Mike Weaver, seen here playing with the Florida Panthers, will be inducted into the Brampton Sports Hall of Fame on May 15. - Steve Russell/Torstar Network

It is a common misconception that a player must be drafted to play in the NHL. But there are many paths you can take to reach your dream. I’m just a hair under 5′ 9″ and never weighed more than 185 pounds, small for a defensive defenceman. I never played juniors, but I spent 15 years in pro hockey, 13 of them (633 regular-season games) in the NHL. And … I was undrafted.