Happy Hockey Fan

You are % 100 correct. I have heard many complaints about different boards around both PAHL and PIHL teams. But not always someone willing to take over, same as this situation as well I am sure.

This is an easy answer. There are a ton more players in the South Hills. A ton more.

There have not been any changes to PAHL in many many years. Change takes work. I don’t think the leaders are interested in doing any more work than they do now. I believe new people would be more energetic in their efforts.

FC has some good younger players, two or thee AAA kids. But they lost their two biggest guns and I think with that they should have probably stayed in A. That is where I feel that PIHL misses with their “competitive formula”. I have seen many many times over the years where teams get moved up after losing either a ton of seniors or their top three scorers and that isn’t taken into consideration by PIHL. Obviously it doesn’t happen to the AAA teams that much, but at the A level the moves are very detrimental to some teams after they get moved up when they lose 8-10 seniors.

Shaler is a big surprise to me. If these games are any indication Shaler may run through single A.

what other local AAA organizations have CONSISTENTLY produced quality teams at the younger levels? Besides Pens. I’ll answer for you, NONE. So with their consistency at the U18 and U16 levels qualify Esmark as the number 2 AAA organization in the area. I know you disagree with me, but that is my opinion. I have presented nothing but facts. Like they produce more D1 players, and no other local org has produced consistently good teams at ANY level.

The money and connections thing is fact. A kid I coached made an NAHL team last year. Had one point on the year. A kid I have watched play and was definitely better than the NAHL kid, way better, didn’t make an NAHL team. One kids parents are rich, others not. Which one do you think was in the NAHL last year? After this season is over, we shall see which one of these two kids advances. My bet is on the kid not in the NAHL. He is in another junior league that is comparable to the NAHL. And you have seen it in the past. Kids making Pens roster because who their parents are. Even on current roster there is someone that is only there because of who their parents are and you know it. And yes, money and connections also help in everyday life, but I think it is even more pronounced in youth amateur hockey. I still think Esmark is the number 2 program, not even close really based on what I said in previous posts about them being the only team to advance kids to D1 besides Pens. And I don’t think your bantam team example is much of an indicator for how good of a program Esmark is. Time will tell I guess.

Esmark 18U has sent more kids to D1 than any other AAA program besides the Pens. That is a fact. And they will probably be the team that send the second most kids to D1 from the area in the future too. who in your opinion is the the number 2 local team? I know of not one other team that has sent kids to D1 or even free to play juniors. and you say that AAA U18 isn’t the pathway to free juniors or D1. Why did the kid from SHAHA move to another organization to play for a U18 AAA team? And if you really want to know what the best pathway to D1 or free juniors is, I’ll tell you now. First the kid has to be pretty good. But that isn’t enough. It has everything to do with the amount of money and connections that your family has. I have seen kids move on to juniors programs with less talent and skill than others. But their parents have more money and connections. I could name names, but that isn’t appropriate here. When I see kids from SHAHA, Vengeance or maybe Preds advance a kid to D1. Then maybe there will be a new number 2. Until then, Esmark it is.

What were the U18 rankings? I believe that the SHAHA teams were a one and done type of high ranking team. They did a great job of recruiting for a couple teams. But it doesn’t look like they are going to be consistently ranked higher than Esmark. Their U16 team scattered and I don’t see them putting together teams that good consistently. I think Esmark remains the higher ranked teams at least at the U18 and U16 levels.

Anybody have any luck finding the ga es on TenBandTV?

They have been going to the Aviators for years. The Airport Arena had many independent “AA” and “AAA” teams. Anybody with money could buy a team there. The “Stealth” were one iteration of a “AAA” team.

Did Peter’s lose the two kids that were U16’s last year?

I know of one kid at U15 that made the National camp, he played for Preds last year, and is at SHAHA this upcoming year.

Let it go. They were punished and have moved on, you can too. And why do you care? You stated that anything in PIHL except AAA is a joke anyway. I think that maybe you are the joke.

Yes, the old hornets are the Pens Elite.

Nice dad joke!

I only know of two names on the list of u15’s. And they are both good players. I wish they listed where th kids were from.

NCDC is like NAHL in the aspect of it is not pay to play.

We all know why there is no combining, one or both teams coach or coaches want to be in charge.

Where is this new facility?

I looked that program up, looks like they are pretty strong. One of their players made the U17 US team. So now some of the top players in Pittsburgh are traveling to Long Island NY to play U18 AAA. Probably because of all the extra requirements of the Pens.(school, academy , etc.) Pens Elite really screwed up.

Where did the players go? Any big moves to Juniors?

Esmark has done very well at the midget levels. I don’t understand your statement.