3 Boys

Apparently Sterns son is still going to tryout at PPE. If he doesn't make it then he will play at Esmark.

Yes, very true. All the teams have 90% or more of the kids already picked.

Agree but is is shameful that for majority of the teams, even in B to A divisions, this is not the case. I also agree that JV should be about developing for Varsity. How good a JV team ends up being is never remembered - and so shouldn't be. Roll the lines for majority of the game. Hockey is on a downward spiral. I have to find the article but it was written by a scout from a junior team stating how bad the state of hockey is becoming. He said it's not just the kids but that the coaches are contributing to the problem by not disciplining the kids. The scout wrote about how the kids are so selfish and not playing for the team. Basically skating the puck end to end trying to do everything on their own and how coaches don't sit the kids for their mistakes. It happens at all ages. Heck, on my sons team we have kids that are repeat offenders for fighting and after their 1 or 2 game suspension the coach puts them right back out there. Just a shame because not only does it hurt the team, in the end the kid doesn't learn that there are consequences for their actions. This goes for kids that get the same "hot-head" penalties almost every game yet the coach puts them right back out there. I know when I was an assistant coach for my one sons team, I had zero problem sitting him for not listening or for when the head coach sat him for a repeated penalty. Today, he is a better player not making those dumb intentional penalties and more importantly a better person. Majority of these kids have no clue about the meaning of the word TEAM. If they did there would be so much more passing and encouraging with each other but instead there is more dissent because there are no consequences.

I think the Preds are even more disgruntled particularly this year because they lost majority of their team to the Vengeance. But yes, I agree, it does seem that those teams previously mentioned are always involved in the mayhem.

Truly disgusting!

They do use parent coaches. At least they did last year and that was one of the main reasons a lot of the 07 kids went to Esmark.

It is to late to drop down to Tier II. And even if they could I was told the Vengeance association would never do it and have any of their teams play AA.

Very true. Just like the Icemen teams, you pay AAA costs even if you are placed in Tier II like the 07 team is this year. Crazy to pay that amount to play AA.

Agree, Ohio Prospects are not strong at all. The 07 Vengeance team would have been better playing Tier 2 this year. The kids would probably have had a much better time and a chance at Tier II Nationals. They will never qualify for Tier I Mid-Am playoffs this year.

So this is weak: Over the course of the last six seasons, 1,500+ NAHL players have made NCAA commitments and 32 have been drafted into the NHL. So Tier II Juniors is weak?

Very true. I'm sure there will be a lot of movement.

How many kids got moved on from Mt, Lebo, Icemen, Vengeance, and Preds? I believe the Preds possibly may have one kid that they were able to get noticed and moved on. You are missing the point. The point is that playing for Esmark, if you can't make the Pens, is the only other organization in Pittsburgh area that you will have a chance to move on. So actually Tenders do mean something because if you don't get tendered your chances to advance is even less to none.

Of course it means nothing, just like it means nothing for any player from any organization other than Esmark as well. At least Esmark gets kids noticed and a chance at junior teams. The main point was you CANNOT say that about any other organization in Pittsburgh except for ESMARK and PENS ELITE. Obviously, as with any organization, there seems to be some bitterness towards Esmark from a you and others here. But the fact remains, Esmark and Pen Elite are the only 2 organizations within the Pittsburgh area that gives kids a chance for the next level.

I was surprised to see Mt. Lebo 18U AAA ranked 40th and doing well in the beginning of the season. I thought (but could be wrong) that the majority of the kids were 17 years old and it's impressive seeing them doing so well with a younger team. Hats off to them. Interesting to see the 18UAAA Vengeance ranked in the lower half of Tier I. Alot of those kids came from the Predators AAA program and yet the Preds 18U AAA team is ranked 7 spots higher. I am guessing the Preds organization is liking that. Of course, as we all know- it's a very long season and things are going to change. Of course the Icemen 18U AAA team is ranked 95th out of 108 teams which is not surprising. Both 18U (ranked 12th) and 16U (ranked 23rd) Esmark teams started very well in the rankings. It is a little surprising to see the 14U Esmark team get ranked 46th for a first year team. But as noted before, it's a long season........

I agree, this year I do not think neither the Vengeance or Icemen would be able to compete against the Esmark team. I was just addressing Big_Clapper21 in regards to his statement about local teams playing each other. It would be great to see those games happen but the way the ranking system is structured I am assuming Esmark would never play those teams because beating them would do nothing for their ranking. So I would assume Esmark would never take the chance to play those teams. Just like Pen Elite would never take the chance and play Esmark.; to much to lose and nothing to gain.