AAA world - is there enough talent - are the teams diluted?

[Puckhead631]

Ok - I have a questions for you all that are in to the AAA world (talking boys hockey).

I have been out of the AAA world for a number of years. To my absolute amazement.

Mid-2000's, there were the Blades, Spirit, Rockets, Metro Wings, Raptors, Northern Wings, Lake Superior Stars, and Lightning - oh, and Bernie McBain's MN 88's. I excluded the Showcase AAA teams as they didn't count back then.

Two questions for you:
1). How many different organizations are there today?
2). How is the talent level today - Is it pretty diluted?

What prompted me to ask this question is that someone said that the Raptors are coming back next year and I was wondering if there is enough talent out there.

[Cdale]

The problem with AAA hockey is the Wolfpack organization. All the best go there. It's very hard to even be "invited" to a tryout. You need to know a guy who knows a guy who knows a guy to even tryout.

[Puckhead631]

Ya - it was that way when my son played to. MN 88's were next to impossible to get invited and the Blades were hard to crack too. I remember most of the other teams had invites and open tryouts.

[Edgeless]

The only way for development is The Wolfpack!

[O-townClown]

Once you accept the fact that summer hockey in Minnesota has some "AAA" level (invite) and the rest of "AAA" isn't (open), it seems to make sense to the people that live there.

Several posters have told me it works because people know what's what.

[Ugottobekiddingme]

Once you accept the fact that summer hockey in Minnesota has some "AAA" level (invite) and the rest of "AAA" isn't (open), it seems to make sense to the people that live there.

Several posters have told me it works because people know what's what.

Why does someone have to accept "facts" towards invite and open placement? If everyone just relied on others development strategy they would end up moving from MN to Florida...and post senseless comments.

[InigoMontoya]

I was just noticing that the 09/10 season had over 43,000 youth hockey players registered with Minnesota Hockey. Back in the day of 00/01 there were only 40,000. Why are we allowing hockey to become so diluted?

[C-dad]

I was just noticing that the 09/10 season had over 43,000 youth hockey players registered with Minnesota Hockey. Back in the day of 00/01 there were only 40,000. Why are we allowing hockey to become so diluted?

I think it's the ADM.

[HockeyDad41]

Once you accept the fact that summer hockey in Minnesota has some "AAA" level (invite) and the rest of "AAA" isn't (open), it seems to make sense to the people that live there.

Several posters have told me it works because people know what's what.

Exactly. The AAA designation has outlived its usefulness in Minnesota. What it is, is "Summer Hockey."

Perhaps in the past summer hockey was for the best of the best, excluding the weaker kids, but now it's for everyone. It's not being diluted, it's being inclusive. Broad base etc.....

[Shinbone_News]

Once you accept the fact that summer hockey in Minnesota has some "AAA" level (invite) and the rest of "AAA" isn't (open), it seems to make sense to the people that live there.

Several posters have told me it works because people know what's what.

Exactly. The AAA designation has outlived its usefulness in Minnesota. What it is, is "Summer Hockey."

Perhaps in the past summer hockey was for the best of the best, excluding the weaker kids, but now it's for everyone. It's not being diluted, it's being inclusive. Broad base etc.....

Agreed, and well said HD. Still, lots of "open" AAA teams have tryouts and DO, in fact, exclude kids -- those kids have options, of course, in Show Case or Top Dogs and summer camp. Summer leagues I think are a lot more inclusive and diverse than in the past, and it's now about whether you want to write that big check for development (and hours), or a smaller one for fun and a break from the heat. Hopefully, everyone finds a comfortable place to be -- but, alas, parents tend to be restless and ruthless in their quest for vicarious greatness.

[hockey8543]

Ok - I have a questions for you all that are in to the AAA world (talking boys hockey).

I have been out of the AAA world for a number of years. To my absolute amazement.

Mid-2000's, there were the Blades, Spirit, Rockets, Metro Wings, Raptors, Northern Wings, Lake Superior Stars, and Lightning - oh, and Bernie McBain's MN 88's. I excluded the Showcase AAA teams as they didn't count back then.

Two questions for you:
1). How many different organizations are there today?
2). How is the talent level today - Is it pretty diluted?

What prompted me to ask this question is that someone said that the Raptors are coming back next year and I was wondering if there is enough talent out there.

You left out the Fire and the Chef's, it has become very diluted. I have had kids play on 91 summer teams, 94 summer teams and 97 summer teams. I think it has become more for the parents to say that my kid plays on a "AAA" team.

[Benito Juarez]

I would say it's more of the...If we don't do it my kid will fall behind kind of mentality for playing.

[hockeyover40]

I think it has a lot to do with the money making opportunities. Lets open a training facility, and put together a AAA team from every birth year from 96-03. We can make a living by charging kids to train at our facility, and play on our teams. Gone are the days of friends putting together a team, getting some ice time, and entering some tournaments. Teams like the Predators, Rockets, and the like. The big boom in these type of programs has diluted AAA hockey.

[Benito Juarez]

The AAA summer hockey is so watered down, the last tournament I went to a Tsunami warning was played over the loud speaker.

[InigoMontoya]

You left out the Fire and the Chef's, it has become very diluted. I have had kids play on 91 summer teams, 94 summer teams and 97 summer teams. I think it has become more for the parents to say that my kid plays on a "AAA" team.

I feel for you - with only 60 kids interested in skating during the summer ten years ago, you never got an opportunity to see how mediocre your boy was.

Who are the Chef's? Is that the coach that makes his team wear those tall white hats to the rink?

[InigoMontoya]

Gone are the days of friends putting together a team, getting some ice time, and entering some tournaments.

Don't just wax rhapsodic about it; put together a team of your boys friends, skate a couple times, and enter a tournament.

The reason those days are over is because those "diluted" teams would kick your butt. They are bigger, faster, stronger, and more talented - all of them.

[hockey8543]

You left out the Fire and the Chef's, it has become very diluted. I have had kids play on 91 summer teams, 94 summer teams and 97 summer teams. I think it has become more for the parents to say that my kid plays on a "AAA" team.

I feel for you - with only 60 kids interested in skating during the summer ten years ago, you never got an opportunity to see how mediocre your boy was.

Who are the Chef's? Is that the coach that makes his team wear those tall white hats to the rink?

Inigo your one of those parents! Look my kid palys "AAA" hockey. Let me guess you wear his/her other jersey when you watch him or her. If you where around 10 years ago you would of known it was the Chiefs. So you play summer hockey what does that mean? All it is if you look at it they play scrimmages not games, means nothing.

[puckhead58]

Oh boy hockey8543. U messin with the wrong guy. Can't wait to see how this one goes. Grab some popcorn the wrath of Inigo is coming. Lol

You left out the Fire and the Chef's, it has become very diluted. I have had kids play on 91 summer teams, 94 summer teams and 97 summer teams. I think it has become more for the parents to say that my kid plays on a "AAA" team.

I feel for you - with only 60 kids interested in skating during the summer ten years ago, you never got an opportunity to see how mediocre your boy was.

Who are the Chef's? Is that the coach that makes his team wear those tall white hats to the rink?

Inigo your one of those parents! Look my kid palys "AAA" hockey. Let me guess you wear his/her other jersey when you watch him or her. If you where around 10 years ago you would of known it was the Chiefs. So you play summer hockey what does that mean? All it is if you look at it they play scrimmages not games, means nothing.

[silentbutdeadly3139]

You left out the Fire and the Chef's, it has become very diluted. I have had kids play on 91 summer teams, 94 summer teams and 97 summer teams. I think it has become more for the parents to say that my kid plays on a "AAA" team.

I feel for you - with only 60 kids interested in skating during the summer ten years ago, you never got an opportunity to see how mediocre your boy was.

Who are the Chef's? Is that the coach that makes his team wear those tall white hats to the rink?

Inigo your one of those parents! Look my kid palys "AAA" hockey. Let me guess you wear his/her other jersey when you watch him or her. If you where around 10 years ago you would of known it was the Chiefs. So you play summer hockey what does that mean? All it is if you look at it they play scrimmages not games, means nothing.

if you were paying attention YOU wouldn't have called them the chef's Sounds like all the old timers who pine for the old days when football, baseball basketball etc. was all better ... and people died from TB, Diphtheria. The past always seems a little better than it really may have been.

[MnMade-4-Life]

Sounds like all the old timers who pine for the old days when football, baseball basketball etc. was all better ... and people died from TB, Diphtheria. The past always seems a little better than it really may have been.

we used to play uphill both ways ... We'd just tie butter knives to our moon boots and play for days!

[InigoMontoya]

You left out the Fire and the Chef's, it has become very diluted. I have had kids play on 91 summer teams, 94 summer teams and 97 summer teams. I think it has become more for the parents to say that my kid plays on a "AAA" team.

I feel for you - with only 60 kids interested in skating during the summer ten years ago, you never got an opportunity to see how mediocre your boy was.

Who are the Chef's? Is that the coach that makes his team wear those tall white hats to the rink?

Inigo your one of those parents! Look my kid palys "AAA" hockey. Let me guess you wear his/her other jersey when you watch him or her. If you where around 10 years ago you would of known it was the Chiefs. So you play summer hockey what does that mean? All it is if you look at it they play scrimmages not games, means nothing.

I've made more than a couple posts on this forum. You may be able to tell if I have kids, if they play hockey, whether they are his or hers, and how old they are/were; but my guess is that you can't. I also may or may not have a degree in psychology, but I can see that you are projecting. You've made a dozen posts, and it is already apparent that your kids did play AAA. You, sir, are one of "those parents". The kind that try to diminish what other kids may be doing right now to help preserve the legacy of your own children. It hurts you when the guy in the cubical next to you see's a 10 year old picture of your boy in his Chefs sweater, and quips, "what's so great about your kid playing AAA hockey, all the kids play AAA hockey?", so you come on here to tell a bunch of these poor parents that their kids aren't REALLY playing AAA hockey, only your kids REALLY played AAA hockey.

[MrBoDangles]

So the Chefs are from a new Hockey/cooking academy.....?

[Pucksahater]

I think its part of the TOP Chefs program, after each tourney they kick one kid off the team until only the best are left.

[InigoMontoya]

So the Chefs are from a new Hockey/cooking academy.....?

Le Cordon Bleu is trying to become the next Shattuck.

[hockey8543]

I feel for you - with only 60 kids interested in skating during the summer ten years ago, you never got an opportunity to see how mediocre your boy was.

Who are the Chef's? Is that the coach that makes his team wear those tall white hats to the rink?

Inigo your one of those parents! Look my kid palys "AAA" hockey. Let me guess you wear his/her other jersey when you watch him or her. If you where around 10 years ago you would of known it was the Chiefs. So you play summer hockey what does that mean? All it is if you look at it they play scrimmages not games, means nothing.

I've made more than a couple posts on this forum. You may be able to tell if I have kids, if they play hockey, whether they are his or hers, and how old they are/were; but my guess is that you can't. I also may or may not have a degree in psychology, but I can see that you are projecting. You've made a dozen posts, and it is already apparent that your kids did play AAA. You, sir, are one of "those parents". The kind that try to diminish what other kids may be doing right now to help preserve the legacy of your own children. It hurts you when the guy in the cubical next to you see's a 10 year old picture of your boy in his Chefs sweater, and quips, "what's so great about your kid playing AAA hockey, all the kids play AAA hockey?", so you come on here to tell a bunch of these poor parents that their kids are REALLY playing AAA hockey, only your kids REALLY played AAA hockey.

Yes I have had my kids play "AAA" because they wanted to. One of my kids still plays "AAA" but I still think it's watered down. Sorry for coming on your FORUM and giving my 2 cents on this topic and yes only 2 cents because I forked out to much money for "AAA" hockey. Any ways you are very funny and I enjoy your posts. Keep the dream alive.
Oh and pass the popcorn