E4 - What Can You Learn From Logan Thompson’s Path? The Best Developmental Path

Logan Thompson took a developmental path that no one thought would be possible. He kept playing, and opportunities kept coming; most notably, he bet on himself and his skill sets in crucial times and just kept going.

One particular developmental period is crucial for a hockey player. It happens fairly early. Young hockey players between 15 and 18 years old are under much pressure. This mental stress comes from the hockey system. But it is built to identify the best talent. It can find talents from most of the players, but some of them happen to perform later than 18 years old.

Logan Thompson was one of these young hockey players. He was not extraordinary in the junior ranks, but he was good. When you are good, you don't get drafted in the NHL draft selection. Thompson then took the road of U Sports, like most Canadian kids who aren't drafted. After one year of playing U Sports, he had an offer to play ECHL (coast) and decided to take it.

He quit college to pursue a full-time opportunity in the coast. From that coast deal, he went to play for another coast team before signing a contract with the Anderson Silvernight that made it happen. He made his way to the NHL even by being undrafted and unseen by scouts in his development period. Being unselected did not stop him from progressing into the goaltender he became.

His path went from U Sports to the NHL very quickly. Roughly one year was separating his U Sports performance from his first NHL appearance. Although the 26 years old goaltender from Calgary still has a long way to go to be a difference-maker in the best league in the world. Nevertheless, something important should be learned from him: his developmental path.

There is an eternal discussion about which path to take when you are 16: NCAA or CHL? Logan Thompson chose the road of the CHL like most Canadians.

Is it the best path to the NHL compared to the NCAA?

Some would even compare the CHL as a "sprint" versus a "marathon" - the NCAA. It seems like an everlasting question no one would ever answer accurately.

Thompson was not the only NHL goaltender to have a rough path:

• Henrik Lunqvist lost his spot with the Finland national team before his draft year;

• Tim Thomas only reached the NHL just before 30 years of age and won the Stanley Cup, Vezina Trophy and the Conn Smythe at 36;

• Connor Helleybuck was invited to Odessa Jackalopes camp (NAHL) before getting a full ride scholarship with UMass-Lowell and getting drafted by the Winnipeg Jets that same year.

There are countless stories about unique developmental paths.

Each of the developmental paths a goaltender pursues is valuable. It simply needs considerable and challenging stimuli to improve skills. As you always want to take the best approach possible, the questioning of the CHL or the NCAA arises.

How do you define the best developmental path: is it by looking at the percentage of players in each league reaching the NHL or the one who graduated college?

And the truth is there is no right or wrong answer to the question.

Like Thompson, or any players, everyone creates their path to the NHL. Each development path is worth taking; it is about taking advantage of it at the right time. Great goaltenders, like great players, will find their way to the NHL despite their path. They will overcome what needs to be overcome.

Thompson is one of the numerous examples of a great goaltender who finds his way to the professional level. He took the expected path of any Canadian Hockey kid and made it happen. The reality is most kids going to college, whether that is Usports or NCAA, don't make it to the dream league, and that is ok.

They experience something other than hockey for the first time in their adulthood. Despite their path being Canadian or American, they have learned so many lifelong lessons by playing junior and college hockey.

As hockey players, you always hope to reach the NHL, and many factors come into play to define your path. Essentially, some make it, and some don't, but at the end of the day, everyone who embarks on this path of becoming the best in this sport succeeds. It's about improving the sport, no matter your background or history.