Final Elite League Tryout Date?

WestMetro · Post by **WestMetro** » Tue Jun 17, 2014 12:45 pm

Does anyone know the July date for final Elite League tryouts at New Hope, for those kids who are not "automatics"?

OU812 · Post by **OU812** » Thu Jun 19, 2014 11:16 pm

July 13

hockey world · Post by **hockey world** » Sat Jun 21, 2014 8:28 pm

Don't know why they would have the last tryout date for the elite league the same day all the select 15's go to New York. So, they don't even get an opportunity to try out.

SuperStar · Post by **SuperStar** » Sat Jun 21, 2014 9:58 pm

hockey world wrote:Don't know why they would have the last tryout date for the elite league the same day all the select 15's go to New York. So, they don't even get an opportunity to try out.

Don't worry. Everyone is picked already, the tryouts is a formality and for $$$$. Don't think any different.

NLHockey · Post by **NLHockey** » Sun Jun 22, 2014 11:41 am

hockey world wrote:Don't know why they would have the last tryout date for the elite league the same day all the select 15's go to New York. So, they don't even get an opportunity to try out.

Perhaps the deserving juniors and seniors should get the opportunity to play in the Elite League. Have to believe there are enough of those, politically connected or not, to fill those rosters. I thought the whole purpose of the league was to keep those kids in the state. Way more juniors and seniors leave in the Fall.

SuperStar · Post by **SuperStar** » Sun Jun 22, 2014 1:17 pm

NLHockey wrote:
hockey world wrote:Don't know why they would have the last tryout date for the elite league the same day all the select 15's go to New York. So, they don't even get an opportunity to try out.

Perhaps the deserving juniors and seniors should get the opportunity to play in the Elite League. Have to believe there are enough of those, politically connected or not, to fill those rosters. I thought the whole purpose of the league was to keep those kids in the state. Way more juniors and seniors leave in the Fall.

That's the case every year. I hope they do, I really do! Maybe this year will be different. Lets see what shakes out...

hockey world · Post by **hockey world** » Sun Jun 22, 2014 2:59 pm

They need to decide if they want the best players, or the the best juniors/seniors. I have no problem them limiting it to junior/senior, but if you are going to have freshman/sophomore in the league, it is only fair to have the best.

SuperStar · Post by **SuperStar** » Sun Jun 22, 2014 3:11 pm

hockey world wrote:They need to decide if they want the best players, or the the best juniors/seniors. I have no problem them limiting it to junior/senior, but if you are going to have freshman/sophomore in the league, it is only fair to have the best.

There is always a couple for sure and always will be - can't deny that and I agree. When I mean a couple I mean 3/4...in the whole league. But, the rest play Elite D league. That's how it was originally set up.

If you really think there is 10-15 more deserving than most of the Juniors or Seniors, then they are not picking the best Juniors or Seniors.

NLHockey · Post by **NLHockey** » Sun Jun 22, 2014 5:50 pm

SuperStar wrote:
hockey world wrote:They need to decide if they want the best players, or the the best juniors/seniors. I have no problem them limiting it to junior/senior, but if you are going to have freshman/sophomore in the league, it is only fair to have the best.
There is always a couple for sure and always will be - can't deny that and I agree. When I mean a couple I mean 3/4...in the whole league. But, the rest play Elite D league. That's how it was originally set up.

If you really think there is 10-15 more deserving than most of the Juniors or Seniors, then they are not picking the best Juniors or Seniors.

Exactly. Stopped ours from trying out for this stuff years ago. But I do think this should be limited to juniors and seniors in the spirit of providing them the opportunity to be seen and to get extra games before the HS season. The 2 or 3 fresh/soph a year that are more deserving will get their chance. IMHO Adv 15 kids can pack up for the Big Apple and rest assured their chances will be many in the coming years. Or just be sure they are on the roster before the tryouts....

puckbreath · Post by **puckbreath** » Sun Jun 22, 2014 8:32 pm

Some good ideas, but until coaches stop using it as an extended practice season for their own teams, good luck.

WestMetro · Post by **WestMetro** » Fri Jul 11, 2014 5:32 pm

See Elite League Website, for Sunday July 13 final tryout scrimmage schedule and rosters.

http://www.hselitehockey.com/news_artic ... r_id=44822

http://www.hselitehockey.com/news_artic ... r_id=44822

Nuts&Bolts · Post by **Nuts&Bolts** » Mon Jul 14, 2014 1:55 pm

Any "Elite" buzz? How many spots truly are open this year pre departure announcements? Will there be another Sheehy type deal that plays before departing? A kid shouldn't be "Elite" simply for going to EP with a coach in the league who evaluates or is related to a former NHL/D1 player. And I know Farmington has a good group but 6 kids get a tryout with no bubble "Elite" kids getting a shot from LN, LS, Eagan, EV or SSP?

WestMetro · Post by **WestMetro** » Mon Jul 14, 2014 3:15 pm

Figuring final rosters will be posted in week or so

There was some top 100 statewide player caliber Edina and BSM talent scattered around on the tryout rosters, some of whom could have been preselected, and others who might not make the final cut so to have better statewide and AA/A representation. Which is a good thing for the League, but hard for those not selected.

I counted only about 2 or 3 names from other teams which I thought should have made the preselected roster without tryout

I think there were about 9 or 10 sophomore tryouts, of which I think maybe 3 or 4 will be selected, along with a some preselections. Which seems about right to me.

It will be interesting to see the final goalie selections, to supplement the excellent presumed preselections, absent early departure announcements.

I would hate to see another Sheehy type situation, where a player plays in the Elite League and then departs high school right after that. Hopefully players can make their final early depart/don't depart decisions before Elite startup after Labor Day.

Nuts&Bolts · Post by **Nuts&Bolts** » Mon Jul 14, 2014 9:30 pm

Wondering WestMetro if you can give more intel on the pre selection process. How many spots were gifted without the tryout (excluding maybe Bellows and Zuhlsdorf who played half the games on a team last year)? With 6 teams of 20 trying out this weekend surely at $100 a head how many make a roster? Who were some of the unpublished automatics particularly your sophomores? And if one sophomore is on your list why does the "Elite" league take him when the deal is known he'll be playing in Michigan next year?

Not sure though about taking out state players or players from smaller schools for the good of the game. Sounds like affirmative action in the Elite league. Maybe it's the "Fairly Elite" league that will never be fair? And are you saying the only top 100 talent this weekend was from Edina and BSM? That would be surprising looking at the rosters but I recognize you are WestMetro. May the best kids win.

WestMetro · Post by **WestMetro** » Mon Jul 14, 2014 10:09 pm

OU812 can provide more insight on historical percent preselected. Im assuming roughly consistent with past years. Lots of logical top junior and senior talent are not on the tryout list.

Lets wait for the final roster, Im assuming the best sophomores will be there . Maybe a couple debates.

As I said, there are several consensus top 100 MSHSL players on the tryout list, including Im remembering a couple OTB National Watch List. Its conceivable one/more of them may not make the final cut to prevent overloading, and to achieve some various leveling.

Some leveling is obviously good for the League, hard for kids not selected

But there could be another 15-20 departure announcements before season starts, so that could change the final roster

One other comment : WBL returning talent may be overall better than I had originally thought. Top 20 team?

OU812 · Post by **OU812** » Tue Jul 15, 2014 10:56 am

[quote="WestMetro"]OU812 can provide more insight on historical percent preselected. Im assuming roughly consistent with past years. Lots of logical top junior and senior talent are not on the tryout list.

WM - you are about right. Roughly 45 returning players from last year. Of the 300+ on the EL prospect list, based on scores/evaulations from the coaches/scouts over the winter season - and what they saw in HP, tournaments, elite league call up games from 2013, etc, another 25 or so were invited in without a tryout for 2014. Numbers-wise, this is close to what happened last year. For what it's worth, no sophomores or freshman were invited this year without a tryout. And you are also right about the "Invited in" names: kids like Bellows, the Poehlings, Mills etc were not much of a surprise.

Tryout invitations went to the next 120 or so kids, and on Sunday I'd say all 120 gave a hell of an effort. Just some really motivated play. With four forward lines per team, and shorter scrimmage times, the kids had a lot of energy (even with three scrimmages to play in just one day).

Then, afterwards, each EL coach/evaluator gives the league a list of their picks for the top 20 tryout performances at both forward and defense (goalies go through a slightly longer evaluation process that I'm somewhat unfamiliar with). Anyway, the league compiles all the lists, ranks the kids, and the final spots are filled. Rosters should be announced this week on the website. All non-seniors who tried out and don't make it are automatically invited to play in Elite D, btw.

JoltDelivered · Post by **JoltDelivered** » Tue Jul 15, 2014 1:58 pm

WestMetro wrote:One other comment : WBL returning talent may be overall better than I had originally thought. Top 20 team?

Looking back, this class (Jr’s & Sr’s) of WBL kids had very good youth teams, making runs to the state tournament in both pee wees and bantams. In bantams they were a top 5 team in the rankings at the end of the season. They were also a big part of that young team two years ago that lost to a very deep Hill Murray team 1-0 in the section final. Naturally many look at this incoming team and notice a glaring hole with Wahlin leaving early but keep in mind Wahlin was not a part of any of the success this group had in the youth ranks. His dad always played him up to the next level for “development” reasons. This year offers an opportunity for those kids you saw over the weekend, aong with their teammates, to step up in the absence of Wahlin and find success once again and that’s important because when so much internal and external focus is placed on any one player it’s hard to find success as a team. That was evident last year with an early departure from sections. They didn’t have to deal with that element when they were cutting their teeth in the youth ranks and this year they find themselves in the same situation. Come November, this team, if they can execute, should be ready to step out into the spotlight.

Weakside-Bardown · Post by **Weakside-Bardown** » Thu Jul 17, 2014 4:35 pm

When are the Elite League rosters supposed to be announced?

notTONIGHT · Post by **notTONIGHT** » Thu Jul 17, 2014 6:05 pm

Weakside-Bardown wrote:When are the Elite League rosters supposed to be announced?

No later than Saturday

WestMetro · Post by **WestMetro** » Fri Jul 18, 2014 12:09 pm

Here are the rosters

http://www.hselitehockey.com/news_artic ... r_id=44822

As I mentioned in an earlier thread, there was well deserved sophomore Hank Sorenson who made the team without having to tryout

rainier · Post by **rainier** » Fri Jul 18, 2014 12:16 pm

Is Cameron McClure really playing for Denfeld this year, or is that a mistake? With Dow already having bolted for East, is there a mutiny at Marshall?

WestMetro · Post by **WestMetro** » Fri Jul 18, 2014 12:33 pm

Also note Sophomore Ryan Poehling did not require a tryout, along with Sorenson

The roster makes clear Goalie Edquist has returned to Lakeville North

Goalie Lindgren IS on the roster.

Also, all the top tier Edina and Elk River kids are on the roster

Muehlbauer is on the roster.

But , at first blush, several notables missing, which indicates almost certainty? of being early departs, ie. Freytag, Ahrens, Rasmussen, Peterson, Broetzman, Versich, Tufte

WestMetro · Post by **WestMetro** » Fri Jul 18, 2014 12:36 pm

Correction: Versich IS there

notTONIGHT · Post by **notTONIGHT** » Fri Jul 18, 2014 12:43 pm

WestMetro wrote:Here are the rosters

http://www.hselitehockey.com/news_artic ... r_id=44822

As I mentioned in an earlier thread, there was well deserved sophomore Hank Sorenson who made the team without having to tryout

Two very undeserving Luverne kids make team great plains right Trout?

Meanwhile on planet earth, Congrats to Toby and Chaz representing Luverne and SW Minnesota in the big show.

Bluewhitefan · Post by **Bluewhitefan** » Fri Jul 18, 2014 12:58 pm

WestMetro wrote: Also, all the top tier Edina and Elk River kids are on the roster

Except two of their top three defensemen - both of whom had better seasons than the one that made it.