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Last year I got weekly updates on Minnesota born players playing for the BCHL Pennticton Vees (part of the CJHL) they were like 54-2 record and won thre RBC cup...that was something. Actually loved the weekely updates in both the Star Trib & the Pioneer Press. Their record, the players stats and their #1 rating was a constant piece.

Well we have a CJHL team right here in Minnesoata...the Minnesota Wilderness...with alot of Minn born and rasied players....who are 39-3 and rated #2 in all of CJHL....and I haven't read one article..one sentence from either paper on this..again ... fantastic team and season...or point totals for players of interest..? Can someone answer why? I wish they would start. Fun to follow if they would.

Non-cynical reasons: the BCHL has been around for a lot longer than the SIJHL, is much larger, and has had some prominent names go through it. The Minnesotans who have gone the BCHL in recent years have tended to be high-profile players who already had D-I scholarships in hand, whereas the SIJHL kids are trying to catch on somewhere.

More cynical reasons: The last names of the individuals playing in the BCHL are the reason the teams got attention, not the team's success. Good luck getting the Metro-area media outlets to pay attention to non-Metro teams unless they are playing someone from the Metro, or have players committed to Minnesota/are otherwise tied to the Gophers (M. Lucia).

Karl ... have you seen any of their games? I've heard it's about the level of the Minnesota JHL.....any truth to that?

Marty

The CJHL is a perfect gap betweand the NA3HL and NAHL reality is that the majority of good players were nahl cuts.

the league is ok

I'd say the league itself is on par with other tier III leagues (NA3HL or MNJHL). The Wilderness on the other hand would dominate those leagues just like it dominates the SIJHL

huville wrote:I'd say the league itself is on par with other tier III leagues (NA3HL or MNJHL). The Wilderness on the other hand would dominate those leagues just like it dominates the SIJHL

I haven't seen them play, but this sounds about right. I'm somewhat familiar with the now-defunct Duluth Clydesdales, who were a weaker SIJHL team over the past few years, and included a number of former Duluth East players--normally marginal varsity players, though there were some solid varsity contributors as well, at least one of whom is now playing D-III.

Looking at the Wilderness roster, there are a decent number of recognizable names for MN HS fans (Sampair, Michaud, Jeanetta, Thielen, Sova). Based on that, I'm not surprised to hear they're doing very well in the SIJHL.

It would be nice if all these Junior teams in MN were in a single league. I think it would bring more validity to some programs and create interest in other teams.

Well at one point all of these teams WERE in the same league. Spooner, Little Falls, Granite City, TC Steel all were in the MNJHL a few years back. Spooner left for the SIJHL and the following year, the other 3 left for the NA3HL. Now you add in Owatonna, Alex, Breezy Pt into the mix, if you ask me there are too many teams.

The SiJHL is part of the CJHL 130+/- teams including all of the BCHL (Pennticton Vees), AJHL, etc. All of these teams enter a playoff for the same cup the RBC Cup. All of CJHL is Tier 2 hockey. There is no excuse for how they are doing as well or better than the Pennticton Vees, of course without the 'names', yet avoid mention in the Pioneer Press and the Star Trib? If I were a reporter for one of these rags, I sure the hell would climb on board this story, as it could be a real 'feel good' if these kids on the Wilderness 'go all the way' and contend for the RBC cup, the most coveted Junior Hockey cup in all of Canada! I would bet there would be plenty of back stories and 'last chance' kind of grind stories that make these kids special. Gordy is the best goalie in all of CJHL...and not a peep. Sad at this moment, however I sense some young aspiring writer is going to take this lead, go out and make a name for him or her self writing this great story unfolding...I hope anyways! Wilderness go deep baby go deep into the playoffs and win it all! What story that would make!

I would say the Memorial Cup is a little more coveted than the RBC but thats just me.

Sorry was meant to stay in the context of Tier 2 Junior...not professional Tier 1 major junior CHL....I should have clarified.

the league is about on par with the NA3 - wilderness at the same level as the top 2 or 3 NA3 teams from what I have seen

Interesting, and confusing, that they're ranked 2nd among all Canadian Junior Hockey League (CJHL) teams. That's over 120 teams!

http://cjhlhockey.com/news/news_detail.html?newsID=541

CJHL link,

http://cjhlhockey.com