Well, I couldn’t reply directly to the post since the topic was closed, but I’ve attached it here. Fast forward three years, and now half of the former Black team players are on the Gold team for the 2013s. Probably made sense to just stay that Squirt Minor year - even though, according to this forum, they were “forced” to be on the team - since they made the team in April and didn’t even find out which team they were on until September.

Well, I certainly don't know if the kids from last season were the same kids from the squirt minor year.  If the black team had the same roster the last three seasons I'd see your point.  I don't think 50% of the current Pens Gold roster were players from the squirt minor Pens Black team three years ago, particularly because I heard a very large contingent went to another team (and not up to Gold), but I have no idea if that's accurate.  If they were in fact with the organization on the Black teams since squirt minor, then feather in their cap for good development.

We're very happy for you, your player and the others who it worked out for.

Check back with us once these 2 things begin to happen:

1. Checking

2. The imports arrive

These 2 items change change everything

 

3 hours ago, Duck Bill said:

Well, I certainly don't know if the kids from last season were the same kids from the squirt minor year.  If the black team had the same roster the last three seasons I'd see your point.  I don't think 50% of the current Pens Gold roster were players from the squirt minor Pens Black team three years ago, particularly because I heard a very large contingent went to another team (and not up to Gold), but I have no idea if that's accurate.  If they were in fact with the organization on the Black teams since squirt minor, then feather in their cap for good development.

It’s my understanding 8 of the 18 kids on the top team were on the black team squirt minor year

Edited May 29, 20251 yr by hockeydadx3

2 hours ago, sadday4hockey said:

We're very happy for you, your player and the others who it worked out for.

Check back with us once these 2 things begin to happen:

1. Checking

2. The imports arrive

These 2 items change change everything

 

Not my player. My kids play at NP. 

It has been 3 years.  A lot can happen.  

 

9 minutes ago, twoboys said:

It has been 3 years.  A lot can happen.  

 

Pretty sure that’s the point being made 

Maybe all the parents on the gold team ran out of supplemental lesson money by the time their kids were Peewees. Since the OP suggested that's how they made the team.

And that's the key because at some point a player's ability to improve their physical skills by lessons alone ends and the mind has to be understand how to utilize these skills.

And that's often where the train goes off the tracks for players, they just do not know how to play the game.

But they will be the best Beer league players for your team.

 

We'll see what happens by 16u.

Speaking of 16U, does anyone know why 16U is the only PPE team that doesn't have a roster posted for the 25-26 season yet?

1 hour ago, Corsi said:

Speaking of 16U, does anyone know why 16U is the only PPE team that doesn't have a roster posted for the 25-26 season yet?

The team promptly disbanded after taking the expert advice on this forum to heart and are now thriving in the high-stakes world of RMU in-house hockey.

On 5/29/2025 at 11:10 PM, nemesis8679 said:

We'll see what happens by 16u.

Truth!

Are you guys suggesting that this birthyear is atypical? I can think back to most teams, back to the 2004s whose rosters at squirt looked nothing like their roster at Midget.

If you want to have some fun, go find the rosters of the Brick Teams from 7-10 years ago. Those are supposedly the "Best" 10 year olds, go see how many are no longer relevant by the time they are 15/16U.  Surprising number of kids playing PAHL or PIHL level, or not playing at all. Yes LJ and Humphreys are still good.  Haha

Everything changes at 15/16 years old. That kid who was 5'5" as a second year squirt who dominated but is only 5'6" at age 16 probably is not going to be playing AAA anymore.

On 5/30/2025 at 9:53 AM, Corsi said:

Speaking of 16U, does anyone know why 16U is the only PPE team that doesn't have a roster posted for the 25-26 season yet?

They all think they are playing Jr next season 😉

1 hour ago, stickboy said:

They all think they are playing Jr next season 😉

All of them probably can for the right price.  

12 hours ago, hockeyindaburgh said:

Everything changes at 15/16 years old. That kid who was 5'5" as a second year squirt who dominated but is only 5'6" at age 16 probably is not going to be playing AAA anymore.

Well at least in the Pittsburgh area they still have a chance at "AAA".

They have thirty kids listed as 2016 players, but not two teams listed. Does that mean they will have two teams and still haven’t decided the teams? If they have two teams for one me birth year will they both be considered AAA? 

Edited June 1, 20251 yr by Happy Hockey Fan

6 hours ago, Happy Hockey Fan said:

They have thirty kids listed as 2016 players, but not two teams listed. Does that mean they will have two teams and still haven’t decided the teams? If they have two teams for one me birth year will they both be considered AAA? 

They have been doing this for a while now. They don't divide the teams til after summer to reduce people jumping ship when they make the B team. 

11 minutes ago, aaaahockey said:

They have been doing this for a while now. They don't divide the teams til after summer to reduce people jumping ship when they make the B team. 

Wow, I thought they did that for the squirt level for a total of 2 teams. Not 2 teams at each birth year. What a money grab. I mean I always thought 2 teams at the squirt level was a money grab, 2 teams at each BY is absolutely ridiculous. And I know the vengeance have a “AAA” BY team. Who else? And none of those BY teams will play each other and instead travel all over and spend soooo much more money for no real reason. Maybe out of all these “AAA” kids on all those teams 1 or 2 may make it to D1, and that may be a stretch. 

2 hours ago, Happy Hockey Fan said:

Wow, I thought they did that for the squirt level for a total of 2 teams. Not 2 teams at each birth year. What a money grab. I mean I always thought 2 teams at the squirt level was a money grab, 2 teams at each BY is absolutely ridiculous. And I know the vengeance have a “AAA” BY team. Who else? And none of those BY teams will play each other and instead travel all over and spend soooo much more money for no real reason. Maybe out of all these “AAA” kids on all those teams 1 or 2 may make it to D1, and that may be a stretch. 

AAA is supposed to be the best, most talented roster's group of kids in an area. When the most (some would say "only") legitimate organization is fielding two so-called AAA teams at each birth year, it's incredible that people still think their kids are AAA players. Or is it AAA parents?

Edited June 2, 20251 yr by nemesis8679

10 hours ago, Happy Hockey Fan said:

Wow, I thought they did that for the squirt level for a total of 2 teams. Not 2 teams at each birth year. What a money grab. I mean I always thought 2 teams at the squirt level was a money grab, 2 teams at each BY is absolutely ridiculous. And I know the vengeance have a “AAA” BY team. Who else? And none of those BY teams will play each other and instead travel all over and spend soooo much more money for no real reason. Maybe out of all these “AAA” kids on all those teams 1 or 2 may make it to D1, and that may be a stretch. 

You said 2016 players in what I quoted so I assumed you were talking about squirt.  

Edited June 2, 20251 yr by aaaahockey
Grammar

Lets compare AAA hockey to MLB,  You have loaded AAA teams at the top, Yankees and Dodgers.  (They take the best of the best players because they can sign whomever they want). Then you have the Pirates and Rockies, essentially the Vengeances and Predators of the world, (who nobody wants to play for unless they absolutely have to).  No chance 95% of the Pirates roster could make the Yankees, yet we still call them MLB players. Nobody from Veng, Preds, Esmark are making Little Caesars, Shattuck, or Mission, but are they still AAA players?

What essentially happens at PPE would be like if the Yankees fielded a second MLB team.  And I think the results would be similar.  The Yankees second team would still be better than many of the other MLB teams.  Players would sign with the Yankees second team because they are a legitimate organization and people want to be associated with winners. Many guys would still rather play on Yankees2 and enjoy the experience of Yankees Stadium, and being seen and trained by Yankee staff, than they would playing elsewhere.

58 minutes ago, zam said:

Lets compare AAA hockey to MLB,  You have loaded AAA teams at the top, Yankees and Dodgers.  (They take the best of the best players because they can sign whomever they want). Then you have the Pirates and Rockies, essentially the Vengeances and Predators of the world, (who nobody wants to play for unless they absolutely have to).  No chance 95% of the Pirates roster could make the Yankees, yet we still call them MLB players. Nobody from Veng, Preds, Esmark are making Little Caesars, Shattuck, or Mission, but are they still AAA players?

What essentially happens at PPE would be like if the Yankees fielded a second MLB team.  And I think the results would be similar.  The Yankees second team would still be better than many of the other MLB teams.  Players would sign with the Yankees second team because they are a legitimate organization and people want to be associated with winners. Many guys would still rather play on Yankees2 and enjoy the experience of Yankees Stadium, and being seen and trained by Yankee staff, than they would playing elsewhere.

Not everyone who plays for Veng, Preds, and Esmark do so because they can’t make PPE.  Many can’t or won’t pay that extra few grand with additional commitments to schooling and training.  While they are not necessarily making the NHL, playing for these so-called “fake AAA” teams, they are still able to play at a much higher level and are given a higher level of training.  

1 hour ago, zam said:

Many guys would still rather play on Yankees2 and enjoy the experience of Yankees Stadium, and being seen and trained by Yankee staff, than they would playing elsewhere.

That is true, until the year before they go down to only one team.  That's when many see the writing on the wall and try to get established elsewhere.

At least up through peewee I still see a decent gap in skill on the ice between PAHL AA and what some call "faux" AAA.  I don't know what the answer is for those kids on the bubble.  Those that are competitive might not feel satisfied with AA competition, although I know the argument that AA would be more competitive if all of those bubble kids played there.  Once kids start dropping out or have trouble handling checking, the gap does seem to narrow a bit more.