So You Want Your Kid To Play Pro Hockey

Less than 0.001% of all kids that start playing hockey will play a single game in the NHL. Those lucky enough to come close will experience a world filled with incredible highs and perilous lows. "So You Want Your Kid to Play Pro Hockey" takes the reader on a journey through the various levels of hockey to learn about politics, misconceptions, predators and hazing, drug addiction and alcohol abuse, and several other cultural intricacies. Learn about the differences between the NCAA and Major Junior, what hockey is like in the Southern U.S. and Eastern Europe, and why the process is more important than the end result. Experience the game of hockey from a new perspective. Strap on the gear, get beneath the helmet and take an uncensored peek at hockey's truly unique culture.

Dan Bylsma, of the Los Angeles Kings, has achieved his childhood dream of playing in the North American National Ice Hockey League (NHL). It was a dream cultivated on a small homemade ice rink maintained by his father Jay in the backyard of their home.

What does it take to make it in pro hockey? Los Angeles Kings forward Dan Bylsma and his father, Jay, offer a wealth of inside information for young players. Dan Bylsma shares his experiences rising up through the ranks of amateur and professional hockey while giving advice on issues including becoming a team player, knowing the rules, relating to coaches and teammates, and working hard.

To play professional hockey, you need plenty of grit and determination?it's a physically and emotionally punishing job. Millions of people are expecting you to give your all, connect on your checks, outskate your competitors, and do whatever it takes to score goals. To perform at that level, you must be in impeccable shape all year round. You'll spend hundreds of hours practicing skills, working with teammates, and watching video. Plus you'll need to cope with constant media attention and all of the travel that goes with the 82-game season. But for those who reach the pros, the long hours and hard work are totally worth it. This book, which was reviewed by 12-year National Hockey League (NHL) veteran Mark Parrish, offers an authentic look at what life is like as a pro hockey player. You'll learn: ? How players climb the ranks to reach the NHL ? The types of workouts and dietary plans NHL players use ? How NHL players prevent and treat injuries Go behind the scenes and see what it's really like to be an NHL star!

The Art of Scouting delves into the secretive world of hockey prospecting, a world more akin to Cold War-era spying than a casual day in the stands. Scouts decide whether a player has the talent to make the final step to the NHL-or not-but what they do and how they do it are a mystery to most fans. Shane Malloy is one of the first media personalities to be welcomed into the world of scouting and brings to hockey fans an enlightening and fascinating narrative that explains the culture, history, science and art of hockey scouting. Malloy's unique experience-combined with interviews featuring scouts, coaches and hockey executives- will give readers a true understanding and appreciation for what scouts do and how they do it, what it really takes to make it to the NHL, and how to watch the game like a scout. Praise for The Art of Scouting: "If you love hockey but wonder how teams are built and what goes into scouting, then this book is a gem." — Kelly Hrudey, Hockey Night in Canada Analyst "The work that Shane has done is based on knowledge and diligence. We have great respect for this project as it has tremendous substance to it. An excellent source of information." —Doug Wilson, Executive Vice President and General Manager, San Jose Sharks "If you have ever been at a hockey game and seen the scouts in the corner and wondered what they do, how they do it and why they do it, The Art of Scouting by Shane Malloy will take you inside their world." —Bob McKenzie, TSN Hockey Insider "For anyone fascinated by player evaluation and what goes into it, this is a must-read. Interesting perspectives and a good cast of characters. Thought-provoking and entertaining." —Peter Loubardias, Hockey Broadcaster,Rogers Sportsnet "The Art of Scouting provides readers with a behind-the-scenes view of the sport's lifeblood...scouting and the people that do it...A great read for any hockey fan." —Brad Treliving, Vice President and Assistant General Manager, Phoenix Coyotes

A New York Times bestselling author takes a rollicking deep dive into the ultra-competitive world of youth hockey Rich Cohen, the New York Times–bestselling author of The Chicago Cubs: Story of a Curse and Monsters: The 1985 Chicago Bears and the Wild Heart of Football, turns his attention to matters closer to home: his son’s elite Pee Wee hockey team and himself, a former player and a devoted hockey parent. In Pee Wees: Confessions of a Hockey Parent, Cohen takes us through a season of hard-fought competition in Fairfield County, Connecticut, an affluent suburb of New York City. Part memoir and part exploration of youth sports and the exploding popularity of American hockey, Pee Wees follows the ups and downs of the Ridgefield Bears, the twelve-year-old boys and girls on the team, and the parents watching, cheering, conniving, and cursing in the stands. It is a book about the love of the game, the love of parents for their children, and the triumphs and struggles of both.

For the past several years veteran hockey mom Christie Casciano’s monthly Hockey Mom columns have been required reading for the half million readers of USA Hockey Magazine. Drawing on her twenty years in the youth hockey trenches, she brings a wit and wisdom that comes with spending countless hours in the rink. Mixing in a little cutting humor and some good old-fashioned motherly advice, her articles speak to and for grizzled veterans and newcomers to the sport alike. My Kids Play Hockey is a compilation of Christie’s work. Some of her topics include: Back to School, Back to Hockey: Getting Ready for a Fresh Season How to Act Like an Adult at a Youth Hockey Game Organizing Your Hockey Household Valuable Lessons Learned during a Losing Season Striking a Balance between being Coach and a Parent Whether your kid shoots a puck, kicks a soccer ball or swings a baseball bat, Christie’s sound and sage advice should be required reading for all sports parents. Because when it comes to keeping your head in the game, this mother definitely knows best.

Is your child obsessed with hockey? Does he (or she) want to be hockey player when they grow up? Here is an excellent book that they are sure to enjoy. This book is all about growing up and becoming a hockey player. It is an excellent resource for kid's careers. The book shares all the tips needed to become a hockey player - from practicing skating and listening to their coaches - and goes on to outline the rules of the game and tells about the players. Your child will want to read this book over and over again. It has original artwork illustrations in full color. It is easy to read and understand and would be ideal for children 6 - 12 years of age. Help your child fulfill their dream of becoming a hockey player when they grow up. Learning all about the game is the first step.

“One of this continent’s master craftsmen of sporting prose” (Sports Illustrated) and three-time National Magazine Award-winner Gare Joyce goes undercover to learn the secrets of NHL scouts. Veteran sports writer Gare Joyce realizes a long-held secret ambition as he spends a full season embedded as a hockey scout. Joyce’s year on the hockey beat is a steep learning curve for him; NHL scouts spend each season gathering information on players fighting it out to break into the world of professional hockey. They watch hundreds of games, speak to scores of players, parents, team-mates and other scouts, amassing profiles on all the top contenders. It’s a form of risk assessment–is this young hopeful deserving of a multi-million dollar contract?–and it can be a tough and thankless task. Scouts are ground into the game, picking up nuances of play that even the most committed fan would miss, but they are looking at more than just how well a kid can play. And come the final draft, only a tiny percentage of their full year’s work might matter. Examining the amount of information gathered on the under-eighteen hopefuls, the scrutiny to which they are subjected, and the differences between the rigour of American and Canadian junior teams, Joyce opens a window on the life and methods of an NHL scout and penetrates the mysterious world of scouting as no one has before.

Many professional athletes begin their journey as children. Hockey players are no different. Wayne Gretzky learned to skate when he was 2½ years old! However, hard work and practice are what allow those with talent to make it to the next level. Readers are introduced to the common paths to becoming a pro hockey player, from youth leagues all the way to the NHL. Each chapter focuses on one step of the necessary training for pros, including full-color photographs and information about hockey superstars. Aspiring players can learn a lot about what it takes to excel on the ice!