Joey Anderson (HM) commits to UMD

[Murphy]

Western College Hockey blog reports..."A native of Roseville, Minn., Anderson is considered by many to be one of the top 1998 born players in the United States.

As an eighth-grader last season, Anderson started his season playing with the Hill-Murray JV, but finished the season in the Minnesota AA State Championship game, a 5-2 loss to Edina. Anderson registered nine goals and 21 points in 14 games at the varsity level.

With Anderson entering high school next fall, that would put him on track to Duluth for the 2017 season. It's believed that Anderson is the first 2017 college hockey recruit at this time."

[Granttenn]

I have heard talk for a couple of years now that Joey was one of best 98's in country but has anyone heard whether there is interest from the NDTP in Ann Arbor?? Or will he play at Hill Murray for 5 years like Zach Lavalle.. Just kidding there, I'm sure he would leave at least a year early for the Juniors.. Just think 5 years on the Hill Varsity for Zach with no D1 college offers and this 8th grader plays 14 games and signs with UMD..... Never was a huge Zach Fan and doesn't sound like colleges are either.. Will it really be the Austin Bruins and not even a single college or USHL team with an offer??...

[The Best in the Bizz3]

I have heard talk for a couple of years now that Joey was one of best 98's in country but has anyone heard whether there is interest from the NDTP in Ann Arbor?? Or will he play at Hill Murray for 5 years like Zach Lavalle.. Just kidding there, I'm sure he would leave at least a year early for the Juniors.. Just think 5 years on the Hill Varsity for Zach with no D1 college offers and this 8th grader plays 14 games and signs with UMD..... Never was a huge Zach Fan and doesn't sound like colleges are either.. Will it really be the Austin Bruins and not even a single college or USHL team with an offer??...

Well he was drafted by Chicago in the 6th round. But that's obviously no guarantee. Interesting to see where he goes in the rest of his career.

[Shinbone_News]

Yar, I don't really get why LaValle isn't a bigger draw. 50+ point scorer on the state runner-up team, captain, multi-sport stud, not a huge kid but bigger than many -- Right?

One is forced to speculate. Is there something off-the-ice that scouts or coaches don't like about him? Is it because he performed in the senior musical? People are so prejudiced against musicals these days!

Or maybe he's signaled an intention to pursue some other sport full-time? Would be interesting to hear the Pioneer brain trust speak up on this.

[UntouchableFlow]

Yar, I don't really get why LaValle isn't a bigger draw. 50+ point scorer on the state runner-up team, captain, multi-sport stud, not a huge kid but bigger than many -- Right?

One is forced to speculate. Is there something off-the-ice that scouts or coaches don't like about him? Is it because he performed in the senior musical? People are so prejudiced against musicals these days!

Or maybe he's signaled an intention to pursue some other sport full-time? Would be interesting to hear the Pioneer brain trust speak up on this.

I've heard that he wants to pursue a college hockey career. To me, he isn't the kind of offensive talent that really stands out like a Jake Guentzel. However, he is so solid in every area of the game that it's hard for me to understand why he isn't getting looks from D1 schools. He finishes scoring chances well, has great vision on the ice, great defensive coverage, and is a brick out on the ice. I think that his lack of offensive explosiveness is preventing a lot of D1 schools from giving him a look first hand, but I think that with a few years of juniors, he'll be a great 3rd or 4th liner on a good D1 school.

Congrats to Joey, hopefully he sticks around long enough to get the Pioneers another championship banner.

[Shinbone_News]

Yar, I don't really get why LaValle isn't a bigger draw. 50+ point scorer on the state runner-up team, captain, multi-sport stud, not a huge kid but bigger than many -- Right?

One is forced to speculate. Is there something off-the-ice that scouts or coaches don't like about him? Is it because he performed in the senior musical? People are so prejudiced against musicals these days!

Or maybe he's signaled an intention to pursue some other sport full-time? Would be interesting to hear the Pioneer brain trust speak up on this.

I've heard that he wants to pursue a college hockey career. To me, he isn't the kind of offensive talent that really stands out like a Jake Guentzel. However, he is so solid in every area of the game that it's hard for me to understand why he isn't getting looks from D1 schools. He finishes scoring chances well, has great vision on the ice, great defensive coverage, and is a brick out on the ice. I think that his lack of offensive explosiveness is preventing a lot of D1 schools from giving him a look first hand, but I think that with a few years of juniors, he'll be a great 3rd or 4th liner on a good D1 school.

Congrats to Joey, hopefully he sticks around long enough to get the Pioneers another championship banner.

Sheesh. Being the top point-scoring forward and captain on the second-best team in the state for two years in a row -- that just doesn't carry much water with scouts, I guess. He had numbers as good as Heinrich and Guentzel, and he's just as big as those guys, and those two are top-100 with NHL central scouting. ZL gets a 6th-round charity vote from the USHL.

I just don't get it. Especially since he was such a media darling with the Strib and Pioneer Press. It goes to show you the Hockey Gods are fickle.

[WarmUpTheBus]

Yar, I don't really get why LaValle isn't a bigger draw. 50+ point scorer on the state runner-up team, captain, multi-sport stud, not a huge kid but bigger than many -- Right?

One is forced to speculate. Is there something off-the-ice that scouts or coaches don't like about him? Is it because he performed in the senior musical? People are so prejudiced against musicals these days!

Or maybe he's signaled an intention to pursue some other sport full-time? Would be interesting to hear the Pioneer brain trust speak up on this.

I've heard that he wants to pursue a college hockey career. To me, he isn't the kind of offensive talent that really stands out like a Jake Guentzel. However, he is so solid in every area of the game that it's hard for me to understand why he isn't getting looks from D1 schools. He finishes scoring chances well, has great vision on the ice, great defensive coverage, and is a brick out on the ice. I think that his lack of offensive explosiveness is preventing a lot of D1 schools from giving him a look first hand, but I think that with a few years of juniors, he'll be a great 3rd or 4th liner on a good D1 school.

Congrats to Joey, hopefully he sticks around long enough to get the Pioneers another championship banner.

Sheesh. Being the top point-scoring forward and captain on the second-best team in the state for two years in a row -- that just doesn't carry much water with scouts, I guess. He had numbers as good as Heinrich and Guentzel, and he's just as big as those guys, and those two are top-100 with NHL central scouting. ZL gets a 6th-round charity vote from the USHL.

I just don't get it. Especially since he was such a media darling with the Strib and Pioneer Press. It goes to show you the Hockey Gods are fickle.

ZL may have offers just not one he wants to accept at this point

[394 West]

Yar, I don't really get why LaValle isn't a bigger draw. 50+ point scorer on the state runner-up team, captain, multi-sport stud, not a huge kid but bigger than many -- Right?

One is forced to speculate. Is there something off-the-ice that scouts or coaches don't like about him? Is it because he performed in the senior musical? People are so prejudiced against musicals these days!

Or maybe he's signaled an intention to pursue some other sport full-time? Would be interesting to hear the Pioneer brain trust speak up on this.

I've heard that he wants to pursue a college hockey career. To me, he isn't the kind of offensive talent that really stands out like a Jake Guentzel. However, he is so solid in every area of the game that it's hard for me to understand why he isn't getting looks from D1 schools. He finishes scoring chances well, has great vision on the ice, great defensive coverage, and is a brick out on the ice. I think that his lack of offensive explosiveness is preventing a lot of D1 schools from giving him a look first hand, but I think that with a few years of juniors, he'll be a great 3rd or 4th liner on a good D1 school.

Congrats to Joey, hopefully he sticks around long enough to get the Pioneers another championship banner.

If he has to play 3 years of juniors to be a 3rd or 4th line D1 guy he better make sure his education is solid as he will be a 25/26 year old senior.

[stpaul]

He's a very talented young player and has tons of potential, but committing to a college at age 14 is silly. A verbal commitment 4-5 years ahead of time is pretty meaningless. His parents should know better.

[northwoods oldtimer]

He's a very talented young player and has tons of potential, but committing to a college at age 14 is silly. A verbal commitment 4-5 years ahead of time is pretty meaningless. His parents should know better.

stpaul I totally agree with you on the 14 year old comment. What the hell is this hockey stuff coming too? Any 14 year old has a long ways to go in reaching maturity: girls, cars, booze, mental growth, physical growth, on and on. That is along time to develop from 14 to 20 lots can happen in that course of time.

[Mailman]

He's a very talented young player and has tons of potential, but committing to a college at age 14 is silly. A verbal commitment 4-5 years ahead of time is pretty meaningless. His parents should know better.

The parents, as usual, are probably the ones behind it.

[hockeymannorth]

He's a very talented young player and has tons of potential, but committing to a college at age 14 is silly. A verbal commitment 4-5 years ahead of time is pretty meaningless. His parents should know better.

The parents, as usual, are probably the ones behind it.

It might be a ploy to get other teams looking at him wondering if they missed something. But they should watch his brother I think he's one more teams will need top D is hard to find.

[Mailman]

He's a very talented young player and has tons of potential, but committing to a college at age 14 is silly. A verbal commitment 4-5 years ahead of time is pretty meaningless. His parents should know better.

The parents, as usual, are probably the ones behind it.[/quote]It might be a ploy to get other teams looking at him wondering if they missed something. But they should watch his brother I think he's one more teams will need top D is hard to find.

If that's the case, hs hockey has gotten even more ridiculous than I thought

[JDUBBS1280]

He's a very talented young player and has tons of potential, but committing to a college at age 14 is silly. A verbal commitment 4-5 years ahead of time is pretty meaningless. His parents should know better.

The parents, as usual, are probably the ones behind it.

It might be a ploy to get other teams looking at him wondering if they missed something. But they should watch his brother I think he's one more teams will need top D is hard to find.

Highly doubt there was a problem with programs noticing or being interested in this kid. He has been in the Top 5 of all the lists of Top 1998 born players in the country I've seen. Pretty sure he was on most, if not every, school's radars.

[Granttenn]

For those commenting on this "14 yr old" - from what I have heard he is actually 15 right now and was supposed to be a 9th grader this year 12-13. That from another Hill player but may want to clarify that. You get Sophs like Gersich committing and nobody says anything so what's one year difference. And these are verbal commits so is anyone really going to penalize him if he changes his mind in 5 years and says I was way too young, very sorry - while you know UMD isn't going to change their mind so it's really a no lose prop for Joey... &

Maybe they did it to take pressure and school contacts from him so he can just go out and have fun without having to deal with all the mania surrounding top prospects. Look at the Apple Valley kid (Tyus Jones?) in basketball, how can he just go out and have fun when he's got the Duke coach in the stands one night and Kentucky the next etc..Obviously Joey isn't going to have quite that level of game to game hype but still tough to just be a kid and have fun playing with your buddies... Who knows, but I wish it were me at that age:)

-

[Granttenn]

As far as Lavalle, I've heard concerns about skating projecting to next levels - despite working with the Ness skating guru's.. Plus being jack of all trades and master of none. Ice vision is good but isn't as great as everyone claims.

[Granttenn]

Anyone else curious about Joey getting drafted by USHL team. The Futures draft this year was for 97's so I didn't even think you could draft a 98'. Here's what someone said on finishyourcheck.com . "the '98s taken in the phase II draft would have to make the 23 man roster or he goes back to the draft pool the following year." So that seems to indicate that the team (Des Moines) thinks that this current 8th grader is going to leave home to play in USHL... Since he was drafted at #288 maybe it's worth a shot??

-

[O-townClown]

Did you ever consider that the family decided to have their son commit to a school at age 14/15 so the other programs would stop contacting them? Typically these early commitments are 50/50 to end up at the school they chose. It isn't a big deal in the world of college basketball, so I don't know why it is a big deal in college hockey.

[scorekeeper]

For those commenting on this "14 yr old" - from what I have heard he is actually 15 right now .... You get Sophs like Gersich committing and nobody says anything so what's one year difference.

You heard wrong.

Gerisch is a 96 and Joey is a 98 - 2 years difference, from soph to 8th grade as well 2 years difference.

Joey is 14 right now and will be 14 at the end of the school year. He will turn 15 this summer and is right on course.

Just as most of your top seniors this year were 94's, top juniors 95's, top soph's 96's and top freshman 97's, Joey is a 98 and a top 8th grader. He is right on schedule with his peers.

[scorekeeper]

"the '98s taken in the phase II draft would have to make the 23 man roster or he goes back to the draft pool the following year." So that seems to indicate that the team (Des Moines) thinks that this current 8th grader is going to leave home to play in USHL... Since he was drafted at #288 maybe it's worth a shot??-

This is due to the new rule adopted by USA Hockey last year prohibiting the Affiliating of 15 year olds by junior teams. Now they must be rostered and may only be rostered with special permission from USA Hockey's junior council. If he makes the roster and a case can be made that Des Moines, is a good fit for him they could apply.

[WBLHockeyfan04]

It is pretty crazy to think about an 8th grader committing to a D1 college already, but the kid is that good. Down the stretch of the season from sections going into the state tournament he looked like Hill's best player at times. Which is saying a lot. He stood out the most to me in the state title game on the Hill side, and I'd be surprised if he played more than 2 more season with them before leaving early for juniors.

[Granttenn]

Did you ever consider that the family decided to have their son commit to a school at age 14/15 so the other programs would stop contacting them? Typically these early commitments are 50/50 to end up at the school they chose. It isn't a big deal in the world of college basketball, so I don't know why it is a big deal in college hockey.

Yes. I just said it like 3 or 4 posts before you.

"Maybe they did it to take pressure and school contacts from him so he can just go out and have fun without having to deal with all the mania surrounding top prospects"

[Mailman]

Did you ever consider that the family decided to have their son commit to a school at age 14/15 so the other programs would stop contacting them? Typically these early commitments are 50/50 to end up at the school they chose. It isn't a big deal in the world of college basketball, so I don't know why it is a big deal in college hockey.

Yes. I just said it like 3 or 4 posts before you.

"Maybe they did it to take pressure and school contacts from him so he can just go out and have fun without having to deal with all the mania surrounding top prospects"

I seriously doubt this is the case, as what would it accomplish; what, the scouts, etc. are just going to, poof, magically disappear and not go to his games, and he/his parents wouldn't know that they're there ?

He's still going to have pressure anyway, and the way most hockey parents are, they'd want *more* attention for themselves, er, their kid, not less.

<shrug> Maybe I'm wrong.

[hockeymannorth]

Did you ever consider that the family decided to have their son commit to a school at age 14/15 so the other programs would stop contacting them? Typically these early commitments are 50/50 to end up at the school they chose. It isn't a big deal in the world of college basketball, so I don't know why it is a big deal in college hockey.

Yes. I just said it like 3 or 4 posts before you.

"Maybe they did it to take pressure and school contacts from him so he can just go out and have fun without having to deal with all the mania surrounding top prospects"

I seriously doubt this is the case, as what would it accomplish; what, the scouts, etc. are just going to, poof, magically disappear and not go to his games, and he/his parents wouldn't know that they're there ?

He's still going to have pressure anyway, and the way most hockey parents are, they'd want *more* attention for themselves, er, their kid, not less.

<shrug> Maybe I'm wrong.

Joey was from duluth has family there started his Hockey there maybe he is wanting to go home and play

[Mailman]

Yes. I just said it like 3 or 4 posts before you.

"Maybe they did it to take pressure and school contacts from him so he can just go out and have fun without having to deal with all the mania surrounding top prospects"

I seriously doubt this is the case, as what would it accomplish; what, the scouts, etc. are just going to, poof, magically disappear and not go to his games, and he/his parents wouldn't know that they're there ?

He's still going to have pressure anyway, and the way most hockey parents are, they'd want *more* attention for themselves, er, their kid, not less.

<shrug> Maybe I'm wrong.

Joey was from duluth has family there started his Hockey there maybe he is wanting to go home and play

Who knows. Entire episode is comical at best; eighth grader

Has all the making of another kid who walks away from hockey when he's eighteen, because he hates it and is burned out.