A popular opinion among coaches and onlookers is that boys prep hockey has become a younger league.
With the emergence of New England players going to junior leagues like the USHL earlier than they used to, standout freshmen and sophomore (or even eighth-grade) players in prep are often gone by the time their junior or senior year rolls around.
A trickle-down effect of that has been fewer high-end NHL Draft prospects playing their draft seasons in prep hockey. The days of Jay O'Brien (Hingham, Mass.) playing at Thayer and then being selected 19th overall feel like they're in the rearview.
And with the NHL Draft beginning this Friday, we asked coaches a simple question for the fourth and final installment of our boys prep coaches poll.
Is prep hockey still a good place for NHL Draft prospects? All coaches were granted anonymity with their answers.