mulefarm wrote:Both Lucia and Guentzel sons have left high school hockey before they graduated. Is this an indication that development in Mn is falling behind?
Most of the U18 midget teams in CA, IL, and MI are way less talented than their U16 counterparts. Why is that? Is it because AAA midget hockey is declining just like HS hockey? No, it's because the best players from the U16 teams move on to junior hockey, not U18 hockey. (Shattuck is an exception, of course.) Essentially, that's the same thing happening in Minnesota, just without the distinctive break between U16 and U18.
Only a handful of Minnesota HS aged kids are good enough to hold their own in the USHL (or even the NAHL, as long as we're at it). They have a choice to make... be the best in HS or switch to a steeper learning curve.
A larger segment of the kids Minnesota have the choice between HS and AAA, but the level is about the same, so very few make the switch. Some may still make the switch if they're unsatisfied with the level of competition on their team's schedule or if their coaching is sub-par.
Perhaps the largest segment of all are the kids who will never play past HS and are just thrilled to make the varsity team with a chance to play in the State Tournament.
It is what it is. As long as there is a higher level somewhere, a player is going to try to get there. Asking why kids would want to play in the USHL rather than HS is like asking why men would want to play in the NHL rather than the AHL. (Hint: it's not all about the money)