What teams are DEFINITELY fielding a team?  What teams are in danger of folding their 18U team? 

My son is not trying out, he is just going to join one of these teams. Where should he go? What do you know for sure?

DE DUCKS? They had a team and a half last year and no 16U. Any news for this year?
DE Junior Blue Hens? 
Team Philly? Historically strong.
Tomorrow's Ice? They are fielding two teams.
Lancaster Firebirds?  They are fielding two teams.
York?   Only had 5 skaters at tryouts.
Central Penn Panthers?
Chester County Skate Club?
DELCO Phantoms?
Wilmington Nighthawks? Looks like two teams...
   

Check with Team Philly, they usually have so many team, I’m assuming your kid just wants to play. CCSC is also a good place. Not sure if nighthawk would have more than 1 team. Ducks are a joke the last couple of yrs, poor recruiting. Also JBH is decent if they have spots, don’t think they would have more than 1 team.

Lancaster is looking to have two teams, one 18AA and one 18A.  A few 16U players will be playing up, but not sure what team they are being placed on.  If you need a home, hit us up.

I could never understand clubs that do this at 18u. Instead of having 2 unbalanced A teams put the weaker team as a B Independent team at a lesser price. Give them one practice a week and 6 game slots and let them make their own schedule and go in 18B tournaments. I helped coach my friend's son team that did this a couple yrs ago. They played 14 games and went in 4 18B tournaments coming in 2nd once. The team manager did a great job getting fair competition to play. She found bottom to mid 18A teams and a couple mid 16A teams to play. We were 1-11-2 that year but all games were close, and kids loved that season.

Quote from: justahockeydad on April 28, 2025, 07:44:22 AM

I could never understand clubs that do this at 18u. Instead of having 2 unbalanced A teams put the weaker team as a B Independent team at a lesser price. Give them one practice a week and 6 game slots and let them make their own schedule and go in 18B tournaments. I helped coach my friend's son team that did this a couple yrs ago. They played 14 games and went in 4 18B tournaments coming in 2nd once. The team manager did a great job getting fair competition to play. She found bottom to mid 18A teams and a couple mid 16A teams to play. We were 1-11-2 that year but all games were close, and kids loved that season.

Its a great idea, but I don't think that's an option for VFC since they are AHF members.  The AHF only has two levels at 18U - AA and High A.  There is no low A or B option with the AHF.

I think they realize there is no low A or B in the AHF at 18u, that's probably why they said independent. What would being in the AHF matter? They are not BB rink. How many clubs are in the AHF but not the THF but some other AAA league, I know of some including the Minute Men. The 1st yr of the AHF the Vipers did it, they had a mixed 16/18 team that played in 18B tournaments and as many scrimmages they could get.