District Playoffs 2022

[RJUSHL]

16 minutes ago, carroll81 said:

Here is the Black Bear plan for next season.  Lots of teams leaving the DVHL to play in the league

https://atlantichockeyfederation.com/ahf-2022-2023/

Why?

1. They promise to balance the schedules

2. They promise more ice time and better ice slots

3. They have full time staff, so web/stats/standings are updated

4. No stay to play

If they can perform those things, they hit a lot of the items that parents complain about, from the Dads who want only competitive games to the goalie Moms who want the SOG and GA to be updated in real time.  It will be an interesting year.

Interesting. Lots of games in the regular season schedule.

Is it just a matter of time before South Pgh, North Hills, and Allegheny are in this league? Doesn't Black Bear own Printscape, Pittsburgh Ice, and Palmer?

Looking at their 12U AA division on MHR, it's definitely larger and more competitive than PAHL 12U AA.

https://myhockeyrankings.com/division_info.php?y=2021&d=23

Also interesting that they specifically mention that they have an unbalanced schedule to maximize competition and minimize driving times.

Edited March 8, 2022 by RJUSHL

[hockey55]

3 hours ago, Carl Racki said:

I am not just calling the Badgers out, I am calling out ALL the independent teams out.  It is what ruins local hockey.  It just runs the price up even further and keeps athletes out.  There is no reason.  I am calling out the 07 SHAHA, Icemen, Vengeance, and yes the Preds and Allegheny if they all are independent next year.  THAT'S 5 TEAMS!!!  I am calling them ALL delusional AA teams that aren't intelligent enough to just form a great league with the top 8 teams in the area. I have been calling them ALL out the entire thread.  All good teams and good competition for each other.  Stop the madness. Don't make the excuses like  "everyone else is".  At least admit "boy this is stupid."

Sounds like the 2009 AA SHAHA team now wants to be AAA independent as well. Again it's a joke.  Yes they are a great team, yes they have a few AAA players but not a team full.  6 of their 13 games have been within 3 goals this season in PAHL AA.  Teams will catch up.  If you are not in the top 30-40 you are not a AAA team.  Again you may have several AAA players but not the depth.  Trust me I have been involved in the game for over 30 years.  This is how teams recruit and sales pitch uneducated parents.  Sorry, just trying to help educate them.  It usually goes in one ear and out the other.

2010 group is the same ALREADY they have several independent "AAA" teams that left PAHL.  It's laughable.   Just keeps getting worse and worse.  The 2010 Aviators tried playing up in PAHL Pee Wee AA.  Got smoked and should have just played A major black.  The only teams I have seen do that successfully were the true AAA teams that were in the top 30 for their birth year.  That would have been the younger Vengeance teams.

And the 2010 Predators are independent and played many AA pee wee teams in tournaments this year and got beat. Allegheny 2009 team and their top mixed year A Maj Black team both beat them. 

[hockey55]

3 hours ago, Carl Racki said:

I am not just calling the Badgers out, I am calling out ALL the independent teams out.  It is what ruins local hockey.  It just runs the price up even further and keeps athletes out.  There is no reason.  I am calling out the 07 SHAHA, Icemen, Vengeance, and yes the Preds and Allegheny if they all are independent next year.  THAT'S 5 TEAMS!!!  I am calling them ALL delusional AA teams that aren't intelligent enough to just form a great league with the top 8 teams in the area. I have been calling them ALL out the entire thread.  All good teams and good competition for each other.  Stop the madness. Don't make the excuses like  "everyone else is".  At least admit "boy this is stupid."

Sounds like the 2009 AA SHAHA team now wants to be AAA independent as well. Again it's a joke.  Yes they are a great team, yes they have a few AAA players but not a team full.  6 of their 13 games have been within 3 goals this season in PAHL AA.  Teams will catch up.  If you are not in the top 30-40 you are not a AAA team.  Again you may have several AAA players but not the depth.  Trust me I have been involved in the game for over 30 years.  This is how teams recruit and sales pitch uneducated parents.  Sorry, just trying to help educate them.  It usually goes in one ear and out the other.

2010 group is the same ALREADY they have several independent "AAA" teams that left PAHL.  It's laughable.   Just keeps getting worse and worse.  The 2010 Aviators tried playing up in PAHL Pee Wee AA.  Got smoked and should have just played A major black.  The only teams I have seen do that successfully were the true AAA teams that were in the top 30 for their birth year.  That would have been the younger Vengeance teams.

And the 2010 Predators are independent and played many AA pee wee teams in tournaments this year and got beat. Allegheny 2009 team and their top mixed year A Maj Black team both beat them. 

[hockey55]

3 hours ago, Carl Racki said:

I am not just calling the Badgers out, I am calling out ALL the independent teams out.  It is what ruins local hockey.  It just runs the price up even further and keeps athletes out.  There is no reason.  I am calling out the 07 SHAHA, Icemen, Vengeance, and yes the Preds and Allegheny if they all are independent next year.  THAT'S 5 TEAMS!!!  I am calling them ALL delusional AA teams that aren't intelligent enough to just form a great league with the top 8 teams in the area. I have been calling them ALL out the entire thread.  All good teams and good competition for each other.  Stop the madness. Don't make the excuses like  "everyone else is".  At least admit "boy this is stupid."

Sounds like the 2009 AA SHAHA team now wants to be AAA independent as well. Again it's a joke.  Yes they are a great team, yes they have a few AAA players but not a team full.  6 of their 13 games have been within 3 goals this season in PAHL AA.  Teams will catch up.  If you are not in the top 30-40 you are not a AAA team.  Again you may have several AAA players but not the depth.  Trust me I have been involved in the game for over 30 years.  This is how teams recruit and sales pitch uneducated parents.  Sorry, just trying to help educate them.  It usually goes in one ear and out the other.

2010 group is the same ALREADY they have several independent "AAA" teams that left PAHL.  It's laughable.   Just keeps getting worse and worse.  The 2010 Aviators tried playing up in PAHL Pee Wee AA.  Got smoked and should have just played A major black.  The only teams I have seen do that successfully were the true AAA teams that were in the top 30 for their birth year.  That would have been the younger Vengeance teams.

And the 2010 Predators are independent and played many AA pee wee teams in tournaments this year and got beat. Allegheny 2009 team and their top mixed year A Maj Black team both beat them. 

[hockey55]

3 hours ago, Carl Racki said:

I am not just calling the Badgers out, I am calling out ALL the independent teams out.  It is what ruins local hockey.  It just runs the price up even further and keeps athletes out.  There is no reason.  I am calling out the 07 SHAHA, Icemen, Vengeance, and yes the Preds and Allegheny if they all are independent next year.  THAT'S 5 TEAMS!!!  I am calling them ALL delusional AA teams that aren't intelligent enough to just form a great league with the top 8 teams in the area. I have been calling them ALL out the entire thread.  All good teams and good competition for each other.  Stop the madness. Don't make the excuses like  "everyone else is".  At least admit "boy this is stupid."

Sounds like the 2009 AA SHAHA team now wants to be AAA independent as well. Again it's a joke.  Yes they are a great team, yes they have a few AAA players but not a team full.  6 of their 13 games have been within 3 goals this season in PAHL AA.  Teams will catch up.  If you are not in the top 30-40 you are not a AAA team.  Again you may have several AAA players but not the depth.  Trust me I have been involved in the game for over 30 years.  This is how teams recruit and sales pitch uneducated parents.  Sorry, just trying to help educate them.  It usually goes in one ear and out the other.

2010 group is the same ALREADY they have several independent "AAA" teams that left PAHL.  It's laughable.   Just keeps getting worse and worse.  The 2010 Aviators tried playing up in PAHL Pee Wee AA.  Got smoked and should have just played A major black.  The only teams I have seen do that successfully were the true AAA teams that were in the top 30 for their birth year.  That would have been the younger Vengeance teams.

And the 2010 Predators are independent and played many AA pee wee teams in tournaments this year and got beat. Allegheny 2009 team and their top mixed year A Maj Black team both beat them. 

[carroll81]

13 minutes ago, RJUSHL said:

Interesting. Lots of games in the regular season schedule.

Is it just a matter of time before South Pgh, North Hills, and Allegheny are in this league? Doesn't Black Bear own Printscape, Pittsburgh Ice, and Palmer?

Looking at their 12U AA division on MHR, it's definitely larger and more competitive than PAHL 12U AA.

https://myhockeyrankings.com/division_info.php?y=2021&d=23

Also interesting that they specifically mention that they have an unbalanced schedule to maximize competition and minimize driving times.

I would think that they will build something similar out in your area.  They have some rinks in Ohio also:

https://www.blackbearsportsgroup.com/arenas.html

[RJUSHL]

7 minutes ago, carroll81 said:

I would think that they will build something similar out in your area.  They have some rinks in Ohio also:

https://www.blackbearsportsgroup.com/arenas.html

So Black Bear owns rinks of 4 different PAHL organizations? I'm sure more to come. 

Geographically it looks like Esmark is an outlier, but they weren't afraid to put them into their Tier 1 league.

Honestly, I can't imagine PAHL not losing some Tier 2 organizations to this Black Bear league. Seems like only a matter of when.

Is this a good thing for western PA hockey? I'm not sure.

Edited March 8, 2022 by RJUSHL

[forbin]

1 minute ago, RJUSHL said:

So Black Bear owns rinks of 4 different PAHL organizations? I'm sure more to come. 

You'd have to think that Alpha is next on their list. Especially given that the Vengeance play in the USPHL and their Tier 1 league just combined with them. It makes sense all around. Alpha could use some updates as well...

[sadday4hockey]

1 hour ago, RJUSHL said:

Is it just a matter of time before South Pgh, North Hills, and Allegheny are in this league?

Let's wait and see if North Hills survives tryout season. Other that the older Esmark age groups, NHAHA as a whole is on unsteady footing.