.

Kinda like wins and losses.

Don't care.

End game here isn't to lead the team in scoring as a peewee or win some random tournament.

End game is to play longer than everyone else -- because the opportunities to do so continue to present themselves.

Just get better and better, overall, season over season.

I know there are 2007 and 2008 birth year kids, former teammates, that think my kid is terrible based on what he did as an under-age mite.

I know that.

Kids are mean on Instagram.

I mean -- some will even point to his publically posted league statistics.

But here's the thing -- those same kids have run out of avenues in hockey. My kid is still going.

What does that say?

I tell you exactly what it says...a referral from a respected coach, scout, or general manager is worth 1000x more than a stacked Elite Prospects profile page.

Maybe even 10000x more valuable.

Just ask those NHL guys that were 7th or 8th in scoring on their junior teams how they got drafted or found a pro opportunity overseas.

I'll tell you one thing -- it wasn't the stats listed on the internet.

It was coaches and connections that opened those doors.

A single coach with connections that recognizes what your player can bring is worth 96 goals...before December.

Another thing I've come to learn over the years is that really successful players are almost always modest.

I'm not talking about McDavid or Crosby. They seem like great guys but I don't really know them.

Like, with Wayne Gretzky, you can tell he's super proud of his accomplishments but also gets uncomfortable when he's asked about them.

Ovechkin is a different animal -- he's not modest...but he's not a jerk either. We'll leave him out of this.

I recently listened to an interview with a new coaching hire, I think it was D1, where the interviewer asked the coach how he'd be able to connect with the players given that he wasn't a D1 recruit himself.

Soapbox Tangent: I detest questions like that -- having worked in pro hockey since the 90's, when I was younger, I was frequently challenged with the ever macho, "Yeah, but did you play?" quip more times than I can count.

The short answer was...no...but I have more than a 4th grade education and know the difference between then and than and spell things correctly.

Further, a sick toe drag isn't a requirement of the services I can offer.

And, c'mon man, you didn't really "make it" either?!

Let's be honest.

That NHL prospect tag hasn't been attached to your name since you were 17 and I've been getting a check from one NHL team or another since before you were even born.

Get back to me when you hit the 2-decade mark in this game. (I've actually had a couple Grade-A a-holes come crawling back decades later asking me for things...)

Lastly -- I'm trying to help you get out of your own way! Let me help you!

Sorry -- got side-tracked there...

So, anyway, in this interview, the coach was saying that he wasn't even a good D3 player, there were a ton of phantom assists on his borderline embarrassing EP page, and that he couldn't really believe he played D3 to begin with...cause he wasn't that good.

Modest guy, for sure.

But those are the stats talking.

On paper, or the computer/phone screen, this guy was worse than any one of my kids...but he's running a D1 team right now.

Clearly, someone in midget or juniors helped him land with a D3 team. And then someone within the D3 realm recognized his skills as future coach material.

You don't get to just "sign up" for these things -- once you hit bantam, it's not like that anymore.

His "stats" didn't carry him to be a D1 NCAA hockey coach.

His skills did.

That's what you want.

Longevity.

So I've been dancing around what I'd originally intended this article to be about -- and it's having an Elite Prospects profile.

What they are, why you might want one, how to get one, and some tips for when your player has one.

So, if you've ever googled any hockey player's name, one of two sites comes up first. It's either hockeydb.com or eliteprospects.com.

They both look similiar -- basically an online version of the back of an old hockey card.

Or, for the Americans, the back of an old baseball card.

Little photo, height, weight, hometown, and then their stats from prior seasons.

Pretty simple stuff.

If you've dug a little further, you'll quickly realize that it's not just the NHL players. It's not just D1 college players. And it's not just the men, either.

It's...pretty much everybody.

Sidney Crosby has a page. Oh, look! So does that kid Greg on the bantam team with the huge hair.

Everyone...except you.

I get asked about it a lot from the teammate parents of my younger kids wondering how they can get their player listed.

I mean, like a lot of things, you can muscle (or pay) your way in.

That said, I wouldn't suggest that route -- your profiles stand out for the WRONG reasons in those cases.

But let's back up a second -- why should you want an elite prospects page?

The short answer -- it gives your player visibilty.

Until you're listed there, your player doesn't really exist outside of the team they play for.

For a vast majority of youth hockey players, that's fine.

For the smaller percentage that want to take a shot at prep school, juniors, or college hockey -- you want as much exposure as possible.

If your player's name lands on a scout's list, or a recruiter, or even a coach, the very first thing they're going to do is search for their name on EP to get an idea of the level of program they've played for in the past.

It's the quick sniff test.

Kid is listed and exists in the hockey world.

Kid played AA and then played AAA....climbing the ladder, that's good.

The decision maker sees the leagues you've played in and is familiar with the league, and the teams, and thinks, yep, we have a few returning players that originated from there.

Stats...eh. Bit of a toss up.

Oh look -- played for so-and-so...I know that guy!

Boom, your kid is pencilled in.

Advancement in hockey is all about connections.

That's why you want one.

So how do you get listed?

Like I said -- don't "buy" a profile.

You don't want a "verified" profile. You might think you do...but don't do it.

It might look like the blue checkmark on social media...but it's not a status symbol in this realm.

It's more like raising your hand and saying -- "It's me, hi, I'm the problem parent no one wants to deal with..."

Instead -- let it happen organically...all on it's own.

It's not hard.

The secret ingredient -- play for a program that plays in a league that keeps stats. So, like, when selecting a team to play for, make sure it's a league that you've already seen kids with profiles have played in...the the roster of the team a level ahead of your player.

That's it.

Oh, and don't get antsy about it.

No one cares about squirts. No one cares about peewees either -- you'll realize that as the Quebec Tournament comes and goes for your player.

U14 is the starting line.

U14 is absolutely the point where kids start getting sorted into different paths.

Your kid will play in a few league games...and boom, it might take until December in some cases, buy your entire roster will suddenly show up with profiles.

Congrats! You've joined the club.

Now, another thing I get asked about pretty frequently is "How come they say my kid only played 12 games last season and had 4 goals? We played 65 games and he had 70 points..."

Fair question for someone new to all of this.

Totally fair question.

If you've been playing AA or AAA hockey for a few seasons, you're likely already aware that your kid's team probably plays in a few different leagues simultaneously and also plays some independent non-league games too, you know, just to get you up to the 60-65 games per season threshhold that so many hockey parents crave (for a long list of terrible reasons).

Elite Prospects doesn't give a rip about those games you played against the town level team you share a building with.

They also don't care about those games that were against non-league opponents, even if they may have been really competitive.

And they really don't care about how you did at that Lake Placid tournament that cost you almost as much as the full season tuition did.

Silver Sticks Champion? Nope, sorry. Don't care.

They only care about league games.

Top end league games.

In my area, THF and AYHL are the biggies. EJEPL is a secondary league that sill gets some recognition from EP...kind of a legacy thing.

USA Hockey town league stuff? Yeah, sorry...no.

State Championship tournament games?

Sorry, man...those don't hold any weight at all. ← This article ruffled a lot of feathers when I wrote it...

And I'm talking about U14.

Your little guy could be tearing it up in the EHF, E9, or even the THF as a squirt...but, like I said...most squirts don't last until they're 15.

EliteProspects is a level one a recruiting tool.

There's a ton of filler even at the U14 level that gets listed -- there is zero need for U12 or U10 too.

Well, except to boost egos.

So when you start looking up 14, 15, and 16 year olds and wonder why it looks like they only play a dozen or so games per season -- that's not the reality of their seasons. Those are just the games, from leagues, that are worthy of being picked up by Elite Prospects.

Now, this is where recruiting gets tricky...

I mentioned way up there at the top that the players with amazing stat lines often amount to very little...and it's a weird paradox.

Moreso for forwards than defense.

Like, forwards are overly measured on their production. If you're not scoring -- how great of a forward can you be?

And I know a TON of parents that put a TON of pressure on their kids to score, score, score.

You see it at mites, you see it at squirt, you see it at peewee.

I hate to say it...but you see it with 15 and 16 year olds too.

Guaranteed -- there's a player on your team right now that gets PAID for each goal they score.

And, yes, absolutely, a carrot like that is motivating and frequently does lead to a pretty impressive stat line and, yes, that will get you noticed by recruiters or scouts.

The downside is that when they come to see you in person -- or watch a game on Livebarn -- your player will be outed.

If you're going in on a 2-on-1 -- and, look, at a certain level, that's a guaranteed goal 80% of the time -- and a player choses to take it all the way in himself even though a pass would result in a, sure thing, tap-in...the epic stat line starts to make sense.

Selfish players have better stats. They do.

But they don't make very good hockey players -- especially when they can't shake those habits even when surrounded by really talented players.

Twenty bucks from dad? Or passing to Jared over there who might score or might not?

The kid's taking a run at the pay day, everytime.

And, as kids get older, damn, is it ever obvious who those kids are.

Especially for scouts and recruiters who know the signs and what to look for.

That's exactly why, when you get into an EP wormhole, you notice guys in the NHL weren't the top points guys on their bantam teams.

Some dude you've never heard of was...and following his path, you see they fizzle out in lower end junior leagues.

Broken record alert -- The "best" player on a youth hockey team, usually, isn't the best player.

On the other hand -- I don't want to say that stats don't matter either.

If your kid plays 65 games in a season and 15 are the league games you already know are going to end up on their EP page -- amp your kid up for those games.

The EP page, and related stats, are your entry point. That's important.

You want to pique some interest to get them to watch your player play or even reach out to your coach.

Now, for defense, it's a little different. They're not measured on their goal production. I mean, you don't want to be the 0-0-0-44 guy over a dozen games either.

All wise hockey folks know that, for defense, points come from two places.

It's either a defenseman that lines up on D but doesn't really play defense at all...or it's a reflection of the on-ice opportunities the player is granted.

For extrapolating that from the numbers alone, one is good...the other is better.

Not something most hockey parents grasp.

So, like, you don't want to be the zero points, tons of PIMs defenseman.

But you also don't want to be the goal-per-game defenseman either.

Somewhere in the middle is ideal.

The guys on the ends will be "exposed" once their play is reviewed in-person.

The guys in the middle rise to the top.

Now, all of this individual stats stuff is said based on the entire team being of a high level.

Sure, there are kids lighting it up against inferior competition in leagues all over the place...but that's what EP is trying to limit based on the leagues they allow inclusion.

There aren't terrible players in the top leagues.

They don't exist.

And that's why the 12-15 games worth of stats on EP are an adequate measuring stick...to get your player beyond that initial list of, yeah, no, not interested...

Okay, tips for when you are listed...

First, don't go out of your way to get things like height and weight listed. If they're blank now, leave them that way.

Honestly -- unless it's a mandatory field or you're certain it will benefit your player, always leave details like that blank.

I've encountered a few 18 year old players, really good hockey players, where their EP page lists them as 5'3" and 115lbs.

That's gonna turn heads for all the wrong reasons...

It ended up that way because, somewhere along the way, their details were plugged in when they were 13 years old and now they can't seem to shake them.

Things like that -- size stuff that's still on the up and up -- I'd always recommend leaving blank as frequently as you can.

Until the player is 18 or 19 years old, it's better for it to be "undetermined".

If they're playing at a certain level, a high level, the leagues will enforce those numbers are entered...and at that point, your player will be listed a 6'1", 220lbs.

That's what recruiters want to see.

If you're in this prediciment now -- ask around a bit.

Someone in your hockey social circle likely has the ability to submit updates without having to provide their left shoe and their car keys, while also promising to return a locker room key.

(Psst -- local folks, I can help if you need it. Just let me know. Years of working for two professional leagues has it's privileges...)

Don't "verify" your profile. You don't want it to be openly listed that, you know, I'm his dad and I submitted this glowing review and also paid for an account as a coach and checked off how great my kid's stickhandling skills are.

It's the check mark of shame.

Resist the urge.

Let your kid's pave their own path...based on their play.

---

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