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Hockey Recruiting Calendar

Recruiting rewards staffs that start early and stay organized. This calendar breaks a typical recruiting year into six phases, with a checklist for each one. It's written for club college staffs, and junior and AAA staffs can use the same rhythm for their own seasons.

Free to print, copy, and share with your staff.
Recruiting Calendar
Blueline
Set up the year
Aug – Sep
  • Hold a staff meeting: needs by position for next season's roster
  • Carry over last year's "Watch" list and clean out old prospects
  • Agree on a rating scale so every coach grades the same way
  • Pull schedules for the junior and AAA leagues you recruit from
Cast a wide net
Oct – Nov
  • First viewings at early-season showcases and league games
  • Add every player worth a second look, even the long shots
  • Log a report after each viewing, while it's fresh
  • Ask junior and AAA coaches which players to watch
Narrow the list
Dec – Jan
  • Second and third viewings, ideally against strong opponents
  • Holiday showcases: several targets in one trip
  • Compare players at the same position side by side
  • First conversations with priority targets and their coaches
Get serious
Feb – Mar
  • Move your top targets to "Priority" and confirm the fit (academics, cost, interest)
  • Check admission and application deadlines with each target
  • Campus visits for club college, or tryout invites for junior
  • Watch how targets play when their season is on the line
Close
Apr – May
  • Make offers and follow up quickly; good players have options
  • Track commitments on your team board as the class comes together
  • Keep a backup list for every spot you still need to fill
  • Thank the coaches who helped; you'll need them next year
Reset
Jun – Jul
  • Spring and summer showcases: early looks at next year's class
  • Review the year: who did you miss, and why?
  • Update the needs list for the following season
  • Set your staff's travel plan for the fall

A general planning guide. Tryout, tender, draft, and admission dates vary by league and school, so add your own key dates in the margins.

Free calendar from Blueline · bluelinescout.com

Making the calendar work for your program

Start with needs, not names. Before you watch anyone, list how many players you're losing at each position and what kind of player you need to replace them. Recruiting without a needs list fills your board with players you don't have room for.

Club college: recruit the fit, not just the player. Your targets have to get admitted, afford the school, and want to be there. Ask about academics and cost early, before you spend three viewings on someone who can't come.

Junior: watch the players about to age out. Players in their last year of junior eligibility are the ones college staffs are deciding on. If you coach junior, help your older players get seen. If you coach college, that's your pool.

Split the work. Give each assistant a region or a league, and put every report in one shared place so nothing lives in someone's head or phone.

Run the whole year from one board

In Blueline your staff shares one prospect list. Reports and ratings pile up across viewings, rankings update as you go, and your incoming class comes together on the team board.

Done with paper and spreadsheets?

Blueline keeps every prospect, report, and rating in one place your whole staff can see, on your phone at the rink or your laptop at home.

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