Happy Hockey Fan

First year U18. I will let you know after he goes.

First off it isn’t my kid. That wasn’t in the cards for my kids. They just played because they enjoyed the game. I am curious because someone I know got an invite. I am hoping that it is a real opportunity just for his sake.

I know that there are a lot of NAHL camps to go along with the USHL camps. Can anyone tell me if an invitation only camp for an NAHL team means that an invited player may have an opportunity to make said team. Is it still a long shot? And does an invite mean you have gotten someone’s attention? Or is it just another money grab?

My fault wasn’t paying attention to the thread title. Sorry. But they do have a 2010 birthyear team everybody.

And 2010 would be U14. Which is what team my friends son is playing for.

I know vengeance has a U14 team.

I would say that there usually a big difference in talent between top and bottom lines in Open and A. Gap closes in AA, and probably closes a little more in AAA. and most coaches that win do run their top guys a lot more than the rest of the players on the lower lines. And that goes a long way back. I know a couple of Canevin’s state championships were won on the talents of a few really good players. (Not earlier 80’s teams, they were stacked with three good lines for a few years) And there are definitely other teams that have achieved lots of wins the same way. That is the nature of winning. But at the same time, a really good coach will make those kids that don’t get much playing time better players. Which is what I personally think makes great coaches, and not just good coaches.

Unfortunately, your comment about human nature is true. I just don’t like it! Haha.

If a team has four decent lines it can be advantage, however most teams at the A level don’t have 4 decent lines, and having three at that level is rare. At the AA level, there are more teams with 4 decent lines, and their third is usually pretty good. At the AAA level more teams have 4 capable lines.

Yeah, that’s it. I’m his grandpa. Why would that be even remotely funny? I don’t know Yuri. Never met him. Only have seen him from across the ice from the stands. I just state facts. Never praised him personally. Did I hurt your feelings or something?

Disagree. While I am sure talented imports help, just like talented imports help the Pens teams, there have been plenty of local kids from their teams advance to higher levels. And there have a number of local kids lead their teams in scoring.

Why the league bashing? The league as a whole and Esmark have produced D1 players. Maybe not a ton but they do get there. Not every league can be the top one.

Can you re-write this in so people can understand what you mean?

And this program has moved some players to the NCAA D1.

No need to name them. They don’t need to be dragged into it. But I don’t think you are thinking of the same coaches as me. As neither one works for their Daddy’s company and neither have any delusions of their continued hockey careers. Thanks for guessing, wrong.

100%. Just because someone was a great athlete or super student of the game doesn’t mean they can communicate to kid I don’t know all of them. But I do know a couple of guys in the age groups you have mentioned that I believe to be good coaches that are not at the Pens. Both have pretty good pedigree, but more importantly they both have made better players out of kids under their tutelage.

The only place to get good coaching? That is a slap in the face to a lot of really good coaches out there. Once again, Pens Elite is NOT the greatest show on earth. Kids advance without them all the time. I wish your kid the best of luck, but just because he plays for the Pens doesn’t mean he is “making it”. And there are also kids his age that don’t play for the pens that will.

Teams being advertised as AA has been going on forever even though PAHL doesn’t determine who is going to play AA until placements take place months after teams have been picked. It is a shame that it is even allowed. Of course you can always play an independent schedule and claim to be whatever you want. AAA, AA or maybe AAAAA.

I think a lot of it has to do with two things, genetics and the fact that they have their own refrigerated rink!

How about we give credit to the kid. I don’t think any coach or program deserves all the credit for any player advancing. Talent has to be there. Kid has to want it and work hard. Coaches can’t do anything about either of those criteria. Yes coaches can and do influence how players advance, but without talent and dedication to hard work, kids aren’t going anywhere.

To anybody that thinks a kid moving up from AA to AAA in the later stages of their youth careen can’t be as good as their little Johnny who has always played AAA, go pound salt. I know a kid who didn’t play AAA until U18. Was the best Dman on his AAA team. Went on to NAHL, and then Division 1. His teammates have not have the same success.

In high school the Board is usually the group that hires and sets salary. And I know of a varsity position or two that don’t pay anywhere near what has been stated here.

I was lead to believe that they had to go there. But I guess there are exceptions.

If they weren’t rules what were they? Just suggestions? Because not one kid that played U18 attended school elsewhere.

I have heard that the Pens are removing the rules that their kids have to attend North Catholic and Excel Academy. Anyone else?