High School Players/Teams Observations

[brookyone]

Thought I'd bump up the link in case anyone wanted to track the action / results.

http://www.ahai2.org/showcase/

[hockeyyfan]

Team southeast surprising anyone?

[Hckysk8tr8]

:D Team New England over Team Minnesota 4-2.

[Hckysk8tr8]

Team Southeast --no surprise...excellent goaltending and strong players.

[hockeyyfan]

Team Southeast --no surprise...excellent goaltending and strong players.

Just MAYBE someday the SE will get more than 3 players for the U19 camp..........no surprise to me

[Hckysk8tr8]

Southeast has 6 spots for USA Hockey 17/18 Camp -- 2005 Selections
Jenn Arms -- Defense
Kelli Blankenship -- Forward
Julia Bronson -- Defense
Randi Griffin -- Forward
Kyla Sanders -- Forward
Maxie Wiesz -- Goalie

[hockeyyfan]

Southeast has 6 spots for USA Hockey 17/18 Camp -- 2005 Selections
Jenn Arms -- Defense
Kelli Blankenship -- Forward
Julia Bronson -- Defense
Randi Griffin -- Forward
Kyla Sanders -- Forward
Maxie Wiesz -- Goalie

Finally-it's been a long time coming.

[Hckysk8tr8]

Chicago Showcase Semifinals

Team New England vs Team Rocky Mountain
Team Wisconsin vs Team Illinois

[hockeyyfan]

Chicago Showcase Semifinals

Team New England vs Team Rocky Mountain
Team Wisconsin vs Team Illinois

How does Team Rocky Mt go 0-3 and make the semis, and Team Southeast goes 3-0 and not...they never posted last night's score.

[Hckysk8tr8]

Team Rocky Mountain 4 vs Team Southeast 1 in the quarterfinals.

[moxie]

Southeast has 6 spots for USA Hockey 17/18 Camp -- 2005 Selections
Jenn Arms -- Defense
Kelli Blankenship -- Forward
Julia Bronson -- Defense
Randi Griffin -- Forward
Kyla Sanders -- Forward
Maxie Wiesz -- Goalie
Sanders and Blankenship are from the SE but played this past season at NAHA and were on team New England at the Chicago Showcase. Sanders is listed as a senior - any word on where she is heading next year?

[hockeyyfan]

Team Rocky Mountain 4 vs Team Southeast 1 in the quarterfinals.
got it...I read it as a 4 game round robin for the semis instead of 8 teams playing for the qtrs and 4 teams doing an exhibition thing. A lot of scoring out of the Southeast.....usual suspects......glad to see Kelli Griffin starting to show up..she's been playing boys bantam since 7th grade and has a real head for the game..she is as subtle and positions well.

[OhiohockeyDad]

Funny- silence since yesterday's New England win from our Minnesota friends!!
A few notes on the Showcase (having seen most of the teams and now catching up with the thread).
Someone mentioned the rules before- they are clearly stated, yet Minnesota gets an 'exception' every year for their signed seniors, because 'no one else will come' - dispute all you want, I've heard it from the horse's mouth. The other teams did pretty well following the rules, and maybe with the loss, it will change Minnesota's thinking.
Another mentioned the seeding thing- well, I think it was based on trying to make the pools not prone to blowout, and seeded teams based on how they did last year- maybe a good idea- didn't work- the 'C' pool had three 2-1
teams that all beat each other- one had a chance to go on , and finished second- the other two were stronger than teams that made the 1/4s.
Officiating was OK until Saturday, then it was poor across the board, I have never thought that it would win or lose a game, but it was just poor and not consistent- whistles away during 1st period, then a penalty fest during a 5 minute period in the second, then away....and so on.....
The level of play was for the most part, outstanding, and any college or prep school coach that missed this was missing out. I've been watching this since it started, and this was the best yet. Very similar to MWEHL games.
One final note- if there are any Minnesota parents or future players reading this- your team's sportsmanship this year was disgusting, I won't get into specifics, or players, but even in games they were winning, it was downright embarassing- the offical stats show that Southeast had the most misconducts with 2- I counted at least 3 that should have been called in the last 5 minutes of the 1/4 final game- not to mention the Wis. game (another at least 1). Apparently, judging from the parents (and the WCHA coaches with the scholarships), that's ok, but you can have it- I would expect our 'premier' state to at least act with class.

[ghshockeyfan]

One Question - when will players start playing for their home state/region in this event? Also, the rest of the nation should see that we're the only ones playing "by the rules" and sending only seniors - many are signed though, and I guess this isn't how this is supposed to be? My understaning was that years ago the other teams couldn't field good enough teams this way - so they've been allowed to deviate indefinately by using undeclassmen that are unsigned - but MN has went with all seniors still - many that are signed it appears.

Maybe someone should "investigate" how many "New England" players were actually from "New England" and how many represent many states outside that region but attend a certain "Hockey Academy" out there. Is that by the rules? I guess being a resident of the area for school makes you eligible.

This kind of reminds me of SSM representing MN at Nationals, etc. Heck, we're lucky those kids are actually from the US, let alone MN... $30K a year buys a lot in New England and MN I guess!

Someone tell me what I'm wrong on here.

I agree that cheap play shouldn't be tolerated, but I heard that it went both ways at least - but even then two wrongs don't make a right.

Anyone out there know how many great players we leave at home since we follow the senior rule? I think the rules should be clairified so that in the future we're all in full compliance - MN included.

As much as I commend those seniors that are signed for turning this trip down, I also hate to think that the $600 is a deterrent.

[OhiohockeyDad]

The rules are pretty specific- it says NO commited seniors.
As far as the residency thing goes- that got changed this year to be where you are registered with USA Hockey and/or go to school. I know MidAm had to get an exception for that- we have lots of players that play in Michigan (live near the Toledo area for example). So, with that, New England was within the rules- now, the 5 player max from one team rule..hmmmm
I understand they scrambled to get this team together at the last minute, so I'll give the the benefit of the doubt for one year.
The sportsmanship I was talking about wasn't during the play, that was fine, it was the behavior after calls/non-calls. I thought they played fine.

[hockeyyfan]

Funny- silence since yesterday's New England win from our Minnesota friends!! (.



pssst.....check where Saunders and Blankenship are from.....it isn't New England.....

[Hckysk8tr8]

In reference to Team New England's players -- In the case of Blankenship she played on the team for which she was eligible. She registered with USA Hockey in Vermont and ONLY played in Vermont. Was ineligible to represent her home district (Southeast) because she never played there in the 2004-05 season. Showcase rules state you play for the team representing the area in which you register with USA Hockey thus Team New England.

[MNhockeyfan09]

Bill Driscoll had 10 out of 15 players that were from NAHA.
Driscoll was listed as the GM and ended up Coaching the team.
Bill Driscoll is North American Hockey Academy!

One final note-As far as Minnesota's sportsmanship, I would say the girls were frustrated and I am not embarrassed as a parent of a player from that team.
The inconsistent officiating was the cause of the frustrations
I didn't see any fisticuffs or cheap play on their part, I am sure there were words exchanged between players.

Team New England is a good team and I would not take anything away
form those players, They won the game!

[SAMMEE]

As someone from the New York District that did not send a team to Chicago Showcase I have seen it become just another expensive money maker as so many other "showcases" have become. I am sure that in many parts of the country all these players have just completed some type of sectionals; district playoffs; if you were lucky - Nationals; league playoffs; misc tryouts; school playoffs etc.

Forgetting the dollar costs; they are missing school days etc. I think with some of these teams it is more a matter of who they can get to go which is why you see all these high school underclasspersons. Certain areas have a much larger pool to draw from so they can fill with seniors if someone elects not to go.

If an area cannot send a team of potential collegiate players; they should not just send bodies or tryout should not consist of a parent's check being able to clear. It is starting to become like boys' hockey - I have not seen a team called the Maple Leafs or Blackhawks in years - everybody is now a Select; Elite; All-World Team something.

[hockeyyfan]

Bill Driscoll is North American Hockey Academy!


I've known Bill since he started NAHA and while it wasn't in the cards for my daughter to go there I appreciate all he has done for women's hockey. A lot of kids had the ability, but not the visibility, to play in college and Bill's put his reputation on the line and his money where his mouth is.

I'm not saying you were criticizing him by any stretch, but he and Coach Cahill are in my personal hall of fame for going the extra mile for some kids in the 'outback' of hockey.