forbin

I really don't see a problem with this approach. A lot of AA PAHL teams play independent schedules on top of their PAHL schedule already. If this league makes it easier for them to schedule games/tournaments I say go for it. Play some teams you wouldn't normally play, get some more ice time, travel to places you typically wouldn't. Maybe this approach will start to curve the "faux AAA" teams?....

If they would have just outfitted the new UPMC center on campus for hockey when they were building it, they could have had their cake and ate it too. More fans, more money, better facility attracts better prospects, which could equal more winning, more exposure, more donor money etc... NOT TO MENTION they still could have went and sold the island sports center to whomever and made enough money to build the dumb "diversity center" that they wanted too. But again, when these plans for the new UPMC center were being purposed they didn't even once consider their hockey teams involvement. The bottom line is Howard DOES NOT CARE ABOUT HOCKEY and will be happy that its one less thing he has to worry about. It seriously pisses me off how poorly this whole situation was handled. They could have had it all. That place would have been rocking on a Friday night with hockey fans. Might even put some of the others smaller D1 programs to shame.

Their FB says they aren't going anywhere because they don't want all their families pulling out thinking their kids wont have a place to play in the fall. I am fairly certain we can expect an announcement in coming weeks about the sale to someone like Black Bear. No idea what that will mean for the programs there. I hope for everyone's sake its business as usual.

Yeah he has a good plan and the right intentions but there is a zero percent chance that RMU reinstates the programs unless the powers at be at RMU are out of a job soon. Apparently there’s more to this whole story than meets the eye.

I could totally see teams at the three Pittsburgh rinks they own plus the ones in Ohio joining the AHF. Might give another outlet to players looking for something a little different.

Even if the rink is bought, even if the change.org petitions reaches tens of thousands of signatures, even if they can somehow raise a significant amount of money for the programs, the university will not reinstate the programs. Where was all this support when the teams were playing? Seems like a little too little, a little too late now.

I don't see how them buying PIA would be a bad thing. That place needs some love. Have the changes at the other two local rinks they own been terrible? I know Printscape is getting a second sheet because of them. That's a good thing for WPA

They didn't do a single thing to help save the programs. It all boils down to this: President Howard does not give a flying you know what about hockey.

We absolutely cannot afford to lose this facility. I genuinely hope that whoever buys it doesn't change too much up. Maybe it means the Foxes get more ice, or another organization can move in part time. I would expect the announcement of a new sponsor and ownership group by July. There's no way RMU is going to keep paying for that place into the fall semester. Hopefully all the in-house players are not displaced.

Really sucks. Clearview already has the naming right for it. RMU will sell to BBS. Hopefully too much doesn't change about the way things are run there. They do have the best in house program in the area.

SO true. Also one of the reasons more and more parents are going to the paid coaches "AAA" model, because at least then you know the people coaching your kid have hockey experience. I have mentioned before that my '09 sons first year squirt coach had never played hockey in his life and literally could not even skate or stand up in skates. Great guy, terrible hockey coach.

It absolutely is. I'd venture to guess that the only real places where its more development driven would be Minnesota or Canada, simply for the fact that they have WAY more access to ice and way more people involved. I have seen some newer groups popping up to help assist families financially to get into the sport and I fully support that mentality, while also recognizing that hockey is a sport that requires a considerable amount of resources to be played properly.

No that's not what I am saying in the slightest. My kid wants to play the highest level hockey he can. He wants to be on the ice every single day. And I do and will continue to do whatever I can to facilitate that as long as my paychecks don't bounce. I make a comfortable living that I am lucky enough to afford for all my kids to pursue their passion. Some people on this board have a different mindset and there's nothing wrong with that. I'm not gonna tell anyone how to spend their money. What I am saying is that these arguments over what is consider a legitimate AAA program are stupid because in the end who really cares? Johnny who played at PPE and Billy who played at Preds are most likely gonna be playing in the same A level beer league down the road.

Exactly why at the end of the day none of this really even matters. I doubt there is a parent on this board who has a kid playing right now that will end up playing professional hockey. We are all just a bunch of grumpy dads arguing with strangers on the internet about a fake extra A.

Why does PPE have to be the only game in town? Because they have a fancy arena and the Penguins logo on their chest? And inherited an already good system in the Hornets and then turned their back on the values of that organization by bringing in players from across the country to take the spots of local kids? Then refusing to play other AAA teams because they are to proud to admit they might lose? PAHL needs to offer an outlet for the kids that want more ice time and more games. Right now that outlet is independent “faux AAA” teams. If the PAHL had a AAA or, f*ck it even call it AA+ or AA Hybrid for all I care, division would it legitimatize these faux AAA teams for everyone?

Michigan has 10 AAA organizations (MAHA T1) with one team per birth year and only has 4 players on the U17 national development team. Is Pittsburgh a small hockey market? Absolutely. But with the right model it could be right there with other states. Instead we all scoff at the "non legit "AAA teams. If there was a legitimate Western PA AAA league with say 6 organizations each fielding 1 team per birth year the competition would be intense and the bragging rights would be on the table every year. It would also offer more opportunity for scouting and exposure in my opinion. Much like MAHA does.

100% agree with this. There is a clear difference between hockey parents and parents whose kid happens to play hockey. In my opinion growing the game and developing players are two different conversations. Growing the game to me means the little pens program and other inexpensive opportunities for kids to start playing and hopefully fall in love with it. It means opening the door to kids who would have never even thought of trying it in the first place. Developing players to me requires the players drive to want to get better and availability of ice time which is severely lacking in most PAHL organizations. You can't expect a kid to develop with a single 50 minute practice a week. Exactly why those kids often do additional training or play for multiple teams. I stand by the fact that there are 100-150 kids at each age level who are skilled and have the desire to play a competitive AAA style schedule, and really no reason why they should be pushed back to PAHL teams simply because the extra A isn't "legit". Maybe if PAHL played more games per season or offered more ice time more parents wouldn't feel the need to look elsewhere.

I agree with some of this, however to play devil's advocate here: Why should I care about the development of other kids if their parents don't care about the development of mine?

I was not aware of this, I have a talented 2013 hockey addicted kid who after watching a 2011 Vengeance game last season is dead set on playing for them. So this thread has been great for me as well. How would one go about getting a foot in the door there? We don't play for SCIR either and I am assuming they use them as a "feeder" system so to speak?

I'm not involved with the organization but I venture to guess the total season fees for their squirt teams are around $4k, plus the cost of uniforms/gloves/helmet/travel/tournaments etc. What's the travel like for your current team? Because keep in mind teams like the Vengeance and pens elite travel to places like Ohio, New York, Michigan, sometimes Canada to play as those teams are in independent leagues. FWIW, the Pittsburgh area has the PAHL which is a more localized travel hockey league with teams ranging from AA to B level. Again, I have no idea if our AA teams would be comparable to your current team but it may be worth looking into if you don't want the travel commitment. Alpha ice complex (where the Vengeance play) is home to the Steel City Ice Renegades in the PAHL. Also, if you wanted to go the pens elite route getting from Oakmont to Cranberry via the turnpike isn't too bad. Probably around 35 minutes or so at rush hour.

His first post that was changed to nonsense was about how the 2011 IC hockey team and Vengeance teams had no business being in the super series tournament this past weekend and that the "yellow helmets couldn't connect passes". So my guess is his kid was cut from the preds team OR his kid plays for them and isnt seeing much ice time because hes the type of dad that likes to stir the pot.

I have zero affiliation with the predators for many reasons, shadiness and favoritism being one of them. It was smart of you to edit your post as calling people out directly by name is frowned upon here. That’s all I was saying.

What’s the over/under on how long this post stays up?

Agree with this to an extent. It has to stop somewhere though. Talking 14-18 age group I personally think that 6-8 teams per birth year (including PPE) in the Pittsburgh area is a fair number of AAA teams. That's <150 kids per birth year. I really see no problem with that. I know others here turn their nose up to it, but If it what players and parents want then its going to happen.

Not sure why you’re arguing with yourself.... but I’d be willing to bet that he lives in one of the newer $400k townhomes that are popping up all over the place up there. Which would make total sense.