Danner27

Small update on the hockey program - I was told the NCAA are the ones that wanted the rink updated. Does anyone know what these updates would have been for NCAA standards ?

Sad news - a local kid on the NCAA team told us he doesn’t have anywhere to transfer to if he wanted to continue playing. He’s not on athletic scholarship. half of his tuition is covered by academic scholarships & grants, the other half his parents. He’s essentially done playing hockey. He said the top 3-4 players who are on athletic scholarships might get a chance somewhere else but the transfer portal is a convoluted mess. The limited amount of people I do know involved with the program said they were not surprised the program was folded. there has been talk about it before covid. Multiple reasons starting with a new president down to the facility losing money. I truly hope someone like black bear does purchase the facility (assuming it’s for sale) if a random developer grabs that land, kids will suffer. RMU will likely lose its ACHA programs, I can’t see a scenario that has them finding ice at Baierl or UPMC, it’s my understanding during season neither rink has much ice to sell. PIHL already has issues getting ice. PAHL will take a hit. PPE still buys ice from rmu when needed. Would beaver be the last rink standing on that side of town ? I’d expect ice fees to rise even more due to demand. If this place goes down, it will be a big hit for western pa.

I was wondering this myself. It’s been 3-4 years since I’ve been to that place. Maybe the nuclear waste is pushing up into the building again. For those old enough to remember, when that place was first built you couldn’t use the water for the first 2 years. I can’t recall what but whatever landfill it was built on was toxic. interesting quote from the RMU President about sports and diversity. The AD was on the news a few months back talking about how much of a hole the athletic programs are in financially.

Show up, they will take your money, it’s really that simple.

Speaking of - someone just told me the predators 16u “aaa” coach quit right after tryouts ? Never heard of the guy when his name was mentioned, is this true ?

That age is U15 now ? Good on esmark for not just taking people’s money and tossing a faux team out there, I’m sure they could have done that.

Little young for the parents and players we still communicate with but I heard most of the 2004s left for the vengeance, maybe these younger kids are going there ? I didn’t realize the vengeance had midget teams, They failed pretty bad a few years ago trying a U18 team - finished almost dead last in the rankings - embarrassment. I figured the talk this year about midget vengeance teams was just talk but I’m sure some group of parents probably put it together. If you want to play for the predators just pay “that guy” for lessons, your kid will make it. The man was let go recently from the varsity job he had, he has to make that money up. What’s the early over / under the predators midget “AAA” teams are out of the district tournament by October ?

He still has a house in Chicagoland along with Florida.

I think I know the story of this coach you are talking about if the time frame was before mueller or his first year - hard to recall. I honestly don’t recall any of the black teams beating the elite teams in districts but I do remember at one of the BY under my kids there was a lot of animosity between the black team & elite team, maybe the 03’s or 04’s.

I’m guessing it had to be an 03, my youngest is an 02. 99-03 are the BY i am most familiar with locally. I’m not doubting the stray kid here and there was retained at 15u, I do know of one 03 but then they dumped him at 16u. Kid is at Gilmour now. The point being many kids from the black team got pushed through the mid am camp by ppe over better players in the district, then dumped by ppe at midget. I could pm you 15 names alone from the 02 & 03 BY.

Not for the birth years I know, the black teams could not compete with the “elite” teams. I’m taking 99 down to 03. I’m pretty confident all the kids on those black bantam teams were all dumped by ppe going into U15, yet they pushed a good amount of them through the district camp. The Ohio Blue Jackets, along with Culver had a fallen out with mid am over this about 3-4 years ago.

You realize PPE has by far the most “evaluators” at the district camp ? A few years back kids from the PPE black teams were getting pushed through over players from other legitimate AAA programs in the district.

I’m not bothering to argue with you, my days of caring are over. My kids are all aged out. People that have been around know the guys that are making money off the parents and players who want that fake extra A.

Sorry - the post didn’t quote properly. The question was asked, who’s really making money on hockey - my reply was “plenty”.

Plenty

I just took a quick look at elite prospects. Esmark shows nobody that has made it to the echl, ahl or nhl. PPE has a handful that made it to the echl. The Hornets lead in this category ?

There is also a heck of a lot of players that played in the NAHL and never moved onto NCAA D1. Last I saw, it averages out to the top two players per team each season that earn the opportunity or get the shot.

I stand by that statement, especially the way the system has changed over the past 5-6 years. The predators had nothing to do with with this player getting to Johnston, if you know the family you would know the story along with the work this player put in as a “late bloomer” starting at the bottom of the GOJHL with another Pittsburgh kid. Mario’s kid played at the predators when he didn’t make the hornets. Are you going to say the predators got him into Arizona State NCAA D1 ? Sorry to rain on your parade, keep the money train rolling’ over there.

The player your are speaking about went or the GOJHL to cut his teeth, that is were Johnstown picked him up from. It had nothing to do with the predators. We know the other player that went with him to Canada.

Unfortunately, the only real AAA in western pa is PPE followed by esmark midget. As stated above, you can see how far the gap is between these two clubs. I have nothing against any kid or extra A status parent. Spend your money however you like - It’s just the truth. My biggest problem with PPE is how they are using youth hockey not just to fund the pro practice rink but also make a profit after the pro bills are paid from youth hockey! The penguins along with upmc are also using this business model as a tax shelter. PPE makes more money off import players.

I suspect covid had something to to do with the mid am district getting all 3 at large bids. traditionally our district is considered “middle of the pack”. It looks like a few districts may not be represented. For better or worse, politics & imports (it pains me to say it) - we can all agree PPE is the best tier 1 program in western pa. 90% of the time PPE wins the district at 14,15,16 & 18. Locally, Esmark is the only other real “AAA” option. You folks can see how far that gap truly is now with esmark sneaking into nationals due to covid. 9-2 loss to the NJ Avs (who were rolling lines at the start of the game). PPE is 2-0, esmark 0-2 with the worst goals differential in the tournament. this should be a lesson to the dreamers paying for FAUX teams such as the predators, icemen & vengeance. You folks are wasting your money, these teams are just mid to low level AA teams. I would be willing to wager the top 3 PAHL AA teams at U18 & U16 would beat the “AAA” teams put out on the ice by the predators and icemen this season.

Nothing, he’s a career politician. He got the job to secure the pens a new arena. He was Bill Clinton’s campaign manager, this is how he met Ron Burkle who is one of the biggest donators to the Democratic Party. Ron brought him back to his “hometown” to get the arena done. Give the guy credit, he knows how to make money and that’s what he’s doing for the pens with youth hockey. They are the only team in the nhl with ZERO overhead for their practice facility. He created the excel program to make even more money for the pens off youth hockey. All the while surrounding his mediocre son with some of the best 2003 (2002 @ U16) players in North America through out the years. in the end, PPE is still the best program by far for your kid if he has the talent & serious about hockey. I’m glad my kid was out of there before it became a money making machine with the excel extortion program.

Funny, the article talks about developing local talent but the guy that started 200x85 (and still is the owner ?) was brought in from Chicago to run PPE. He brought his favorite Chicago mission players with him. He’s the one that is responsible for PPE bringing in kids from everywhere and dumping local players along with David Morehouse. Unless this is a completely different 200x85.