Nick Swaney

[WestMetro]

May be a little beyond the high school category....

Anyone besides me surprised Sandelin has Swaney spending a 2nd year in USHL instead of up in a UMD uniform this year?

[TheMNhockey1]

May be a little beyond the high school category....

Anyone besides me surprised Sandelin has Swaney spending a 2nd year in USHL instead of up in a UMD uniform this year?

While i feel Swaney is ready UMD is stacked so idk where he would fit.

[Tripod]

"Anyone besides me surprised Sandelin has Swaney spending a 2nd year in USHL instead of up in a UMD uniform this year?" ---- yes, big mistake. Got to bring those players up when they are already performing at the upper reaches of the USHL. Prolonging junior hockey will only diminish the players enthusiasm and fire.

[Goldy Gopher]

"Anyone besides me surprised Sandelin has Swaney spending a 2nd year in USHL instead of up in a UMD uniform this year?" ---- yes, big mistake. Got to bring those players up when they are already performing at the upper reaches of the USHL. Prolonging junior hockey will only diminish the players enthusiasm and fire.

Any examples of a player with "diminished enthusiasm and fire?" Something tells me the USHL lifestyle isn't exactly horrible.

[zamboniexhaustinhaler]

"Anyone besides me surprised Sandelin has Swaney spending a 2nd year in USHL instead of up in a UMD uniform this year?" ---- yes, big mistake. Got to bring those players up when they are already performing at the upper reaches of the USHL. Prolonging junior hockey will only diminish the players enthusiasm and fire.

Any examples of a player with "diminished enthusiasm and fire?" Something tells me the USHL lifestyle isn't exactly horrible.

No kidding.

Ranks right up there with the "School XYZ needs to opt up to class AA because where they are now is no challenge for the kids".

I bet if you polled the kids, they couldn't care less, and feel plenty challenged already where they're at.

And no, this is in no way meant to be a pro-H-town statement.

[WestMetro]

So parents/kids don't mind if two years is quickly becoming the norm ?

[Goldy Gopher]

So parents/kids don't mind if two years is quickly becoming the norm ?

Should they?

[Whiner33]

May be a little beyond the high school category....

Anyone besides me surprised Sandelin has Swaney spending a 2nd year in USHL instead of up in a UMD uniform this year?

While i feel Swaney is ready UMD is stacked so idk where he would fit.

Stacked??

Didn't they get beat by the U18 or was that a scrimmage? Can anyone help?

[east hockey]

May be a little beyond the high school category....

Anyone besides me surprised Sandelin has Swaney spending a 2nd year in USHL instead of up in a UMD uniform this year?

While i feel Swaney is ready UMD is stacked so idk where he would fit.

Stacked??

Didn't they get beat by the U18 or was that a scrimmage? Can anyone help?

I don't know if I can help you; they're called "exhibition" games. "Stacked" might be a little strong. I'd prefer "strong".

Lee

[elliott70]

While i feel Swaney is ready UMD is stacked so idk where he would fit.

Stacked??

Didn't they get beat by the U18 or was that a scrimmage? Can anyone help?

I don't know if I can help you; they're called "exhibition" games. "Stacked" might be a little strong. I'd prefer "strong".

Lee

Do the Dogs get to lose to, um, I mean, play the Beavers this season?

[zamboniexhaustinhaler]

So parents/kids don't mind if two years is quickly becoming the norm ?

Been the norm for awhile now.

Not much choice really for the vast majority.

[TheMNhockey1]

Stacked??

Didn't they get beat by the U18 or was that a scrimmage? Can anyone help?

I don't know if I can help you; they're called "exhibition" games. "Stacked" might be a little strong. I'd prefer "strong".

Lee

Do the Dogs get to be beat, um, I mean, play the Beavers this season?

They play a home and home in December but BSU seems pretty good this year. Just lost two 1 goal games to UND (#1 ranked team)

[WestMetro]

Just so parents and kids know what they are signing up for , when they commit to D1 in 9th and 10th grade....

Does that mean D1 when they are 19? 21? 23?25?

From what I remember at that age , another 2 years here and there may add to the muscles and beard, but the book learning brain can start to atrophy pretty quickly if that is part of their equation.. Also, more time to get in trouble during the interim years

Nick Swaney did not strike me as a 2 year USHLer at the outset, and still doesn't now. Hope he is Ok with waiting his delayed turn to compete

Will Sandelin be OK if Ryan has to get in the 2-3 year que behind Jaremko and others ?

[Goldy Gopher]

Just so parents and kids know what they are signing up for , when they commit to D1 in 9th and 10th grade....

Does that mean D1 when they are 19? 21? 23?25?

From what I remember at that age , another 2 years here and there may add to the muscles and beard, but the book learning brain can start to atrophy pretty quickly if that is part of their equation.. Also, more time to get in trouble during the interim years

Nick Swaney did not strike me as a 2 year USHLer at the outset, and still doesn't now. Hope he is Ok with waiting his delayed turn to compete

Will Sandelin be OK if Ryan has to get in the 2-3 year que behind Jaremko and others ?

If you can't handle a couple years off before going to a school where they give you every opportunity to stay eligible, maybe college isn't for you.

[WestMetro]

Goldy,

That's my point.... just so parents and kids know what they are" signing up " for with 9th and 10th grade commitments . I wonder if Boltman knows how many years out he will be. Or, Frisch and LaVelle ......and others still thinking things over

And looking at UMD roster , Swaney could have been given a chance to compete for 2nd or 3rd line. Are you saying otherwise?

Btw -West Metro has no particular axe to grind regarding this South Metro star, rather, I'm just making the point.

[mulefarm]

West Metro, what is your knowledge of what kids are doing during their junior years? Many that I know take a course or two for their generals. Also they mature and see the value of an education. Don't see it as a big deal spending an extra year in juniors.

[east hockey]

Stacked??

Didn't they get beat by the U18 or was that a scrimmage? Can anyone help?

I don't know if I can help you; they're called "exhibition" games. "Stacked" might be a little strong. I'd prefer "strong".

Lee

Do the Dogs get to be beat, um, I mean, play the Beavers this season?

UMD has this problem with Bemidji; they like to play down to the level of their competition sometimes.

Lee

[WestMetro]

MuleFarm

Yes there are those. And then there are those where the extra year, after a good years performance , demotivates both hockey and also college attitude.
Can that be overcome, should it be? Yes, but not always, and we all know some names

Compared to if they were ready to compete for 3rd or 4th line or 3rd D pair.

Maybe if they were brought up to compete, some soph or junior from last years varsity would be ending their hockey career early. They should have to recompete with young talent each year, right ?

[Defensive Zone]

May be a little beyond the high school category....

Anyone besides me surprised Sandelin has Swaney spending a 2nd year in USHL instead of up in a UMD uniform this year?

Lots of UMD players came back from last years roster, no room for Swaney. Great player!

[elliott70]

I don't know if I can help you; they're called "exhibition" games. "Stacked" might be a little strong. I'd prefer "strong".

Lee

Do the Dogs get to be beat, um, I mean, play the Beavers this season?

UMD has this problem with Bemidji; they like to play down to the level of their competition sometimes.

Lee

They will be playing the Beavers not the Gophers.

The Tom and his Beavers' staff have put together a decent team, so I was being a bit sarcastic in my previous post. I aave since corrected it to put the Dogs (and other MN D1 teams in their place....
somewhere below the Beavs.

[WestMetro]

I give up!

At least I got Lee and Elliott arguing!!

[@hockeytweet]

This is a great topic. The junior route and its pitfalls and benefits.

Everyone is in a hurry to get to that next level. The earlier verbal commitments are proof of that. But from where I stand, the leverage is almost completely with the D1 school.

If a kid doesn't want to go that 2nd year, he has options. The MIAC schools are littered with players who went to juniors, and said to heck with this. Over the years I've been astounded by the number of former D1 commits on rosters at UST, Hamline, Gustavus, etc.

In the end, 90% of them will need to fall back on their education to earn a living anyway. You might as well play.

If UMD works out for Swaney, good for him. From what it looks like, they will be contenders for the next several years.

[elliott70]

I give up!

At least I got Lee and Elliott arguing!!

We always do, and I always win.


You need to retitle this thread.

It is not, per se, about Swaney.

But it is a theoretical argument because player and parent really have little input.

[WestMetro]

Karl,

Can you please retitle this thread and flip it over to the other boards, either juniors or college.

I knew unless I put it on this board with Swaney name, that it wouldnt get as much attention.

Final thought: if a guy is banging out 50 top 20 points in USHL , seems like he ought to get a chance to move up for his committed D1 tryout , unless there is an obvious skill deficiency or injury reason for him to stay down another year.

Parents: make sure you know which colleges have a history of more, or less , surplus D1 ready kids in their ques. ,

[JoltDelivered]

Sorry for the long post...but this is a topic I have been thinking about and reading about for some time now. Thought I would share my thoughts. This speaks to why a player would commit at a young age...and yes, I know it's off the Swaney topic a bit...but I think still relevant to some earlier comments.

Everyone is in a hurry to get to that next level. The earlier verbal commitments are proof of that.

Actually I would argue this is only partially true. For some? Yeah probably. I think for most kids with D1 "potential" (and that aren't named Tufte or Middlestadt) its more peace of mind than anything else. Look...if you have been a higher end player all the way up thru the youth ranks, the HP camps and you start to have some good success and notoriety in the HS ranks you start to believe your dream of playing college hockey could come true. Parents start to believe it too. Families talk about it at home and get excited about the prospect of the next level. Especially when a college coach calls you one Tuesday night and says..."hey, we like you and we are watching you. Keep up the good work, we might be able to use a player like you in the future". Maybe three coaches call you and tell you the same thing. Maybe they invite you for a campus and game visit. For most 15-18 year olds that is an incredible phone call to get and it's an extremely flattering experience. But after the initial glow wears off weeks and months later and the offers haven't rolled in yet, doubt starts to creep in. Especially when those schools that called you commit other players along the way. They are players you have played against and compare yourself against. The stress meter starts to climb. Why not me? Where's my offer? I know I'm only 16 but they told me they liked me right? They offered that guy? He's not better than me!

It has been my experience that the stress of "where will I get to play hockey next" can be a tremendous weight on a young man's shoulders. It's always there, creeping in to the thoughts of the player and the family. There is always the question... will my hockey career end after my senior year of HS? Or will I have options? At mites you KNEW you had squirts. At squirts you KNEW you had pee wees, At pee wees you KNEW you had bantams. But when the player exits bantams and enters HS the end of the line is rapidly approaching for most and the players know it. And most likely they have watched their once "highly-touted" older peers go through it.
The reality that the hockey career could be over in just a few short years starts to set in.

College coaches understand this better than anyone. And when they offer a 15 or 16 year old kid a scholarship to play hockey they know that they are essentially hoisting a 2 ton weight off of the players shoulders. The scholarship is more than just about the college money. It's a gigantic stress reliever because it represents the notion of extending the players high level playing career four more years post HS. And that by itself can far outweigh the actual cash value of the scholarship. People nowadays seem shocked that 15 and 16 year olds are committing. I'm not. The sooner a hockey player can answer the question of "Where will I play hockey next?", the sooner they remove that weight of doubt off of their shoulders. After they commit they can settle in on concentrating on the sport they love and getting better everyday.

Now with all of that said, I'm not advocating for this cycle to perpetuate itself. Young commitments don't feel right to me. I'm just trying to offer up an explanation as to why a player would give a verbal committment. I once asked an individual who is very "plugged in" to the MN hockey community as to why players offer a verbal commitment at such young ages (15 or 16) and his answer was pretty funny. He offered, "For the chicks?"