Forum > General Youth Hockey Info
Overreaction Monday
Guest:
Now that EJ and AHF showcases are in the books, any surprising results?
Guest:
Surprised how low level overall play is. AA (besides top teams) is basically A and last weeks A showcase looked like B. Best talent is in AYHL and 2nd best talent os in THF. Just surprised how watered down AA is due to too many Tier 1 teams.
Guest:
Gotta be honest here... this has been said for 20+ years. Every year "well back in my day hockey was much better"
Its boring get new material. The letter means nothing at all.
What matters is the competition. Was the competition evenly matched?
Guest:
Competition was not evenly matched. Top 1-2 players on top teams dominated. Top teams crushed teams. Lopsided scores at all levels. This happens at Tier 1 too. Problem is not that hockey was better in my day, but there were less Tier 1 teams. Less Tier 1 teams means lower level teams are better and players are playing at the appropriate level. The top kids at AA now would be mid-tier if all the crappy Tier 1 teams played AA. There is just not enough talent to have the THF and AHF Pure Age AA teams. It does not work. You have AA Pure kids who should be playing low A, but because BB needs to make money, they put in Pure Age teams. It is just ridiculous. You are correct the letter means nothing at all, but it used to. I am not saying this to say it was better back in my day. I am saying this because AAA, AA, A, B should mean something. Kids should play against other kids that are the same level. That is what the letters are for. But having so many teams now, 3/4 of kids at AA are really A level and the tope 25% at AA dominate. That is good for no one, except the rinks making bank!
Guest:
--- Quote from: Guest on September 03, 2024, 02:07:55 PM ---Competition was not evenly matched. Top 1-2 players on top teams dominated. Top teams crushed teams. Lopsided scores at all levels. This happens at Tier 1 too. Problem is not that hockey was better in my day, but there were less Tier 1 teams. Less Tier 1 teams means lower level teams are better and players are playing at the appropriate level. The top kids at AA now would be mid-tier if all the crappy Tier 1 teams played AA. There is just not enough talent to have the THF and AHF Pure Age AA teams. It does not work. You have AA Pure kids who should be playing low A, but because BB needs to make money, they put in Pure Age teams. It is just ridiculous. You are correct the letter means nothing at all, but it used to. I am not saying this to say it was better back in my day. I am saying this because AAA, AA, A, B should mean something. Kids should play against other kids that are the same level. That is what the letters are for. But having so many teams now, 3/4 of kids at AA are really A level and the tope 25% at AA dominate. That is good for no one, except the rinks making bank!
--- End quote ---
I agree with the other poster, this is a recycled comment that is said over and over. Instead of complaining about it, how about we all accept that youth hockey has evolved (in some ways better and many ways worse) and this is the new normal. We have to adapt, its not changing.
I personally prefer single birth year for AA and at the older levels felt most games were competitive - didn't see many blow outs, majority of games were 1 to 3 goals between winning and losing team. Yes, there's outliers but in general thought games were competitive.
As for the younger levels, there are always more lopsided games.... that also not new. Goalies and defenses at those ages just can't keep up with top players, as they progress to Bantam and older the number of blow outs always goes down.
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