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Minnesota Hockey, Advanced 17 Roster for USA Hockey National Festival The following players will participate in the USA Hockey, Advanced 17 National Festival in St. Cloud, MN July 10-16, 2004. Team Minnesota Forwards Jay Barriball Ben Beaudoin Mike Gergen David Grun Zach Harrison Anthony Lucia Joey Miller Justin Milo Chad Rau Ryan Stoa Ryan Thang Chris VandeVelde Defense Jon Ammerman Taylor Chorney Joe Finley Jack Johnson Brian Lee Mike Phillippi Goalies Jeff Frazee Alex Stalock <p></p><i></i>

looks basicaly like the roster that we have been seeing and putting together all along. I am sure they will represent us well.<br>Good luck to them and to the others that didn't make it. I have seen all of these kids skate and do know there is a huge amount of talent there. <p></p><i></i>

I was at the try-out and watched the games.<br><br>I was glad to see Mr. Gordon evaluating. I guess that explains Lucia's selection. I would rate my the son of my boy's future coach pretty high as well. Anything to secure him a spot on the gophers. <br><br>4 Shattucks kids? What ever happened to promoting High School hockey? Harrison couldn't even make the prep team. That means there were 13 better forwards at shattuck than him. How can he be on the Minnesota team? Milo was non-existant last year for Michigan. The worst part is that the shattucks kids DIDNT EVEN HAVE TO TRY OUT! THEY WERE GIVEN FINAL 51 SLOTS. And Barriball didn't play very well at this festival either. I could place 3 or 4 better forwards on the team. <br><br>Very suprising not to see Dee, Kramer, Fulton, Pilot, Walters, Fisher, Vermuelen, Mattson. I expected to see atleast one of them on the roster.<br><br>Can anyone say politics????????????<!--EZCODE EMOTICON START :eek --><img src=http://www.ezboard.com/intl/aenglish/im ... ns/eek.gif ALT=":eek"><!--EZCODE EMOTICON END--> <p></p><i>Edited by: <A HREF=http://b9.ezboard.com/bmnhs.showUserPub ... rojan06</A> at: 4/26/04 5:58 pm<br></i>

I have paid zero attention to the proceedings at the Select festivals, but I can say quite confidently that many, many kids have been granted a free pass to the Final 51 over the years. If I recall, the Shattuck kids get a pass because they have nationals at the same time as the first festival (though that may not be the case this year, I have no idea), so they would have no chance of trying out otherwise. It's also not just Shattuck kids that get moved along to the last group either, nor does instant Final 51 status mean you are automatically on the team. I recall quite clearly a kid from Armstrong a few years ago who got moved into that stage based on his play from the season and he did not make the MN team, so even though it is probably rare, it can happen where you are moved into the last group and you don't make the team.<br><br>I'm not saying anything about the quality of this year's team. I have no idea about any of the kids. But, if we're going to get upset about kids getting pushed into the last group without having to go through the original tryouts, we should get upset about it happening at every age group and in every year, not just about this year's 17s team. <p></p><i></i>

Dont forget, evaluators are supposed to evaluate on the way the players are performing at the tryouts. If your going to look at the past of the players instead of what they are doing in the tryout then you might as well not have a tryout. The whole reason is to so how the players do under pressure, how they perform when its on the line, meaning there chance to play for team minnesota. So unless you were there i dont think that you should be surprised. I too agree that all those players listed are very good players but i dont think they played to there ability in the tryout process. <p></p><i></i>

Alright, the list has been posted, and there is a lot of talk about politics. Who, if anybody, do you think should have made the team that didn't? <p></p><i></i>

Where is Ben Beaudoin from and what grade is he finishing? <p></p><i></i>

The more I read this board, the more I have come to realize that the only kids worth a damn in the minds of some people are those that play strictly in HS hockey. Any kid from the state that plays in juniors or midgets should be barred from participating in anything that represents the state. <!--EZCODE EMOTICON START :\ --><img src=http://www.ezboard.com/intl/aenglish/im ... ohwell.gif ALT=":\"><!--EZCODE EMOTICON END--> <br><br>How stupid. <p></p><i></i>

Beaudoin is from Simley HS in Inver Grove Heights. I believe he was a Junior last year. <p></p><i></i>

Hey Finn,<br>I think you are clueless and missing the point here. This website WAS created for Minnesota High School Hockey.<br>Not Shattuck Hockey, Juniors or Ann Arbor. Once these kids have moved on to bigger and better hockey in their minds and their parents minds, they shouldn't be allowed to come back, no matter how good they are.<br>I find it interesting that high school hockey isn't good enough for the Shattuck or Junior kids except when it's time to compete at the National Level.<br>Do you really think these kids at that level are representing their state...... come on, how stupid, they just want to get noticed by someone at the next level. <br>It's called "I" team. <p></p><i></i>

These kids on the team still represent Minnesota hockey no matter where they play during the winter. Not to mention, there is no rule that says players that participate in the Selects have to come from high school hockey. Heck, most of the teams from other areas are made up of players who play in leagues other than their local state sponsored public high school hockey. <br><br>As far as wanting to get noticed, every one of these kids want to get noticed. It doesn't matter if they are from high school hockey or from juniors. In fact, the kids that are from Shattuck or the US team are probably less inclined toward doing this for attention since they already get seen by scouts more often than most high school kids do since Shattuck and the US team are scouted pretty heavily. But all these kids want to show their stuff and possibly gain opportunities down the road. Including the high school hockey players. You'd be a fool to think otherwise.<br><br>I am just glad the people at Minnesota Hockey aren't as closeminded as you are. <p></p><i>Edited by: <A HREF=http://b9.ezboard.com/bmnhs.showUserPub ... >Finn70</A> at: 4/27/04 2:47 pm<br></i>

The people at Minnesota Hockey aren't closed minded? Is this why our Peewee and Bantam teams are ineligible for nationals? Is this why we no longer have Silverstick regionals? Is this why we are the only district that didn't conform to USA Hockey age rules? The fact is that Minnesota Hockey stuck its head in the sand and refused to find a good way to compromise with USA Hockey. <br><br>Whether or not you agree with their decision, to suggest that Minnesota Hockey is open minded is a bit of a stretch. Otherwise, Finn, you're right on the money. <p></p><i></i>

I said aren't as closeminded (a nice way of saying they have their bad moments too but not as bad as Uncle Puckhead in this case). I didn't say they weren't flawed. <!--EZCODE EMOTICON START :D --><img src=http://www.ezboard.com/intl/aenglish/im ... /happy.gif ALT=":D"><!--EZCODE EMOTICON END--> <p></p><i></i>

does anyone actually think that Tony Lucia is better than (Fisher,Walters,Dee, or Fulton) <p></p><i></i>

Hey guys,<br>If you 2 want to be fair, then lets bring the 17 year olds that elect to play Juniors back in for a tryout too!<br>Who cares if they play in Nebraska, Iowa or Illinois,<br>they are Minnesotans.<br>Tell me, where do you draw the line. I think you both missed my point. <br>If every 17 year old in the state has the same opportunity, then let them.<br>The system sucks, and so does the selection process.<br>That's all I was trying to say.<br>Nerdsrockout is right on......only instead of 4 names, he should have listed 50 names. <p></p><i></i>

Lucia looked good in the state tourney. hes only gonna be a junior, btw. <p></p><i></i>

tony lucia is garbage. he should not be on the final team. his dad might as well play/tryout for him for the rest of his life. <p></p><i></i>

That's a pretty strong statement to make about a 16 year old kid. You call yourself "OldTimer" but I'm going to guess that you're a kid making a stupid statement. If you're an adult, grow up!<br><br>We can all argue whether or not this kid or that kid deserves to make a team or whether "politics" plays a role, but to call a kid "garbage" is way over the line. <br><br>And for all of you who complain about the way things are handled in the various try-out processes, get involved and change things. Anyone can can sit around and complain. Get involved and help out or just save everyone the time and shut up. <p></p><i></i>

Amen Eddie! <p></p><i></i>

Eddie, I usually agree with you but this time I take exception. Why is it so bleepin much to ask or expect that tryouts and team selection is open, fair and objective. I cant expect that unless I do it myself? Come on.<br><br>If the team is selected based on what the people who are in charge of running it think and not on tryouts, then just say so. <br><br>I dont have any problem with telling everybody upfront, "Hey, we arent going to pretend we dont know anything about the players that we have all watched for years and select based on just a 2 day tryout" "Some guys are already on the team but there are a few open spots" Or whatever.<br><br> Thats the way it sould be. Thats the way Brooks did it in 1980. He knew who he wanted. So, what? Why do the dance and then tell some kid "You're too small" Its crap.<br><br>Whats wrong with being upfront?<br><br> <p></p><i></i>

Packerboy,<br><br>I just have a problem with people taking shots at a kid and calling him names because there may be a perception that Dad helped him out. If that's the case, it doesn't make the kid bad - it makes Dad and the evaluators bad. Also, to compare the select process to the '80 Olympics is a reach. I know what you're trying to say, but it's a reach. <!--EZCODE EMOTICON START :D --><img src=http://www.ezboard.com/intl/aenglish/im ... /happy.gif ALT=":D"><!--EZCODE EMOTICON END--> <br><br>Lucia was a bubble kid to make the 17 team. Did it help that Dad coaches the Gophers? Sure it did. From what I saw, he was close...as were a couple of others that made it and a couple that didn't.<br><br>I feel the tryout process is about as open, fair and honest as it can be. Of course, it is up to the people running it and coaching the team who they select. They're not going to poll 200 people sitting in the stands to find out what the general consensus is. That's why I make the statement that people should get involved. They're not exactly pulling people off of the street to pick these teams. You earn the right to be there by putting in time and being involved.<br><br>I've been a part of these tryout processes in the past and can say that, for the most part, every kid is evaluated fairly and honestly. Some coaches like a different style of player. Not every player I like will make the top of other coaches lists. The kids have a lot to do with it as well. I've seen circumstances where coaches in the Festivals or 51's will tell the evaluators that a kid a a royal pain in the you-know-what (the opposite is also true for really good/nice kids).<br><br>Listen, no tryout process is ever going to be completely objective as long as human beings are running it. I could name you the top 10 kids that will make a 16 or 17 team in any given year. Of course, it doesn't always pan out - ask Mike Forney at the 16 level this year. Beauty is truly in the eye of the beholder when it comes to tryouts and it happens at every level from Squirt to the pros. The top kids always make it and the bubble kids can go either way.<br><br>In the end, top kids with a great work ethic will make it as far as their talent will take them. Kids that don't make teams that continue to outwork their competition will come out on top. Kids that whine about the system being a joke and how they got screwed will never make it. Pretty simple.<br><br>16's and 17's are a nice opportunity for kids to get noticed and compete against top competition. But honestly, I'd rather see how kids stack up against the top competition in the Elite League. Of course, kids get "screwed" and don't make it there either.<br><br>Packerboy, there's nothing wrong with being upfront. But anybody with a brain knows that unless they are a Thang or a Rau, they're competing for a small handfull of spots. <br><br> <p></p><i></i>

Eddie, Agreed but I would add just one more thing about the need to be up front and open. MAYBE a player makes the team because of his dad. So what? Is that all that bad? Why not just say: " Hey did you expect us to cut tht kid? Dont you know who his dad is?" And be done with it. <br><br>I dont understand what the big deal is. So, somebody's dad has dedicated his life to hockey and his kid, who is a good player, makes the team because of it. Whats the big deal? <br><br>Why do people who do nothing for anybody or anyhting except themselves always expect everyone else to be so concerned about fairness. Know what I mean? <p></p><i></i>