BEHIND THE BENCH: Why Him?

Hi everyone,

One of the easiest traps for a player to fall into is watching what happens to the player sitting next to him and using that as the measuring stick for his own path.

Your teammate gets drafted. Your friend gets tendered. Another player gets a call from a junior coach. Someone else is moving to Canada, billeting with a new team, getting invited to a main camp, or hearing from programs that have not called you yet. When you are chasing the same levels and playing in the same circles, it is natural to notice those things and wonder why something is happening for another player before it happens for you.

Noticing isn't the issue. Where it goes wrong is when that comparison starts shaping how you see your own situation.

In hockey, the visible result is almost never the whole story. You may know what you see on the ice. You may know the stats, the line combinations, the power-play time, or who you believe is the better player. What you usually do not know is the full context behind the opportunity. You do not know how long a junior staff has been watching that player. You do not know whether a coach had previous ties to the family, whether an advisor helped build the connection, whether the player fits a specific roster need, or whether that opportunity has been developing quietly for months.

None of that means an opportunity was political, or deserved, or undeserved. It just means judging your own path by someone else's result is a bad habit to fall into. Two players can look similar from the outside and still be viewed very differently by the people making decisions.

That is why "why him?" is usually the wrong question. The better question is, "What do I need?" Is your game actually improving, are your habits getting better, do your skills match the level you're trying to reach. Are you in the right environment for where you're at right now, are you being seen by the right people, are you building real relationships with coaches in leagues that make sense for you. Those things matter far more than trying to copy somebody else's path.

Every player's situation is different. Age, position, size, skating, habits, academics, maturity, geography, family resources, advisor relationships, team needs, timing, and coach preferences all play a part. That is why one player's tender, camp invite, billet situation, or league movement cannot automatically be used as proof that another player is ahead or behind.

The player sitting next to you might be a teammate, a friend, or someone you feel like you're competing with directly, but his tender doesn't define your value, his camp invite doesn't mean you're being overlooked, and his movement doesn't mean your path is wrong. It's just his.

At the same time, that's not an excuse to ignore your own situation. If players around you are moving forward, that should not create panic, but it should push you toward an honest look at where you stand. If your game is improving, your development environment is strong, and the right people know who you are, then stay focused and keep building. If your development has stalled, your exposure is limited, or you do not have meaningful relationships with the programs you are hoping to reach, then it may be time to reassess the plan.

It's not about copying the guy next to you. It's about knowing where you stand, what you actually need, and how to keep moving forward with purpose.

In junior hockey, opportunity is built through development, preparation, honest evaluation, communication, and relationships. You cannot control who calls your teammate, but you can control whether your own game is improving, whether your current path still makes sense, and whether the right people actually know who you are and what you are working to become. That is where your focus needs to stay.

Keep grinding,

Mike

­

Fifty-three American players were selected in the 2026 NHL Draft at Buffalo’s KeyBank Center, with 16 states represented. Chase Reid led the group, going seventh overall to the Seattle Kraken, while NTDP standout Wyatt Cullen went 10th to Nashville. Five Americans were chosen in the first round, 14 selections had USA Hockey National Team Development Program ties, and 23 played in the USHL during 2025-26, reinforcing the strength of American hockey development pathways.

­

Hlinka Gretzky Cup alumni made a major impact at the 2026 NHL Draft, with 70 former tournament players selected, including 21 first-round picks. Canada led all nations with 17 selections, highlighted by first overall pick Gavin McKenna, while Sweden followed with 14 and the United States had 12. The annual summer under-18 tournament continues to showcase elite NHL Draft prospects, with the 2026 Hlinka Gretzky Cup set for Aug. 3-8 in Edmonton.

­­

College hockey made history at the 2026 NHL Draft, with 19 current and incoming NCAA players selected in the first round and 109 taken overall. The surge was driven by Major Junior-to-NCAA movement, highlighted by first overall pick Gavin McKenna of Penn State. Michigan State led all schools with nine total selections, including five first-round recruits, while North Dakota, Boston University, Denver and Penn State also featured top prospects in a draft that signaled a major development-pathway shift.

­

Green Bay Gamblers captured the 2025-26 USHL Organization of the Year award after a standout season on and off the ice. Led by Pat McCadden, the Gamblers posted a 38-18-4-2 record, drew strong Resch Center crowds, and matched the league’s best home winning percentage. Record ticketing, merchandise, and concession sales fueled major community donations, while Zach Wooten, Landon Hafele, Leo Henriquez, and alum Cooper Cleaves earned 2026 NHL Draft selections.

­­

The Western Hockey League closed a strong 2025-26 season with rising attendance, record WHL on Victory+ viewership, a sold-out Memorial Cup in Kelowna, and Everett’s first WHL Championship. The league also celebrated 39 NHL Draft selections, major CHL Awards, and continued WHL Scholarship investment. For 2026-27, changes include a one-week regular season extension, select air travel, a “No Return” three-on-three overtime pilot, and best-of-five first-round WHL Playoffs.

­

Ontario Hockey League clubs selected 32 players in the 2026 CHL Import Draft, including 21 forwards, six defencemen and five goaltenders. Oshawa chose Czech defenceman Matyas Michalek first overall, while London added Vegas Golden Knights first-rounder Juho Piiparinen. The OHL Draft class features five NHL-drafted players, 15 prospects eligible for the 2027 NHL Draft, and five 2028 NHL Draft candidates. Czechia and Russia led all countries with eight selections each.

­­

QMJHL teams selected 38 European players in the 2026 CHL International Draft, adding new international prospects across all clubs. Halifax opened the QMJHL portion by taking Austrian forward Paul Sintschnig second overall after acquiring the pick from Baie-Comeau. Rimouski chose Czech winger Maxmilian Mares fifth, while Gatineau selected Russian-born forward Ilya Pautov eighth. New draft rules allowed 20-year-olds in any round, limited 16-year-olds to round one, and preserved three international roster spots.

­­

Nine players with NAHL ties were selected in the 2026 NHL Draft, including two full-season 2025-26 players from the League of Opportunity. Mikhail Cherepanov became the first full-season skater drafted directly from the NAHL since 2018, going to Dallas, while Artem Prima went to Utah. Former NAHL standouts included first-round pick Chase Reid, Montreal selection Timofei Runtso, and goaltenders Carl Axelsson, Roberto Henriquez and Ryan Cameron, highlighting the league’s growing NHL development impact.

­

The BCHL and Vancouver Canucks Alumni named six former players as 2025-26 BCHL Canucks Alumni Scholarship recipients. Colton Cameron, Jordan Fairlie, Owen Goodbrand, Luca Grabas, Logan Holm and Chase Sandhu will each receive $2,500 toward post-secondary education. Established in 1987, the scholarship program recognizes academics, hockey career, community service and BCHL experience. With $589,000 awarded since launch, the initiative continues supporting BCHL alumni pursuing success in school and hockey.

­

The EHL and EHLP announced their 2026-27 playoff formats, Regional Finals and Frozen Finals plans. EHL postseason play will include play-in games, first-round matchups, reseeding and best-of-three series, while EHLP teams will follow a similar structure. Regional Finals run April 9-11 at Babson College and Trinity College, giving contenders neutral NCAA Division III venues. Champions will be crowned April 15-17 at Providence College’s Schneider Arena during the Frozen Finals.

­

Players and families, we want to hear from you. If there are any questions, concerns, or if you just want to have a conversation, please feel free to contact us directly. We want to hear from you. Good Luck and Great Hockey!

 

Thank you,

Team VHC

 

­­­­