The Hockey Quebec offices have been teeming with ideas for several months. The provincial association is working on the development of its next strategic plan, the broad outlines of which it hopes to present sometime in June next year, with one idea in mind, claims its general director Jocelyn Thibault: “We know that we have to improve the development of our players. “
For several months, the provincial development committee, made up of representatives from the QMJHL, the Quebec M18 AAA League, the Quebec Student Sports Network (RSEQ) and the Junior AAA League, has been meeting to draw up this new five-year plan and aimed to achieve this to reform several aspects of the development of our national sport.
In November, Radio-Canada announced that Thibault and Hockey Québec were keen on the idea of creating a national development program for men and women that would bring together the best players of a specific age group, similar to what the American national development program is already doing for many years.
A way to establish things
A project that is still in progress, but the way in which it will be developed further is still being discussed. Finally, the implementation of such a program would disrupt the current approach.
“We are having a lot of discussions with our partner leagues who are also in development mode. Everyone is aware that we are abandoning old ways of doing things, but we are all working in the same direction. What form will this take now? Will it be a permanent or semi-permanent team? I don’t know yet,” says Thibault.
The latter is obviously the American example, which annually brings together the best 16- and 17-year-old players in a central program and these teams play throughout the season against junior teams from the USHL or from the various American colleges of the NCAA, participating in various international competitions.
In Finland, coaches are paid by the association all year round, but players are not grouped together all season like in the United States. They meet several times a year for special occasions.
A broader view
Hockey Quebec hopes to monitor the development of players in the province for as long as possible.
“After all, the finger is always pointed at us. “So as long as we are singled out, we might as well take the most comprehensive look possible at the development of our players, especially up to the age of 15 or 16, very important development years,” adds the association boss.
Therefore, things are bound to change. Should we change the eligibility age for the QMJHL to 17 instead of 16 to allow them to get quality minutes before moving up to the junior level?
That's a possibility, although Thibault assures he has nothing against 16-year-old players playing in the QMJHL.
“I am not against 16-year-old players in the QMJHL, but I am against 16-year-old players in the QMJHL not playing, and the same goes for 15-year-old players in the QMJHL U18 AAA level. You have to play. At this level, the managers raised awareness.”
Among other things, Thibault is committed to ensuring that a Canadian men's U16 championship is held every year. The only national tournament currently held for this age group is the Canada Games, which takes place every four years.
This means that three out of four cohorts have no chance of participating.