Elite II Rosters

Penalty Shot · Post by **Penalty Shot** » Thu Aug 21, 2008 9:30 am

JOHN WAYNE 23 here are the facts

1) Randolph was in attendance at the tryout both part of the first session and part of the third session. He was coaching in the Lake Superior Stars tourney immediately before the first session and immediately following the third session.

2) He never was in the evaluators area. And never spoke to an evaluator

3) Last years Section 7 Elite II team had a lot of East kids on the team but only 4 kids were cut last year and 2 of them were Seniors.

4) East is highly represented on this team on a yearly basis partially due to the fact that there is another team in Duluth that has had a history of getting a lot of top notch kids from all the other area teams. Almost all the East kids play Elite II. The other team begins selecting their players as soon as the Eliye I tryouts are over.

T_dub_Dad · Post by **T_dub_Dad** » Mon Aug 25, 2008 10:32 am

I see Section 3, 4, and 8 on the website. Section 2 was on the site but is not longer on it.

Any word on the other sections?

Tony Soprano · Post by **Tony Soprano** » Mon Aug 25, 2008 10:43 am

Section 6 is now up. Go to teams hit section 6, then look in the upper left hand part of the screen for the roster button. Will section 6 repeat as the league champion this year or who will?

Stealth · Post by **Stealth** » Tue Aug 26, 2008 10:26 am

Tony Soprano wrote:Section 6 is now up. Go to teams hit section 6, then look in the upper left hand part of the screen for the roster button. Will section 6 repeat as the league champion this year or who will?

Low turn out for section 6 tryouts except one town?

Can't Never Tried · Post by **Can't Never Tried** » Tue Aug 26, 2008 10:35 am

I know some teams have practice already this week, and then some teams are not even posted? What gives

Tony Soprano · Post by **Tony Soprano** » Tue Aug 26, 2008 2:06 pm

Why the low turn out for section 6???? Last year they had 60 tryout.

Stealth - which town had the high turnout this year?

Seems like some of the teams are slow posting the rosters, must be the new site?

keepmeoutofit · Post by **keepmeoutofit** » Mon Sep 15, 2008 9:36 am

has anyone seen any of the elite II games? is it really for the more competitive underclassmen

GR3343 · Post by **GR3343** » Mon Sep 15, 2008 10:00 am

keepmeoutofit wrote:has anyone seen any of the elite II games? is it really for the more competitive underclassmen

Have seen good and bad. As in any league, some kids belong, some don't. Wisconsin seems to have a pretty nice team, but they're a U-16 team that plays together a lot. Sec. 6 has some pretty good players as does Sec. 7 & 4. The North Dakota teams aren't very good, and I haven't seen Sec. 1 play yet, but heard they're a tough team. As the weeks progress, I think the play will improve. For what it's worth, the league is accomplishing it's mission of allowing underclassmen a chance to play in a competitive league before the regular season.

T_dub_Dad · Post by **T_dub_Dad** » Mon Sep 15, 2008 3:38 pm

I was in Blaine last weekend and Duluth this past weekend. I thought the hockey was very good.

If you havent seen the new rink (Heritage) up in Duluth...WOW it is beautiful.

Indians forever · Post by **Indians forever** » Tue Sep 16, 2008 9:22 am

T_dub_Dad wrote:I was in Blaine last weekend and Duluth this past weekend. I thought the hockey was very good.

If you havent seen the new rink (Heritage) up in Duluth...WOW it is beautiful.

I agree the Heritage is a top notch Arena. They did a real nice job on it. I wonder who paid for it? Was it the Association or did Duluth sell something like a pc of Glass.

Neutron 14 · Post by **Neutron 14** » Tue Sep 16, 2008 9:49 am

Indians forever wrote: I wonder who paid for it?

Err.. You did your share!

Indians forever · Post by **Indians forever** » Tue Sep 16, 2008 11:28 am

Neutron 14 wrote:
Indians forever wrote: I wonder who paid for it?
Err.. You did your share!

Thats what I thought.

T_dub_Dad · Post by **T_dub_Dad** » Tue Sep 16, 2008 4:37 pm

http://www.duluthheritagesportscenter.com/goals.htm

Doglover · Post by **Doglover** » Wed Sep 17, 2008 9:47 am

Heard the competition was down overall this year. Only caught a couple games though - looked ok to me - maybe just not "elite" Seems like many of the elite players are not there? Did they all move up to Elite I or where are they playing this fall? Maybe they all play a fall sport or decided clinics are better preparation/use of time for HS tryouts.

Educator29 · Post by **Educator29** » Wed Sep 17, 2008 10:22 am

I agree - I have been involved the past couple years with the Elite II

Sioux Fan · Post by **Sioux Fan** » Wed Sep 17, 2008 11:13 am

We had a good turnout at our tryouts and had at least 68 kids that wanted to play. I have always said if kids want to put the time in and try to get better we should have more teams and not less.

I suggest that we have Elite II and even an Elite III as I never know what players are going to take the opportunity to get better and move up in their career. I can only speak for our team. We have a good group.
We have some really good kids and I think that if we play hard and get after it we may be one of the best teams we have had in our area this season.

We have more boys from the Western areas than Rochester as another team was formed that does not play in an organized league and does not have to commit to as many weekends and such.

But if we truly want to develop our top players like the rest of the country and Canada we cannot take off 4 or 5 months of competitive hockey that they play out east and in Michigan and such. AAA Midgets and junior A programs are developing players from age 16 to 18 in an intense manner.

If we in Minnesota want to continue to be a big part of the top talent pool I think we need to get the best kids at each age group competing in a league like Elite 1 and Elite II and even Elite III for top Soph Juniors that don't make Elite II we cut enough kids that really wanted to play to easily have another team. It is a problem of getting another staff that wants to run around and work with the boys from 2nd weekend in August to November.

I love it but what happens is you get auxiliary groups that tell the kids they don't need to make a commitment to practice and get better and challenge themselves against the other top kids in MN WI and ND and they
actually dilute the value for all the players.

If we did it in an organized manner like Wisconsin and made sure that we made it clear that the best and only alternative to play the best competition is to play in ELITE and EliteII and possibly Elite III and made the programs actually help teach the players important and meaningful competion skills and add value to thier development as a competitor and player than it could be fantastic.

If MN Hockey allows the fringe groups have seperate programs all over the place and they exclude good seniors that the Elite 1 league may overlook. I know that many very good players have been missed in the past and will be in the future so having a good place for them to play is important I know Alex Kangas was our goalie as a Sr. Many other really good players played for us as seniors and went on to have good junior and college careers. I know it is hard to get it right as I often don't in our real extensive camp it becomes apparent that we miss some really good ones. I am in favor that all the kids should have a place to play and get better and we should acknowledge that if they keep working with them and they keep wanting to work hard anything can happen. I am not about the you either have it or you don't crowd. Fact lots of kids have talent. It is the ones that want to get after it and use and improve their competition skills that we need to make sure we offer the best program for players at different levels so they can all get better. It is not for us to decide to narrow it down too much. I am for more kids playing not less.

I am glad that we have the kids and parents in our group that we do this year it is going to be a fun fall.

If we allow fringe groups to develop and dilute the talent level of the already in place structured leagues we do not get the value that we could.

Than it is not what it could be for sure. I am willing to continue to work at this if we make sure that we are trying to get our kids ready to play at the next level and not just hanging around.

Our Section 1 team is very competitive and we have several D-1 prospects in my opinion.

It is a fun group and if we work real hard at practice and in games we will help them get better.

seek & destroy · Post by **seek & destroy** » Wed Sep 17, 2008 12:37 pm

Not to many HS Coaches promote there players and even mention the programs to their players, so its becoming all the over zealious parents still pushing their kids.

Why would the parent necessarily be considered over zealous just because they want their kid to have a chance to play some fall hockey?

I agree that many H.S. coaches do not promote these opportunities or their players as much as they should and families who know about them quite often don't want to increase the competition at tryouts by telling other families in their community. The Elite and Elite II league are both great avenues for kids to keep working on their team skills. Is the talent level down this year? From the little I've seen (the season isn't that old yet) I don't think so but each year there are different styles of players.

I think the best way to make the league the best it can be is to spread the word more. H.S. coaches have to be more involved in promoting their players and letting their players know what opportunities there are. There are some H.S. coaches that don't want to risk injury to their players so they don't want them to participate and others who don't want "their" players being coached differently so they don't encourage participation.

That is why some parents have to take the initiative to pursue the league directly but that doesn't make them over zealous. They just want their kid to have a shot to tryout and play some competitive hockey with some other skilled players prior to the season.

RLStars · Post by **RLStars** » Wed Sep 17, 2008 3:28 pm

Sioux Fan wrote: If we allow fringe groups to develop and dilute the talent level of the already in place structured leagues we do not get the value that we could.

What "fringe" groups are you talking about? I'd say the economy has something to do with the talent level being down this year. Cost of the program, although not terribly expensive, is not your only cost. Its the travel and lodging that adds up in a hurry. Then you pay for Capitains practice, school fees, fund raisers blah, blah, blah.

aflac · Post by **aflac** » Wed Sep 17, 2008 4:08 pm

Elite III Lets water down the Elite leagues alittle more!!

There should only be one Elite League and that is Elite 1. Nobody watches the Elite II . Scouts would rather watch AAA hockey than Elite II. Just my opinion!

Sioux Fan · Post by **Sioux Fan** » Wed Sep 17, 2008 4:10 pm

It isn't about scouts it is about getting players better. We have had quite a few kids play and get better and continue to do well after high school without playing in the Elite league. I think if the kids want to play hockey in particular talented 10th and 9th graders why wouldn't they want 20 more good competitive games with thier peers.

GR3343 · Post by **GR3343** » Wed Sep 17, 2008 4:15 pm

aflac wrote:Elite III Lets water down the Elite leagues alittle more!!

There should only be one Elite League and that is Elite 1. Nobody watches the Elite II . Scouts would rather watch AAA hockey than Elite II. Just my opinion!

Must be nice to know everything

You post all over the junior forum like you're at every game, tryout or event, and now you're posting about all the scouts and their desires. Maybe you've been to a game or 2, but not all, so you shouldn't pretend that you know what all the scouts are doing or what all the teams are doing or whatever other tidbits of wisdom you like to negatively pass along. Fact of the matter is that the Elite programs are both working and accomplishing their missions. Players are in a competitive atmosphere leading into their high school seasons, many are seen, spoken to or noticed by various scouts in Both leagues. Leave it at that and try not to always put negative comments out there.

High Flyer · Post by **High Flyer** » Wed Sep 17, 2008 4:22 pm

RLStars wrote:
Sioux Fan wrote: If we allow fringe groups to develop and dilute the talent level of the already in place structured leagues we do not get the value that we could.
What "fringe" groups are you talking about? I'd say the economy has something to do with the talent level being down this year. Cost of the program, although not terribly expensive, is not your only cost. Its the travel and lodging that adds up in a hurry. Then you pay for Capitains practice, school fees, fund raisers blah, blah, blah.

Showcase Hockey Leagues
Premier 4 on 4 League
Stephen 5 on 5 league
Various U16 & U18 "Before" teams
Fhit
Impact
Total Hockey
Minnesota Made
Many other hockey training specialists

I'm sure there are other that I have missed that would fall into Sioux Fans diffinition of what he/she calls "fringe" groups. I would call them choices or alternatives to the "Elite" I & II Leagues, which obviously has it's issues.

seek & destroy · Post by **seek & destroy** » Wed Sep 17, 2008 4:42 pm

I would call them choices or alternatives to the "Elite" I & II Leagues, which obviously has it's issues.

Those are all decent alternatives to either Elite league but why is it that you have to say that they (the Elite teams) obviously have issues?

The Elite and Elite II league both provide a chance for kids to prepare for their regular season. One caters to more older players and the other to more younger players. I see a decent number of kids playing in the Elite league this year that played in Elite II last year.

The level of competition is good and the players have a good time. I would guess that most of them could care less about whether scouts are there or not; they just like to play hockey. Sure, maybe a few players got missed in the selection process and maybe a few got special treatment but that doesn't mean that the programs are bad. Virtually every area of hockey has that problem including the programs you mentioned.

Some kids like to play hockey and get a chance to get to know other players from other schools. I'm sure there are a few that think that being on the Elite team means that they are going to a D1 school as soon as the scout sees them but most of the players just want to play the game.

Can't Never Tried · Post by **Can't Never Tried** » Wed Sep 17, 2008 4:44 pm

My guess is you will have more scouts in the Twin Cities this weekend, then just about any other time of the year, with the NAHL showcase at Blaine, and Upper Midwest Elite League at New Hope in the same weekend....it's"Like A Dream Come True"

High Flyer · Post by **High Flyer** » Wed Sep 17, 2008 5:06 pm

seek & destroy wrote:
I would call them choices or alternatives to the "Elite" I & II Leagues, which obviously has it's issues.
Those are all decent alternatives to either Elite league but why is it that you have to say that they (the Elite teams) obviously have issues?

Because my personal belief is that the orginal purpose of the Elite I league is just not being met and the Elite II league has just turned into another money maker. In both leagues (due to lack of talent and too many teams) the competition is watered down and both are not what they claim to be.

Just look at the rosters and the number of MN elite players who are not playing elite I or elite II to see what I mean.

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Elite II Rosters

Randolph & the tryouts