Minnesota Hockey Minutes - Girls Hockey

[joehockey]

Couple of interesting things in the latest public minutes of MN Hockey's Januray 25th Meeting as it relates to Girls Hockey and Girls HS Hockey.

1) Minnesota girls may be/are being hurt for consideration to National Teams since they play HS hockey and don't participate in National Tournament (Shattuck represents MN at U16 and plays Thoroughbreds to decide U19) in the U14 NDP Camp......We are doing a dis-service to MN Girls (Maybe it is time to bring back before and after AAA Team format or better maybe a team out of the Elite Fall HS League should be formed to compete - based on Nike Invitational results that team could be National Camps and give USA Hockey a chance to see Minnesota's best?)

2) There is going to be a National HS Tournament (Not sure if HS teams could register with USA Hockey and Compete - might be something to consider?).

Here is link: go to page 11
http://www.minnesotahockey.org/site_mai ... inutes.pdf

[goalzilla]

agree, many MN best arent showcased at the National level. There is Shattuck and Thoroughbreds as the only other option. I would like to see more high level non HS assoicated teams formed to give girls more options as to where they would like to play; for development and broader exposure or whatever reasons they may have.

[royals dad]

USA Hockey a chance to see Minnesota's best

USA Hockey has plenty of chances they just choose to ignore them. USA Hockey gets 13,000 payments from Minnesota girls each year, that should cover more than a few plane fares. IMO It is hurting USA Hockey more than it is hurting Minnesota girls. We have the best system in the country as evidenced by the Minnesota girls in D1 and D3. As well as the domination of the WCHA in womens hockey at the national level.

SSM is a great representative from this region but it is a mix of kids from all over the world and not a reflection of Minnesota girls hockey. I talk to my friends out east and I have become very convinced that we are doing things right with our system. Adding more in season teams would be a mistake.

Two questions:
Why would USA hockey choose to ignore Minnesota HS girls by only using the national tournament to scout?

How are the USA Hockey teams doing in international tournaments (without any of the MN Ms Hockey finalists)?

[hockeyrube7]

This may just be some growing pains.

I'm kind of dumb to all of this, but from past posts, wasn't the B&A tried and failed? And somewhere along the way, wasn't it decided to follow the boys example?

Don't both the boys and the girls programs suffer from the same thing that MN goes by the July 1 birthdate, where the rest go by Jan 1?

[joehockey]

Here is the Roster for the World Tournament (sorted by age) Minnesota Girls are in Bold - we have 1 of 3 G, 0 of 7 D & 3 of 11 F or 19% - of all the new young girls only maybe Marvin is in that group.

US Roster

2009 U.S. Women’s National Team
Name Ht (cm) Wt (kg) Birthdate S/C Hometown 2008-09 Team

GOALTENDERS (3) - 1 From MN
Megan Van Beusekom 5-8 (174) 170 (77) 12/14/81 L Loretto, Minn. 2008-09 U.S. Women’s Select Team/Minnesota Whitecaps (WWHL)
Jessie Vetter 5-8 (174) 169 (77) 12/19/85 L Cottage Grove, Wis. University of Wisconsin (WCHA)
Molly Schaus 5-8 (174) 148 (67) 7/29/88 L Natick, Mass. Boston College (HEA)

DEFENSEMEN (7) - None from MN
Angela Ruggiero 5-9 (175) 192 (87) 1/3/80 R Harper Woods, Mich. 2008-09 U.S. Women’s Select Team/Minnesota Whitecaps (WWHL)
Kerry Weiland 5-4 (163) 142 (64) 10/18/80 L Palmer, Alaska 2008-09 U.S. Women’s Select Team
Molly Engstrom 5-9 (175) 178 (81) 3/1/83 R Siren, Wis. 2008-09 U.S. Women’s Select Team/Minnesota Whitecaps (WWHL)
Helen Resor 5-9 (175) 142 (64) 10/18/85 L Greenwich, Conn. Yale University (ECACH)
Caitlin Cahow 5-4 (163) 156 (71) 5/20/85 L Branford, Conn. 2008-09 U.S. Women’s Select Team/Minnesota Whitecaps (WWHL)
Lisa Chesson 5-6 (169) 152 (69) 8/18/86 L Plainfield, Ill. 2008-09 U.S. Women’s Select Team/Minnesota Whitecaps (WWHL)
Kacey Bellamy 5-8 (174) 143 (65) 4/22/87 L Westfield, Mass. University of New Hampshire (HEA)

FORWARDS (11) - 3 from MN
Jenny Potter 5-4 (163) 145 (66) 1/12/79 L Edina, Minn. 2008-09 U.S. Women’s Select Team /Minnesota Whitecaps (WWHL)
Julie Chu 5-8 (174) 147 (67) 3/13/82 R Fairfield, Conn. 2008-09 U.S. Women’s Select Team/Minnesota Whitecaps (WWHL)
Natalie Darwitz 5-3 (160) 137 (62) 10/13/83 R Eagan, Minn. 2008-09 U.S. Women’s Select Team
Karen Thatcher 5-8 (174) 164 (74) 2/29/84 L Blaine, Wash. 2008-09 U.S. Women’s Select Team/Minnesota Whitecaps (WWHL)
Meghan Duggan 5-9 (175) 164 (74) 9/3/87 R Danvers, Mass. University of Wisconsin (WCHA)
Erika Lawler 5-0 (152) 130 (59) 2/5/87 R Fitchburg, Mass. University of Wisconsin (WCHA)
Gigi Marvin 5-8 (174) 166 (75) 3/7/87 R Warroad, Minn. University of Minnesota (WCHA)
Kelli Stack 5-5 (165) 130 (59) 1/13/88 R Brooklyn Heights, Ohio Boston College (HEA)
Hilary Knight 5-10 (178) 172 (78) 7/12/89 R Hanover, N.H. University of Wisconsin (WCHA)
Jocelyne Lamoureux 5-6 (168) 154 (70) 7/3/89 R Grand Forks, N.D. University of Minnesota (WCHA)
Monique Lamoureux 5-6 (168) 156 (71) 7/3/89 R Grand Forks, N.D. University of Minnesota (WCHA)

[rinkrat90]

Regarding showcasing MN HS girls at the national level; I think we would see the same result as a couple of years ago when SSM played a team of HS All-State players. SSM would easily prevail and go onto the National Tournament.

I think the only way that a group of top MN players could defeat a team like SSM or other top AAA teams, is to have them compete as a team the entire season. This would obviously include practices and play a competitive schedule.

The top teams like SSM play a game that is more like real hockey in that they advance the puck and play a much more team-oriented game. The typical MN HS team has a couple top players with the team goal being that the other players somehow get them the puck.

I think it is too hard for the top players to get together at the end of a season and change their style. Now someone has to transform into a "digger" type of player and get the puck to someone else.

With that being said, I definitely think a team of top MN players that are together for a season could compete with any team in the US.

[jumpstart]

The top teams like SSM play a game that is more like real hockey in that they advance the puck and play a much more team-oriented game. The typical MN HS team has a couple top players with the team goal being that the other players somehow get them the puck.

I believe this is what is wrong with high school hockey. There is no incentive to play team hockey. The players that score the points are the ones that receive the accolades. There is no recognition for the player who goes out, skates hard, does his or her job but doesn't score points. There is nothing better to watch than a defenseman make a great pass out of the zone, and the forwards pass the puck up the ice between themselves and make a great shot on the goalie. We are losing the art of team hockey, and it is a shame.

[royals dad]

"I think the only way that a group of top MN players could defeat a team like SSM or other top AAA teams, is to have them compete as a team the entire season. This would obviously include practices and play a competitive schedule."

Didn't this happen last time a HS allstar team played the ssm u19 in the fall? if i remember right it was 3 to 0.

[rinkrat90]

The game that I was referring to was when the 88's were seniors. This team was called the Raptors or something similar. It was a B&A team. The type of team I am referring to starts in October and plays together through March. This type of team would compete against teams like SSM. Obvously, it would hurt the HS program.

[kwjm]

A B&A team or a AAA team does not address the root of the problem. The problem, as suggested earlier, is that a typical HS team does not have the depth of quality players and slows the development of the better players as they are encouraged to play a selfish style. The root of that problem lies in the associations "developing" the players for the HS team. The solution is higher numbers, better development, and better coaching at the youth level.

[Oilers08]

Last fall Minnesota elite league sent an allstar team to the Bauer NIT tourney and they won it with no practice and no prior games. They beat the T-breds 5-1 and smoked Shattuck 3-0 (with no Decker, she might have been good for a goal or 2).

1 Kallie Billadeau G
30 Laura Bellamy G

5 Kelsey Romatoski D
6 Janessa Haller D
7 Rose Alleva D
8 Lisa Martinson D
9 Christina LaCombe D
10 Callie Dahl F
11 Sally Komarek F
12 Hannah Brandt F
14 Cara Johnson F
15 Jessica Christofferson F
16 Bethany Brausen F
17 Kayla capistrant F
18 Meghan Lorence F
19 Becky Kortum F
20 Natalie Wedell D
21 Alex Nelson F
22 Ashley Stenerson F
23 Corinne Buie F

IMO this team could have definitely gone to Nationals even as a throw together team. I believe this could be done almost every year.

[hockeymaven]

Some thoughts:


1. I think the Minnesota system is working; we continue to have a number of players who go D1 or D3 every year. There is much to be said for playing with your high schoool classmates while focusing on getting a good education as compared to lengthy out of town trips over a 4-5 month season. As more and more kids play college out east more opportunities will open up in addition tho those here in the midwest; however even talented kids need to pursue these college opportunities and not just wait for schools to pursue them. You need to show you are interested in the school and the program whether D1 or D3

2. For many cost is also a consideration and high school hockey is cheap compared to Shattuck and at $30K your kid can get a much better education at schools like Blake or SPA which are expensive but less than $30K.

3. Not everyone who plays at the U19 level and is talented makes it to Nationals; they do however play out east on a number of occasions over the season and are seen that way. As noted by an earlier poster the powers that be at the National level do not come to MN to watch our players-they do it at NDP-so most MN kids do get get only limited exposure.

4. The Elite League All-Star team was very talented and as noted last fall (10/08) they smoked the T'Breds and handled Shattuck 3-0 (without Decker) even though they were formed the week before and may have had one practice. Thus we have the talent to compete at the U19 level. However what is the real value or benefit in forming an All star before and after team in the grand scheme of things?

[rinkrat90]

However what is the real value or benefit in forming an All star before and after team in the grand scheme of things?

None that I can think of