Juniors question

[PAHockey]

My son is looking at junior teams for this coming season and I have a question for you experienced folks out there. He has been offered a tender from the MnJHL Granite City team but also was offered a spot on the EJHL Capital Selects as the 7th defenseman. This kid is 6'8" 225# and needs time to develop. (Not Chara but maybe Hal Gill.) He's a '91 birthday so his time is precious. Where would you all recommend he go?

[hammer99]

It honestly depends on what environment your son develops best in. the ejhl is flat out a better league competition wise than the mnjhl. for the lumberjacks he will most likely be a top line player if he was offered a spot on an ejhl team. The thing is that the ejhl moves players up to a higher level at a much better rate than the mnjhl. If he chooses to play in the ejhl and ends juniors as one of the top players on an ejhl team he will most likely be offered a division 3 roster spot at least, possibly D1. the ejhl has advanced many (and i cant stress mamy) players up to a higher level, while the mnjhl only moves up the very top of the league, not to mention those players will most likely be lucky to make a d3 team. my personal opinion is go to the ej but in the end it's obviously your sons call.

[mjnerd]

If you say he is like Hal Gill, maybe Granite City wouldn't be a bad place. Their head coach Brad Willner coached Hal when he was at Providence College.

It all depends on the situation, but you will develop as a player with well run practices, a good weightroom program and playing in games. Would your son develop more being in and out of the line-up in the EJ or possibly playing a regular shift with opportunities of PP and PK?

The decision should come down to who you feel more comfortable with developing your son.

[PAHockey]

Hasn't made a decision yet...still getting information.