how to make it to nhl

Question
Hey martial I was wondering what I have to do to make it to the nhl. I am 5'6 and weigh 164lbs. I am currently in gr 11 and 16 years old. What age is usually the best time to start getting noticed do you have any tips on how i can get scouted or what i should do. I live in vancouver. Also based on your coaching experties do you have any tips on drills or anything i can do to become even faster or maybe even better hockey player. Anything that upon practise will really help me get scouted. Also is their a certiain university i should apply for to get noticed????/

Answer
Good day Jag!

This is YOUR time...  if you want to make it to Pros - you need to be in the eye of scouts starting "now"!!   If you haven't already started - your best bet is to make a JUNIOR hockey team - this will give you the "best" experience for a potentially successful career in the NHL... and get you noticed by scouts.  There should be plenty of opportunities near you.

More and more colleges are becoming great paths to the NHL -  but I am noticing that the more successful players come from the Junior Hockey system.  So that would be my personal preference.

Good hockey players are GREAT ATHLETES.  So playing different sports can help.  Golf, Soccer, Lacrosse even Baseball.  

You should also be living an athlete's lifestyle.   Good diet.   Good sleeping habits.  Good work ethic.  REGULAR (daily) strength, fitness and conditioning training, including work with plyometrics, core muscle training as well as "Acceleration programs"... (i.e. Frappier training).   You can google these terms if you are not familiar with them.

Becoming a PRO ATHLETE is a HUGE commitment...  so much so IT MUST BECOME A LIFESTYLE choice.   Most are not "natural" like Gretzky, Lemieux, Crosby, Toews, etc.  --  so it is a CONSTANT application of discipline and a genuine LOVE for not only the game - but the entire process of playing...  (i.e. you must ENJOY the practice time, the training regimen, the good, clean, healthy diet, the "sacrifices" from every day things like parties, extended vacations, sleeping in, and sometimes even certain relationships - like a steady girlfriend, etc. - to be a successful pro athlete - you have to make hard choices...  and you must accept and be happy with them...)

That's why there are only 600-700 players in the NHL and maybe over 200,000 players trying to make it!!  

You getting the idea??

Hope this helps...  feel free to follow up with any other questions!

Good luck with the puck!

Martial