What exactly is a AA player. Someone who played AA last year or are you judging their talent level? These teams should take A or AA players if they are good enough. Players at AAA who were not competing should drop down, work on their game, and go AAA again later. Believe it or not, sometimes kids move to AAA from A or AA and end up being one of the best players on the team and league. Kids develop at different times. A lot of focus on these young teams on this board. Everyone on this board's kid, a friend's kid, or a neighbor who plays hockey and wants to play in college will be a 21-year-old freshman. You have time. Enjoy the ride and get the kid on a team where he will have good coaching and will see the ice a lot. The kids need to have fun and if they want to progress, they will work for it.