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LSSU Lakers 2019 off-season thread

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  • Re: LSSU Lakers 2019 off-season thread

    Originally posted by jnacc View Post
    but anyone can see that there are few (if any) D-1 caliber players on each team. As far as I can tell the majority of the players go on to either USports hockey in Canada or play at the D III level here. Good hockey and good players but not a league that any D-1 team would spend much time scouting.
    I don't dispute that there are only a few D1 capable players on any team in the NOJHL. However, I think that you are a little bit too quick to disparage USports. Many of the USports teams are full of players from the OJHL and the WHL that have aged out and are using up their scholarships to continue their playing time. I think that the top USports teams are certainly on par, or better, from a talent perspective, with the top D1 programs. However, they don't have the same financial support and therefore coaching and overall staff. I am not saying that USports and D1 as a league are comparable but I would not agree with your talent assessment of USports. $.02

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    • Re: LSSU Lakers 2019 off-season thread

      Originally posted by islander98 View Post
      I don't dispute that there are only a few D1 capable players on any team in the NOJHL. However, I think that you are a little bit too quick to disparage USports. Many of the USports teams are full of players from the OJHL and the WHL that have aged out and are using up their scholarships to continue their playing time. I think that the top USports teams are certainly on par, or better, from a talent perspective, with the top D1 programs. However, they don't have the same financial support and therefore coaching and overall staff. I am not saying that USports and D1 as a league are comparable but I would not agree with your talent assessment of USports. $.02
      I'm sure there are D1 talent across every league. The hockey system is -so- extensive, not just here in North America, but across the world, that there are going to be D1 players that are either missed or passed on. Some players could potentially make a huge impact on an NHL team that will dwell in some lower-end USports school because of where they were born, or which junior league they play in, though I think the same can be said about any of the major sports.
      LSSU Alumni & Fan.

      Still a work in progress, but please join us at the (unofficial) Laker Hockey Blog

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      • Re: LSSU Lakers 2019 off-season thread

        I suspect that when the Laker coaches cross the river on scouting trips now, it's usually to look at kids playing AAA midget hockey in the hopes they can find one with talent that is willing to go the D1 route rather than play major junior.

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        • Re: LSSU Lakers 2019 off-season thread

          Originally posted by islander98 View Post
          I don't dispute that there are only a few D1 capable players on any team in the NOJHL. However, I think that you are a little bit too quick to disparage USports. Many of the USports teams are full of players from the OJHL and the WHL that have aged out and are using up their scholarships to continue their playing time. I think that the top USports teams are certainly on par, or better, from a talent perspective, with the top D1 programs. However, they don't have the same financial support and therefore coaching and overall staff. I am not saying that USports and D1 as a league are comparable but I would not agree with your talent assessment of USports. $.02
          I'm not that familiar with USports Hockey. I do know that over the past decade or so, Canadian colleges are much more competitive when playing the Lakers compared to years past. I think it's fair to say that Canadian University hockey is a step up from D III but a cut below D-1. I don't believe that the Lakers or any NCAA D-1 program for that matter, are in direct competition with USports Hockey when it comes to recruiting. College programs in the U.S. mainly focus on 16 -20 year old players in the USHL/NAHL and the western Canadian junior leagues with some passing interest in the OJHL. It seems that the top end USport teams like Alberta and UNB focus entirely on CHL kids who are aging out and have not signed pro deals while the lower end programs look at leagues like the OJHL and the N.O. That is not a bad thing and I never meant to imply that USport hockey is bad. It's just a different animal with different recruiting practices and philosophies. My original point was that the Lakers really shouldn't bother with the NOJHL or Northern Ontario for reasons already explained.

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          • Re: LSSU Lakers 2019 off-season thread

            Originally posted by Bill View Post
            I suspect that when the Laker coaches cross the river on scouting trips now, it's usually to look at kids playing AAA midget hockey in the hopes they can find one with talent that is willing to go the D1 route rather than play major junior.
            I think that there is a change in perspective for many Canadian kids. While the top tier prospects at 15 or 16 still look to play major junior, even some of them give serious thought to keeping their NCAA eligibility and play Junior A. Most of the kids that have any educational aspirations, and are middle 6 players, only consider Junior A in Canada. Some will think about the USHL or the NAHL, but most consider Junior A in Canada as a better choice. Quality free to play hockey close to home and with their buddies. Having made a few sweeping generalizations, I think there is a danger in making sweeping generalizations. A prudent coach scouting for Div 1 should look at all leagues of Junior A in Canada. While some of the D1 programs recruit straight out of Bantam or Midget, more and more of those programs are recruiting older kids playing Junior A. The risk is much less because it is a huge jump from playing midget hockey, at any level, to playing D1. The jump from Junior A is much less intimidating.

            I guess this is a very circuitous way of saying that I don't think that the D1 teams are competing with major junior in Canada. They are 2 completely different paths attracting different kids.

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            • Re: LSSU Lakers 2019 off-season thread

              Originally posted by islander98 View Post
              I think that there is a change in perspective for many Canadian kids. While the top tier prospects at 15 or 16 still look to play major junior, even some of them give serious thought to keeping their NCAA eligibility and play Junior A. Most of the kids that have any educational aspirations, and are middle 6 players, only consider Junior A in Canada. Some will think about the USHL or the NAHL, but most consider Junior A in Canada as a better choice. Quality free to play hockey close to home and with their buddies. Having made a few sweeping generalizations, I think there is a danger in making sweeping generalizations. A prudent coach scouting for Div 1 should look at all leagues of Junior A in Canada. While some of the D1 programs recruit straight out of Bantam or Midget, more and more of those programs are recruiting older kids playing Junior A. The risk is much less because it is a huge jump from playing midget hockey, at any level, to playing D1. The jump from Junior A is much less intimidating.

              I guess this is a very circuitous way of saying that I don't think that the D1 teams are competing with major junior in Canada. They are 2 completely different paths attracting different kids.
              I don't think D1 coaches are totally ignoring the NOJHL (or the SIJHL for that matter). If there's a kid playing there that is talented enough to play D1 hockey, word will get out and some D1 coach is going to find him. But as jnaac says, there are few players in the NOJHL (and SIJHL) that have the talent to play D1 hockey. Occasionally there will be one or two, but not often. Most D1 coaches aren't going to spend much if any time scouting the NOJHL or SIJHL because there's not much bang for the travel buck doing so.

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              • Re: LSSU Lakers 2019 off-season thread

                Originally posted by Bill View Post
                I don't think D1 coaches are totally ignoring the NOJHL (or the SIJHL for that matter). If there's a kid playing there that is talented enough to play D1 hockey, word will get out and some D1 coach is going to find him. But as jnaac says, there are few players in the NOJHL (and SIJHL) that have the talent to play D1 hockey. Occasionally there will be one or two, but not often. Most D1 coaches aren't going to spend much if any time scouting the NOJHL or SIJHL because there's not much bang for the travel buck doing so.
                Exactly right. The Lakers have a limited budget and have to use their resources efficiently as possible. Having both the Eagles and Thunderbirds in their back yard helps and believe me that if there are players capable and interested in playing D-1 hockey, the Lakers would be on them.

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                • Re: LSSU Lakers 2019 off-season thread

                  The Lakers have a new commitment, forward Tyler Williams, a Michigan (South Lyon) kid who currently plays for Nanaimo of the BCHL.

                  https://www.nanaimoclippers.com/tyle...ate-university

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                  • Re: LSSU Lakers 2019 off-season thread

                    Originally posted by Bill View Post
                    The Lakers have a new commitment, forward Tyler Williams, a Michigan (South Lyon) kid who currently plays for Nanaimo of the BCHL.

                    https://www.nanaimoclippers.com/tyle...ate-university
                    An offensive leader on his team as an 18 year old which is nice to see. Good pick up late in the year for the Laker staff!

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                    • Re: LSSU Lakers 2019 off-season thread

                      Originally posted by jnacc View Post
                      An offensive leader on his team as an 18 year old which is nice to see. Good pick up late in the year for the Laker staff!
                      Sounds like he will play one more season at Nanaimo and then join the Lakers for 2020-21. We will have 5 senior forwards this coming season that will need to be replaced in 2020-21.

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                      • Re: LSSU Lakers 2019 off-season thread

                        Podcast of the June edition of the Laker Hockey Talk show is up at the LSSU Hockey site.

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                        • Re: LSSU Lakers 2019 off-season thread

                          It looks like the Penguins have resigned both Zach Trotman and Kevin Czuczman. Both are two year, two way deals, with their contracts being worth $700k in the NHL.
                          LSSU Alumni & Fan.

                          Still a work in progress, but please join us at the (unofficial) Laker Hockey Blog

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                          • Re: LSSU Lakers 2019 off-season thread

                            Big conference realignment news today. Basically a new 7 team conference composed of the current WCHA schools minus the 2 Alaska schools and UAH. Likely they would want to go 8 teams at some point.

                            https://bgsufalcons.com/news/2019/6/...filiation.aspx

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                            • Re: LSSU Lakers 2019 off-season thread

                              Originally posted by Bill View Post
                              Big conference realignment news today. Basically a new 7 team conference composed of the current WCHA schools minus the 2 Alaska schools and UAH. Likely they would want to go 8 teams at some point.

                              https://bgsufalcons.com/news/2019/6/...filiation.aspx
                              Had to think this was an eventuality. How long can we and others in the WCHA afford the travel and costs associated with playing the Alaska schools and Alabama?

                              Comment


                              • Re: LSSU Lakers 2019 off-season thread

                                Originally posted by jnacc View Post
                                Had to think this was an eventuality. How long can we and others in the WCHA afford the travel and costs associated with playing the Alaska schools and Alabama?
                                Yeah, although I would like to see them let UAH into the proposed new conference. It's a long trip but at least it's doable by bus and they are more compatible time zone wise than the Alaska schools.

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