The Brick

[chew them up]

From what I hear and see the Machine players have no interest in wearing a Blades jersey or helping them. Think about it, why would anyone from the Machine want to help their biggest rival? It is clear to me.

The Blades can call the team whatever they want, they could be team Minnesota, but they use it to draw players and that is the reason they won't go as Minnesota.

These are two highly competitive programs and one can not be expected to help the other and I am not sure that they should.

Good Luck Blades

[The Wolfpack]

I sure will be glad when the Brick is over so we can get back to talking about the newest and best AAA program... The Wolfpack

Be part of the pack!

[thespellchecker]

I sure will be glad when the Brick is over so we can get back to talking about the newest and best AAA program... The Wolfpack

Be part of the pack!

TOP 10 Posts. Does the Pack have a website?

[hiptzech]

The point is they are a team made up with kids from several different organizations in the interest of bringing the best possible team to The Brick. Blades should take a page from that book before they lose their berth for not doing more to assure the strength of their team. It's a neat opportunity for them to revise their stance and do it right. Kinda silly on their part at this point. How cool would it be to really gather the best 17 players and make a run.

Mr. Moore, care to lay out your plans for next spring's selection process?

As it has been pointed out numerous times on this board, the only two MN teams at this young age who has the talent to compete at the Brick are the Blades and the Machine, and the Blades have reached out, again numerous times to take Machine kids, but Machine kids have been banned from playing with the Blades by BM because they have to wear a Blades jersey, this is the only reason why Machine kids can't compete! Do not blame the Blades, they tried! BM wants this (Brick) tourney bad, and will do anything to get it, but the Blades have the Charter and the MN team that plays in this tourney must wear a Blades jersey, and from what I hear that will NOT change. BM check your ego at the door and let the best kids off the Machine team play with the best of the Blades and we'll compete, if not win the darn thing! These teams that compete at the Brick are all-star teams put together just for the tourney picked from teams from all over Canada and the USA. The Blades Brick team is a good young hockey team, but it's hard to compete against teams with kids from all parts of the country. Trust me, you take the Machine team and put their existing team in the Brick, and they go down hard also, but combine with the Blades and it's a competitive tourney.

Not giving much credit to the other 8400 other age appropriate players in the state, are you. The Blades and Machine are the only players that are qualified to play at this level? Seriously.....Regarding BM and doing anything to get to this tourney, what would you do if you saw your competion falling down? Would you take your best talent and send them over to help them recover? Honestly? What is his obligation? Let me guess you are the guy on the break away that pulls up and delays the play after the defenseman that is covering you falls down. Maybe you should stick to the Tour de France, where the entire group stops and waits for the yellow jersey rider when he falls down. The Blades are having to rebuild their team due to the changes from last year to this year.

Seriously, again. You people wear me out with the back and forth banter. Get real and put things into prospective. 9 and 10 year olds who don't give a crap about what your opinions are and only want to play the game and hit DQ afterwards....Yes, you are entitled to your opinion but state it once, maybe twice and get on with your lives.

[Anklebeater]

It would interesting to see where the Jr. blackhawks are from? Considering there isn't a AAA club called the Jr. Blackhawks I'll guess the players came from the Mission, Team Illinois, the Fury, etc. If that's the case it's interesting that they are able to set aside their differences and select what must be a true regional all star team.

The Blades really need to change their stance on this.

Yeah...Maybe the Blades could loose their ego and learn from teams like Chicago and go as the MN JR. WILD and put a real elite team on the ice...We would put a serious beat down on these elite teams....That might be fun for MN hockey to actually leave with a trophy instead of having to buy a Brick Sweatshirt.....
My guess is that their egos will get in the way and they will continue to be below average. Yes great tourney, but will a series a poor results is a good way for an organization to loose the bid...? Who knows its just squirt hockey anyway...
Maybe playing in an open tourney a couple of weeks before wasn't the best toon up for this stiff competition!
Just relieved that we got in the weaker bracket....scores could have been similar to the first game in all 5 games.
Good luck the rest of the way boys...Keep your heads up and have FUN!!!

[Anklebeater]

From what I hear and see the Machine players have no interest in wearing a Blades jersey or helping them. Think about it, why would anyone from the Machine want to help their biggest rival? It is clear to me.

The Blades can call the team whatever they want, they could be team Minnesota, but they use it to draw players and that is the reason they won't go as Minnesota.

These are two highly competitive programs and one can not be expected to help the other and I am not sure that they should.

Good Luck Blades

I heard the Machine team was trying to help them out and set up several scrimmages to help them prepare, but the Blades thought they were one of the favorites and declined the invitation, especially after winning the big tourney in Blaine..dominating the field!!!
Seems odd, since the Machine has seen and beaten several teams in the tourney already this season...haven't they???
Go Blades!!!!! T-Mas will u pick me a Brick sweatshirt too! Adult XL!!!
Thanks Bro!

[observer]

It's funny that some think the kids would all come from two teams. That's the problem frankly. It would likely be no more than 4-5 players from any one team when these families think they all belong. The kids would likely come off 5-6 teams, not 2. But, that's also why it doesn't have to be a big issue regarding one team or the other, it's neither. Have tryouts for the tourney, with kids from 5-6-7 teams, and invite the best 17. It's not Blades or Machine it's Minnesota.

[muckandgrind]

O.K. let's go back to original post:
Looks like the Brackets are posted, do you really think the Blades have a chance?

Offsides14, you hit the nail on the head. My point in the post was to ask can the Blades compete in what seems to be the same type of highly competitive pool the machine had in Canada. I don’t think the Blades fully understand the competitive level of play at the brick, and it will not help with a rental coach or rental players, it needs to be a team developed over time like the 2000 machine, and oh how I hate to use the Machine name and Blades name in the same sentence, so let’s how they do tonight.
Now, I clearly don’t understand the BM bashing, why must everyone take a swing at BM and his organization, I see nothing wrong with MM great development, at a highly competitive level, it’s a good organization. Good luck to the 2000 machine in Vegas!

Who's bashing BM? Most here are bashing the Blades!!!!!

You say "I don’t think the Blades fully understand the competitive level of play at the brick".....LAUGHABLE!!! Do you think the Blades are new to this tournament? They've been going up there, and competing, for YEARS. Yes, I think they understand. Don't weep for the Blades. They will survive just fine.

[thespellchecker]

Ankles wrote

Yeah...Maybe the Blades could loose their ego and learn from teams like Chicago and go as the MN JR. WILD and put a real elite team on the ice...We would put a serious beat down on these elite teams....That might be fun for MN hockey to actually leave with a trophy instead of having to buy a Brick Sweatshirt.....
My guess is that their egos will get in the way and they will continue to be below average. Yes great tourney, but will a series a poor results is a good way for an organization to loose the bid...? Who knows its just squirt hockey anyway...
Maybe playing in an open tourney a couple of weeks before wasn't the best toon up for this stiff competition!
Just relieved that we got in the weaker bracket....scores could have been similar to the first game in all 5 games.
Good luck the rest of the way boys...Keep your heads up and have FUN!!![/quote]

I am going to need another red pen.

[Pucksahater]

Not so greatone 99, looks like things are going usual at the brick, and all you can do is blame bernie. You sound like obama when he blames bush. I understand your trying to put a good spin on this since your the prez but stating that the machine would be doing about the same really shows your ignorance of the game. You should have watched some 00 games in Winnipeg, now you have ETS posting on blogs while on the bench. This is bafoonery and these kids and minnesota deserve better. Spellchecker please assist if needed.

[thespellchecker]

Not so greatone 99, looks like things are going usual at the brick, and all you can do is blame bernie. You sound like obama when he blames bush. I understand your trying to put a good spin on this since your the prez but stating that the machine would be doing about the same really shows your ignorance of the game. You should have watched some 00 games in Winnipeg, now you have ETS posting on blogs while on the bench. This is bafoonery and these kids and minnesota deserve better. Spellchecker please assist if needed.

Let us start with the basics. The following should be capitalized; Minnesota, Bush, Brick, Bernie, Machine, and Greatone99. However obama looks about right.

[stopthepuck]

The point is they are a team made up with kids from several different organizations in the interest of bringing the best possible team to The Brick. Blades should take a page from that book before they lose their berth for not doing more to assure the strength of their team. It's a neat opportunity for them to revise their stance and do it right. Kinda silly on their part at this point. How cool would it be to really gather the best 17 players and make a run.

Mr. Moore, care to lay out your plans for next spring's selection process?

As it has been pointed out numerous times on this board, the only two MN teams at this young age who has the talent to compete at the Brick are the Blades and the Machine, and the Blades have reached out, again numerous times to take Machine kids, but Machine kids have been banned from playing with the Blades by BM because they have to wear a Blades jersey, this is the only reason why Machine kids can't compete! Do not blame the Blades, they tried! BM wants this (Brick) tourney bad, and will do anything to get it, but the Blades have the Charter and the MN team that plays in this tourney must wear a Blades jersey, and from what I hear that will NOT change. BM check your ego at the door and let the best kids off the Machine team play with the best of the Blades and we'll compete, if not win the darn thing! These teams that compete at the Brick are all-star teams put together just for the tourney picked from teams from all over Canada and the USA. The Blades Brick team is a good young hockey team, but it's hard to compete against teams with kids from all parts of the country. Trust me, you take the Machine team and put their existing team in the Brick, and they go down hard also, but combine with the Blades and it's a competitive tourney.

Gotta love the "metro"-centric attitude --- why not have a try out and look at some of talent up North at that level as well. I would think there would be at least ONE hockey player up there that could hang with the program. Sheesh..........

[O-townClown]

Yeah...Maybe the Blades could loose their ego and learn from teams like Chicago and go as the MN JR. WILD and put a real elite team on the ice...We would put a serious beat down on these elite teams....

No.

Don't know how many times this has to be said, an all-star team from Minnesota isn't going to automatically anihilate these other teams.

When a Minnesota association loses to a AAA team from Colorado, Illinois, or another state it is usually pointed out that an all-star team fielded with Minnesota players would fare better. I agree with this.

With that said, isn't the Blades such an all-star team?

If you want a true "Team Minnesota" with the best of the best all on one team I get the concept. But it isn't happening. Minnesota Hockey isn't going to have a hand in tryouts and the Blades don't seem to have an incentive to do it that way. Furthermore, the teams they are playing aren't all fielded that way either.

The Junior Blackhawks, it says above, are pretty much all from one team.

Minnesota still turns out more top players than any other state, but it isn't like there aren't other players at their level. With so many reminders of this people should get the point. Olympics, US Junior, USHL rosters, NCAA rosters, NHL Draft, etc...

[JSR]

Yeah...Maybe the Blades could loose their ego and learn from teams like Chicago and go as the MN JR. WILD and put a real elite team on the ice...We would put a serious beat down on these elite teams....

No.

Don't know how many times this has to be said, an all-star team from Minnesota isn't going to automatically anihilate these other teams.

When a Minnesota association loses to a AAA team from Colorado, Illinois, or another state it is usually pointed out that an all-star team fielded with Minnesota players would fare better. I agree with this.

With that said, isn't the Blades such an all-star team?

If you want a true "Team Minnesota" with the best of the best all on one team I get the concept. But it isn't happening. Minnesota Hockey isn't going to have a hand in tryouts and the Blades don't seem to have an incentive to do it that way. Furthermore, the teams they are playing aren't all fielded that way either.

The Junior Blackhawks, it says above, are pretty much all from one team.

Minnesota still turns out more top players than any other state, but it isn't like there aren't other players at their level. With so many reminders of this people should get the point. Olympics, US Junior, USHL rosters, NCAA rosters, NHL Draft, etc...

O-town is very correct in this. From what I udnerstand the Blades hold tryouts and many of the best players in the state already go through such a tryout process for the Blades. Do they have 100% of the "top" 17 players on their team, probably not, but overall are they representative off a true elite tryout team from the state of minnesota, yes, they are.

These other teams in the Brick are really no different. DO you really really think they are 100% representative of the "very" best their area/state has to offer, of course not. Few to no AAA teams are.

Like O-town I reject the notion that an "all star" team from Minne would automatically put the beat down on other elite teams. Here is why. From what i have observed over the years is that other states and areas produce top talents that are every bit as good as the top talents in Minnesota, the difference is that Minne just produces more of them. Not necessarily higher quality (not worse either obviously) just more quantity.

Take the Elite High School league for instance. Minnesota has four teams in that league and Wisconsin has just one. From the coaches I talk to, even if Minne fielded just one team they would not really fare any better or worse against Team Wisconsin than they do now, conversely TW would not fare any better or worse than they do now against one supposed super team from Minne than they do against the four teams they paly against now. WHY is this, because one team is a small sample size so to speak. In other words, Wisconsin is very capable of fielding one top notch 17 player team that can literally hold it's own against anyone. They are not however capable of fielding 4 of those teams, Minnesota is. So it's not so much the quality as much as it is the quantity of quality. Hope that makes sense?

Now would a "Blades" team be better if it could cherry pick any of the 17 players form the state of Minnesota it wanted without restriction, of course. But that Chicago Jr. Blackhawks team probably would also be better if it could choose any players it wanted from the whole state of Illinois, same with Teams from Wisconsin, or Massachussetts, or Alberta or whatever, but they all have restricitions of some kind or another, at the end of the day they are all, in a way, just tryout teams that field the best teams they can with the players that tried out so to speak, no different than the Blades. Also, to my knowledge this is a free country, any player can tryout for any team they want, the only peopel holding them back are their parents, not the organizations. It's still a choice, maybe you don;t liek the choice or consequences that may or may not come with the choice but the choice is still there.

[MrBoDangles]

Yeah...Maybe the Blades could loose their ego and learn from teams like Chicago and go as the MN JR. WILD and put a real elite team on the ice...We would put a serious beat down on these elite teams....

No.

Don't know how many times this has to be said, an all-star team from Minnesota isn't going to automatically anihilate these other teams.

When a Minnesota association loses to a AAA team from Colorado, Illinois, or another state it is usually pointed out that an all-star team fielded with Minnesota players would fare better. I agree with this.

With that said, isn't the Blades such an all-star team?

If you want a true "Team Minnesota" with the best of the best all on one team I get the concept. But it isn't happening. Minnesota Hockey isn't going to have a hand in tryouts and the Blades don't seem to have an incentive to do it that way. Furthermore, the teams they are playing aren't all fielded that way either.

The Junior Blackhawks, it says above, are pretty much all from one team.

Minnesota still turns out more top players than any other state, but it isn't like there aren't other players at their level. With so many reminders of this people should get the point. Olympics, US Junior, USHL rosters, NCAA rosters, NHL Draft, etc...

O-town is very correct in this. From what I udnerstand the Blades hold tryouts and many of the best players in the state already go through such a tryout process for the Blades. Do they have 100% of the "top" 17 players on their team, probably not, but overall are they representative off a true elite tryout team from the state of minnesota, yes, they are.

These other teams in the Brick are really no different. DO you really really think they are 100% representative of the "very" best their area/state has to offer, of course not. Few to no AAA teams are.

Like O-town I reject the notion that an "all star" team from Minne would automatically put the beat down on other elite teams. Here is why. From what i have observed over the years is that other states and areas produce top talents that are every bit as good as the top talents in Minnesota, the difference is that Minne just produces more of them. Not necessarily higher quality (not worse either obviously) just more quantity.

Take the Elite High School league for instance. Minnesota has four teams in that league and Wisconsin has just one. From the coaches I talk to, even if Minne fielded just one team they would not really fare any better or worse against Team Wisconsin than they do now, conversely TW would not fare any better or worse than they do now against one supposed super team from Minne than they do against the four teams they paly against now. WHY is this, because one team is a small sample size so to speak. In other words, Wisconsin is very capable of fielding one top notch 17 player team that can literally hold it's own against anyone. They are not however capable of fielding 4 of those teams, Minnesota is. So it's not so much the quality as much as it is the quantity of quality. Hope that makes sense?

Now would a "Blades" team be better if it could cherry pick any of the 17 players form the state of Minnesota it wanted without restriction, of course. But that Chicago Jr. Blackhawks team probably would also be better if it could choose any players it wanted from the whole state of Illinois, same with Teams from Wisconsin, or Massachussetts, or Alberta or whatever, but they all have restricitions of some kind or another, at the end of the day they are all, in a way, just tryout teams that field the best teams they can with the players that tried out so to speak, no different than the Blades. Also, to my knowledge this is a free country, any player can tryout for any team they want, the only peopel holding them back are their parents, not the organizations. It's still a choice, maybe you don;t liek the choice or consequences that may or may not come with the choice but the choice is still there.

Follow what you're saying, but this years 2000 Blades team is hardly cherry picked. If you know this 2000 group as a whole, a 17 player all star team would be stunning..... Win it? I wouldn't doubt it.

[O-townClown]

So it's not so much the quality as much as it is the quantity of quality.

Which is why Uruguay (pop. 3 1/2 million) is hanging in the World Cup with Germany, the Netherlands, Brazil, and Argentina while the United States (pop. 300 million) is out and Russia (somewhere over 100 million) didn't qualify - ousted by Slovenia (pop. 2 million, or about Miami-Dade County).

In hockey, the Swedes (probably 9 million) are the equal of Canada (over 30 million) and in basketball Lithuania won an Olympic bronze medal.

At some point you have enough players to draw from and the benefits of population flatten out. There are enough good players in many of these areas to field a competitive team.

Your Team Wisconsin analogy is perfect.

[phil mccracken]

Minnesota Blades 5 Connecticut Yankees 3

Congrats Minnesota kids, have fun and win another game or two.

[fastncrash]

Congrats to the Little Red Helmet Kid who has scored all but one of the goals for the Blades.

Minnesota Blades 5 Connecticut Yankees 3

Congrats Minnesota kids, have fun and win another game or two.

[Anklebeater]

Congrats to the Little Red Helmet Kid who has scored all but one of the goals for the Blades.

Minnesota Blades 5 Connecticut Yankees 3

Congrats Minnesota kids, have fun and win another game or two.

Lets give the Blades some credit for picking up the kid!! Give the kid even more credit for coming into a team he has hardly skated with and putting his team on his shoulders and winning a hockey all on his own.
Great Job Red helmet!! Awesome performance!!

[free agent]

Looks like the little kid with the red helmet is a man.

[InigoMontoya]

I realize the Blades and Machine rivalry is like the Yankees and Red Sox, but let's remember that these skaters don't make $10mill/year, they don't have commercial endorsements, and they aren't on the cover of sports magazines. They don't deserve your ire; they don't deserve to have expectations built for them that they may be incapable of achieving. An 8 year old deserves anonymity.

[muckandgrind]

I realize the Blades and Machine rivalry is like the Yankees and Red Sox, but let's remember that these skaters don't make $10mill/year, they don't have commercial endorsements, and they aren't on the cover of sports magazines. They don't deserve your ire; they don't deserve to have expectations built for them that they may be incapable of achieving. An 8 year old deserves anonymity.

Bingo.

It's truly amazing that "grown" men display such animosity towards a team of 10 year old kids. Instead of shredding them, you should be cheering them on.

[CoachMan]

I realize the Blades and Machine rivalry is like the Yankees and Red Sox, but let's remember that these skaters don't make $10mill/year, they don't have commercial endorsements, and they aren't on the cover of sports magazines. They don't deserve your ire; they don't deserve to have expectations built for them that they may be incapable of achieving. An 8 year old deserves anonymity.

Bingo.

It's truly amazing that "grown" men display such animosity towards a team of 10 year old kids. Instead of shredding them, you should be cheering them on.

Exactly. Unfortunately most of the animosity is aimed at the organization but it is the kids that get caught in the middle. This is the team that is there representing Minnesota, embrace them and cheer them on!

[fastncrash]

Uhhhh... I was giving him props... even though he's dominating the scoring, it STILL takes an entire team to play competitively. You guys were the one's overreacting.

Congrats to the Little Red Helmet Kid who has scored all but one of the goals for the Blades.

Minnesota Blades 5 Connecticut Yankees 3

Congrats Minnesota kids, have fun and win another game or two.

[muckandgrind]

Uhhhh... I was giving him props... even though he's dominating the scoring, it STILL takes an entire team to play competitively. You guys were the one's overreacting.

Congrats to the Little Red Helmet Kid who has scored all but one of the goals for the Blades.

Minnesota Blades 5 Connecticut Yankees 3

Congrats Minnesota kids, have fun and win another game or two.

Maybe it's because we've all been conditioned to the continious ripping on the Blades program in all these threads that we detected a strong dose of sarcasm in your post. If yours was genuine, then that's great.