The State of Hockey Development in Canada: A Call for Change

Jan 4, 2025

by Jeff Lynt

Canada’s recent struggles at the World Junior Championships have sparked a national conversation about the state of hockey development in our country.

For the second consecutive year, Team Canada was eliminated from medal contention, finishing a disappointing fifth. It would have been three consecutive years if not for overtime heroics the year prior.

This trend is concerning, and it's time to take a hard look at how we develop hockey players in Canada.

There has been significant criticism directed at Team Canada’s coaches, scouts, and management, with questions surrounding their decisions on player selections, roles, line combinations, and practice schedules.

While some of these choices were questionable, these individuals are just the fall guys for a much larger problem. The real issues are systemic within minor hockey (before Junior), where coaches and organizations prioritize winning over development.

Minor hockey coaches are judged on their win-loss record rather than their ability to develop well-rounded players, which leads to short-term decision-making that hinders long-term growth.

The coaches at this tournament only had the players for just over two weeks; they aren’t the ones responsible for the deficiencies we see.

The real blame lies with the minor hockey system that fails to instill the core principles needed to develop complete players who play the Canadian way.

The players at this year's tournament looked disjointed, it was obvious that they came from different teams with different playbooks. The lack of cohesion was evident in their inability to play together as a unit and apply foundational hockey principles in critical moments.

Much has been said about a highly skilled player on Team Canada, Gavin McKenna. He is certainly talented and possesses a brilliant quick-release shot. He knows where to score from and finishes at the net.

However, for all his offensive talent, McKenna is equally lacking in defensive play. He rarely battled for pucks in the corners and hardly ever backchecked and made changes on the backcheck.

The issue is that certain players are allowed to develop this way without correction because they serve a purpose in minor hockey—scoring goals to win games.

Coaches often allow these players to bypass important defensive principles because of their knack for scoring at an early age.

However, if an entire team played like this, it would collapse defensively. The problem is that not all players are given the same freedom, and only a select few get to develop into offense-only players.

Too much focus has been placed on creativity and individual skill at the expense of foundational hockey concepts.

Minor hockey coaches often emphasize flashy plays, stretch passes, and solo efforts, hoping for highlight-reel goals, instead of teaching players how to play the game the right way.

What Canada needs is complete players, players who embrace the game on both sides of the puck and play the game the Canadian way.

The Gold Medal Pathway: Great Intentions, Poor Execution

Hockey Canada has established a Program of Excellence and has introduced a comprehensive program to help coaches address developmental deficiencies and teach the Canadian way.

Every year, Hockey Canada releases a list of skills and concepts that coaches should emphasize in their practices. This “Gold Medal Pathway” is based on the deficiencies identified at development camps.

The Gold Medal Pathway identity emphasizes creativity, dynamic play, high compete levels, and puck management. Players are expected to play with pace, win battles, and be relentless on the ice. They must protect the puck, use close support, and manage key areas like the blue lines.

This identity also stresses a shooting mentality, net presence, and commitment to blocking shots, creating well-rounded players who excel in both offensive and defensive situations.

Through a series of clinics, webinars and resources, they aim to improve coaching standards across the country. These sessions focus on teaching the foundational principles outlined in the Gold Medal Pathway and ensuring that coaches understand how to develop complete players.

By engaging coaches at all levels, Hockey Canada is working to create a unified approach to player development, where the emphasis is on team play, accountability, and well-rounded skills that align with national standards.

However, the problem lies in execution. The buy-in from minor hockey coaches is poor. Many coaches prioritize winning games over player development, focusing on their own systems and playing their most skilled players to secure victories.

Coaches need to teach players how to understand how to attack the open space effectively, create offensive opportunities by supporting each other on the ice, and maintain defensive positioning to protect the middle of the ice and limit the opponent's time and space.

Pressure should be applied consistently to force turnovers, and players must know how to use their stick to disrupt passing lanes and guide opponents into less dangerous areas.

Team Canada’s performance at the World Juniors demonstrated a lack of adherence to these principles. The players didn’t put enough pressure on opponents, were often late to battles, and lacked close support from teammates.

Instead of working together, players frequently found themselves on an island, trying to create something out of nothing. They weren’t reading the game well or anticipating where they needed to be—skills that fall under the broader category of Hockey IQ.

Players need to develop their Hockey IQ—an understanding of how to play the game effectively, both with and without the puck. They need to know when to press for the puck, how to find teammates in scoring positions, and how to provide support in both offensive and defensive situations.

This knowledge isn’t something players pick up by chance; it must be taught deliberately by coaches.

The result? Players aren’t learning the foundational principles of hockey that have historically made Canada successful on the world stage.

Instead, they are relying on talent and individual efforts to win games, which isn’t sustainable in international tournaments where cohesive team play is essential.

Learning from the U.S. Development Model

Canada doesn’t need to look far for inspiration. The United States National Team Development Program (USNTDP) provides a blueprint for success.

By creating a national junior team that plays together in the USHL, the U.S. program ensures that players are developed in a controlled environment with a unified philosophy.

The result is a steady pipeline of players who understand how to play the game at an elite level.

In the U.S., coaches at all levels praise the USNTDP and try to emulate its principles. In Canada, it's rare to hear minor hockey coaches talk about Hockey Canada programs with the same reverence. This disconnect must be addressed if we want to see lasting improvements in player development.

A Bold Proposal: Canadian National Development Teams

It’s time for Hockey Canada to make a bold move. Let’s create Canadian National Development Teams that play together year-round.

Instead of relying solely on club teams to develop our top talent, let’s establish one team for each CHL league—one in the OHL, one in the WHL, and one in the QMJHL.

These teams would follow a consistent development model, ensuring that players are taught a unified approach to the game.

This approach would allow Hockey Canada to maintain more control over player development, ensuring that foundational principles are instilled early and reinforced.

Players need to understand not only how to execute their individual skills but also how to read the game, anticipate plays, and make smart decisions in all areas of the ice.

Building well-rounded players who excel in every aspect of the game must be the goal.

The Time for Change Is Now

As the saying goes, “Never let a crisis go to waste.”

Canada’s recent struggles on the international stage present an opportunity to make meaningful changes to our hockey development system.

It’s time for Hockey Canada to take a hard look at its programs and make the necessary adjustments to ensure that our players are prepared to succeed on the world stage.

Let’s get back to teaching players how to play the game. Let’s focus on developing complete players who excel with and without the puck. And let’s ensure that every player who puts on the maple leaf understands what it means to represent Canada.

The time for change is now. Let’s not waste this opportunity to make Canadian hockey better for future generations.

Appendix: The Gold Medal Pathway

Hockey Canada’s Gold Medal Pathway outlines the key components for developing elite hockey players capable of competing on the international stage. These components include Talent, Determination, Character, and Expectations, as well as the National Team Identity principles.

Talent

Elite Hockey Sense: How the player plays the game with and without the puck and the ability to make decisions that affect the play.
International Level Skating: Speed, quickness, agility, and mobility specific to the pace of international tournaments.
Puck Skills: The ability to handle the puck with finesse, give and receive passes effectively, and demonstrate creativity.

Determination

Drive: Love of the game, consistency, enthusiasm, and presence in every game.
Determination/Effort: Work ethic, second effort, blocking shots, and engaging consistently in the game.
Aggressiveness: Physicality, toughness, and tenacity in puck battles and challenging opponents.

Character

Team First Attitude: Sharing success, avoiding selfish penalties, sacrificing for the team, and celebrating team achievements.
Winning Disposition: A desire to make a difference, produce in clutch moments, and perform when the game is on the line.
Great Person: Respectful off-ice behavior, embracing teammates, and conducting themselves well in public settings.
Accepts Roles: Willingness to embrace unfamiliar roles within the team structure.

Expectations

Professionalism: Representing the team, hometown, family, and country with pride. Players are expected to adhere to dress codes and be presentable.
Preparation: Following protocols for physical preparation, including warm-ups, cool-downs, and recovery routines. Mental preparation is also emphasized.
Performance: Competing with a focus on team success, with all excuses eliminated to ensure maximum performance.

National Team Identity Principles

At the core of Hockey Canada’s Gold Medal Pathway is a clear identity that outlines how players should approach the game. This identity emphasizes creativity, dynamic play, high compete levels, and strong puck management.

These principles are designed to make Canadian players hard to play against, ensuring they excel in both offensive and defensive situations. Ultimately, the goal of the Gold Medal Pathway identity is to create well-rounded players who contribute to team success in every area of the game.

Creative and Dynamic: Play with pace, be deceptive and evasive, excel in small spaces, and create confusion for defenders.
High Compete Level: Win battles and races, be relentless on the ice, and demonstrate physicality.
Manage Pucks: Use options and close support, protect the puck, and respect both blue lines.
Shooting Mentality: Be a shooting threat, release quickly, change angles, and shoot through traffic.
Hard to Play Against: Play with grit, finish checks, and control opposition lanes.
Puck Pursuit: Sprint back on loose pucks, reload quickly, and excel in transitions.
Good Sticks: Use active sticks to disrupt play, cover passing lanes, and defend effectively.
Net Presence: Be ready for rebounds, stop in front of the net, and demonstrate hand-eye coordination.
Shot Block Mentality: Block shots with purpose, use sticks to block lanes, and control the defensive zone.
Faceoff Ready: Have a plan for faceoffs, know the team strategy, and execute quickly on wins and losses.

Jeff Lynt

Is a Head Scout with Elite Hockey Canada.

Founder of EHC Agency and he is a certified Hockey Scout and Agent with SMWW - Sports Management Worldwide. jeff.lynt@elitehockeycanada.com or jlynt@smww.com