Play Junior Hockey Until You Can’t: Maximizing Your Time in the Game

For many players, junior hockey is the last true opportunity to play at a high level before adulthood takes over. Whether your goal is to play college hockey, go pro, or simply enjoy the experience, one of the best pieces of advice any veteran player or coach will give you is this: Play junior hockey until you aren’t eligible anymore.

Of course, life can throw different priorities your way. School, work, relationships, and even a fading passion for the game can influence your decision to move on. And if those things become more important, then stepping away is understandable. But if you still love hockey, still have the drive to compete, and still have eligibility left, you should keep playing until the opportunity is no longer there.

Why Should You Keep Playing?

1. You’ll Never Get This Time Back

Junior hockey is a unique stage in life—one where you get to train like a high-level athlete, compete in meaningful games, and be part of a team without the same outside responsibilities that come later. Once your junior eligibility expires, you can’t get it back. You might find yourself playing beer league or men’s league, but it won’t be the same. If you still have the ability and passion to play, take advantage of it while you can.

2. You Can Still Develop and Advance

Some players assume that if they haven’t been recruited to the NCAA, ACHA, U Sports, or signed by a pro team by a certain age, their hockey career is over. That’s not true. Players develop at different rates. Some don’t hit their peak until their final year of junior. Every extra season gives you a chance to refine your skills, gain exposure, and possibly earn opportunities you didn’t have before.

3. Lifelong Friendships and Experiences

The friendships you make in junior hockey are unlike any other. You spend countless hours on road trips, in the locker room, and on the ice with teammates who often become lifelong friends. The stories, the battles, the championship runs (or heartbreaking losses)—these are things you’ll look back on years later. Walking away too soon means missing out on memories you’ll never be able to recreate.

4. The Mental and Physical Benefits

Staying in junior hockey keeps you in elite shape both physically and mentally. It teaches discipline, teamwork, and perseverance—skills that will benefit you long after your playing days are over. Hockey provides structure and purpose, something many former players miss when they step away too soon.

5. Regret is Harder to Live With Than Exhaustion

It’s easy to feel burned out, frustrated with playing time, or disappointed with your progression. But ask any former player who quit too early, and many will tell you they regret not sticking it out. You don’t want to look back and wonder what if? Push through the tough days, because once your eligibility is gone, you can’t get it back.

The Only Real Reasons to Stop

If you no longer love the game, if you have major personal or career priorities that require your attention, or if injuries prevent you from continuing, then stepping away might be the right choice. But if none of these apply to you, keep playing. Play until they tell you that you can’t anymore.

Because once it’s over, it’s over. And you don’t want to wish you had stayed just one more year.

Ed Garinger is a seasoned hockey coach, mentor, and educator with over two decades of experience. A native of the Bruce Peninsula, he played minor and junior hockey before earning his BA and BEd from Nipissing University, where he also competed in varsity volleyball and extramural hockey.

Coaching since age 14, Ed has balanced his teaching career with an extensive coaching and development portfolio, working with players at all levels. He has coached in the Provincial Junior Hockey League, led youth and high school teams, and served as a learning facilitator for the OMHA. His experience includes elite programs like the OHL/OHF U15 and U16 camps, U17 Regional Camps, and Hockey Canada’s Skills Academy.

A Hockey Canada HP1-certified coach, USA Hockey-certified coach, and Chartered Professional Coach (ChPC), Ed is committed to ongoing professional development and continually seeks to expand his knowledge to better serve players and coaches. Now based in Orillia, he enjoys passing on his passion for hockey to the next generation.