AHF Gretzky & Lemieux Divisions

[Guest]

AAA before bantam is a joke

You are correct. However AAA at PW and Squirt is a very fast game because all the kids can skate. Even top AA teams play fast. The AHF A G & L level is very slow as 75% of kids are poor skaters. better skaters just skate around the poor skaters. These kids are not being challenged and there is also very little passing. A level is the bigger joke because AAA & Pure AA teams have made A like B level play!

[Guest]

I saw another post how some kids play A or AA because they can't afford AAA. AAA is only about 10% more expensive at non-BB rinks compared to AA/A at BB rinks. Also travel at AA/A is almost as bad as AAA since AHF controls youth hockey. Price excuse is BS! Kids don't play AAA because they are not good enough, have attitude issues or parents are problems. AAA is watered down due to more teams, but it is superior to AA!

[Guest]

I saw another post how some kids play A or AA because they can't afford AAA. AAA is only about 10% more expensive at non-BB rinks compared to AA/A at BB rinks. Also travel at AA/A is almost as bad as AAA since AHF controls youth hockey. Price excuse is BS! Kids don't play AAA because they are not good enough, have attitude issues or parents are problems. AAA is watered down due to more teams, but it is superior to AA!

Hmm, would love to know what BB rink pricing is that similar for AAA vs AA.  We are BB owned and operated and our AA is 40% less than AAA pricing at the same age level.

[Guest]

I saw another post how some kids play A or AA because they can't afford AAA. AAA is only about 10% more expensive at non-BB rinks compared to AA/A at BB rinks. Also travel at AA/A is almost as bad as AAA since AHF controls youth hockey. Price excuse is BS! Kids don't play AAA because they are not good enough, have attitude issues or parents are problems. AAA is watered down due to more teams, but it is superior to AA!

Hmm, would love to know what BB rink pricing is that similar for AAA vs AA.  We are BB owned and operated and our AA is 40% less than AAA pricing at the same age level.

Igloo Jags Pricing:

AA- Squirt $3995
AA- PW $4675

FE
AAA SQ- $4200
AAA PW- $4800

Little Flyers
AAA SQ- $4250
AAA PW- $4900

Jr. Flyers
AAA SQ- $4100
AAA PW- $4700

PHC-
AAA SQ- $4300
AAA PW- $4900

these are all fees I was told for 2023. Plus non-BB AAA rinks give discounts if you ask (10%) and have uniform packages that are 30% lower than the new BB mandated company that BB probably owns! BB rinks for SQ & PW AAA are all over $6k beside Flyers Elite. BB is a rip off. Igloo rink for AA is $400 more than Flyers Youth! BB is the problem!

[Guest]

I saw another post how some kids play A or AA because they can't afford AAA. AAA is only about 10% more expensive at non-BB rinks compared to AA/A at BB rinks. Also travel at AA/A is almost as bad as AAA since AHF controls youth hockey. Price excuse is BS! Kids don't play AAA because they are not good enough, have attitude issues or parents are problems. AAA is watered down due to more teams, but it is superior to AA!

I know of a few AAA teams that have already traveled to numerous places such as Nashville, Detroit, Cananda, Etc. and the season just started. Or are in Boston every other weekend practically. The price is a HUGE increase just in hotel stays alone. So the price excuse for some is not "BS". And also, with the amount of times you are at a rink for AAA (bc they usually practice 3 times a week), along with the travel, some may have other siblings that are in other sports so it is REALLY hard to juggle all of that when you are going in every which direction.

[Guest]

Come play in Central PA... you'll love the prices compared to Philly and NJ!

https://klicklewisarena.com/palmyra-black-knights/

[Guest]

I know of a few AAA teams that have already traveled to numerous places such as Nashville, Detroit, Cananda, Etc. and the season just started. Or are in Boston every other weekend practically. The price is a HUGE increase just in hotel stays alone. So the price excuse for some is not "BS". And also, with the amount of times you are at a rink for AAA (bc they usually practice 3 times a week), along with the travel, some may have other siblings that are in other sports so it is REALLY hard to juggle all of that when you are going in every which direction.
[/quote]

many of these teams are performing badly there, total waste of time to go

[Guest]

I know of a few AAA teams that have already traveled to numerous places such as Nashville, Detroit, Cananda, Etc. and the season just started. Or are in Boston every other weekend practically. The price is a HUGE increase just in hotel stays alone. So the price excuse for some is not "BS". And also, with the amount of times you are at a rink for AAA (bc they usually practice 3 times a week), along with the travel, some may have other siblings that are in other sports so it is REALLY hard to juggle all of that when you are going in every which direction.

many of these teams are performing badly there, total waste of time to go
[/quote]

Not all teams travel that much. Our team was in Boston last weekend. 2-3 with 1 loss a 1 goal game, the other a 2 goal game and the third loss a blow out by 8 goals to a stacked team and of course home town refs (9 penalties for us & 1 for them). That is our worst travel besides day trips to long island and southern CT and 1 more overnight trip to Hershey. So travel not that bad. Yes 3 days a week but switch off with wife and other kids play HS sports. So while it may not be for everyone, I know several families that can afford it but are honest that their kids are not good enough to play AAA. There are some AA kids good enough to play AAA that don't want commitment, but the excuse of too expensive is BS for most families. While AAA may be watered down, 98% of kids at AA would not make a AAA team. The players at AAA on 90% of teams are better then 98% of AA kids. Stop hating on AAA because you are jealous your kid is not good enough!

[Guest]

NJ has 10-12 AAA teams at most levels

So say for peewee level, 150-175 total players at each age

How many are truly AAA players?

Honestly about 75% are AA players. And for the legit AAA players, they are spread among several teams rather than being able to play together (if there werent as many teams)

[Guest]

How is he THF, AHF AA Pure, Gretzky and Lemieux format working this year? My opinion is bad hockey all around. Not enough AA players to fill out Pure AA teams. This trickles down to lower divisions as talent at Gretzky is lacking and Lemieux is basically B level. McDavid division is like house league. THF is basically 80% AA to A teams with other 20% legit AAA teams. AAA players on every THF team but some teams have at best 5 legit AAA players. Skating at all levels is also just bad. Have kids regressed this much since BB took over rinks and top skills/skating coaches were fired? BB ruined hockey on the east coast!