5 year advice for a 15 year old player.

#98HockeyDraft players need to read this.

This note was sent to me from a hockey parent who has experience in the 'draft year' and beyond.

"My oldest son is a 'late bloomer' and was never drafted. He is a "94 player. He continued to work out and play through Midget and is now going to the OHL. In my opinion, if a player isn't drafted in the first five or six rounds of the draft, it is almost better to not get drafted and go as a free agent to a team you think your boy may fit. Playing without expectations and pressure sometimes works out better for a young guy. I would hate to be a 2nd round pick and totally s**t the bed at camp because of stress and pressure. I've seen this happen before. 

For parents, my advice is not to put to much importance on the draft. Have your son focus more on his goal and where he wants to be when he is 20. No one cares who is out of the starting blocks first, it is who crosses the line at the end that matters."