Heading into my first NHL draft, I was the #1 ranked goalie in the draft. Three years later, the NHL had passed me over three drafts in a row. I never got drafted. This is the story of those three years — what went wrong, what I learned, and why being written off three times by the system is the foundation of how I coach young goalies today.

If you've ever felt overlooked, or you've got a kid who's been written off, this one's for you. I'm Dusty Imoo — former 15-year pro goalie, 1998 Nagano Olympian, NHL goalie development coach with the Winnipeg Jets and LA Kings. Now I help goalies, parents, and athletes work on the mental side of the game first.