2024-25 ND High School Hockey

[Wilbur]

Heard from a parent in Williston that there are a couple of youth players from their program that just signed with Fox Motors in Grand Rapids.  Hopefully no more as that Pee Wee-Bantam group in Williston has got some good kids.  

 

[sioux rube]

1 hour ago, Wilbur said:

Heard from a parent in Williston that there are a couple of youth players from their program that just signed with Fox Motors in Grand Rapids.  Hopefully no more as that Pee Wee-Bantam group in Williston has got some good kids.  

 

Yes they have some good players up there. What is Fox Motors?

[siouxweet]

So Jace Panzer went ahead of the cherry picking phenom Bryce Mattern in the USHL draft, interesting. 

[Wilbur]

4 hours ago, sioux rube said:

Yes they have some good players up there. What is Fox Motors?

AAA program in Michigan.  Leif Ekblad from Williston attended there a few years back.  Sounds like his youngest sibling is following his foot steps.

[Frozen4sioux]

22 hours ago, siouxweet said:

So Jace Panzer went ahead of the cherry picking phenom Bryce Mattern in the USHL draft, interesting. 

The places a kid "will go" and what let other team know where they "will go" can be a factor in who and eventually "when" they are taken. 

I wouldn't look that deeply into it.

 

[sioux rube]

18 hours ago, Wilbur said:

AAA program in Michigan.  Leif Ekblad from Williston attended there a few years back.  Sounds like his youngest sibling is following his foot steps.

No their dad well as he coached Williston high school girls when I coached the Jays

[Wilbur]

And Williston is now in the market for a new coach as Matt Ekblad has resigned from the Coyotes.

 

[Frozen4sioux]

17 minutes ago, Wilbur said:

And Williston is now in the market for a new coach as Matt Ekblad has resigned from the Coyotes.

 

After hearing about some issues, and watching some things this past season, this is in no way a surprise.

[gfhockey]

Yes lot of issues here in Williston ugh

[siouxweet]

18 minutes ago, gfhockey said:

Yes lot of issues here in Williston ugh

What kind of issues?

[Johnny Five]

On 5/12/2025 at 8:34 PM, siouxweet said:

What kind of issues?

Slapshot hockey style coaching for one.  Running refs out of town for 2.  

[Johnny Five]

On 5/8/2025 at 1:40 PM, Wilbur said:

Heard from a parent in Williston that there are a couple of youth players from their program that just signed with Fox Motors in Grand Rapids.  Hopefully no more as that Pee Wee-Bantam group in Williston has got some good kids.  

 

Imagine tossing that money around before a kid even hits the ice for a HS game...or maybe even bantams.  

 

[SiouxFan100]

Is this all high school hockey or are other North Dakota high school sports experience similar to hockey?

[JakeLove]

3 hours ago, Johnny Five said:

Imagine tossing that money around before a kid even hits the ice for a HS game...or maybe even bantams.  

 

I can imagine and imagine that it is a waste of money. 

[Wilbur]

Lists out for the Northern Plains District Development camp.  08-12 birth years.  

NDAHA Facebook has the full list.  

 

[Johnny Five]

11 hours ago, SiouxFan100 said:

Is this all high school hockey or are other North Dakota high school sports experience similar to hockey?

Leaving for sports is pretty specific for hockey.  Although there are kids and families who may move or leave and label it something else, hockey is the only sport where it's a cash cow for suckers.

[Johnny Five]

6 hours ago, Wilbur said:

Lists out for the Northern Plains District Development camp.  08-12 birth years.  

NDAHA Facebook has the full list.  

 

once again, boys and girls leave the state high and dry and come back and get spots.  drives me nuts, but I guess their hands are tied.

[yzerman19]

There are legit reasons for a kid to leave town for a tier 1 program.  However, if you do, you better be going to a team with great coaching and teammates that make practice truly a development opportunity.  I'd also contend that you better be the best or in the argument for the best player on that tier 1 team.  The logic should not be based on winning or exposure.  It must be based on development and growth opportunity.  
 

it should truly be a rare event that is easily understandable with a kid that is CHL first round, USHL first round, or NTDP bound most likely.  Chippaz only.  It should be ages 13,14,15 only.  Bantam and midget minor. Younger than that is too young, older than that- well if you follow my chippa logic, they should be gone to higher level hockey. 

[Kab]

Why does a kid want to leave home , be away from family and friends to play high school hockey ?

where does it get them?

I’ve seen some from small towns do that and they ended up playing at botno or Williston state , they could have done that staying home 

[Brim006]

2 hours ago, Kab said:

Why does a kid want to leave home , be away from family and friends to play high school hockey ?

where does it get them?

I’ve seen some from small towns do that and they ended up playing at botno or Williston state , they could have done that staying home 

It's a strange trend, and I'm guessing most often it is the parents that want it for their pissing matches. Too many doors have opened just for money making oppurtunities that are posing as development opportunities. It is very rare where we see a kid leaving early being for a legitmate reason. Most often they get little to no benefit from a life altering change.

And all for what? Someone should teach parents basic statistics so they can see the reality of their kid playing anything beyond Jr Bs after school.  

 

[Johnny Five]

23 hours ago, Kab said:

Why does a kid want to leave home , be away from family and friends to play high school hockey ?

where does it get them?

I’ve seen some from small towns do that and they ended up playing at botno or Williston state , they could have done that staying home 

places like fox motors stroke the parents ego and make all the promises until the check is cashed.  then reality hits.  I think there were 3 that left Bismarck this year.  "they just love hockey this was their idea."  OK....

[yzerman19]

Due to work relocations, I've been both inside the tier1 world (in most States that is the only place you have top end hockey) and the Minnkota community model.  There are pros and cons to both.    From my perspective, the tier 1 model is better for the truly elite players.  When I say truly elite, I mean you are legitimately top 50 in your birth year across all of the US and Canada, maybe top 75.  For everybody else, and I mean everybody, you are best served staying in your community.  So for 99% of kids- stay home, develop at pace, have a life.

[90siouxfan]

It's a tough dilemma, risk much to support your child's dreams or squash their dreams right out of the gate....

[Brim006]

18 minutes ago, 90siouxfan said:

It's a tough dilemma, risk much to support your child's dreams or squash their dreams right out of the gate....

Or just let them enjoy playing the sport of hockey with their hometown friends. 

[JakeLove]

41 minutes ago, yzerman19 said:

Due to work relocations, I've been both inside the tier1 world (in most States that is the only place you have top end hockey) and the Minnkota community model.  There are pros and cons to both.    From my perspective, the tier 1 model is better for the truly elite players.  When I say truly elite, I mean you are legitimately top 50 in your birth year across all of the US and Canada, maybe top 75.  For everybody else, and I mean everybody, you are best served staying in your community.  So for 99% of kids- stay home, develop at pace, have a life.

99% agree! Maybe top 100 in North America truly benefits from legitimate Tier 1 training. 
 

the word “elite” gets thrown around way too loosely. Sometimes a player is the best player on a team but that does not make that player elite. Being top 75-100 probably does.