HighSchoolHockeyForums.com

ilbok wrote:

PoniesDad45 wrote:Regarding WI hockey, my son's U16 team was in a tournament at Grantsburg, WI this year. We ended up playing a team from WI for the championship (and won). I thought they were pretty big for being U16 kids until I found out they were actually an all-star team from like 4 or 5 small towns from HS teams.

They were pretty physical and had some talent but they just didn't have very much depth so when their top 2 players were disqualified for 5 penalties each we ended up winning in OT.

So the moral of the story is they have a ways to go if they are sending teams to play MN U16 teams.

I worked the penalty box a few weeks ago when #1 ranked and previously unbeaten Minnetonka lost to Hudson's U16 team.

Hudson U16 beat or tied all the LPH top ranked Minnesota teams this year; however, the final ranking moved Hudson, WI down from 3rd to 8th for some Minnesota district playoff reason.

Looks like the Ponies will not have even U16 success as a remaining source of pride for long.

ilbok- What kind of drugs are you on? Minnetonka never played a 16U team from Hudson. Are you sure it wasn't a bantam team?

U16 Minnetonka ...

players, parents, and coaches took their lumps with about about as much class as you.

Ibok, I think your point was there are some good hockey teams in WI and I agree that Hudson's U16 was an excellent team. Stillwater played them and we were lucky to salvage a tie with seconds left of the 3rd period.

Hudson Hockey is becoming a poorly kept secret, they have a great facility with two sheets of ice and Dean Talafous overseeing the Total Hockey program there.

I think WI as a whole has quite a ways to go to be on the level of MN but places like Hudson are heading in the right direction no doubt.

Hudson Hockey is becoming a poorly kept secret, they have a great facility with two sheets of ice and Dean Talafous overseeing the Total Hockey program there.

Hudson (like Superior Wisc. Grand Forks and Fargo, ND) are benefactors of proximity to Minnesota which allows them to schedule Minnesota teams. If you are afforded the luxury of playing Minnesota teams from squirt age on it definitely ramps up your development to a large degree, large pool of competitive teams within a close range. Little tougher for places like Bismarck, ND and Madison, Wisc to achieve due to location. Nice to see Dean Talafous putting so much time and energy into the program their which helps immensely.

northwoods oldtimer wrote:

Hudson Hockey is becoming a poorly kept secret, they have a great facility with two sheets of ice and Dean Talafous overseeing the Total Hockey program there.

Hudson (like Superior Wisc. Grand Forks and Fargo, ND) are benefactors of proximity to Minnesota which allows them to schedule Minnesota teams. If you are afforded the luxury of playing Minnesota teams from squirt age on it definitely ramps up your development to a large degree, large pool of competitive teams within a close range. Little tougher for places like Bismarck, ND and Madison, Wisc to achieve due to location. Nice to see Dean Talafous putting so much time and energy into the program their which helps immensely.

He (Talafous) really has a passion for it and he is always there. He is willing to talk to anyone. We have all seen the guys who are in the business for money or to get to that next step in hockey but Dean really enjoys helping the young players and I don't think he wants anything else.

You'll see him there watching PeeWee and Bantam games, he really get's into it.

PoniesDad surprised me with his fair and respectful comments (considering other posters from Stillwater);

however, like oldtimer, your view of Wisconsin hockey may be outdated.

Though Hudson U16 was considered a top 3 Minnesota team by many coaches and scouts,

Hudson fared no better than top 3 in Wisconsin, either.

Moreover, the Hudson U16 team was made up of players too slow to make their junior gold or high school teams

(a high school team which did not fare well versus other Wisconsin teams ... not even within their own conference).

Hudson may have gained ground versus Minnesota's top teams, but Wisconsin has done the same to Hudson.