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The Second Half of the Season, Recruiting Pressure, and the Mental Game That Changes Everything

The second half of the hockey season is different.


By now, the standings matter. Roles are more defined. Bodies are more tired. And for many athletes, the recruiting process starts to feel a lot more real.


Some players are getting consistent interest from coaches.Some are hearing nothing yet.Some feel confident and rolling.Some feel frustrated, tight, or like they’re pressing.


Almost everyone feels more pressure.


This is the part of the season where the mental game often becomes the difference—not just in performance, but in how the rest of the year unfolds.


Two Very Real (and Very Different) Mental Battles


If You’re Getting Interest

Now the pressure often sounds like:

  • “Don’t mess this up.”

  • “I have to prove I deserve this.”

  • “What if I have a bad game?”

This usually leads to:

  • Playing safe instead of playing free

  • Overthinking simple plays

  • Tightness and hesitation

  • Trying to be perfect instead of effective


If You’re Not Getting Interest (Yet)

Now the pressure often sounds like:

  • “What’s wrong with me?”

  • “Everyone else is getting looks.”

  • “Am I running out of time?”

This often leads to:

  • Forcing plays

  • Pressing and chasing the game

  • Confidence leaking

  • Emotional ups and downs from game to game


Different situations. Same mental skill required: control your thoughts and control your emotions.


The Hidden Trap of the Second Half


The second half of the season makes athletes start thinking in:

  • Weeks

  • Months

  • Rosters

  • Decisions

  • Outcomes


But performance only lives in one place:

The next shift. The next rep. The next puck battle.

When your mind leaves the present, your game usually leaves with it.


Skill #1: Controlling Your Self-Talk


You don’t play hockey based on confidence.

You play hockey based on what you say to yourself under pressure which in turn affects confidence.


Step 1: Catch It

Start noticing:

  • What do you say after mistakes?

  • What do you say on the bench?

  • What do you say when things aren’t going your way?

Step 2: Question It

Ask yourself:

  • “Is this helping me compete or hurting me?”

Step 3: Replace It

Instead of:

  • “I can’t screw this up”

  • “I need to be perfect”

  • “I’m playing terrible”

Try:

  • “Win this shift.”

  • “Simple and fast.”

  • “Next play.”

  • “Skate and compete.”


The goal is not positive thinking. The goal is useful thinking.


Skill #2: The Reset Button


Great players aren’t calm all the time.

They’re just great at resetting fast.

One of the simplest and most powerful tools in hockey is using a physical reset ritual on the bench.


Use This After a Shift or After a Mistake:

  1. Breathe out longer than you breathe in(Example: In 4 seconds, out 6 seconds)This tells your nervous system to calm down and reset. It takes us our of "Fight, Flight, or Freeze"

  2. Wipe the snow off your stick blade. This seems small, but it works because:

    - It gives your body something physical to do

    - It creates a clear break between the last shift and the next one

    - It becomes a reset trigger for your brain

  3. Say (in your head or out loud) exactly what you’re going to do next shift. Action Oriented

    Examples:

    - “First three strides hard.”

    - “Finish my first check.”

    - “Simple on the wall.”

    - “Get pucks deep and skate.”


Now your brain isn’t replaying the last shift — it’s preparing for the next one.

Over time, this trains your mind and body to: Let go of what already happened and lock into what you control next.


One Powerful Rule: Never go into a shift without a job.


Even something simple:

  • “Be first on the forecheck.”

  • “Win my wall battles.”

  • “Get shots through.”

  • Clear intention = calmer mind = faster game.


Skill #3: Shrinking the Season

When pressure builds, zoom in.

Instead of:

  • “I need a big second half”

  • “I need to get recruited”

  • “This tournament has to go perfectly”

Shift to:

  • “Win the first three shifts.”

  • “Be hard on pucks this period.”

  • “Bring energy tonight.”


Big seasons are built out of small, repeatable standards. Trust the Process and the results follow.


The Recruiting Truth Most Athletes Miss


Coaches don’t just recruit talent.

They recruit:

  • Consistency

  • Body language

  • Compete level

  • Response to mistakes

  • Emotional stability


The second half of the season doesn’t just show how good you are. It shows how reliable you are.


The Only Question That Actually Matters Right Now

“Am I getting better, more consistent, and harder to play against each week?”

If the answer is yes, you are doing your job—regardless of the noise.


Final Message

Whether you’re getting interest, waiting for interest, or frustrated by the process:


Stop chasing the season. Start dominating your shifts.


Control your thoughts. Control your emotions. Control your effort.

That’s how great second halves are built—and how opportunities usually show up.


Want to Build This Into Your Game?

At Deep Breaths Counseling & Mental Performance, we work with hockey players on:

  • Confidence under pressure

  • Resetting after mistakes

  • Recruiting stress

  • Consistency and mental toughness

If the mental side is the missing piece in your game, it doesn’t have to stay that way. Reach out today!

 
 
 

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