USHSHO MNRANK 12/22

[WestMetro]

http://www.ushsho.com/mnrank.htm

[pekyman]

2 things that stick out to me are:
#42 Duluth East - never thought I would see an East team so low
#11 STA - For a metro area team they sure have a weak schedule

[Traxler]

2 things that stick out to me are:
#42 Duluth East - never thought I would see an East team so low
#11 STA - For a metro area team they sure have a weak schedule

It looks to me like STA's schedule is largely similar to what it was when they were single A. I assume it will take some time for it to adjust to a more competitive schedule.

[Just Checking]

2 things that stick out to me are:
#42 Duluth East - never thought I would see an East team so low
#11 STA - For a metro area team they sure have a weak schedule

Your reading it wrong
DE is 31st in AA
STA is 8th in AA
and
Hermantown is still 2nd in A

[HShockeywatcher]

It looks to me like STA's schedule is largely similar to what it was when they were single A. I assume it will take some time for it to adjust to a more competitive schedule.

Non-conference games last year:
Duluth Marshall, Holy Angels, Lakeville North, Minnetonka, Totino-Grace, Benilde, Breck, Cretin, Holy Family
Non-conference games this year:
Rosemount, Holy Angels, Minnetonka, Wayzata, Benilde, Totino-Grace, Cretin, Breck, Holy Family

So, from last year to this year they dropped Marshall and Lakeville North and added Rosemount and Wayzata. Their non-conference games are the Schwan Cup Totino-Grace, Breck and AA teams.

The highest ranked team they've played so far this year is Minnetonka at #29 and the win was by a goal.

Sure, it is similar to what it was last year but that's because they announced they were opting almost 3 years ago and have been making their schedule more difficult for the last 10 years.
Which of their non-conference games would you drop?
The private schools seem to schedule each other (although they did drop Marshall this year), so maybe Totino-Grace, but there isn't much room in this schedule to make it "more competitive."

[TheHockeyDJ]

Best computer rankings I've seen, and I usually like the QRF on minnesota-scores.net, but STMA isn't a 2 seed in 7AA, so they seem invalid as of now. I also like how these rankings when putting A and AA together put the to A teams right where they belong. They are just as good as the top teams in AA. Another reason to just go back to a one class system.

[Traxler]

It looks to me like STA's schedule is largely similar to what it was when they were single A. I assume it will take some time for it to adjust to a more competitive schedule.

Non-conference games last year:
Duluth Marshall, Holy Angels, Lakeville North, Minnetonka, Totino-Grace, Benilde, Breck, Cretin, Holy Family
Non-conference games this year:
Rosemount, Holy Angels, Minnetonka, Wayzata, Benilde, Totino-Grace, Cretin, Breck, Holy Family

So, from last year to this year they dropped Marshall and Lakeville North and added Rosemount and Wayzata. Their non-conference games are the Schwan Cup Totino-Grace, Breck and AA teams.

The highest ranked team they've played so far this year is Minnetonka at #29 and the win was by a goal.

Sure, it is similar to what it was last year but that's because they announced they were opting almost 3 years ago and have been making their schedule more difficult for the last 10 years.
Which of their non-conference games would you drop?
The private schools seem to schedule each other (although they did drop Marshall this year), so maybe Totino-Grace, but there isn't much room in this schedule to make it "more competitive."

The easiest way to make schedules more competitive is to get out of a crappy conference.

I don't think conferences should exist anyway. Play section opponents as if they were a conference and HS hockey would be much better. One of the best things that happened to Duluth East for scheduling purposes was for the LSC to boot them. That freed them up to play better competition than Two Harbors, Silver Bay, and the terrible Duluth Marshall Hilltopers (at that time).

[Traxler]

Best computer rankings I've seen, and I usually like the QRF on minnesota-scores.net, but STMA isn't a 2 seed in 7AA, so they seem invalid as of now. I also like how these rankings when putting A and AA together put the to A teams right where they belong. They are just as good as the top teams in AA. Another reason to just go back to a one class system.

Amen.

[pekyman]

2 things that stick out to me are:
#42 Duluth East - never thought I would see an East team so low
#11 STA - For a metro area team they sure have a weak schedule

Your reading it wrong
DE is 31st in AA
STA is 8th in AA
and
Hermantown is still 2nd in A

Good one. That's gotta make East and STA feel better!

Yes they are 2nd in A, but I think that the holiday tourney may shake that up a bit.

[alcloseshaver]

Best computer rankings I've seen, and I usually like the QRF on minnesota-scores.net, but STMA isn't a 2 seed in 7AA, so they seem invalid as of now. I also like how these rankings when putting A and AA together put the to A teams right where they belong. They are just as good as the top teams in AA. Another reason to just go back to a one class system.

We have heard how STMA is a an up and coming program and they have great programs in all their other sports, maybe hockey is next?

[TheHockeyDJ]

Best computer rankings I've seen, and I usually like the QRF on minnesota-scores.net, but STMA isn't a 2 seed in 7AA, so they seem invalid as of now. I also like how these rankings when putting A and AA together put the to A teams right where they belong. They are just as good as the top teams in AA. Another reason to just go back to a one class system.

We have heard how STMA is a an up and coming program and they have great programs in all their other sports, maybe hockey is next?

Don't get me wrong. I think STMA has proven to be a decent team, took Duluth East to overtime and beat Forest Lake 2-1 (GR beat FL 6-3), and then STMA has a loss to Monticello. Upside is high for STMA, but they shouldn't be a 2 seed under any computer or opinion based rankings. The aforementioned rankings in this thread has it spot on.

[HShockeywatcher]

The easiest way to make schedules more competitive is to get out of a crappy conference.

I don't think conferences should exist anyway. Play section opponents as if they were a conference and HS hockey would be much better. One of the best things that happened to Duluth East for scheduling purposes was for the LSC to boot them. That freed them up to play better competition than Two Harbors, Silver Bay, and the terrible Duluth Marshall Hilltopers (at that time).

Very little disagreeing here about the idea of conferences for most schools.
(1) Some schools are simply not on the same playing field as the rest of their section. (2) For some schools, it also guarantees them a full schedule when they would otherwise have a hard time filling it. But yes, in most cases most people would agree that getting rid of conferences would be overall a positive thing.

That, however, has little to do with St Thomas. Were they to do away with their conference (which the last year tells they won't), they would still schedule all but maybe 1 of the teams they've played so far.
There are usually comments about Hill-Murray's schedule every year too. Same type of situation.

[Traxler]

The easiest way to make schedules more competitive is to get out of a crappy conference.

I don't think conferences should exist anyway. Play section opponents as if they were a conference and HS hockey would be much better. One of the best things that happened to Duluth East for scheduling purposes was for the LSC to boot them. That freed them up to play better competition than Two Harbors, Silver Bay, and the terrible Duluth Marshall Hilltopers (at that time).

Very little disagreeing here about the idea of conferences for most schools.
(1) Some schools are simply not on the same playing field as the rest of their section. (2) For some schools, it also guarantees them a full schedule when they would otherwise have a hard time filling it. But yes, in most cases most people would agree that getting rid of conferences would be overall a positive thing.

That, however, has little to do with St Thomas. Were they to do away with their conference (which the last year tells they won't), they would still schedule all but maybe 1 of the teams they've played so far.
There are usually comments about Hill-Murray's schedule every year too. Same type of situation.

I assume there is a lot that goes into scheduling. Probably a lot of politics, but not necessarily the politics we think exist.

I don't think STA has an easy schedule because they want an easy schedule. Since record has nothing to do with whether you get to the state tournament, scheduling easy games doesn't benefit a team.

Maybe STA has the same problem Luverne supposedly has - no one wants to schedule them because they're afraid to lose?

[pekyman]

The easiest way to make schedules more competitive is to get out of a crappy conference.

I don't think conferences should exist anyway. Play section opponents as if they were a conference and HS hockey would be much better. One of the best things that happened to Duluth East for scheduling purposes was for the LSC to boot them. That freed them up to play better competition than Two Harbors, Silver Bay, and the terrible Duluth Marshall Hilltopers (at that time).

Very little disagreeing here about the idea of conferences for most schools.
(1) Some schools are simply not on the same playing field as the rest of their section. (2) For some schools, it also guarantees them a full schedule when they would otherwise have a hard time filling it. But yes, in most cases most people would agree that getting rid of conferences would be overall a positive thing.

That, however, has little to do with St Thomas. Were they to do away with their conference (which the last year tells they won't), they would still schedule all but maybe 1 of the teams they've played so far.
There are usually comments about Hill-Murray's schedule every year too. Same type of situation.

I assume there is a lot that goes into scheduling. Probably a lot of politics, but not necessarily the politics we think exist.

I don't think STA has an easy schedule because they want an easy schedule. Since record has nothing to do with whether you get to the state tournament, scheduling easy games doesn't benefit a team.

Maybe STA has the same problem Luverne supposedly has - no one wants to schedule them because they're afraid to lose?

I'm sure Hermantown would be glad to add STA to their schedule, unless STA, like Duluth East, will not play an "A" team.

[Traxler]

I'm sure Hermantown would be glad to add STA to their schedule, unless STA, like Duluth East, will not play an "A" team.

These statements sure are funny, aren't they? Duluth East won't play an A team, but Hermantown won't move up to AA because they are perfectly content where they are. Plante actually said the latter, has anyone at East actually confirmed that they don't schedule Hermantown because they're a single A school?

[Thehockeyman28]

[quote="TheHockeyDJ"][quote="alcloseshaver"][quote="TheHockeyDJ"]Best computer rankings I've seen, and I usually like the QRF on minnesota-scores.net, but STMA isn't a 2 seed in 7AA, so they seem invalid as of now. I also like how these rankings when putting A and AA together put the to A teams right where they belong. They are just as good as the top teams in AA. Another reason to just go back to a one class system.[/quote]We have heard how STMA is a an up and coming program and they have great programs in all their other sports, maybe hockey is next?[/quote]

Don't get me wrong. I think STMA has proven to be a decent team, took Duluth East to overtime and beat Forest Lake 2-1 (GR beat FL 6-3), and then STMA has a loss to Monticello. Upside is high for STMA, but they shouldn't be a 2 seed under any computer or opinion based rankings. The aforementioned rankings in this thread has it spot on.[/quote]

STMA only has 3 seniors this year. So maybe next year we can talk about them being a 2 seed but this year they still are in the 4-6 range.[quote][/quote]

[Mite-dad]

It amazes me that people get worked up over the two class system. It's not that bad! Really it isn't!

[TheHockeyDJ]

It amazes me that people get worked up over the two class system. It's not that bad! Really it isn't!

Interesting how people have an opinion and it's perceived as "worked up".