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OCTOBER 2021 USAHOCKEYMAGAZINE.COM // 43 Waterloo Black Hawks—has seen how quickly things can change for a player's timeline. "Those are very difficult conversations," he said. "You know the dream a player has. He wants to be in the USHL right now. I think I can speak on behalf of USHL teams, we're going to make the best decision possible for all athletes, especially the young guys, so they arrive and get what they expect." While it may seem like a setback at the time, many players could end up benefiting from an extra year at their current level. O'Handley says it's ultimately up to the player how they'll handle it. "It's all in how you frame it and how the player receives the info from the college, if they're holding him back or if there's a change. I think we all want to race to get there, but extending your junior career is some- times a good thing – it can be a great thing," he said. "The worst thing you can do is take it the wrong way. If they want you to stay back, there's a reason for that. You might not be happy, but it's about talking to the player and communicating. It's about the development path." Cole echoed those sentiments. "You should dominate the level you're at, be an impact player there, especially if we think you're expected to be an impact player here," he said. "A lot of times players are in a hurry. They want to get to juniors, college and pro. Sometimes it's better to be a year too late instead of a year too early." Frankenfeld thinks the redistribution of talent caused by the logjam at the top could be a positive for the levels below Tier I and Tier II junior hockey. "It's good news for the NA3HL, and 18U hockey is going to benefit," he said, noting that having better players in those leagues could strengthen the experience for all players at that level. "Somewhere it's going to straighten itself out. Our commitment is to keep developing them." Cole thinks it could take three to five years to fully understand how the shifting landscape in college hockey has impacted the game overall, while Frankenfeld and O'Handley remain in constant contact with team owners, colleagues and those at the NCAA level to stay on top of the changes as they come. There are no clear answers at this point, but as so many have proven during the tumultuous 2020-21 season, they can adapt and find a way to make the best out of an uncertain situation. P Chris Peters is a writer who specializes in the NHL Draft, prospects, college and inter- national hockey. He pre- viously covered the NHL and hockey prospects as a staff writer at ESPN and CBS Sports. AFTER A CHALLENGING YEAR, COLLEGE HOCKEY TEAMS ARE READY TO WELCOME FANS BACK INTO THEIR BUILDINGS FOR THE 2021-22 SEASON. w w w . h o c k e y n i n j a . c o m u s e c o d e : USAH20 20 o f f largest visor selection in the world Hi-definition optics made in Europe kobikids.com Get — the natural deodorant for sporty kids. Your kid stinks! Click to Fight the Funk (Literally.) Get — the natural ↓