yzerman19

Right, at least break it into 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and honorable mention

yeah, I got your main point. Its a good one. I was just commenting on the buddy deal. It all depends on where the kid goes and what they are getting for development and exposure. I'm guessing those that go to Shattuck, BK, Mount, Mission, Little Casears, Honeybaked and the like end up better off, just based on competition and coaching. Going somewhere else, probably doesn't make much difference. If they are 16 or over, and they aren't going to junior hockey, you have to question leaving...

just like people move away from family and friends for college and career, they make new friends and establish new lives. The old ones become memories and pictures. You don't forget them, but they become a distant memory on a long journey.

Here's the interesting thing...in the Tier 1 world...everywhere outside of ND and MN, the "buddies" deal doesn't apply. Kids are mercenary at 8 years old. For those who don't play town hockey, the idea of playing with your "buddies" is incredibly foreign. Your buddies are those on your team...for now...

christopherson or something like that?

Looks like I was right on Fitzy, Freddie and Thoreson for NTDP invites.

It does mean that SD can't brag that they are better at hockey though if they win

no, because Team ND is an "all-star" team. That levels the playing field.

looks like Team ND 14U up 3-0 on SF Power

I'm not on X, who were they?

I'll take the over

Anybody seen the NTDP eval roster? historically it comes out a week before the event, but the event starts next week and I haven't seen anything

Leaving to go to Tier 1 makes sense to me in the following limited circumstances: 1. 13 year old, Late birthday, good sized kid, dominated as a first year PeeWee, national peer group moving to Bantam (full contact), Association will not allow a play up, doesn't want to play musical chairs within the State and play against old team. 2. 15 year old, undersized, high end skill, national peer group playing 15O (birth year specific), High School doesn't play the younger guys much, doesn't want to play musical chairs within the State and play against old team. 3. 14 year old, got offer to play at a prestigious prep school like SSM, BK, MSC In these scenarios, I do not recommend taking the "easy" way and just going to the most convenient Tier 1 program. If you are going to make that move you are doing it for your kid for a purpose; and convenience and cost should not factor into it. Really need to think about coaching, competition, development in practices, etc. If you are making this move, you also better be honest about how good your kid is. I mean truly honest. Not are you the best player in town or the best player in the State even, but where do you stack up nationally. Did you do well at USA national camp? Did you do well at things like the WSI or Kings of Spring or CCM 68? If you don't know what those 3 things are, that answers your question right there. Are the big, reputable agencies reaching out to advise you for free because they see promise in your kid? Did you get drafted high in the CHL or USHL drafts? How good is your skating and your hockey IQ (the 2 primary differentiators as you move up the ladder). What is your genetic ceiling? I know that there are late bloomers and nobody wants to give up on their kids' dreams, but you aren't giving up by having them stay at home when home is the right place for them to be. The grass isn't greener somewhere else, its greener where you water it.

the 2010 kid made an interesting choice...didn't join a top end team, isn't attached to a school...the best barometer IMO is the national tournament and the high end summer stuff...if you put up big numbers or dominate in other ways at those events you are legit, because the competition is solid. The 2010 kid had a rough go it looks like at WSI last year. Bredvik kid is tiny, so he probably is playing 15O instead of high school because of his size issue. He isn't lighting it up in Michigan Tier 1...10th on his team, which is middle of the pack in Michigan.

The choice to play somewhere other than your hometown is based on 2 principles: you are either running from or running to. 1. A player/family might be running from a model or an association or a community that does not share their values or goals. Examples might be the coaches won't play younger players on principle regardless of talent or the powers that be won't play a talented player "up" or there is a personal conflict with the family and power brokers in the association. 2. A player/family might be running to a model or program that will provide (in their opinion) a better opportunity in terms of development, exposure, commeraderie, community. To me that is really it. Obviously my examples are not exhaustive. Also, many people lack perspective. How many ND players do you know that have left the ND or MN bubble and participated and succeeded on the national stage? Idiot parents see a kid who is old for their league (by USA Hockey standards) who is putting up big numbers against younger kids on bad teams...oh little johnny scored 130 points...well, little Jimmy playing in Boston played his birth year against the best in the country and put up 110...who translates to the next level...I ask rhetorically

yeah...Bloomington is large, but its historical homeowners are an aging demographic, and those moving in are demographically different than historical Bloomington. Jefferson, the juggernaut of the 90's doesn't even field a AA team at a lot of levels. People just need to be as realistic as the scouts are and face the realities. There are tracks: Top of the mountain: you are a top 50 player in the country for your birth year. No way are you playing high school after age 16. You are in the USHL, CHL, or at the NTDP. College is a lock. NHL is still viable. Climbing the mountain: you are a top 250 player in the country for your birth year. You might play high school at 17, but then you are in the USHL or CHL. College is likely. NHL is a long shot. Firm footing on the mountain: you are a top 1000 player for your birth year. You can play high school through senior year, make your way via NAHL or as an older entry into USHL, work hard and get a college spot if you earn it. College is a long shot. Pro ship has sailed unless you find a winning lottery ticket in the couch cushions. At Base Camp: Outside the top 1000 players for your birth year in the country. have fun playing in high school, play junior B if you want to delay real life and just have fun. Play intramurals in college. Maybe play some beer league and coach your kid until they outgrow your teaching. I was a base camper, and that's cool. More people need to have perspective.

Team ND is a group of picked birth year teams that play in the central plains district tourney in order to go to Tier 1 nationals. Tier 1 USA hockey operates on a birth year model, so Minnesota and ND teams have to be split up and players assigned according to USA hockey birth year designations. Historically, these teams are throttled at nationals. Minnesota might actually make a run this year, as the Blue Ox team (Moorhead and Warroad) 2010 group actually beat Shattuck for the autobid from Minnesota district. Shattuck will still get in at-large, but this might be the first time a ND/Minny group that isn't Shattuck makes a run. They will have their work cut out for them, but they will at least be competitive. If you look on gamesheet under 2024 chipotle usa hockey tier 1 national championships (then choose which birth year) you will see how last year went. At the 13O (bantam minor) level last year, Minnesota Loons went 1-4-0 with a -16 goal diff. Team ND went 0-5-0 with a -22 goal diff. Minnesota beat ND 4-3. National champion Little Casesars beat team ND 13-0 and beat MN Loons 12-0.

Bro...taking me to childhood right there...I still eat there if I'm in town (either Fargo or GF)

I'd never support a kid moving in order to play on a team more likely to win. I would support getting on a "better" team if that means better development in terms of coaching and practices, etc.

Advisors come in all sorts of shapes and sizes...the big agency guys don't charge and only target and represent the very best of the best. If they are paid or they take on kids that aren't truly special (think top 20 player in the country/chippaz) then they are vultures. 2010s that are top end actually do need professional advisors as they are less than 2 months from the WHL draft and potentially big decisions. They (2010 rising Sophomores) will also be able to have college recruiting conversations in 9 months.

seriously. The world is full of recruiting and people will go where they can for the best for their families whether it be for sports or education or a better job, whatever. Nobody gets provincial when it comes to the national honor society...its always about sports. I don't understand that tribalism. Maybe it gives people an excuse when they lose? Or are they worried about little Billy getting cut? There are residency rules and transfer rules and import rules...as long as people are abiding by the rules, I see no need to disparage.

I grew up in ND and the only town I've heard of on your 3 is Kenmare

hockey is different than basketball and football. Also BBB...we used to refer to a bad caterpillar as a class B stache

I dont think so, its called recreational hockey at that point.

It pained me to see Cloquet forced to turn class A based on reality. The northern, blue collar, company towns built on Potlach paper mills, Polaris, Arctic Cat, Marvin Windows, LTV mining... are the heart and soul of hockey in the State. Don't want to punch a clock on the line? Hockey is your path son, if it gets you a college degree, you can come back and be one of the engineers with one of the brick houses near the lake...