We have plenty of kids that leave for Juniors, BUT a few Tier 1 teams will ruin something?JSR wrote:Again, we are not as hockey crazy down here in Wisconsin as you guys are. But we do have 3 Tier 1 teams and the do not take anything away from our high school hockey. In fact if you go to a Tier 1 game you'll see parents and siblings in the stands and that is about it. At high school games you'll find students, teachers, friends, parents, siblings, youth hockey kids etc.... It's a great atmosphere and 95% of the crowd doesn't even know what Tier 1 MM hockey is or that it even exists to go watch. Tier 1 hockey does not detract or take anything away from High School hockey in the state sit exists in, I really doubt it would do anything to the great tradition in MN.WhosPuckIsItAnyways? wrote:Apparently, that's what everyone is afraid of ... however, it's an unfounded fear (in my opinion). I watched a couple of games last year between teams that no one was drafted off of, and it was great hockey. The lack of a high profile "marquee player" didn't hurt the game at all.O-townClown wrote: 7 - What three teams? Top Minnesota prospects are scouted very closely. Always have been and always will be. If anything, it is way better for kids the way it is now. When Brainerd played at the Schwan two years ago and the scouts were watching the big defenseman it is possible for another kid to stand out and catch someone's eye. Take that NHL prospect off to AAA Midget games with other scouted players and nobody wants to go watch Minnesota HS hockey.
Minnesota High School Hockey is a great stand-alone "product" (for lack of a better word). The sheer volume of kids (over 3,000?) that get to experience the game at that level makes Minnesota unique and always will. If we lose the top 100-200 kids (to Tier 1 Hockey, Shattuck, NTDP etc.), it won't diminish the overall "product" or experience for the players.
Elite level hockey and Minnesota High School Hockey are not mutually exclusive. Minnesota High School Hockey is strong enough to absorb losses of 200 players who wish to go a different route. The two (High Scool/Association & AAA/Tier 1) can exist in harmony.
Thanks JSR for these informative posts