zam

Does anyone else think this black bear group is going to end with the same result as legacy global sports?? They were trying to corner the market on all the youth sports teams and tournaments. Buying everything up, partnerships, South Kent Selects Academy all within a couple years then... Poof, Gone! Kids without teams, parents owed lots of money. They can blame COVID, but the trickle down of their failures was huge, and effected multiple sports and many businesses.

Cliff Notes version: There are a lot of players trying to play division 1 college hockey. There are not that many D1 hockey teams. Within the next couple of years it is possible that the NCAA will grant college eligibility to former Canadian Hockey League players. Those players may or may not be interested in playing American College hockey. If they are interested, there will be even more players trying to play D1 hockey. Therefore it will be even more difficult to get a D1 college scholarship, because Math. Also: If you are playing low level juniors, especially if you are paying for it, you are just wasting your time and money. On the plus side D3 hockey should improve. And possibly a couple more schools might add D1 programs. Did I miss anything?

Looks like a D2 school knocked off a team from AA, (recently AAA). I didn't think D2 was real hockey, it was just a bunch of kids padding their stats, can someone confirm?

So Vengeance has 2 AA teams at 16u, (I'm assuming a 08 team and an 09 team?) And do they additionally still have AAA teams at 08 and 09?

Maybe that is now the case, but I can recall some Montour games a few years ago against AAA teams that were like 10-0 and 15-3. And honestly the games didn't even feel that close.

And most games will be about as competitive as Non Conference Big 10 football games.

It appears they have three goalies. They must be expecting to get a lot of action if their players are all Icemen cast offs.

Can anybody explain to me how a 5 win Erie McDowell team moves up to AA? Don't tell me "Competitive Formula" or 3rd highest enrollment in the PIHL. Did anybody use their brain on this one?? They had a total of 5 wins against the 3 worst teams in the division, smoked by everyone else, graduate 7 seniors. What am I missing?

I haven't watched any of the actual games but I was at the local tryout a few years ago. I could tell within 15 minutes that the level of play wasn't going to be very good. With dozens of spring teams and summer tournaments, it's just not anything special. The idea of it is a good one, and it sounds like it was good long ago.

It would be great if the Vengeance started throwing toy rats on the ice after a victory.

Lucky if there are 12 AAA players per birth year in the Pittsburgh Area

You are correct I dont believe they list any evaluators by name. I suppose for transparency they could list the guys who would be doing the evaluation, but might be for the best that they don't. Id imagine there would be parents sending them stats, video clips, envelopes of money, etc. Maybe the system is corrupt, coaches choosing their own players and friends, that's why i was intersted in your opinion.

I'm not sure what you are looking for as documentation. It is basically what is stated on the USA Hockey and Midam websites. I am interested in what your opposing viewpoint might be though. Are they people without a hockey background choosing the players with the fanciest gloves and helmets?

I believe the evaluators are current and former coaches and other officials from USA hockey. They are evaluating talent, skill, performance, the same type criteria as any tryout for any team in any sport. Looking to see who they think would form a competitive team for international competition.

Probably the best way to handle it is to mind your own business. Let him raise his kids the way he sees fit. I don't know why everyone is concerned about how much hockey someone plays. If he gets burnt out or loses interest, so be it.

Please let us know if that someone you know goes and how they fare! Care to share what age and level they play? Just curious

Has anyone from your players current organization/level ever went on to play in the NAHL?? If not then Money grab. Icemen/Preds for example never had a player in the NAHL as far as I know. Esmark a few, PPE a few more, And if you're PAHL AA, you probably need to be the best player in the league to be considered. So use that as a general guide. Another way to think about it. There are 2 or 3 Pittsburgh area kids on the national development team. There are maybe 5 Pittsburgh area kids in the USHL. And maybe 5 to 10 Pittsburgh area kids in the NAHL. This consist of kids 16-21 years old. So is your player in the top 15 or 20 Pittsburgh area kids, not just in his birth year, but birth years 2009-2005??? If he's somewhere close to that then give it a try. Maybe you get a look or invite to NA3 team or NCDC team.

I didn't think D2 was real hockey. Lol

Agree with most of those thoughts. However, the one thing you're going to fall behind on is skating. It's hard to make up for lost time there. Kids that grew up in our neighborhood and only played deck hockey, they had great hands, they had above average shots, they struggled to make their school's Middle School team. One took classes and private lessons. But became frustrated and gave up hockey.

Maybe someone should go knock on some doors at their fancy new building in Sewickley and see what's going on in there. Perhaps it's just a big Ponzi scheme that you finally cracked. Or maybe they just need a new social media, website, linkedIn, coordinator.

The North Hills Vipers were a pretty successful organization until the late 80s if I remember right, I had friends that played for them. I think they had money problems or leadership problems and declined, maybe tried moving rinks. They ultimately merged with Steel City Stars and played a few years as the Viper Stars. As far as Esmark money, I'm sure they were still getting sponsor money from them. But the Esmark owner/CEO jut retired and sold the Tomahawks and is probably just winding down his hockey philanthropy.

But what about the NHL drafted but never signed goalie that is featured on their website? He played there one year and has spent the last 5 on the front page of their website. The Hurricanes jersey looks more impressive than his actual ECHL jersey. The other guy is more of an esmark success story, be nice if they could spell his name correctly tho As for the actual topic of this thread, LOL. No USHL players are being developed during a 1 week camp. Maybe just Maybe you get put on some scout's radar, but those scouts already have 100s of players on their radar and they watch those kids many many times live and on film before they render an opinion on them.

Well look at them being proactive. It's been a full decade of futility for us down river. Multiple Division winners but no hardware to show for it, even after being dropped back to A. Most of these current players were in kindergarten! Erie McDowell anyone??? Believe me I know this is an unpopular opinion but some might use the term outcoached. #HaveYouEverSeenTheQuakersWinTheCup

He is doing something right, plucking hockey players off the front lines in Kharkiv and bring them to New Kensington! Yes those tenders are great for those guys, but their t1 league is tied to the Nahl, so teams have to invite a number of players. I'd be curious how many make a team, I don't know the answer.

Either patience has wore thin at Avonworth after playing 2 years in the A league with no championships, or maybe there was some scandal??? but the Varsity and JV coaches were supposedly just axed.