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Eddie, nobody is a fan of the Pens here but it’s not just them. The practice of pre forming teams isn’t even restricted to AAA. I would say 99% of teams at all levels in all areas have the core of their roster chosen way before they even announce tryouts. It’s a pre-requisite now. That’s how some determine whether they will have teams or not. But the fact that teams who’s tryouts are highly attended do this is more irresponsible and incompetent than corrupt. They’re using it as a fund raiser sure. But they’re also dumb to pass over a good player to take a friend. I would say the Tier 2 teams that do it are as dumb as you can be. Plus that’s where the competitiveness comes in. Not in playing the game. But if AA team 1 takes players from AA team 2, coaches and parents are pushing that as the competition. And that’s not true competition. That’s just jealousy.

I believe that's being misinterpreted. I think that is specific to the National Team program and it's feeder systems. With that said, tryouts for and possibly even an actual season for 2020-21 seem to be in more peril with each and every passing day. Keeping my fingers crossed that one of these days soon, one of the biotech companies is going to figure out how to cure the virus and the nightmare will begin to end.

Good for him. That's just as productive (probably more so) as some structured program online.

I've had a good experience with TK at Mt Lebo. We have used him for group mites red and will continue to use him for Squirts. Haven't done privates. Seemed to be the best option for extra skills work South of Pittsburgh for us. My eight year old also enjoys the experience. I like that the drills are pretty varied. We are in Canonsburg. If anyone has a better option in that area, we'll definitely check it out once things get back to normal. Right now, my son isn't really interested in doing off-ice stuff so far... I've tried... he much more interested in just going outside and shooting on the net and playing catch.

Both Pittsburgh Ice and Rostraver have melted, and I have it on good authority that Center Ice has picked up tryouts from other rinks if they do happen, but are also planning on melting one rink at a time (Minus the Badgers rink, which is already melted anyways to convert to roller) if they remain closed.

Adding one more comment to get me to 100 posts. - Bantam

Well, however he may have practiced as a player, his on-ice sessions are pretty good. I haven't watched his off-ice videos, though. I'd guess they are pretty good.

Both good points. I know I have seen some kids take a few months off and hit the ice and look like they haven't missed a step. Others look like they have never been on skates before. Chinstrap brings up a good point. You have a Pens and friends kid who spends the entire time doing nothing and looks horrible and some outsider comes in and blows his doors off. In the end, the insider will still make the team, it will just make the shenanigan's that go on every year even more apparent.

I have to agree that later tryouts may be a good thing to experience. I do agree that kids can change a lot in a few months and I also kind of like naming the team and starting practice a week later. I think that might reduce tryout hopscotch.

If tryouts end up in August, maybe a silver lining of all this is that will become the new norm.

USA Hockey Strongly Recommends that there is no Tryouts Spring or Summer. i don’t see Try - Outs until August September. With the 2nd and 3rd waves coming do you think there will be Hockey next year? If a Rink gets this Virus in their place and kids and Teams come down with it. For God sake if a kid dies with that a Lawsuit having the rink open doing this pandemic I don’t see Hockey next year.

I've heard both sides. You say they're good, others say he's just out there herding cattle and collecting money. I know this much, he caused the Beaver organization a lot of headaches by booking clinics and then sending other people to run them because he was off collecting money from another organization at another rink. I don't think there is a whole lot of morality shown by him. Not that the same can't be said about many others doing the same thing.

Maybe he should have been doing those during his playing days? For his own development. #drillkillerhimself