MN HS vs. u18 midgets
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TheHockeyDJ
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MN HS vs. u18 midgets
How would MN HS team do vs. some of the top midget teams in the country?
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TheHockeyDJ
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O-townClown
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I'm thinking they'd lose
The best U18 teams are built much differently than a traditional Minnesota community-based HS team. For example, the kids on Russell Stover aren't really from Kansas City (maybe some are) but play for the team based there.
The St. Louis Jr. Blues program fields one team for the entire metropolitan area. Dallas-Ft. Worth is as populous as Minnesota or Wisconsin and they have about four programs. For all the hype about Detroit, unless a kid is really good they aren't playing on one of the teams at the top level. (The same can't be said for Minnesota HS hockey. Aside from the Top 20 teams an ordinary player can usually play.)
To your point... MAYBE Edina, Hill-Murray, or a few other teams could compete with the highest level teams. Imagine the whole state has just 8 or 10 programs and the best kids are attracted to these like moths to a flame. On top of that, out-of-area kids move in to join as well. Wouldn't those teams be WAY better than the best existing HS teams? Of course. Like the talent on an Elite League team. The only difference is that they'd stay together for the whole season.
Minnesota placed 6 players on the 22 man US Junior roster, more than any other state. The Minnesota developmental model is terrific. Perhaps some truly elite players like Johnson are underserved, but think of the nearly 1,000 other players that get to play at the HS level instead of being relegated to substandard league because a few elite U18 teams exist at the expense of others.
The St. Louis Jr. Blues program fields one team for the entire metropolitan area. Dallas-Ft. Worth is as populous as Minnesota or Wisconsin and they have about four programs. For all the hype about Detroit, unless a kid is really good they aren't playing on one of the teams at the top level. (The same can't be said for Minnesota HS hockey. Aside from the Top 20 teams an ordinary player can usually play.)
To your point... MAYBE Edina, Hill-Murray, or a few other teams could compete with the highest level teams. Imagine the whole state has just 8 or 10 programs and the best kids are attracted to these like moths to a flame. On top of that, out-of-area kids move in to join as well. Wouldn't those teams be WAY better than the best existing HS teams? Of course. Like the talent on an Elite League team. The only difference is that they'd stay together for the whole season.
Minnesota placed 6 players on the 22 man US Junior roster, more than any other state. The Minnesota developmental model is terrific. Perhaps some truly elite players like Johnson are underserved, but think of the nearly 1,000 other players that get to play at the HS level instead of being relegated to substandard league because a few elite U18 teams exist at the expense of others.
Be kind. Rewind.