2006 EP One of the Best Ever???

[ghshockeyfan]

Are they one of the best ever???...???<br><br>RV 1996?<br>SSP 2003<br>EP 2006<br><br>Only teams to go undefeated. <p></p><i></i>

[Artificial Ice]

Best ever?<br>I'd put them in the top 3. <p></p><i></i>

[hubbaa]

as far as best ever, regardless of a loss or two i would put them in the top ten, not the top five. i think they may have that potential next year. <p></p><i></i>

[ghshockeyfan]

Anyone care to rank a top 3, 5, or 10. I'd just be curious as to where this EP team falls in the list of best ever teams??? <p></p><i></i>

[hockeygymnast]

Not sure about 2 - 10. But I don't think any team tops last year's SSP machine. That first line seemed to have scoring chances every time they entered the offensive zone. I think they would have beaten EP by several goals. This is not to disrespect EP; just that SSP was that good. <p></p><i></i>

[ghshockeyfan]

It would have been an interesting match-up wouldn't it?<br><br>SSP's amazing team, vs. EP of 2006???<br><br>Great D by EP & G would get tested, AMAZING F's on both teams, etc. <p></p><i></i>

[hubbaa]

i thought ssp had 2 teams possibly 3 that were better. i also thought roseville, PC and i can't remember who else would have beaten them. <br><br> <p></p><i></i>

[ghshockeyfan]

This is an interesting thought - how do we rank the Darwitz/Wendell teams in this group, and also how do the early RV teams that were so great, in addition to the SSP teams too, fit in - and, of course, where does EP 06 fit in the mix??? <p></p><i></i>

[sghfan]

We have only had 12 years of state championships, and the improvement of teams has been pretty steep.<br><br>I don't think the Park Center team that won in 2000 was very deep with talent (by current standards). And clearly there was no team with enough depth of talent to beat Park Center in 2000.<br><br>EP was clearly above all this year. Now we are in an era of deep, strong teams and EP was the deepest and the strongest. <br><br>We can try to compare current teams with teams from the early years, but I don't think there is much comparison. <p></p><i></i>

[hubbaa]

sgh,<br><br>would a team from the past that had at least 7 d-1 players and another 5+ d-3 players be considered deep? if so, it would not be wise to suggest teams of the past were not deep. <p></p><i></i>

[sghfan]

And which team are you referring to? <p></p><i></i>

[hubbaa]

i would have to say that was at least two teams from ssp. roseville had at least 5 d-1 players also. <p></p><i></i>

[ghshockeyfan]

So, maybe the question is, who has had the most D1 talent on one team? I believe there are as many as 7+ potential D1 players on the current EP team. Time will tell I guess... <p></p><i></i>

[hubbaa]

ghs,<br><br>i agree on the talent ep has and that has the potential to play d-1. but one has to look at how the talent plays together as a team. ep plays great as a team but in my opinion its teamwork doesn't even compare to some teams of the past.<br><br>i think ep will be better next year though. i look at its d with lampert and seeler coming back and they are almost always in complete control. fun to watch. up front with feste, stoa and green it will be very tough to beat again. <p></p><i></i>

[ghshockeyfan]

Team chemistry is everything, and I think at SSP they had it down well having had those kids together for a couple years. This year EP had some new additions, and I think they more than meshed well with the squad, but each subsequent year will only get better. <p></p><i></i>

[hubbaa]

chemistry is key. anoka boys won the title a couple years ago and they only had 2-3 d-1 players. they handily beat teams with 6+ d-1 players simply because of its teams play. i would take team chemistry (teamwork) over talent anyday, but if they are combined it is almost impossible to beat... <p></p><i></i>

[xk1]

I don't see how you can say EP is behind in teamwork over other undefeated teams, look at their goals and assists, this indicates a lot of teamwork to me. There are girls on this team that would hardly have goals were it not for the teamwork. <p></p><i></i>

[ghshockeyfan]

I'm not saying that their chemistry is lacking, as from what I hear it was great, but I think it will only improve too, which is scary. <p></p><i></i>

[BostonCHockey]

Something else to consider regarding D1, it is more difficult today to be a D1 player than it was a few years back. More girls are playing (the talent pool is getting better & deeper). With that I would have to say a team today with that many D1 prospects (EP) very strong possibilities they would match up extremely well with any team of the past. <p></p><i></i>

[ghshockeyfan]

Well said, and I agree. While the number of D1 opportunities has expanded, so too has the talent pool. <p></p><i></i>

[hubbaa]

with the d-1 opportunities expanding, by default the talent pool has to follow suit. whether the kids are talented or not the schools will choose the best of the group regardless how much talent is there simply because they have to. <p></p><i></i>

[ghshockeyfan]

I woudl still make the argument that a D1 player today in the expanded opportunity group still is more talented than one of 10 years ago though.<br><br>Maybe what we need to clairify is what teams were the most dominating in their "era" vs. how they woudl actually stack up against eachother if they played.<br><br>Many would argue that the boys HS teams of 40 years ago wouldn't have a prayer today, and maybe the girls game will be able to say similar things one day about the teams from its infancy vs those of the present. <p></p><i></i>

[nutz4puck]

Look at who EP beat on their way to the championship (ignore the sickness in sections and just look at the teams they beat).<br><br>Won Kaposia, no dominated the Kaposia: Holy Angels (state team...0-2 but made it), Roseville (state team..4th place), and Anoka on the way to winning the Kaposia.<br><br>Edina (would have easily held their own in the state tourney)<br>Wayzata (same as above and they beat BSM which would have also...any of the final 4 section 6 teams could have more than held their own in state)<br>Stillwater (consolation champs)<br>Cloquet (3rd place)<br>Coon Rapids<br><br>They had a tough road to state and won it all...I'd say one of the best ever...obviously my opinion.<br><br>Which brings me to the question has any team won state with the two teams they beat in their bracket also taking consolation and 3rd (one bracket take the whole tourney)? <p></p><i></i>

[ghshockeyfan]

Pretty amazing when you consider those facts! <p></p><i></i>

[hubbaa]

ghs,<br><br>can't compare the game and players from 10 years ago and today. i think if we look at the last 5 years the talent on the top end really hasn't improved and the bottom end i would say it has, but not too much. i think things have almost evened out as far as improvement goes for a while.<br><br>i think some things that can improve, or help improve individuals and teams now besides the obvious will possibly come from rule changes and the way the game is reffed. as you stated it is a tough game to ref and i think that is obvioulsy the case when we see some things that are being called. <p></p><i></i>