How far apart are the top AA teams and the top A teams?

[icerinkrat]

Really, when I compare them, they do not seem that far a part. Blake, Alex, and Breck all beat most of the AA teams. Alex lost only to GRG by one goal. Blake did even better. These top teams would make a great tournament if they were not separated by a class.

[boblee]

Grand Rapids/Greenway handed Alexandria their only loss of the season, 1-0 in overtime.

The Lightning also beat Breck, 4-3.

The top 3-5 in both classes in both boys and girls is relatively close almost every year. This year is no exception.

[Whatthe]

Breck was 1-4 against the stronger AA teams on its schedule. Beating Tonka, losing to GRG, Eastview, Eagan and Edina.

[State Champ 97]

The gap between top AA and top A teams is very small if there is one at all.

[MNHockeyFan]

The gap between top AA and top A teams is very small if there is one at all.

I would agree for the top 3-5, but after that the gap widens very quickly.

[State Champ 97]

The gap between top AA and top A teams is very small if there is one at all.

I would agree for the top 3-5, but after that the gap widens very quickly.

I would say maybe even top 10. After that I would agree.

[MNHockeyFan]

Based on the last LPH poll you would then be comparing teams like:

6. BSM to Warroad
7. Edina to Crookston
8. Eagan to South St. Paul
9. Hopkins to Mankato West
10. Elk River to Hibbing

I would favor the 2A teams in each of these matchups. And after that 2A still has teams like CDH, Holy Angels, Wayzata, Duluth, Minnetonka, WBL, Hastings, Farmington, Cloquet and P/H/M. Maybe we can look at it again when the final LPH poll comes out later today or tomorrow.

[State Champ 97]

I see what you are trying to do. I don't, however, look at the LPH rankings as the end all of how good a team is or isn't. Look at the records head to head or vs common opponents instead.

[keepitreal]

Based on the last LPH poll you would then be comparing teams like:

6. BSM to Warroad
7. Edina to Crookston
8. Eagan to South St. Paul
9. Hopkins to Mankato West
10. Elk River to Hibbing

I would favor the 2A teams in each of these matchups. And after that 2A still has teams like CDH, Holy Angels, Wayzata, Duluth, Minnetonka, WBL, Hastings, Farmington, Cloquet and P/H/M. Maybe we can look at it again when the final LPH poll comes out later today or tomorrow.

Having seen most of them, I agree it drops off after the top 3-5 A teams. The single A teams seldom have the depth of the AA teams too. Many in the AA top 20, even the earlier polls or QRF, would beat the #5-10 single A teams nine times out of ten.

[winnings not 4 everyone]

Based on the last LPH poll you would then be comparing teams like:

6. BSM to Warroad
7. Edina to Crookston
8. Eagan to South St. Paul
9. Hopkins to Mankato West
10. Elk River to Hibbing

I would favor the 2A teams in each of these matchups. And after that 2A still has teams like CDH, Holy Angels, Wayzata, Duluth, Minnetonka, WBL, Hastings, Farmington, Cloquet and P/H/M. Maybe we can look at it again when the final LPH poll comes out later today or tomorrow.

Having seen most of them, I agree it drops off after the top 3-5 A teams. The single A teams seldom have the depth of the AA teams too. Many in the AA top 20, even the earlier polls or QRF, would beat the #5-10 single A teams nine times out of ten.

Look a little deeper on this list and season. See how Warroad fared against AA this year as well as how Crookston did at Kaposia. Both teams would be contenders this year in AA. Much more than getting beat 9 of 10 times against AA. NO DOUBT

[keepitreal]

Based on the last LPH poll you would then be comparing teams like:

6. BSM to Warroad
7. Edina to Crookston
8. Eagan to South St. Paul
9. Hopkins to Mankato West
10. Elk River to Hibbing

I would favor the 2A teams in each of these matchups. And after that 2A still has teams like CDH, Holy Angels, Wayzata, Duluth, Minnetonka, WBL, Hastings, Farmington, Cloquet and P/H/M. Maybe we can look at it again when the final LPH poll comes out later today or tomorrow.

Having seen most of them, I agree it drops off after the top 3-5 A teams. The single A teams seldom have the depth of the AA teams too. Many in the AA top 20, even the earlier polls or QRF, would beat the #5-10 single A teams nine times out of ten.

Look a little deeper on this list and season. See how Warroad fared against AA this year as well as how Crookston did at Kaposia. Both teams would be contenders this year in AA. Much more than getting beat 9 of 10 times against AA. NO DOUBT

Yes, probably well overstated, but I don't believe these teams can generally hang with the much deeper AA programs day in and day out. I agree with you that Warroad was very good, did compete well against top opponents and I would easily include them in the top programs overall this year (albeit on the back of their goalie in many of these games), however I don't believe Crookston played enough top AA teams to be in that same discussion, that's where the drop off to the next tier occurs in my opinion. I don't believe any of the A teams below Warroad that MNHockeyFan cited would fare well in a series against most of the 5-20 AA schools. I saw every one of the teams in his example, a few on multiple occasions, with the exception of Manky West. I tend to exclude single game results as a trend because, as another thread pointed out brilliantly, Robbinsdale Cooper could be extrapolated to be the co-class AA champion based on a series of single games

[MNHockeyFan]

I agree with you that Warroad was very good, did compete well against top opponents and I would easily include them in the top programs overall this year

As I looked through the final LPH rankings, it seems to me that of all the teams that Warroad may be the most underrated of all, finishing at just No. 7 in Class 1A.

Anyway here are the top 20 teams in each class, broken down into groups of 5:

Class 2A - Class 1A
1. Eden Prairie-Alexandria
2. GR/G-Breck
3. Stillwater-Blake
4. Roseville-Roseau
5. CDH-South St. Paul

6. BSM-New Prague
7. Centennial-Warroad
8. Eagan-Crookston
9. Edina-Mankato West
10. Elk River-Hibbing

11. Farmington-Mound-Westonka
12. Hopkins-Austin
13. Holy Angels-Marshall
14. Wayzata-Sibley
15. Duluth-Hutchinson

16. Minnetonka-Albert Lea
17. White Bear Lake-Totino Grace
18. Hastings-New Ulm
19. Cloquet-Eveleth Gilbert
20. Proctor/Hermantown/DM- St. Paul United

Obviously these games will never be played, but if they were you can speculate on which 1A teams would have the best chance of winning. I think as you move down through the rankings, the 2A teams become more heavily favored, just as you would expect. But in the Top 10, based on the way they came out, I think there are exceptions.

If I had to guess, I would say the following hypothetical Top 10 matchups would be 1A's best chance of winning, in order:

7. Warroad over Centennial
3. Blake over Stillwater
4. Roseau over Roseville
8. Crookston over Eagan
2. Breck over GR/G
5. SSP over CDH
1. Alex over EP
10. Hibbing over Elk River
6. New Prague over BSM
9. Mankato West over Edina

I'm not saying any of the 1A teams would likely win; in fact I think as a group they would probably wouldn't win very many. This is only my best guess of each 1A team's relative chance of beating their equally ranked 2A (hypothetical) opponent. Others will surely disagree!