TEAM MINNESOTA (BRICK)

[gowild5555]

What is up with Team MN - getting blown out yesterday 1-10? For having a Brick team that is sure a huge margin to lose by.

Thoughts?

[South Metro Hockey]

What is up with Team MN - getting blown out yesterday 1-10? For having a Brick team that is sure a huge margin to lose by.

Thoughts?

1 bad game against the 3 time defending champion program is nothing to get too worried about. I can tell you that the boys from Toronto are about as good a team year in and out as you will see. The 'Dogs have won 5 or the last 11 Brick tournaments. They are off to a 3-0 (with 1 OT win) start this year and will likely win out to finish atop their pool again this year. Toronto has outscored its opponents overall 20-4 (10-3 if you toss out the Minnesota game). They also beat Team Minny with Team Minny coming off its double game day the day before with their 2nd game facing off at 8:50 Mountain time the night before. Add to that that Canadian teams seem to always play lights out against US teams on Canada Day and you get a blowout loss. Is this Brick team as strong as last year's? Probably not, but they have 3 games left with beatable teams in Winnipeg and BC and a likely tougher game against Boston. 3-3 in Edmonton would not be a bad showing. I believe last years semi-final performance was the best Minnesota has had in years. Long story short, lets see how they rebound against Winnipeg today before we start saying a single loss against arguably the best team/program in the tournament is proof the sky is falling.

[DrGaf]

What is up with Team MN - getting blown out yesterday 1-10? For having a Brick team that is sure a huge margin to lose by.

Thoughts?

1 bad game against the 3 time defending champion program is nothing to get too worried about. I can tell you that the boys from Toronto are about as good a team year in and out as you will see. The 'Dogs have won 5 or the last 11 Brick tournaments. They are off to a 3-0 (with 1 OT win) start this year and will likely win out to finish atop their pool again this year. Toronto has outscored its opponents overall 20-4 (10-3 if you toss out the Minnesota game). They also beat Team Minny with Team Minny coming off its double game day the day before with their 2nd game facing off at 8:50 Mountain time the night before. Add to that that Canadian teams seem to always play lights out against US teams on Canada Day and you get a blowout loss. Is this Brick team as strong as last year's? Probably not, but they have 3 games left with beatable teams in Winnipeg and BC and a likely tougher game against Boston. 3-3 in Edmonton would not be a bad showing. I believe last years semi-final performance was the best Minnesota has had in years. Long story short, lets see how they rebound against Winnipeg today before we start saying a single loss against arguably the best team/program in the tournament is proof the sky is falling.

[South Metro Hockey]

What is up with Team MN - getting blown out yesterday 1-10? For having a Brick team that is sure a huge margin to lose by.

Thoughts?

1 bad game against the 3 time defending champion program is nothing to get too worried about. I can tell you that the boys from Toronto are about as good a team year in and out as you will see. The 'Dogs have won 5 or the last 11 Brick tournaments. They are off to a 3-0 (with 1 OT win) start this year and will likely win out to finish atop their pool again this year. Toronto has outscored its opponents overall 20-4 (10-3 if you toss out the Minnesota game). They also beat Team Minny with Team Minny coming off its double game day the day before with their 2nd game facing off at 8:50 Mountain time the night before. Add to that that Canadian teams seem to always play lights out against US teams on Canada Day and you get a blowout loss. Is this Brick team as strong as last year's? Probably not, but they have 3 games left with beatable teams in Winnipeg and BC and a likely tougher game against Boston. 3-3 in Edmonton would not be a bad showing. I believe last years semi-final performance was the best Minnesota has had in years. Long story short, lets see how they rebound against Winnipeg today before we start saying a single loss against arguably the best team/program in the tournament is proof the sky is falling.

EXCELLENT!

[terrymoore1717]

Team Minnesota is on the cusp of the Brick playoffs. The young team showed its tenacity by winning two straight after the tough Toronto loss.

At 8:30 am central tomorrow they play the Boston Jr. Bruins. Going into the game, the two teams will be tied for the final playoff spot. The winner of the game will move on to the playoffs.

Go Team Minny!

[old goalie85]

Great Job to thekids on Team Mn.

[we're all crazy]

What has happened to this bored? The Brick is in the books and not one post asking when "The Blades will actually take MN's top 15 to Edmonton"?

That topic alone used to be good for at least 20 separate posts!

[HockeyDad41]

What has happened to this bored? The Brick is in the books and not one post asking when "The Blades will actually take MN's top 15 to Edmonton"?

That topic alone used to be good for at least 20 separate posts!

True. No one cares though, Minnesota can't compete in this tournament anyway.

[old goalie85]

The kids from Mn are used to skating on frozen water.

[MWS coach]

What has happened to this bored? The Brick is in the books and not one post asking when "The Blades will actually take MN's top 15 to Edmonton"?

That topic alone used to be good for at least 20 separate posts!

True. No one cares though, Minnesota can't compete in this tournament anyway.

Minnesota should be able to compete, but will not until the team is put together by people not affiliated with any one program. Not a knock on the Blades as it would be the same if run by one of the other organizations. Until then, the song remains the same.

I will say though that I was very surprised nothing on here about the out of state players... Guess you are right HD, no one cares.

[terrymoore1717]

Actually, The Blades have been competing pretty well the last three years.

We lost in the Championship and in the semi-finals in the past two years. This year, we missed the playoffs only with a loss to Boston in the last pool play game (3-3 record).

[we're all crazy]

I will say though that I was very surprised nothing on here about the out of state players...

Sounds like you or Terry should be able to educate the bored on this one... According to Youth Hockey Hub's entertaining Twitter feed, MN was well represented with their kids on Canadian teams in Edmonton....Is this accurate? If so, why not take those kids on "Team Minnesota"? Why not go up there and win the thing instead of getting excited about going .500?

[MWS coach]

Actually, The Blades have been competing pretty well the last three years.

We lost in the Championship and in the semi-finals in the past two years. This year, we missed the playoffs only with a loss to Boston in the last pool play game (3-3 record).

Confused When was team in championship?

2012 advanced to playoff with tie breaker over Boston with a 3-2-1 record for third place then lost to Jr Canucks in first round 4-0

2013 Advanced to playoffs with 4-2 record for third place Beat Toronto Pro in OT in first round, lose in Semi to Toronto Bulldogs 7-3. Best showing!

2014 missed playoff with a 3-3 record

11-9-1 record the past three years including playoffs, ok yes. Should Minnesota be able to field a team that does better, IMO yes.

Going back further

2011 miss playoff with 1-4-1 record
2010 miss playoff with 1-4 record
2009 miss playoff with 2-2-1 record

These show impovement the last three over the previous three, step in the right direction.

Again, not a knock on the Blades, but having an organization that competes with other organizations running the team, it is less then optimal for many reasons.

[we're all crazy]

After asking the question, I'm now more confused regarding the Minnesota kids at the Brick that didn't play for the Blades.....

This is my understanding (and I'm sure I'm wrong) of this year's tourney:

Leading scorers for Toronto Bulldogs, BC Jr. Canucks, and Winnipeg Jr. Jets all play summer and/or winter hockey in MN. Wouldn't those 3 have helped? Others?

[50cent]

After asking the question, I'm now more confused regarding the Minnesota kids at the Brick that didn't play for the Blades.....

This is my understanding (and I'm sure I'm wrong) of this year's tourney:

Leading scorers for Toronto Bulldogs, BC Jr. Canucks, and Winnipeg Jr. Jets all play summer and/or winter hockey in MN. Wouldn't those 3 have helped? Others?

Good point. Not sure if the Toronto kid lives in MN? Eathier way the 04 group could have used the kids that played on other teams. I guess it shows the process is definitely flawed when it comes to picking this team.

Maybe if there wasn't so many outside agendas this team could have competed in Edmonton.

[stromboli]

Actually, The Blades have been competing pretty well the last three years.

We lost in the Championship and in the semi-finals in the past two years. This year, we missed the playoffs only with a loss to Boston in the last pool play game (3-3 record).

Terry's quote above hits the issue that comes up every year. It's a "Blades" team, not "Team Minnesota" in the broader sense that many would like it to be.

I'm not knocking the Blades. It doesn't matter which single club organizes the brick team to represent MN. As long as it's one club -- even while adding as many good players as it can -- a single club won't be as competitive as a broader team MN could be. Some players simply won't burn bridges with their existing clubs to chase one tournament for one year with another club.

Irregardless (always love that one...), I think the Blades compete just fine and have done well the last few years. As long as the Brick organizers are okay with how the Blades teams compete, nothing really needs to change.

Congrats to the kids who went this year and represented MN well.

[yesiplayedhockey]

There's no perfect formula for picking this team. I'm guessing other cities have similar issues Minnesota has in trying to pick the right kids for this one tournament. At least the Blades now have a open tryout and this year I heard a handful of kids not on the '04 Blades made the Brick team. Oh and for all the Blades haters out there, didn't Bernie self proclaim his Pee Wee team "Team Minnesota" when they went up to Quebec this past February? I don't think that team had any open tryouts.

Would it be nice to see all our top AAA teams combine forces for these types of tournaments? Yes...Will it ever happen? Not a chance in H E double hockey sticks.

[50cent]

There's no perfect formula for picking this team. I'm guessing other cities have similar issues Minnesota has in trying to pick the right kids for this one tournament. At least the Blades now have a open tryout and this year I heard a handful of kids not on the '04 Blades made the Brick team. Oh and for all the Blades haters out there, didn't Bernie self proclaim his Pee Wee team "Team Minnesota" when they went up to Quebec this past February? I don't think that team had any open tryouts.

Would it be nice to see all our top AAA teams combine forces for these types of tournaments? Yes...Will it ever happen? Not a chance in H E double hockey sticks.

You clearly have no idea... Bernies Peewee team? No open tryouts? Maybe because all the kids playing association hockey are under usa rules. The Peewee team from MN made were AAU.

[yesiplayedhockey]

Okay Machine Parent (aka 50cent) why couldn't there have been a tryout? Didn't some of the kids on that team play for their local association Sept- Feb., leave for the tournament in Quebec then came back to finish off the season with their association? Or is my information bad? If so, I stand corrected and apologize to everyone with a orange mustache

[South Metro Hockey]

There's no perfect formula for picking this team. I'm guessing other cities have similar issues Minnesota has in trying to pick the right kids for this one tournament. At least the Blades now have a open tryout and this year I heard a handful of kids not on the '04 Blades made the Brick team. Oh and for all the Blades haters out there, didn't Bernie self proclaim his Pee Wee team "Team Minnesota" when they went up to Quebec this past February? I don't think that team had any open tryouts.

Would it be nice to see all our top AAA teams combine forces for these types of tournaments? Yes...Will it ever happen? Not a chance in H E double hockey sticks.

'03 team also had 2 players that were not part of the Blades team prior and are not part of the team at present, playing with other invite level teams. Both are MN kids.