You People Are Amazing!

[JustAGuy]

I have been reading this forum off and on for a few weeks or so now (a friend of mine told me to check it out), and I find myself amazed that you all are so extremely knowledgeable about the goings on within all Minnesota Girls High School Hockey teams. How do you get your information? And on top of it all, it appears from reading the postings, you all know who each other are. You are a passionate group. And I enjoy reading your posts.

Now to my question -

Since I have a daughter about to tryout for the Eden Prairie High School Team, and you all seem to have your fingers on the pulse of the season, can you tell us all what your prognostications are for how the EPHS team will fair this years. As I understand it, the EP team might be comprised of 13 senior girls. Wow!

Thanks again for all the great posts. Keep them coming!

[SEMetro]

can you tell us all what your prognostications are for how the EPHS team will fair this years

I would guess three or four losses. Top 5 team all year long.

Better question is how EP will avoid plummeting in 08-09? Is a formal combo with Kennedy in the works?

[boblee]

Eden Prairie will be very good again this season, no doubt.

[MNHockeyFan]

I'm sure their large group of returning seniors will have extra motivation after last season's disappointing upset loss to Wayzata in sections. But they did lose several excellent players to graduation, Lambert and Stoa to name two, so it's possible they might not be quite as strong this year. And the trip to state certainly won't be any easier, with Holy Angels and Edina standing in the way.

I haven't seen their new schedule, but if they play some tougher non-conference games this season then I would agree with SE Metro that 3 or 4 losses seems reasonable.

[JustAGuy]

can you tell us all what your prognostications are for how the EPHS team will fair this years

Better question is how EP will avoid plummeting in 08-09? Is a formal combo with Kennedy in the works?

You are right. Next year will be a tough season for Eden Prairie. However, there are a few good girls coming up next year (assuming they don’t leave for private schools) that should help them out, but it will be interesting. If there ever was a year to win it again, this would be it.

Lambert will be the most missed. Lightning fast defenseman! But the others who graduated last year?

Elliot, Stoa and Stewart were very good. But Elliot was sharing with Burke - so no detriment there. However without Lambert there, Burke will see many more shots this year. Stewart was a very solid defenseman, but either Blader, Christiansen or LaCombe will step into her shoes. And finally Stoa's on ice ability will be replaced by anyone of the top 3 returning senior forwards. But from what I hear, she will be missed most in the locker room. My daughter says that Caitlin Gustafson (one of the captains) will probably step up and be the “Locker Room Leader”. Everyone seems to love her.

As for the Kennedy comment - I'm not sure how to read that. Is it because of the 3 Kennedy girls coming to EP thing a few years back

[hesabaddmann]

JustAGuy..........for someone looking for answers you seem to have quite a few.....

[JustAGuy]

JustAGuy..........for someone looking for answers you seem to have quite a few.....

hesabaddmann -

You will quickly learn that I am very limited with any knowledge of Girls High School Hockey. I basically only know about EP. And I must admit that most of my knowledge (if I can call it that) comes from listening to the scuttlebutt that goes on around the EP arena, from listening to my princess when she comes home from school or Captains Practice, and finally from listening to "The Dad's" whose daughters currently play or have played on the EP team.

Outside that I am pretty much clue-less. Well I shouldn't say clue-less. I have heard of some of the other players on other High School teams and have seen some of them play. I did go to a couple EP games last year with my daughter... after all I am a supportive Dad.

I hope to learn more by reading all of your posts! It appears that ghshockeyfan is very knowledgeable and really into girls hockey! He/She must be the Guru of the forum!

I gave my view on EP and what I know of the team. Just curious what everyone else thinks of EP and who they think the State Champion contenders are? EP has got to come out ranked number one don't you think?

Again, keep up all the great posts. This Girls High School Hockey Forum is a blast!

[Rocketwrister]

Besides Morris, who else is on the coaching staff? I know Peterson left....does anyone know for sure why he left? He had been with Morris for a long time.

[JustAGuy]

The two assistant coaches who departed after last year's season were Coach Peterson and Coach Carlson. Coach Petersen has supposedly ended up at Hopkins and I'm not sure if Coach Carlson is going to coach anywhere this year.

The newest assistant coaches are, from what I undertand, last year's JV Head Coach Steve Meyers and a new coach coming over from the Mound-West Tonka Girls HS program? What his name is - I am not sure. But I heard he's a good buddy of Coach Morris. And a really nice guy.

As for why they departed? It serves no purpose even going there. They are gone and now it's best of luck EP girls!

[pickme]

The two assistant coaches who departed after last year's season were Coach Peterson and Coach Carlson. Coach Petersen has supposedly ended up at Hopkins and I'm not sure if Coach Carlson is going to coach anywhere this year.

The newest assistant coaches are, from what I undertand, last year's JV Head Coach Steve Meyers and a new coach coming over from the Mound-West Tonka Girls HS program? What his name is - I am not sure. But I heard he's a good buddy of Coach Morris. And a really nice guy.

As for why they departed? It serves no purpose even going there. They are gone and now it's best of luck EP girls!

I think why they left is VERY relevant as that helps explain the past, present, and future state of the program. Coaching staff tells a lot about a program. EP was very stable staff-wise until the past few years. Why the changes?

[JustAGuy]

Other then they themselves, does anyone on this Forum really know the reasons why they both left at the same time? I only know what I have heard. And each time I hear something, it is different from the previous time. So my guess is that everything I have heard is wrong.

I say best of luck to the new Assistant Coaching staff, Coach Morris and especially to the girls themselves!

[JustAGuy]

... and leave it at that!

[tomASS]

JustAGuy..........for someone looking for answers you seem to have quite a few.....

I'm with you; there was a con and a scam bundled together on this topic

[MNHockeyFan]

JustAGuy..........for someone looking for answers you seem to have quite a few.....

I'm with you; there was a con and a scam bundled together on this topic

Not so sure, I'm willing to give him the benefit of the doubt. Seems legit to me.

[JustAGuy]

TomASS, At first I was taken aback by your comments, asking myself, what did I write, or not explain later, that makes him so suspicious or skeptical? Scam? Con?

Then (through simply clicking on “Profile” under your post & then “Find all posts by TomASS”, I quickly realized after reading some of your 638 posts, that your comments directed at me had nothing to do with me or what I wrote. What a relief!

OK, here it is. EP High School Girls Varsity is my team. And of course I will be biased towards them. However, I will try also to be a credible contributor to this forum. I hope to "Calls 'em as I sees 'em". But since I am new to this, I might ask stupid questions or make stupid comments – but if I do, please don’t jump all over me. I am truly interested and want to learn and participate.

However, right now, it's kinda like this! Do you all remember seeing (or being) the new kid that moved in from out-of-town during the middle of the 1st or 2nd grade and when recess started the new kid was always alone on the playground because nobody would talk to him or ask him to play?

Right now we are at recess! And guess who the new kid is?

[tomASS]

JustAGuy - your first guestion indicates that you are somewhat ignorant to the Girls Hockey situation at EP and you are looking for insights. Then a few post later you seem to have very good knowledge about what is going on at EP.

Just seemed a strange way to posture as you get going as a poster

[MNHockeyFan]

JustAGuy - your first guestion indicates that you are somewhat ignorant to the Girls Hockey situation at EP and you are looking for insights. Then a few post later you seem to have very good knowledge about what is going on at EP.

Just seemed a strange way to posture as you get going as a poster

Let me come to the defense of JustAGuy.

He made it clear from the outset that his daughter was going to be trying out for the EP roster, and that he was new to MN High School Hockey. His knowledge of the girls high school game was pretty much limited to EP and the scuttlebut that he was hearing hangin around the rink, taking to other parents of varsity parents, etc.

I say give the guy a break as he learns more about other teams and the girls high school game in general! And good luck to his daughter in making the EP varsity roster!

[JustAGuy]

JustAGuy - your first guestion indicates that you are somewhat ignorant to the Girls Hockey situation at EP and you are looking for insights. Then a few post later you seem to have very good knowledge about what is going on at EP

I read what I wrote in both posts and after stepping back and trying to look at it from your perspective, I can "kinda see it", but not really.

In the first post, I simply ask "can you ("you" meaning the forum veterans) tell us all ("all" meaning everyone who reads this forum) what your prognostications are for how the EPHS team will fair this year (against the rest of the teams in the state)". I asked this because it appeared from all the postings that I had read that there were a number of members of this forum who really knew their stuff. And I wanted to know what they thought. An innocent question I thought.

Then my latter post where you said I seemed knowledgeable... actually this is where I should be thanking you. That post only gave my view of who I thought was going to step up and be strong candidates to fill the shoes of the 2007 graduates of Eden Prairie. I made what I thought was a reasonable presumption based on seeing some varsity games played last year. And learning who the players on the team were.

I knew that these are the returning varsity players who will be seniors this year:

3 Defensemen (Seeler, Blader, Christiansen)
9 Forwards (Green, Feste, Gustafson, Ludwigson, Ketcher, Peterson, Ogsberg, Hellier & Riggs)
1 Goalie (Burke)

I asked how they would fair because if rumor (and what I have read on this forum) is correct,

Seeler, Green & Feste have committed to Division 1 programs
Burke, Ludwigson & Ketcher are Division 1 probabilities
And 3 - 5 of the remainder could be playing Division 3 Hockey

How many other teams in Minnesota have 6 potential Division I players and 5 potential Division III players on the same team

An innocent question I thought.

So how about that being my next question- How many teams have multiple Divison I Senior Commitments & Prospects on their Team. And who are they? It would be interesting to get some people to give their thoughts. I'll start a New Topic on that question so we can just let this one just drift away............

After all, it is now the second day of school... and it's recess again.

[JustAGuy]

........ and also ghshockeyfan.

I have read a number of your posts and now realize where you get all your knowledge and where you use to coach. If you happen to have read my post, please accept my apology for the "he/she" reference. Did not want to insult you either way. I did not know gender at the time.

Truely do enjoy your posts. Thanks!

[joehockey]

Cretin has a stockpile of seniors with college potential

D1 seniors who all have been top NDP players -

Wild, D (on U18 National Team), Keyes, F (returning top scorer her sister is at Ohio State already), Carlson, D

Another D1 prospect is goalie Jondahl

D3 - Welch could play D3 if she desires to

[chyeahhh]

hey justaguy.

i just hope your daughter does well.

she probably actually has a shot this year.

bring her in a few years back no chance with all the recruits and what not!

good luck!

[eastsidehockey]

hey the Eagles still cherry-pickin all the girls?

Or has that changed since the new transfer rule.......

[JustAGuy]

hey justaguy.

i just hope your daughter does well.

she probably actually has a shot this year.

bring her in a few years back no chance with all the recruits and what not!

good luck!

I for one am happy that all that stuff is in the past. With EP graduating 12 Seniors from the Varsity Team after this year, almost the entire JV has a good shot next year. Will be a few years until they are competitive, but should be good when they all mature and get some Varsity experience.

Lost quite a few good younger players to private schools (I call them Move Outs) because of the past concerns of Open Enrollment. Maybe all the "Move-Outs" are now done and EP can get back to just playing hockey without any distractions!

[Hockeyguy_27]

hey justaguy.

i just hope your daughter does well.

she probably actually has a shot this year.

bring her in a few years back no chance with all the recruits and what not!

good luck!

I for one am happy that all that stuff is in the past. With EP graduating 12 Seniors from the Varsity Team after this year, almost the entire JV has a good shot next year. Will be a few years until they are competitive, but should be good when they all mature and get some Varsity experience.

Lost quite a few good younger players to private schools (I call them Move Outs) because of the past concerns of Open Enrollment. Maybe all the "Move-Outs" are now done and EP can get back to just playing hockey without any distractions!

Green and Seeler are two very good players. I've seen each of them play several times. The Eagles goalie was pretty good as well.