Theroadtobeerleague

14 hours ago, Rancho1 said:

He doesn't know specifics, yet knows what their records are. ?

Looked it up on MHR. Duh 

13 hours ago, champeen said:

There are approximately 150 NCAA D1 & D3 programs in the United States.  Why do people seem to think there should only be like 20 AAA teams and if you aren't playing teams in the top 10 you are a sham?  Very good players will and do come out of these "joke" programs.

There are 150, huh?  Roster of 25, thats 3,750 players playing college hockey, spread out over 7-8 birth years, since many go to juniors first.  Almost all D3 players are 21-24 years old.  

As an example, let’s take all of the teams in current “AAA” at U18, U16, U15, and U14.  400+ teams of 20. Add in the Canadians who will make up a big portion of college rosters, and don’t forget NE Prep and MM high school kids who don’t all play AAA but end up playing in college.  Easily 10,000 players spread out over 6 birth years, for 3,750 spots spread out over the same for college hockey. So the math bears it out: 95% of kids playing AAA hockey ****on teams ranked outside of the top 20 teams**** are a long-shot for D1 or D3 hockey.  It’s no knock on them for playing what is essentially is high-level AA hockey, but the reality is that it’s never going to lead to anywhere.  
 

ask your friends who have kids born in 2000, 2001, or 2002 and played AAA hockey on a team ranked outside of the top 20 and they will tell you that their kid is either playing college club hockey or not at all. 
this is my opinion.  I have never had a kid play AAA hockey because it would be a waste of time and money. 

31 minutes ago, BeaverFalls said:

So then this discussion begs, is it worth it for AAA or better to dominate in AA at probably substantially less cost/travel. 

Just a question. I have no dog in the fight. I’m sure there are advantages and disadvantages to both. 

A team like Lebo could play an independent AA/AAA schedule but go for a National title at AA, which wouldn’t be easy.  At U14, Lebo went 1-2 at Tier 2 Nationals; since switching to AAA, they are 1-5 at Mid Ams (as U15 and U16). I don’t know anything specific about this team, but would bet that it’s made up 5-6 top kids and 10-12 kids who wouldn’t really be considered AAA players.  That’s true of many teams ranked in the 40s to 60s. 

Just now, Theroadtobeerleague said:

Going 0-3 at Mid Ams (obviously a weak district since only 1 team ranked in top 10 and 2 teams ranked in top 22) does not make Lebo a legit AAA team.  It makes them, as a said, a “tweener”, caught been AA and AAA.   If Lebo played a schedule made up top teams this would be more clear.  
they went 2-7-1 vs teams ranked ahead of them.  That’s 10 games played out of 42 vs “better” competition.  At most age groups Pittsburgh can field 1 good AAA and 2-3 mediocre ones, and the delusion is in thinking that being ranked 51st makes a team legit AAA. Most A-A-A leads straight to B-E-E-R 

The reason they are in the “middle” of AAA teams is because there are too many AAA teams.  With almost 120 teams and rosters of 20, thats almost 2,400 AAA players born in 2004? Really?

40 minutes ago, Jack Handey said:

It's not a pickle.  Mt Lebo was ranked 51 out of 118 tier 1 teams.  Their losses:

#41 (by 1 goal)
#1 (by 4 goals)
#56 (by 2 goals). 

Their showing wasn't all that terrible and someone has to lose.  This result just shows they are solidly in the middle of tier 1 teams.

 

Going 0-3 at Mid Ams (obviously a weak district since only 1 team ranked in top 10 and 2 teams ranked in top 22) does not make Lebo a legit AAA team.  It makes them, as a said, a “tweener”, caught been AA and AAA.   If Lebo played a schedule made up top teams this would be more clear.  
they went 2-7-1 vs teams ranked ahead of them.  That’s 10 games played out of 42 vs “better” competition.  At most age groups Pittsburgh can field 1 good AAA and 2-3 mediocre ones, and the delusion is in thinking that being ranked 51st makes a team legit AAA. Most A-A-A leads straight to B-E-E-R 

Just now, Theroadtobeerleague said:

Lebo 16s are definitely in a pickle. Their 92.69 rating would put them #1 in the nation in AA and well above any other PAHL U16 team, but they went 0-3  at Mid Ams at AAA.  This would lead one to believe that they are 5-6 skaters short of being a legit AAA team. 

Who said that kids at U15 are leaving for “national” teams? It is indeed true that in New England some 9th and 10th graders switch to prep hockey. 

1 hour ago, HSFBLJ said:

Wait a minute the 06 PPE beat the 06 Vengance?

Based on this tournament PPE is clearly the best option if you live in Pittsburgh.

Mt. Lebo would have been middle of the road in PAHL U16AA this year. 

PPE is no more political than any other organization.

I don't think many kids are leaving for national teams at U15.

  

Lebo 16s are definitely in a pickle. Their 92.69 rating would put them #1 in the nation in AA and well above any other PAHL U16 team, but they went 0-3  at Mid Ams at AAA.  This would lead one to believe that they are 5-6 skaters short of being a legit AAA team. 

59 minutes ago, PUCKCOVID19 said:

don't forget the almighty Esmark u15's went 0-3 as well

two Mt Lebo teams (U15 and U16) and one SHAHA team (U14) - combined 0-9 and outscored 35-14.  AA teams with AA players should stick to AA hockey.

12 minutes ago, Theroadtobeerleague said:

More evidence:

pens Elite 2005 just beat Mt Lebo 3-1, a #70-ranked team made up of ALL players who never played above AA before this season. Pens Elite at Nationals = Mt Lebo at Mid Ams....0-3 

*if Pens Elite makes it

10 hours ago, Theroadtobeerleague said:

2006:

2020-2021: 11th

19-20: 6th

18-19: 9th

17-18: 13th

 

2005:

20-21: 14th

19-20: 13th

18-19: 21st

17-18: 17th

2005 is a weak birth year, end of story.  The current team has more than 50% new players since 17-18 and has only improved slightly   Also remember that U15 Midget is starting to lose some kids (nationally) who start Prep hockey so it’s not as competitive 

 

More evidence:

pens Elite 2005 just beat Mt Lebo 3-1, a #70-ranked team made up of ALL players who never played above AA before this season. Pens Elite at Nationals = Mt Lebo at Mid Ams....0-3 

Just now, Theroadtobeerleague said:

2006:

2020-2021: 11th

19-20: 6th

18-19: 9th

17-18: 13th

 

2005:

20-21: 14th

19-20: 13th

18-19: 21st

17-18: 17th

2005 is a weak birth year, end of story.  The current team has more than 50% new players since 17-18 and has only improved slightly   Also remember that U15 Midget is starting to lose some kids (nationally) who start Prep hockey so it’s not as competitive 

 

I bet if you compared Vengeance and SHAHA 2006 to Esmark and Preds 2005 you’d find the same thing. 

3 hours ago, hockeyisgreat said:

Interesting take on the situation.  Do you have an opinion as to the quality of 06 players in western pa.  Seems from the results that the PPE team is ahead of the other local teams. The Vengeance team is only in it's 2nd year of AAA and seems to be gaining ground.  The SHAHA team seems like a strong AAA team as well.  It's all very interesting.

2006:

2020-2021: 11th

19-20: 6th

18-19: 9th

17-18: 13th

2005:

20-21: 14th

19-20: 13th

18-19: 21st

17-18: 17th

2005 is a weak birth year, end of story.  The current team has more than 50% new players since 17-18 and has only improved slightly   Also remember that U15 Midget is starting to lose some kids (nationally) who start Prep hockey so it’s not as competitive 

6 hours ago, HereWithPopcorn said:

That whole division is very weak in the grand scheme of things since players locally are diluted over 4 teams.  Could actually be a contender if PPE didn't bring back the same core every year with the same results and truly took the best of the best, but that will never happen.

That’s not true.  There are only 6 skaters on the U15 who have been on the team since Pee Wee.  Even if the top 3 or 4 players from Esmark/Preds/Lebo replaced current players, it wouldn’t improve the team. There are strong birth years and weak birth years.  2005 is a weak birth year, mainly due to low registration data for that year dating back for several years 

3 hours ago, PowerPlay said:

I think the E in PPE stands for "Excel" instead of "Elite" around 15U.

This 

6 hours ago, Loach said:

PPE with a very narrow shootout victory (6th shooter) over Preds at 15O.

This particular game is an indication of just how weak this birth year is in the Pittsburgh area. For some reason, the birth year lacks hockey IQ, speed, or any elite goal scorers. Both of these teams have 1 AAA line and the rest are players that could be swapped out for each other along with the other local “AAA” teams. 
there has never been a 2005 Pittsburgh team ranked in the top 10, even going back to squirts. 

What the rankings look like in October and what they look like in February is very different. 

Defense isn’t a position. It’s a role on the ice.  Every player should learn to play when their team has the puck and when their team doesn’t have the puck, in all three zones.  Also, probably best to quit hockey and run cross country.  Hockey is the road to nowhere sport. 

30 minutes ago, The King said:

No but I’m sure yiur significant other is currently cruising Facebook while you came back in here after being shamed off in the spring trying to defend the watered down Tier 2 nationals. I guess this is your way of deflecting the conversation away from Ice Castle.

You are confusing me with someone else. 

Is this Facebook?

15 minutes ago, Danner27 said:

It was the same thing as Pahl playoffs just with the icemen added in. 

Feel bad for these kids and all the others who may now be missing out on their last and/or only chance to play in Nationals. 

14 hours ago, HSFBLJ said:

C'mon Bra the money train keeps rolling!

This comment didn’t age well 

Will USA Hockey Nationals get cancelled due to the Coronavirus?

7 hours ago, Hockey1 said:

I believe that team had 3 kids from Chicago on that team, and two of the three weren't heavy contributors to that team.  Not going to argue the 18's this year struggled, they had a lot of injuries and had a short bench.  Most of their games going into the 3rd period they were ahead by 2 or 3 goals and ended up losing those games, mainly because they were gassed and didn't have the legs to finish the game.

Just because the teams lost doesn't mean they don't develop talent, it just means they got beat by a better team that day or simply didn't play like a team.  We obviously don't agree on this point, and that's fine.  We can agree to disagree, but there's a reason why most kids want to play at the organization whether they want to admit it or not.

Yes,  at Mid Ams U18s lost 8-2 and 11-3 in games that they were winning by 2 or 3 goals and then got tired. 

12 minutes ago, Danner27 said:

Ding ding this guy gets it. 

That is always going to be a large part of it as adults continue to use youth sports to make money. But it’s also a sign of a large increase in participation over a couple of decades as well as helping hockey grow in different regions. 

29 minutes ago, The King said:

Ok so here’s my questions, what is the breakdown of slots awarded at nationals for each affiliate? So WV is given a spot based on not having any competition? And if so, you’re telling me it wouldn’t be better filled by another WPA or OH team? Or, how about MidAm actually do what’s best for the sport and make these teams compete against each other. Gold, silver and bronze winners all get bids to nationals. And those teams all have to earn bids to districts. Oh wait, I know why...

In short, NO.  They don’t take spots away from Western PA because they don’t compete at the same Nationals. 
Read below and you’ll see that they have actually thought it out pretty well  

From USA Hockey:

 The Youth Tier II National Championship Tournament shall include up to 40 teams, comprised of one team representing the host, one team from each state declaring to send a team, and at-large teams selected by the Youth National Championship Tournament Selection Committee established by the National Championship Tournament chairperson. If at-large
bids are necessary, the Youth National Championship Tournament Selection Committee will review the list of declared teams provided by Registrars at the Winter Meeting and select at-large teams taking different states into consideration each year so that there is a rotation of states represented as at-large teams each year. Teams and host team are listed based on the previous season’s registration numbers in the state
for the age classification. The teams are placed into three conferences (3A, 2A, 1A), with 3A being the highest number of registered players, 2A being the middle number of registered players, and 1A being the lowest number of registered players. Conferences may consist of 16, 12, or 8 teams depending on the number of teams declared. To create conferences with this number of teams, a team may be placed in a higher or lower conference at the discretion of the Youth National Championship Tournament Selection Committee.
The Youth Tier II National Championship Tournament
is not seeded and teams are placed into their respective brackets. When possible, the Youth National Championship Tournament Selection Committee will attempt to place teams into different brackets than teams from the same state, affiliate, district, and/or league.

8 minutes ago, The King said:

Allowing WV and Kentucky have a representative at Nationals in lieu of teams from WPA or OH that are better but didn’t win their segregated bracket is moronic and shows the mentality of MidAm and it’s leadership. How these people continue to take your money and tell you what to do is mind boggling to me 

They get represented at a different level.  At Tier 2, the 1A, 2A, and 3A is based on number of registered players.  I don’t believe any teams for Kentucky or Indiana registered at Tier 2