Preds 18u

[Jjinson]

Did anyone else see that the Preds 2nd AA team beat the 1st team, and then win PAHL playoffs? Are they better or what happened?

[sadday4hockey]

At the start of the season, the Preds "AA" team #1 parents were on here letting everyone know that they were better than the "AAA" team that folded before season's end. Now this happens and I guess it means that the AA #2 team was the best of the 3?

I believe that if you use the transitive property  AA#2>AA#1 and AA#1>AAA then AA#2>AAA this is confirmed.

It certainly does not lend much credibility to the tryout evaluators and/or process out there at Ice Castle.

 

[discodan]

Teams are closer than their records show. I believe they played 4 times this year and all were close. I don't know a lot about the first coach. He came over from the Icemen. Bush is a good coach who has taken his team to nationals before. Not surprised either way.

[RegDunlop7]

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Edited March 15, 2023 by RegDunlop7

[discodan]

I don't know if I would call the #2 team an '01 BY team. Bush has at least 6 '02s from last years 16uAA team

[RegDunlop7]

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Edited March 15, 2023 by RegDunlop7

[RegDunlop7]

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Edited March 15, 2023 by RegDunlop7

[RegDunlop7]

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Edited March 15, 2023 by RegDunlop7

[discodan]

Most of the AA players were at AAA tryouts because its extra ice. The tryouts are set up that way. You pay for 1 and can attend all tryouts. Again the team that won in the playoffs had 7 '02s and 13 01's. To answer the King I know of at least 3 who were offered spots on the AAA team that declined. Probably because either the player or parent was smart enough to know that team could not compete at AAA.

 

 

 

[discodan]

Thomas came in with around 13 players from the Icemen. Bush started out around 10 including the Peters Twp. group that follows him around. Bush then took most of the 16AA '02s. Thomas took the other 2 from that team.(one of them being an'03 who didn't want to play for the 16aa coach.Not sure how they picked from there.

[discodan]

I hear you. And by no means am I defending the teams or players as far as talent goes. I was just trying to inform on how the teams were picked. Also there is no way they would get together and slot the players and teams where they belong. We all know their 18uaaa coach picks by what school you play for and what gym you belong to. Its a shame because they were good in years past. My son played there and won multiple banners when it was mostly an aa program. Bob Errey came over from southpointe and started this mess when his team joined the NJPHL and opted out of PAHL. Its been downhill from there.

[Danner27]

On 3/3/2020 at 12:24 PM, The King said:

Back when I was around their program more (10-15 years ago) they did field very good Tier 2 teams and had great Tier 1 teams for a few years. Doesn’t seem to be the case anymore. 

This is why I say they (preds) could become a legit tier 1 option. I don’t know all the reasons that program has turned to crap but one of them is coaching. They could have it set up nice, AA teams feed into the tier 1 teams. They have a great location and nice facility. As it stands PPE & ESMARK are currently the only real tier midget programs. I know some folks think I’m crazy, there isn’t enough talent, etc, but there is. 

[Danner27]

On 3/3/2020 at 3:09 PM, discodan said:

I hear you. And by no means am I defending the teams or players as far as talent goes. I was just trying to inform on how the teams were picked. Also there is no way they would get together and slot the players and teams where they belong. We all know their 18uaaa coach picks by what school you play for and what gym you belong to. Its a shame because they were good in years past. My son played there and won multiple banners when it was mostly an aa program. Bob Errey came over from southpointe and started this mess when his team joined the NJPHL and opted out of PAHL. Its been downhill from there.

I forgot about bob errey and the mess he started, maybe that is what made Ralph really start to see the dollar signs. Gary is a huge problem for that program, I’m sure everyone can agree on that, yet he’s coaching two “aaa” teams again next year. If they would cut the aaa teams out below the midget age they would probably be able to field really good aa teams, those would eventually feed into tier 1 midget but again, they need real coaches at tier 1. Not the owner who never played and Gary who just adds whatever kids take lessons from him or pay for his gym. To be a equal basher, Bishop is similar with the gym thing, yuri is to when it comes to lessons. This is why PPE will always be the top dog. Sure they have politics to but they are not as trivial such as taking lessons from a coach or using his gym. 

[What the..]

Gary is coaching two 18U teams and is also coaching the new 06 AAA team they are trying to have there. He will be spread a little thin with 3 teams. 

[Puckthat]

On 3/3/2020 at 9:08 AM, Jjinson said:

Did anyone else see that the Preds 2nd AA team beat the 1st team, and then win PAHL playoffs? Are they better or what happened?

I guess it depends what you use to measure the better team.  One game or a season record?  Bush’s team went 10-8-2 with 62 GF and 57 GA.  Thomas went 16-2-2 with 84 GF and 35 GA.  Bush went 2-2 this past weekend at MidAms and Thomas went 4-0.  Both coaches are strong.  Both teams are solid but play very different styles of hockey.  All games were close which is a testament to player ability and coaches.  

[RegDunlop7]

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Edited March 15, 2023 by RegDunlop7

[RegDunlop7]

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[PrimeTimed]

9 hours ago, Puckthat said:

I guess it depends what you use to measure the better team.  One game or a season record?  Bush’s team went 10-8-2 with 62 GF and 57 GA.  Thomas went 16-2-2 with 84 GF and 35 GA.  Bush went 2-2 this past weekend at MidAms and Thomas went 4-0.  Both coaches are strong.  Both teams are solid but play very different styles of hockey.  All games were close which is a testament to player ability and coaches.  

If you look at MyHockeyRankings, Thomas’ team played 61 games this year and is 37-19-5 and MidAm champions at U18 Tier 2.  Many of those games were against strong teams  outside of PAHL. To even suggest Bush’s team is better because of one game is hilarious.  Bush’s team is 18-18-4. Thomas beat Bush and 3 other teams this past weekend to claim MidAms championship and will be playing in USA Hockey Tier 2 Nationals in California next month.  With that being said, both teams are quality teams at the U18 AA level for the Predators.  

As far as coaching, the Thomas’ brothers  coached the Icemen U16 AA team last year that won MidAms and went to the Nationals. So they are obviously doing something right from a coaching standpoint. They moved over to the Predators with several players following them from the Icemen. And only one of those Icemen players actually tried out for AAA. They all wanted to stay with Thomas.  No surprise there. So, with all the negative comments on this board, there are some good things happening with the Predators.

Thomas’ team are all 2002s so a young U18 team that will have returning players next year. I hear that they are being asked to play on Gary’s U18 AAA team next season, but they all want to stay with Thomas at AA. The Thomas brothers are a great asset to the Predators organization and Ralph needs to hang on to these guys.

On a final note, Predators had 4 teams at U18 this year, far more than any other organization.  Some organizations had 15 kids total show up at tryouts at U18.  Meanwhile the Predators had over 100 and even had to cut kids at that level.  So one U18 AAA team, 2 U18 AA teams, and a U18 A major team.  And U18 AA Thomas going to the Nationals.  Not too shabby for an organization that is getting knocked in this forum.

 

 

[Puckthat]

37 minutes ago, PrimeTimed said:

If you look at MyHockeyRankings, Thomas’ team played 61 games this year and is 37-19-5 and MidAm champions at U18 Tier 2.  Many of those games were against strong teams  outside of PAHL. To even suggest Bush’s team is better because of one game is hilarious.  Bush’s team is 18-18-4. Thomas beat Bush and 3 other teams this past weekend to claim MidAms championship and will be playing in USA Hockey Tier 2 Nationals in California next month.  With that being said, both teams are quality teams at the U18 AA level for the Predators.  

As far as coaching, the Thomas’ brothers  coached the Icemen U16 AA team last year that won MidAms and went to the Nationals. So they are obviously doing something right from a coaching standpoint. They moved over to the Predators with several players following them from the Icemen. And only one of those Icemen players actually tried out for AAA. They all wanted to stay with Thomas.  No surprise there. So, with all the negative comments on this board, there are some good things happening with the Predators.

Thomas’ team are all 2002s so a young U18 team that will have returning players next year. I hear that they are being asked to play on Gary’s U18 AAA team next season, but they all want to stay with Thomas at AA. The Thomas brothers are a great asset to the Predators organization and Ralph needs to hang on to these guys.

On a final note, Predators had 4 teams at U18 this year, far more than any other organization.  Some organizations had 15 kids total show up at tryouts at U18.  Meanwhile the Predators had over 100 and even had to cut kids at that level.  So one U18 AAA team, 2 U18 AA teams, and a U18 A major team.  And U18 AA Thomas going to the Nationals.  Not too shabby for an organization that is getting knocked in this forum.

 

 

I wasn’t suggesting Bush’s team was better - that’s why I posted the stats. The original post was questioning that.  I just don’t see the sense in bashing kids and solid coaches on a forum.  

[PuckToFace51]

On 3/3/2020 at 9:08 AM, Jjinson said:

Did anyone else see that the Preds 2nd AA team beat the 1st team, and then win PAHL playoffs? Are they better or what happened?

Didn't the Preds 1st AA team beat the Preds 2nd AA team and end up going 4-0 and winning Mid-Ams and now going to California for Nationals? I don't know about you, but I definitely think winning Mid-Ams is a lot more important then winning PAHL playoffs. 

[Danner27]

3 hours ago, PuckToFace51 said:

Didn't the Preds 1st AA team beat the Preds 2nd AA team and end up going 4-0 and winning Mid-Ams and now going to California for Nationals? I don't know about you, but I definitely think winning Mid-Ams is a lot more important then winning PAHL playoffs. 

It was the same thing as Pahl playoffs just with the icemen added in. 

[Theroadtobeerleague]

15 minutes ago, Danner27 said:

It was the same thing as Pahl playoffs just with the icemen added in. 

Feel bad for these kids and all the others who may now be missing out on their last and/or only chance to play in Nationals. 

[PrimeTimed]

46 minutes ago, Danner27 said:

It was the same thing as Pahl playoffs just with the icemen added in. 

PAHL playoffs was one or two games. That’s it. 
MidAms was 4 games. The #1 team was 4-0 and the #2 team was 2-2. Plus Look at the overall records and rankings. #1 team was much better and probably better than the “AAA” team. 
 

I feel bad for the boys that the Nationals were just cancelled. Getting out of hand with all these cancellations. 

[Danner27]

7 hours ago, PrimeTimed said:

PAHL playoffs was one or two games. That’s it. 
MidAms was 4 games. The #1 team was 4-0 and the #2 team was 2-2. Plus Look at the overall records and rankings. #1 team was much better and probably better than the “AAA” team. 
 

I feel bad for the boys that the Nationals were just cancelled. Getting out of hand with all these cancellations. 

Again, glorified Pahl playoffs. 

[PrimeTimed]

1 hour ago, Danner27 said:

Again, glorified Pahl playoffs. 

PAHL is a mess. Their version to crown a “playoff champ” is 2 semifinal games then a final. So Bush played 2 games. Beat Thomas because the refs disallowed 2 goals by Thomas that should have been goals (it’s on Live Barn) and beat beat SHAHA because SHAHA put the puck in their own net. So a PAHL playoff champ is kind of a joke in this case. The best team by far in PAHL was Thomas. The records and stats were already posted. 

 

Fir these boys to miss out on playing Nationals since it was cancelled is a shame.