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Scouting America
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"We were a poor immigrant family and my father was the first to go to college," Mervis said. "Everything we have we owe to education and while there is a strong emphasis on winning here, we stress education and community service. We have placed over 72 players in college. In fact, we have completely changed the graduation demographics of Danville High. A newcomer to the area, looking for a place to raise a family, reads the Chamber of Commerce information about Danville High and says, "Hey, kids in this town go to Harvard, Boston University, Bowling Green, wow! "Why give up your college eligibility to play Canadian juniors when you can play high-level hockey here and retain your options?" Mervis asked. The Canadian major junior leagues have heard that argument and counter that they also stress continuing education while offering a better route to the NHL. "The Canadian Hockey League is the No. 1 development league in the world for the National Hockey League and there are more and more opportunities for American-born players to come into our league," said Ontario Hockey League Director of Operations Ted Baker. "American players like Dustin Brown, Danny Fritsche, Robbie Schremp and Patrick O'Sullivan are currently doing very well in the OHL and Kitchener's Matt Lashoff looks like a probable first-round pick. Kevin and Derian Hatcher, Mathieu Schneider, Pat Peake and Bryan Berard are just a few of the Americans who played in the OHL and have gone on to good NHL careers.
"We offer an NHL-type 68-game schedule and require players to continue their schooling," Baker said. "The OHL teams offer college scholarships to players who don't pursue NHL careers so you can combine education and hockey. Canadian juniors offer the fastest route to the NHL and you can be supported in your educational goals. Dustin Brown has won our Bobby Smith Trophy for scholarship the last three years which is a great testament to Dustin and the Guelph Storm organization. "We've always stated that some players should play in the OHL and some shouldn't," Baker said. "It's up to the individual and his family to determine what his best interests are. You need to be a dedicated, disciplined player. If not, you won't be successful on or off the ice. Do you compromise your NCAA eligibility by playing in the CHL? Yes, you do, but we are offering college scholarships to every player in our league." Public schools Public high-school hockey still dominates in Minnesota while Michigan players have traditionally concentrated on travel hockey. Much has changed, experts say. "High-school hockey is starting to get a little stronger in Michigan over the last four or five years," said Jim Nill, the assistant general manager of the Detroit Red Wings. "People are going back to the alumni tradition, taking pride in their schools. Also, some of the elite travel teams around here closed down so there are fewer options. A player can go to the juniors or stay and play for his high school. I think it will help Michigan high-school hockey quite a bit." Minnesota took steps to block the junior and prep-school incursions because hockey is closely tied to the communities with their traditional rivalries and alumni fervor. "Minnesota is all about community-based hockey. There's a loyalty there," said Bob O'Connor, the longtime coach at Edina, Minn., H.S. and now USA Hockey Coach In Chief. "Minnesota goes against the national trend. All the kids in youth hockey want to play in the state high-school tournament. You've got 18,000 people at the games. They have the AA tournament for the big schools and the A tournament for the smaller schools." But high-school supremacy was challenged for a few years, O'Connor said. "There were a number of kids going to the Midwest junior league and the far west junior league," he said. "Kids realized they were getting 60 games against faster, more mature talent in juniors. So they established a fall elite league here last year that adds 25-30 games, two or three games a week. Since it started, the percentage of kids leaving school has dropped because they are getting the jump the junior league would have given them."
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