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Posted: Tue Feb 21, 2012 9:35 am
by mnhockey2019
youngatheart wrote:Team Minnesota? New Name and same old story. Blades team with a few new guns from who knows where. Two kids from Wisconsin Flyers already on Brick Team. Team has been picked since end of last AAA season. Tryouts just for show and money maker.
Classic Blades development from last season. 02' team goes 0-5 in Winnipeg. By the time Caribou rolls around. Line up modified and they skate 13 skaters. Few 9 year olds sitting at home wondering what happened. Same kids and families that were recruited and told they would be able to play in the Brick, now off team. Lost to the Orange in Championship in close game.
I do find it strange, that the Blades constantly pull this crap, and still don't win. Even if they did win by bringing in these "tournament players", is it worth it to hurt reputation on program? I guess the Blades are above it.
Youngatheart -- was your kid one of those left at home? Do you actually know this or are you just guessing? Are the Wisconsin kids only playing in the Brick and playing for the Flyers the rest of the summer?
Maybe fanofthegame should address your comments about the Brick team already being picked and we could stop the conjecture.
Posted: Tue Feb 21, 2012 9:50 am
by terrymoore1717
It is important to be clear about a couple things.
The name is at the tournament's request, because they want an atmosphere that makes it more clear that these are not club teams, but are teams made up of from all over the state/province. They asked us to do it.
The name has nothing to do with Bernie, who has made it clear for years that he will not cooperate with the Blades on the Brick under any scenario. In the few years the Machine has been running, we have always invited their players to the Brick and Bernie has always told them they will be cut if they go. So most don't go. We are past worrying about this and we assume that no Machine players will come. If a player is good enough, he deserves an invitation. So we invite him.
We have a non-parent coach (Greg Dornbach) who will be coaching his fourth Brick team.
The team this year is partially picked, but not fully picked yet.
This year, again, we have invited kids from all over the state and all are welcome(our 2000 tourney MVP was from Luverne). If you want to try out, please go to the Blades website (
www.minnesotablades.com).
hockeydad11, We did not just open this up. It has been open for years, at least since 2005. Our 95 team had a tryout and five non-Blades guys made the Brick team. (BTW-I am a great guy, just for reasons other than this. How is that for a pat on the back?)
Posted: Tue Feb 21, 2012 1:14 pm
by fanofthegame11
During a Brick year, all participating teams have two rosters. One for the regular AAA season and another for The Brick tourney. The Brick committee mandates that any team participating at The Brick must conduct tryouts specifically for The Brick. This is to ensure all teams are bringing their most competitive roster to The Brick. Players who make their Brick respective rosters will skate together as a team for the month of June and the actual tourney. If a player on the regular AAA roster does not make The Brick roster, he would have a break from June 1st until the regular team starts up again.
Greg Dornbach is the head coach. Assistants are Bill Thoreson (Andover SQA and High School Head coach), Karl Dexheimer and Andy Tucker. Lance Pitlick is also involved with The Brick team.
Posted: Tue Feb 21, 2012 1:18 pm
by Chandler23
Kind of like the Rooney Rule... teams have to go through the motions to meet all qualifications, even though everyone knows it's all a ruse and the coach (or in this case the players) has already been selected.
Posted: Tue Feb 21, 2012 1:24 pm
by Pylon
fanofthegame11 wrote:During a Brick year, all participating teams have two rosters. One for the regular AAA season and another for The Brick tourney. The Brick committee mandates that any team participating at The Brick must conduct tryouts specifically for The Brick. This is to ensure all teams are bringing their most competitive roster to The Brick. Players who make their Brick respective rosters will skate together as a team for the month of June and the actual tourney. If a player on the regular AAA roster does not make The Brick roster, he would have a break from June 1st until the regular team starts up again.
Greg Dornbach is the head coach. Assistants are Bill Thoreson (Andover SQA and High School Head coach), Karl Dexheimer and Andy Tucker. Lance Pitlick is also involved with The Brick team.
You are incorrect. The Brick does not "mandate" how a team is picked nor is it required that you have two rosters! There are a few Brick teams that skate full season with the same roster that will participate in the Brick.
Posted: Tue Feb 21, 2012 1:24 pm
by fanofthegame11
The Brick team is not picked and will not be picked (suuposedly) until May 1st. The head coach is a nonparent coach and he is going to win. He will take as few or as many players as he needs to accomplish the goal. Hopefully, some Machine kids will show up as it would be great for Minnesota Hockey. This is not about Mr. McBain or The Blades. Moreover, it is about giving the best 2002 born players to compete in the the best tourney in North America. The whole Machine vs. Blades debate is frankly an old and tired subject.
Posted: Tue Feb 21, 2012 1:26 pm
by Chandler23
Has my son made the team yet?
Posted: Tue Feb 21, 2012 2:50 pm
by Toomuchtoosoon
This would be a great "Dance Moms " episode. Check it out sometime-the similarities are funny.
Posted: Tue Feb 21, 2012 2:55 pm
by old goalie85
Terry - my 01 tried out last year. I went to school w/Bern!!! Are u still looking for goaltenders?????? If so I want to play!!!!!
Posted: Tue Feb 21, 2012 3:24 pm
by black sheep
This is nuts! wrote:Remember northern MN has some great hockey players, some of which can out play any kid on both the machine and blades. But proximity keeps them from playing on the brick team.
The 25 June practices requirement will keep the top end Northern kids out of playing for "TEAM MINNESOTA", unless of course they want to move to the metro for a month.
The Machine kids are not going to play that been proven.
So.... basically they are left with the Blades players year after year
Why not just call it the Blades and be done with it. Who is being fooled into believing anything else?
Not that the "Brick" is the end all of tournaments but it would be nice if Minnesota was truely represented as "TEAM MINNESOTA"
Posted: Tue Feb 21, 2012 3:33 pm
by Pylon
black sheep wrote:This is nuts! wrote:Remember northern MN has some great hockey players, some of which can out play any kid on both the machine and blades. But proximity keeps them from playing on the brick team.
The 25 June practices requirement will keep the top end Northern kids out of playing for "TEAM MINNESOTA", unless of course they want to move to the metro for a month.
The Machine kids are not going to play that been proven.
So.... basically they are left with the Blades players year after year
Why not just call it the Blades and be done with it. Who is being fooled into believing anything else?
Not that the "Brick" is the end all of tournaments but it would be nice if Minnesota was truely represented as "TEAM MINNESOTA"
People associate things with a name. Team Minnesota was in the Golden Walleye this August along with the Blades in the 02 division. Team Minnesota didn't fair so well in that event.
Posted: Tue Feb 21, 2012 3:49 pm
by 2112
[quote="terrymoore1717"]It is important to be clear about a couple things.
The name is at the tournament's request, because they want an atmosphere that makes it more clear that these are not club teams, but are teams made up of from all over the state/province. They asked us to do it.
If this is true, are the Toronto Bulldogs and Toronto Pro Hockey changing their names?
Posted: Tue Feb 21, 2012 4:07 pm
by terrymoore1717
Toronto Pro Hockey wears Maple Leaf jerseys for the Brick.
Posted: Tue Feb 21, 2012 4:14 pm
by 2112
[quote="terrymoore1717"]Toronto Pro Hockey wears Maple Leaf jerseys for the Brick.[/quote
So much for being clear on things, one more question. Will your fly-ins have to skate with Team Minnesota for a month before The Brick.
Posted: Tue Feb 21, 2012 4:26 pm
by MrBoDangles
2112 wrote:terrymoore1717 wrote:Toronto Pro Hockey wears Maple Leaf jerseys for the Brick.[/quote
So much for being clear on things, one more question. Will your fly-ins have to skate with Team Minnesota for a month before The Brick.
Have Benji release the strangle-hold on a third of the top talent and they can all drive..
Posted: Tue Feb 21, 2012 4:54 pm
by barry_mcconnell
Does that mall have a Gap store? I might do some shopping while my boy lights it up.
Posted: Tue Feb 21, 2012 5:52 pm
by Outoftowner
barry_mcconnell wrote:Does that mall have a Gap store? I might do some shopping while my boy lights it up.
Does your 02 prefer cigars, cigarettes or something more potent?
Posted: Tue Feb 21, 2012 6:12 pm
by scrapiron
Terry Moore 1717,
Idea, you seem to be a Blades guy. If you really want it to be truly a "Team Minnesota" type of a team. Why not form a board and turn over the control of the tournament to this new board?
Get a representative form a number of clubs: Blades, Machine, Iceman and so on. That way everyone would have a stake in seeing the best team for Minnesota going to the Brick.
If the Blades run the team, everyone knows it is still a Blades team just with different Jerseys.
Posted: Tue Feb 21, 2012 6:22 pm
by chew them up
They could do that because they are all about the kids.
They would do it because they are a non-profit
They would do it because it is for the good of the state
They would do it because this is once in a life time
The reason they would not do it is because it is all about the Blades
Posted: Wed Feb 22, 2012 7:48 am
by Pylon
I actually thought the Blades team was pretty good at the end of the season. Lets face it, not many teams beat the 02 Machine last year, but the Blades did
Posted: Wed Feb 22, 2012 9:26 am
by CHI-TOWN HOCKEYDAD
Pylon wrote:black sheep wrote:This is nuts! wrote:Remember northern MN has some great hockey players, some of which can out play any kid on both the machine and blades. But proximity keeps them from playing on the brick team.
The 25 June practices requirement will keep the top end Northern kids out of playing for "TEAM MINNESOTA", unless of course they want to move to the metro for a month.
The Machine kids are not going to play that been proven.
So.... basically they are left with the Blades players year after year
Why not just call it the Blades and be done with it. Who is being fooled into believing anything else?
Not that the "Brick" is the end all of tournaments but it would be nice if Minnesota was truely represented as "TEAM MINNESOTA"
People associate things with a name. Team Minnesota was in the Golden Walleye this August along with the Blades in the 02 division. Team Minnesota didn't fair so well in that event.
The "Team Minnesota" at the Golden Walleye was organized by the Miracle Gold as a way to add talent in order to compete with the Blades because the Gold could not with their regular roster. The team was not affiliated with the Blades in anyway.
Posted: Wed Feb 22, 2012 9:37 am
by Pylon
CHI-TOWN HOCKEYDAD wrote:Pylon wrote:black sheep wrote:
The 25 June practices requirement will keep the top end Northern kids out of playing for "TEAM MINNESOTA", unless of course they want to move to the metro for a month.
The Machine kids are not going to play that been proven.
So.... basically they are left with the Blades players year after year
Why not just call it the Blades and be done with it. Who is being fooled into believing anything else?
Not that the "Brick" is the end all of tournaments but it would be nice if Minnesota was truely represented as "TEAM MINNESOTA"
People associate things with a name. Team Minnesota was in the Golden Walleye this August along with the Blades in the 02 division. Team Minnesota didn't fair so well in that event.
The "Team Minnesota" at the Golden Walleye was organized by the Miracle Gold as a way to add talent in order to compete with the Blades because the Gold could not with their regular roster. The team was not affiliated with the Blades in anyway.
Thanks ChiTown dad. sorry, it doesnt take much to confuse me lol
Posted: Thu Feb 23, 2012 10:06 pm
by Toomuchtoosoon
Dance Moms Rule
Posted: Fri Feb 24, 2012 4:20 pm
by hockeydad11
Let's face it; the Brick is the only recruiting tool the Blades have left. With each year that passes that draw it is slipping away.
Bye Bye Blades
Posted: Sat Mar 17, 2012 9:09 am
by Pylon
I grabbed this from another site. Its also being said that 3 teams from each pool advance with the number one seed getting a bye in each pool.
Any predictions on who will be top three in each division?
Brick Divisions are out:
DIVISION 1
Chicago Jr Blackhawks
Saskatchewan Jr Pats
Boston Jr Bruins
Detroit Red Wings
Toronto Pro Hockey
Atlantic Jr Selects
Minnesota Blades
DIVISION 2
Connecticut Yankees
Toronto Bulldogs
BC Junior Canucks
Team Brick Alberta
Winnipeg Junior Jets
California 02's
Montreal Ice Storm