Hockey coaches in the New England Preparatory School Athletic Council (NEPSAC) have some interesting ideas about the state of the conference and some changes they’d like to see.
Most agree that a return to a neutral-site, single-day championship event should happen. Beyond that, opinions range when it comes to some of the bigger-picture questions about NEPSAC hockey posed to them in part 2 of New England Hockey Journal’s recent survey of head coaches.
We reached out to coaches across every conference as well as some independents to seek their opinions about the playoff format, what the NEPSAC does well, where there could be improvement, rule changes and other topics.
About the poll: All coaches who participated were granted anonymity to speak freely and candidly.
PART 1 OF THE SURVEY: Coaches reveal NEPSAC's most impressive players
Does the future of prep hockey look good?
We asked coaches what condition NEPSAC prep hockey will be in a decade from now — better, worse, or the same? There was no shortage of thoughtful responses.
Many pointed to the groundswell of hockey academy growth in the region presenting a significant challenge to the way prep schools have recruited, trained and competed for decades. Prep has been the primary path of development for elite prospects in New England who aspire to play at the highest levels in college and professional hockey.
However, with the establishment of winning academy programs in the region such as South Kent Selects, once a NEPSIHA team, and Mount Saint Charles, a former Rhode Island scholastic powerhouse, the long-standing New England development route is at risk.
That has some NEPSAC coaches worried.
“Every year there are more and more options for players in regard to where they could play,” one said. “Prep school is expensive and our season isn’t as long. Players and families want more hockey. At some point, I wonder if either NEPSAC makes a change in rules or schools break away from NEPSAC.”
Academies aren't a total harbinger of doom for prep school hockey, but they are clearly having an impact on prep schools being able to secure certain players who, 10 years ago, would have been sure bets to go that route.
“There is some work to do to compete with other entities but the combination of athletics and academics is unparalleled in prep hockey,” said another coach. “I want to say (in 10 years the state of prep school hockey will be) better because these schools are always evolving. Can they do a better job of evolving with athletics? That will determine how much better our sport is.”
Right now, for every player like late '06 center James Hagens, who was a dominant all-around force at Mount Saint Charles on their 15-U midget squad, you have a Teddy Stiga (Sudbury, Mass.) who made a big impact at Belmont Hill as a freshman, or ’07 wunderkind Richard Gallant (Concord, Mass.), the runaway favorite newcomer among coaches in part 1 of our survey.
How long will that continue? As academies proliferate, NEPSAC will likely have to adapt and seek innovative solutions to counter the benefits that an all-in-one academy environment offers.
"I have been hearing the doomsayers for years,” said one coach. “At the end of the day the academics, high-level play, and playing for your community (at prep schools) can’t be replicated. As such it will continue to be the right path for certain players.”
Another coach offered an if-you-can’t-beat-‘em-join-‘em approach.
“As much as things change nothing really changes," he said. "With that said, I am assuming a half dozen prep teams will soon join the academy world.”
Best things about NEPSAC?
Even with the challenges prep hockey faces, there is still a lot to like about the development model. Here are some things that the coaches feel NEPSAC gets right:
Playoff format
Many we surveyed are content with the way the pyramid narrows at the end of the season and provides a more level playing field across the wide spectrum of small and large schools. In the end, it doesn’t matter if you’re a historic big school or a smaller program: If you win, you’ll get your chance in the postseason.
Consider these responses when we asked coaches: What does NEPSAC do well?
• “How playoff seedings are determined and structure of playoffs.”
• “Running three 8-team playoff tournaments, which allows 24 teams to enjoy the playoff experience.”
• “Having three really competitive tournaments is a great way to promote the prep game.”
One added that NEPSAC parity helps drive the success of the playoff format, ensuring the best teams are there at the end of the season:
“The overall parity within NEPSAC hockey is far better than before," he said. "Obviously, this is a product of the institutions but most games are competitive. ”
Creating community
One area where prep schools probably have an advantage over most academies is with the local support that prep schools can generate.
“Nothing like playing for your community. It is the distinguisher for me,” said one coach. “I have been to a bunch of academy games. I watch a ton of AAA hockey. It’s just different to have the stands full of students who you are representing. With the exception of Minnesota high schools, in my opinion, no one can offer high-level hockey (like prep schools) that works in concert with your academics — not at odds — and you can do it for your community.”
Education
Prep schools will always make a compelling argument when it comes to providing athletes with a top-shelf education and the tools to excel at top colleges and universities in the classroom (and on the ice).
Several coaches believe the elite education options will continue to help them attract top hockey talent.
“Setting kids up to be successful on and off the ice," one coach said of prep schools' benefits. "The structure and unlike most of these junior/midget leagues, there are very little politics involved, in my opinion.”
“Most schools provide an excellent academic education and a supportive environment to grow up as adolescents and teenagers," another said. "Ninety-nine percent of these kids will be working at age 26. Hockey is a big part of their life as a young person but they all need to learn to read, write, speak, think, etc.”
Potential rule changes?
We asked coaches what rule changes they'd like NEPSAC to consider. Three coaches urged converting overtime to 3-on-3.
The traditional 5-on-5 play for five minutes leads to a lot of ties in prep hockey. Adopting the 3-on-3 format used in the NHL and juniors would not be a cure-all to end the ties that can make final playoff seeding a challenge, but it would add excitement and open up ice that would allow prep schools to showcase their skill players more readily.
Two coaches mentioned that the NEPSAC should allow coaches more time to lead their players. “Prep coaches should be able to coach their athletes outside of the season," one said.
Under the current rules, NEPSAC coaches aren’t permitted to coach during the fall months, when many prep school players scatter onto split-season teams to keep pace with the extra games full-season Tier 1 midget teams get.
Granting prep coaches more coaching time in the fall would allow them to keep their teams intact in fall play and would make the prep season longer. The lack of games when compared to full-season Tier 1 midget teams has always been an obstacle for prep schools, and coaches are seeking ways to get more games for their teams outside of the existing late November-early March prep season schedule.
Other feedback about rules:
• Several coaches would like to introduce 20-minute periods like junior teams play, in lieu of 17-minutes intervals.
• One coach preferred more stringent enforcement of the rules already on the books. “I actually really like our rules," he said. "I wish that they would keep the standard in terms of hooking, holding, and interference. It spirals when the line isn’t held, and then eliminates offense and slows the game down”
Centralized championship games?
Every coach surveyed wants to return to the centralized championship day format that was used pre-COVID. The three playoff championship games in one location offer college and pro talent evaluators a critical mass of players to evaluate in one spot.
The disparate host sites among the three divisions this past spring, with games scheduled around the same time across New England on championship Sunday, cost players the exposure that is critical for those who aspire to play higher levels of hockey.
Here are what some coaches had to say:
• “Central location is fun for everyone. More exposure for the players.”
• “Wherever promotes the kids the most. Where can colleges on the east coast get to the easiest?”
• “Certainly, for the finals, I prefer one location. It is better for exposure and recruiting of players and our game. I would not be opposed for the semifinals to be hosted by the top seed in each tournament, just to help again with recruitment and having three locations of games, instead of six.”
• “Worcester is the ideal location.”
PART 1 OF THE SURVEY: Coaches reveal NEPSAC's most impressive players
