HS Elite League Rosters

[bardown27]

Went through the rosters today. Based on listed high schools on the given roster, these are the players transferring/moving/etc. this coming season:

RJ Thompson: Little Caesars 14U -> Eden Prairie
Calvin O'Reilly: Rochester Century/JM -> Lakeville South
Tate Hardacre: Southwest Christian -> Minnetonka
Cole Bumgarner: Fargo Force -> Rogers
Owen Ryan: WBL BAA -> STA
Taylor Hatton: Gentry Academy -> Totino Grace

[InThePipes]

Interesting to see three 9th graders rostered, including a goalie. Haider the last goalie to play at that age?

[yesiplayedhockey]

Can I ask a serious question

What has happened to the HS Elite league

I thought it was a place to keep upcoming high school Juniors and Seniors from leaving for the USHL/junior league.

In the last several years, its appears it's a political Sh*tstorm riddled with 9th graders or move in from out of state with ZERO MN high school experience

What do you all think?

1. Should it be limited to juniors and Seniors to get them the most exposure for them (and games)
2. Should it be "who you know" and open to any and all ages plus first year move ins?

And the correct answer cannot be "it's for the best HS players in the state"...Because that my friends is way to subjective

[BSUBeaver]

Can I ask a serious question

What has happened to the HS Elite league

I thought it was a place to keep upcoming high school Juniors and Seniors from leaving for the USHL/junior league.

In the last several years, its appears it's a political Sh*tstorm riddled with 9th graders or move in from out of state with ZERO MN high school experience

What do you all think?

1. Should it be limited to juniors and Seniors to get them the most exposure for them (and games)
2. Should it be "who you know" and open to any and all ages plus first year move ins?

And the correct answer cannot be "it's for the best HS players in the state"...Because that my friends is way to subjective

I think that everyone is trying to get on the "Elite League" bus. You have Youth Hockey Hub who has the Prep Elite League and Bantam Elite Leagues that go up against the High School Elite League and Minnesota Hockey's High Performance Program, respectively. There are other, lesser, "fringe" leagues out there as well. Also, you have all these fall Select teams that form and go all over the US playing showcases leading up to the High School season.

It really becomes a maze full of land mines trying to determine which league will be the one to watch year in and year out. The prestige of playing in an "Elite League" just isn't what it used to be anymore as it has become watered down.

[OldManRiver]

Can I ask a serious question

What has happened to the HS Elite league

I thought it was a place to keep upcoming high school Juniors and Seniors from leaving for the USHL/junior league.

In the last several years, its appears it's a political Sh*tstorm riddled with 9th graders or move in from out of state with ZERO MN high school experience

What do you all think?

1. Should it be limited to juniors and Seniors to get them the most exposure for them (and games)
2. Should it be "who you know" and open to any and all ages plus first year move ins?

And the correct answer cannot be "it's for the best HS players in the state"...Because that my friends is way to subjective

I think that everyone is trying to get on the "Elite League" bus. You have Youth Hockey Hub who has the Prep Elite League and Bantam Elite Leagues that go up against the High School Elite League and Minnesota Hockey's High Performance Program, respectively. There are other, lesser, "fringe" leagues out there as well. Also, you have all these fall Select teams that form and go all over the US playing showcases leading up to the High School season.

It really becomes a maze full of land mines trying to determine which league will be the one to watch year in and year out. The prestige of playing in an "Elite League" just isn't what it used to be anymore as it has become watered down.

I tend to agree with this, and would include with all of the choices above that the very top kids are going to Jr. programs.

[headsupsticksdown]

Can I ask a serious question

What has happened to the HS Elite league

I thought it was a place to keep upcoming high school Juniors and Seniors from leaving for the USHL/junior league.

In the last several years, its appears it's a political Sh*tstorm riddled with 9th graders or move in from out of state with ZERO MN high school experience

What do you all think?

1. Should it be limited to juniors and Seniors to get them the most exposure for them (and games)
2. Should it be "who you know" and open to any and all ages plus first year move ins?

And the correct answer cannot be "it's for the best HS players in the state"...Because that my friends is way to subjective

I think that everyone is trying to get on the "Elite League" bus. You have Youth Hockey Hub who has the Prep Elite League and Bantam Elite Leagues that go up against the High School Elite League and Minnesota Hockey's High Performance Program, respectively. There are other, lesser, "fringe" leagues out there as well. Also, you have all these fall Select teams that form and go all over the US playing showcases leading up to the High School season.

It really becomes a maze full of land mines trying to determine which league will be the one to watch year in and year out. The prestige of playing in an "Elite League" just isn't what it used to be anymore as it has become watered down.

What's also interesting in all of this depending on how you look at it is that everyone seems to be double dipping. Meaning they are all signed up for the same stuff and in doing so essentially means they are going to miss half of the sessions because they are also attending something else. So, you then have like 10 kids show up out of 16 creating a crappy experience for those that do actually show up and you're taking a spot from a kid that would actually attend. Why they agree to allow this is beyond me but just proves that 98% of it is simply a money grab.

[ndirishfighting]

Im curious how Andrew Benolkin isnt on a roster???

[Lino Lakes Hockey]

If his Elite Peopect stats are correct, I would guess it’s because he didn’t do that good. 10 points in 26 games for AV/Burnsville last year are not eye popping stats.

[BSUBeaver]

Can I ask a serious question

What has happened to the HS Elite league

I thought it was a place to keep upcoming high school Juniors and Seniors from leaving for the USHL/junior league.

In the last several years, its appears it's a political Sh*tstorm riddled with 9th graders or move in from out of state with ZERO MN high school experience

What do you all think?

1. Should it be limited to juniors and Seniors to get them the most exposure for them (and games)
2. Should it be "who you know" and open to any and all ages plus first year move ins?

And the correct answer cannot be "it's for the best HS players in the state"...Because that my friends is way to subjective

I think that everyone is trying to get on the "Elite League" bus. You have Youth Hockey Hub who has the Prep Elite League and Bantam Elite Leagues that go up against the High School Elite League and Minnesota Hockey's High Performance Program, respectively. There are other, lesser, "fringe" leagues out there as well. Also, you have all these fall Select teams that form and go all over the US playing showcases leading up to the High School season.

It really becomes a maze full of land mines trying to determine which league will be the one to watch year in and year out. The prestige of playing in an "Elite League" just isn't what it used to be anymore as it has become watered down.

What's also interesting in all of this depending on how you look at it is that everyone seems to be double dipping. Meaning they are all signed up for the same stuff and in doing so essentially means they are going to miss half of the sessions because they are also attending something else. So, you then have like 10 kids show up out of 16 creating a crappy experience for those that do actually show up and you're taking a spot from a kid that would actually attend. Why they agree to allow this is beyond me but just proves that 98% of it is simply a money grab.

Agreed! My son does HP, and between the double dip, High School fall sports tryouts and an injury, my son's team has had 11 skaters for a couple of games.

[InThePipes]

I also think part of it is that it used to be "the" destination for NCAA coaches in their recruiting efforts, but with the video tools they have at their disposal (and have had for the past decade) it probably isn't nearly as important as it once was as they can sit in their office and get cut up shifts of any player they want at almost any rink across North America (or beyond).

[yesiplayedhockey]

In the pipes

I think the real reason college coaches don't come to as many HS games today is they are now to busy trying to poach kids off other D-1 teams..Or they are watching the major junior games up in Canada.

It's just a matter of time before kids playing pro hockey (in the ECHL or AHL) are allowed to go back and play college hockey

[InThePipes]

In the pipes

I think the real reason college coaches don't come to as many HS games today is they are now to busy trying to poach kids off other D-1 teams..Or they are watching the major junior games up in Canada.

It's just a matter of time before kids playing pro hockey (in the ECHL or AHL) are allowed to go back and play college hockey

Correct, we just need that one lawsuit. Next think you know we'll see Jaromir Jagr committing to play at some place like Bowling Green at age 55.