Hockey 101: Understanding the Route to the NCAA & Beyond

TEMPE, Ariz. -- When it comes to the sport of hockey, the transition between the collegiate and professional ranks isn't like traditional sports such as football or baseball. Not only is the process different for getting drafted, but "the route" for a hockey player to come to a university may be obscure as well.

We decided to break down the path of how some Sun Devil hockey players ended up in Tempe, and how the current and future path of those that were drafted will play out.

Junior Hockey

Junior hockey is for players between the ages of 16-20 before they enter college. There are various amounts of junior leagues across North America, but most of the options that players have result in…