88 replies to this topic

[Nightfall]

I could have made it to the NHL if....

I started playing hockey when I was 5 years old instead of waiting until I was 27.

[hillbillywingsfan]

I could have made it to the NHL if my parents were named Ron and Jean Yzerman

[Doc Holliday]

Are you guys a div 2, or div 3 team, or is more of a club sport there? Either way, it's pretty cool that you get to play college hockey... I'm just interested about LT's hockey program, as I was unaware they had one until now - I was in talks with the AD at MSU about being a walk-on before I blew my knee out... granted, I was WELL aware of my skill level, even then(this was over 13 years ago) and knew I would be a 4th liner, seeing limited ice time at BEST and was never going past college level at best, but I always wish I could have had the chance to play college hockey...

It was a club team before this year. Now we are a part of the ACHA, so I don't know exactly what division they would call that. We don't go out of state unless we get to a national tournament but we play MSU, U of D, Davenport, among other teams, so it's pretty cool. If I had to guess I would say it is division 3. But that is just a guess.

Too bad about your knee though. Would have been awesome to be part of their varsity program.

[stevkrause]

It was a club team before this year. Now we are a part of the ACHA, so I don't know exactly what division they would call that. We don't go out of state unless we get to a national tournament but we play MSU, U of D, Davenport, among other teams, so it's pretty cool. If I had to guess I would say it is division 3. But that is just a guess.

Too bad about your knee though. Would have been awesome to be part of their varsity program.

Very cool about LT, good luck this upcoming season and keep us posted on how you guys do!

[drwscc]

I could have made it to the NHL if I hadn't been born in South Texas, and had been introduced to the beautiful game before I was in my 20's.

[LeftWinger]

...if my High School had a hockey program. I played up until high school and was pretty good. But also if I was better than pretty good, maybe I would've gone the junior way instead. But, I didn't pursue it...darn!

[stevie for president]

My last name was staal

[MotorCityMadness]

I could have made it if I had caught a few breaks along the way...I played on teams with current NHL players Crosby, Stafford, Johnson, Smaby and a few guys who have been up and down between the AHL and NHL. I was never bitter though since I did have the chance to play NCAA and did have a chance to go to Europe to play, but I decided not to due to some lingering knee and back issues.

I guess if I had to do it again I wouldn't hesitate for a second!

[hooon]

...if youth hockey didn't require you to have games and practices at like 3 in the morning.

[13dangledangle]

I never had the natural skill set of superstar, just a little better then average player on a little old house league team, with a couple all-star stints and high school teams that never developed into anything. Pair that with an average kids attitude and bingo the "Professional" hockey dream died at 16 for snowboarding.

[dragonballgtz]

If it wasn't so fookin expensive to get training.

[newfy]

I could have made it to the NHL if I had been a child living in Canada to a father who was a high school athlete and supported my wish at age three to be a professional goalie when I grew up.

Oh, wait, all of that was true. What stopped me?

I could have made it to the NHL had I not been a GIRL, which forced me from hockey into figure skating as girls were not allowed to play hockey in the little town in which we lived. Nor could I play in the towns to which we later moved as they had no hockey programs.

But the first few years were favourable.

Well you couldve made the NHL as a girl, its just next to impossible because of biology.

I couldve made it to the NHL if I was bigger. My style of play is favoured more when youre like 6'3 225 lbs, not 5'10 185

[Sprsquirt7]

It was a club team before this year. Now we are a part of the ACHA, so I don't know exactly what division they would call that. We don't go out of state unless we get to a national tournament but we play MSU, U of D, Davenport, among other teams, so it's pretty cool. If I had to guess I would say it is division 3. But that is just a guess.

Too bad about your knee though. Would have been awesome to be part of their varsity program.

I played acha as well, acha is still technically club hockey but its inter collegiate so the word club carries a diff connotation than what it means for acha. Acha d1 and acha d2(top teams) would be equivalent to some d3 ncaa schools. Its very competitive and actually pretty decent hockey. I played for illinois state university in college. The michigan teams in d2 pretty much dominate the national stage.

As far was I could have made it if I had been more dedicated to fitness and getting stronger. I feel I have natural talent and mindset for low level pro, but the body was never at that level. Also if computer games hadnt taken so much of my time in my youth. Alas I got to play in college and still enjoy any time I get on the ice

[Hiei]

...if Northern Illinois had more rinks.

Growing up, the nearest rink was 60 miles in one direction.

[Red Wings Addict]

If I was born as the boy Steve Yzerman finally got in his family of womens.

[GMRwings1983]

If I was a 6'5 Canadian thug who had no skills besides fighting while on skates.


Or if I was a 5'8 Czech wimp who is soft, lazy, but has good hands which show up every 4 or 5 games.

[Nutty2003]

I would have gone pro if I wouldn't have seen my girlfriends & friends partying enjoying their summers when I would come home from prospect tourneys consisting of 12 hour buss rides through Wisconson corn fields lol... I have no regrets as I wasn't EVER thinking I was going to the show but playing hockey year round became my life and I decided it was important to me to have some social life as I felt I was missing out and the drive to become an even better player became more taxing mentally and physically. So I became a college club hockey player for a year & then decided it was beer league all star It didn't help I had my right arm shattered by a blind side hit and couldn't play for 6 weeks

[egroen]

If I was born as the boy Steve Yzerman finally got in his family of womens.

Yeah, seriously... There was a time when he could have his wife's head off for that!

[Red Wings Addict]

Yeah, seriously... There was a time when he could have his wife's head off for that!

Haha yeah. But today we now know that it's really Stevie who can only provide the potential Y chromosome. So Stevie's wife, really, could have had his head ( ) off for that (Yikes!) but then she wouldn't get his awesome "All I ever want to do is play hockey" genes.

Luckily, Lidstrom had all boys. Can you imagine the combination of Yzerman and Lidstrom genetics? It'd be like Brangelina but for hockey abilities instead of physical attractiveness. The kid is simply meant to make you forget all about Wayne Gretzky and Sidney Crosby.

[Wings_Toledo]

If my family had stayed in Chicago instead of moving to Cincinnati, where there was absolutely no interest from anyone in playing competitive hockey. Not sure I would have played as a kid anyway, but I would have had a better chance and who knows what would have resulted from getting started at an early age.