BEHIND THE BENCH: The Other Report Card

Dear Students,

Ask a hockey parent how many goals their son has scored this season, how much ice time he’s getting, or whether his skating has improved, and you’ll usually get a pretty good answer. They know his schedule, which teams are watching, and where he hopes to play next. Ask what his grades look like today, whether he has missing assignments, or whether his classes will keep his college options open, and the answers tend to get a lot vaguer.

We put enormous effort into developing young players, and rightly so. Between practices, game review, camps, and decisions about which team offers the best chance to advance, there’s always something demanding attention. Meanwhile, another record is being built one assignment and one semester at a time, and the colleges where these players hope to continue their careers will eventually read it. A coach can love what he sees on the ice and still be unable to bring a player into his program if the academic pieces don’t fit, whether because of an eligibility requirement or the college’s own admissions standards. Hockey ability may open the conversation, but it won’t erase what happened in the classroom.

October is a good time to take stock, because the first grading period is ending or approaching at many schools and families can finally see how the year is going. A poor test grade or a handful of missed assignments doesn’t have to become a season-long problem, but it’s much easier to fix now than to discover in the spring that an entire semester has slipped away.

Doing well enough to graduate from high school is also different from taking the courses NCAA eligibility requires. Division I and Division II have specific requirements for approved core courses and the grades earned in them. Division I, for example, requires 16 approved core-course credits and a minimum 2.3 core-course GPA, which is calculated from approved academic courses rather than every class on the report card. Timing matters as well. For students following the U.S. high school pathway, Division I requires certain core courses to be finished before senior year begins. Division III schools set their own admissions and academic standards, and Canadian families need to understand how provincial coursework is evaluated and what each college expects. Nobody expects parents to become NCAA compliance officers, but someone does need to check the academic plan before a problem becomes difficult to correct.

I understand why schoolwork gets pushed aside. A player comes home late from practice, spends a weekend on the road, misses a class for travel, and suddenly has three assignments and a test waiting for him. Add the exhaustion of a demanding hockey schedule and it’s tempting to say he’ll catch up next week, but next week usually brings another practice, another road trip, and another set of deadlines. Players living away from home face an even bigger challenge. Parents may not see the unfinished work piling up, and a player learning to manage school, hockey, and daily life on his own may not realize how quickly things are getting away from him. That’s no reason to lower expectations, but it’s a good reason to build a routine he can actually maintain.

Start by sitting down with your son and looking at the full picture instead of just the overall average. Check individual grades, incomplete assignments, upcoming tests, and any subjects where he’s struggling, and let him explain what’s happening and what he thinks needs to change. Then talk with his school counselor about the courses he has completed, the ones he’s taking now, and the ones he should take next year. If college hockey is the goal, make sure the counselor knows it.

From there, work out a weekly plan that accounts for real hockey commitments. Maybe homework needs to be finished before a Friday departure, maybe travel time can be used for reading or studying, or maybe a teacher needs advance notice about an absence. The system can be simple, but the player has to take responsibility for following it. Parents can check on progress without doing the work for him.

Strong academics can also do more than satisfy eligibility rules. Some colleges offer merit-based financial assistance, including Division III schools that don’t award athletic scholarships. Good grades won’t guarantee admission or aid, but they can put a player in a better position when those decisions are made.

We talk a lot about preparing players for the next level, and we want them ready when an opportunity appears. Academics belong in that conversation. Scouts and coaches can help a player get noticed, and advisors can help families navigate the hockey side of the process, but when the college opportunity arrives, the player has to have done his part in the classroom to be ready for it.

Pencils Down,

Mike

­

Prime Video’s six-episode Canadian original docuseries Hometown Giants follows the Vancouver Giants through their challenging 2025–26 Western Hockey League season. Part-owners Michael Bublé and Drew Scott aim to revive the franchise amid leadership changes, crucial trades, and injuries. Young hockey prospects, including Ryan Lin and Torretto Marrelli, navigate personal relationships, high school, and NHL dreams while competing in major junior hockey. Produced by Scott Brothers Entertainment and Amazon MGM Studios, the series offers behind-the-scenes access and streams exclusively on Prime Video worldwide.

­

British Columbia junior hockey enters the 2026–27 season with two new leagues: the 22-team Hockey Canada-sanctioned BCHC and the 10-team independent WIJHL, which maintains close ties to the BCHL. Both leagues offer distinct player development pathways, roster regulations, and competitive opportunities. Hockey Canada's September 30 eligibility rule restricts midseason transfers from independent to sanctioned leagues. With significant participation costs and uncertain advancement opportunities, families must carefully evaluate coaching, fees, team histories, and potential WHL, BCHL, or NCAA pathways before

­­

The 2026–27 NCAA Division I men's college hockey season opens with the Big Ten and NCHC leading nonconference winning percentages. Proposed NCAA recruiting changes could delay scholarship offers until players enter their senior year of high school. Player safety concerns follow serious hits involving Merrimack and Maine athletes. Meanwhile, Arizona State welcomes new coach Dave Hakstol, and major matchups featuring Michigan versus defending national champion Denver, Colorado College versus UConn, and Minnesota versus Minnesota Duluth highlight the early-season college hockey schedule. 

­

Former Arizona State University hockey coach Greg Powers will receive a $1.3 million payout following his mutually agreed departure after player Matthew Mayich collapsed during an August 20 outdoor workout. The settlement, representing 75% of Powers' remaining contract, will be distributed through 2028. Powers must cooperate with potential legal proceedings involving the incident. Mayich's family criticized the negotiated departure, demanding accountability and a transparent investigation into the circumstances surrounding the workout. The controversy raises concerns about college hockey player safety and university oversight.

­­

Hockey Canada has updated its 2026–27 playing rules to strengthen player safety, improve officiating consistency, and clarify penalties. Key changes include mandatory stoppages when pucks strike goaltenders' masks at U13 and younger levels, revised delayed penalty procedures, and clearer high-sticking interpretations. Additional updates address refusing to start play, accidental net displacement in U18 AAA, and officiating signals. Proper helmet fit is also a major enforcement priority, with warnings and misconduct penalties for violations. Hockey Canada offers instructional videos explaining the changes. 

­

The Ontario Hockey League (OHL) and FloHockey are expanding free junior hockey coverage with a new Saturday Game of the Week series on YouTube. The 2026–27 broadcast schedule features 22 matchups involving all 20 OHL teams, running from October 17 through March 20, 2027. Combined with the existing Friday Night Faceoff series, fans will enjoy 48 free OHL broadcasts throughout the regular season. Games will stream live worldwide without a subscription, with flexible scheduling to highlight rivalries, emerging stars, and playoff races.

­­

A proposed 10-game call-up system could create a stronger player development pathway between the NA3HL and NAHL. The plan would allow eligible NA3HL players to compete with NAHL teams without permanently leaving their existing rosters, providing valuable exposure and advancement opportunities. Junior hockey commentator Stephen Heisler urges NAHL Commissioner Mark Frankenfeld and USA Hockey to establish transparent eligibility rules, prevent organizations from blocking call-ups, and strengthen coaching accountability. The proposal prioritizes performance-based advancement over traditional tenders and draft selections. 

­­

The Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) penalized the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada by removing two standings points following a player eligibility violation. Defenseman Mathieu Généreux participated in the team's 6–2 victory over the Victoriaville Tigres on October 12 without the required affiliation paperwork being submitted. After Victoriaville filed a formal complaint, the QMJHL applied Article 10 of Regulation R-5, overturning the victory. The disciplinary decision left the Armada with seven points and three wins through 12 games, dropping the team to 17th overall. 

­

The 2026 Memorial Cup generated an estimated $50.9 million in new spending across Greater Kelowna, setting a tournament economic impact record. Hosted by the WHL’s Kelowna Rockets from May 21–31, the Canadian Hockey League championship attracted sellout crowds and sold 47,780 tickets. The Kitchener Rangers claimed their third Memorial Cup title. Beyond tourism revenue, the event contributed $137,000 toward local charities and scholarships, while $3.8 million in Prospera Place upgrades strengthened Kelowna’s sports infrastructure and long-term community legacy.

­

The Eastern Hockey League's Northeast All-Stars delivered two competitive performances during the 2026 EHL All-Star College Series, falling 4–2 to Keene State College and 4–3 to Rivier University on October 16–17. Casey Fuller, Jack Doherty, Garrett Aceto, Easton Gates, and George Kavanaugh contributed key goals. Goaltender Tanner Ball impressed with 27 saves on 28 shots across both games, earning selection to the Main All-Star Team. The exhibition matchups showcased junior hockey talent against NCAA college competition.

­

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

 

­­­­