CCM International Invitational

[TheHockeyDJ]

Anyone watch any of the games from this tourney in New Hope? Cool to see Team CCM, basically Northern Minnesota All-Stars put Team Michigan in running time in an 8-0 route. http://www.hselitehockey.com

[pioneers]

Anyone watch any of the games from this tourney in New Hope? Cool to see Team CCM, basically Northern Minnesota All-Stars put Team Michigan in running time in an 8-0 route. http://www.hselitehockey.com

Minnesota White got smoked 10-0 today by Tier 1 Grey
CCM beat Tier 1 black and will meet Tier 1 grey in the championship game tomorrow.

[TheHockeyDJ]

Really surprised by the 10-0 score vs Team White, and Team Red is loaded, so T1Gray must be pretty good to get by them in round 1.

[Nuts&Bolts]

Have you looked at the rosters? Neither Red or White is loaded. Diluted teams with lots of questionable picks including some that weren't even in the "Elite" league. SSM being as bad as they are is another story but AAA hockey laughing this weekend at MN when they don't put the best 15 on the ice.

[green4]

Have you looked at the rosters? Neither Red or White is loaded. Diluted teams with lots of questionable picks including some that weren't even in the "Elite" league. SSM being as bad as they are is another story but AAA hockey laughing this weekend at MN when they don't put the best 15 on the ice.

I mean.... There is one minnesota team in the championship after beating the other tier 1 team. Plus team red lost by one, I don't think that is anything to frown about. Sure team white got killed, but we can always blame that on them being about 1/3rd Wisconsin kids.

The point being, a Minnesota team can still win this thing.

[pioneers]

A couple of things. The Elite league usually has 2 teams instead of the three they have this year. Three teams became necessary when a different team could not make the tournament. I heard that quite a few kids turned down offers to play in order to have a weekend off before regular season practice started.

[WestMetro]

Team North/CCM gives up a 2 goal lead but comes back to score with under a minute left to get the huge championship win over National Elite Gray, intense game all the way to the final empty netter..,

Congrats to Team NOrth. One of the best most entertaining teams in recent Elite League memory. The HT, GR, and DE kids are going to be great to watch all coming season, probably wont get a chance to see Perunovich again until next Elite season.

[WestMetro]

Lots of scouts at this one, as well as Lucia and Sandelin of course. Why Wyatt Aamodt hasnt been snapped up yet is a mystery to me.

[rainier]

Lots of scouts at this one, as well as Lucia and Sandelin of course. Why Wyatt Aamodt hasnt been snapped up yet is a mystery to me.

Agreed. Kid is fantastic. Perhaps he is weighing options; I'm sure there are plenty of suitors.

No surprise that teams with both Perunovich and Aamodt on them are hard to beat. Perunovich will put up a ridiculous amount of points for a defenseman and Aamodt will put up solid points along with pounding opponents into submission.

[WestMetro]

I watched a lot of Dmen last year and this fall. I rank these two as best in state all around, including better than all AA's with D1s. Because these two have it all: Dskill, opponent body "management" , offensive skill, and sheer force of presence they bring to the game. Maybe not NHL draftwatch kids like others bigger, but best all around in terms of Minnesota high school.

I have been been watching them more closely last few weeks for any Dzone protection lapses. Sometimes an offensive talented Dmen will more frequently take chances or fail to protect his zone, or others cannot protect for them. To be fair, there have been a couple lapses here and there including today, but they are few and far between. Generally, no one is going to get either behind them or around them. Even Casey M had trouble penetrating these two, because they get good position and then concentrate on the center of the skaters chest and ride them out of the play one way or the other. . Rather than get dazzled by footwork or eye fakes. And good stick work if facing 3 on 2, or on PP

And when these two skate the puck into the offensive zone, there has been great team communication for someone else to protect the blue line til they get back.

It seems pretty clear to me that Wyatt has both the hardest check and the hardest slapshot in the state. And maybe the best 60 minute hustle.

Scott has the finesse, i.e like Jack Ahcan, and obviously just as effective.

All in all, very fun to watch!

So this year: best A Dmen trump AAs, north trumps south, and skill trumps height. Wyatt seems to be front runner for Reed Larson.

I have been somewhat perplexed of how to judge Alander and Stej, with these two guys in front of them during so many shifts of the Elite season. Not to mention the other talented team North Dmen. How much GAA would suffer with less talent in front of them?

[Hockeyisnotlife]

I watched a lot of Dmen last year and this fall. I rank these two as best in state all around, including better than all AA's with D1s. Because these two have it all: Dskill, opponent body "management" , offensive skill, and sheer force of presence they bring to the game. Maybe not NHL draftwatch kids like others bigger, but best all around in terms of Minnesota high school.

I have been been watching them more closely last few weeks for any Dzone protection lapses. Sometimes an offensive talented Dmen will more frequently take chances or fail to protect his zone, or others cannot protect for them. To be fair, there have been a couple lapses here and there including today, but they are few and far between. Generally, no one is going to get either behind them or around them. Even Casey M had trouble penetrating these two, because they get good position and then concentrate on the center of the skaters chest and ride them out of the play one way or the other. . Rather than get dazzled by footwork or eye fakes. And good stick work if facing 3 on 2, or on PP

And when these two skate the puck into the offensive zone, there has been great team communication for someone else to protect the blue line til they get back.

It seems pretty clear to me that Wyatt has both the hardest check and the hardest slapshot in the state. And maybe the best 60 minute hustle.

Scott has the finesse, i.e like Jack Ahcan, and obviously just as effective.

All in all, very fun to watch!

So this year: best A Dmen trump AAs, north trumps south, and skill trumps height. Wyatt seems to be front runner for Reed Larson.

I have been somewhat perplexed of how to judge Alander and Stej, with these two guys in front of them during so many shifts of the Elite season. Not to mention the other talented team North Dmen. How much GAA would suffer with less talent in front of them?

You won't have to wonder for long...... neither will have anywhere near that caliber D in front of them this season.

[CreaseMonkey]

I have been somewhat perplexed of how to judge Alander and Stej, with these two guys in front of them during so many shifts of the Elite season. Not to mention the other talented team North Dmen. How much GAA would suffer with less talent in front of them?

You won't have to wonder for long...... neither will have anywhere near that caliber D in front of them this season.

I can't speak for the Grand Rapids kid, but Alander in my opinion is a solid HS goalie, but not what I would consider elite.

He was part of a Bantam B1 team (loaded with A level players) that won state, and has rode that rep in the Denfeld system ever since. Smalley did everything he could to elevate him to starter status last year, to the point of obviously favoring him, but he could not lock it down.

When it came down to it last year, the bulk of the load was carried by the senior goalie. Alander got more of the weaker teams on the schedule, allowing him to put up some solid numbers along the way.

He may do very well this year, but will have to do so without anywhere near the level of help he had in the Elite League.

[rainier]

Lots of scouts at this one, as well as Lucia and Sandelin of course. Why Wyatt Aamodt hasnt been snapped up yet is a mystery to me.

Agreed. Kid is fantastic. Perhaps he is weighing options; I'm sure there are plenty of suitors.

No surprise that teams with both Perunovich and Aamodt on them are hard to beat. Perunovich will put up a ridiculous amount of points for a defenseman and Aamodt will put up solid points along with pounding opponents into submission.

Perunovich named tournament MVP. So far this year he put up a monster sophomore season at Hibbing, committed to UMD, made Team USA that played in Slovakia this summer, led Team North to the Elite title, and now the CCM honor.

He'll have more talent around him at Hibbing this season, so I expect the team to be damn good. Whether that translates into a trip to state remains to be seen...

[TheHockeyDJ]

Team North/CCM gives up a 2 goal lead but comes back to score with under a minute left to get the huge championship win over National Elite Gray, intense game all the way to the final empty netter..,

Congrats to Team NOrth. One of the best most entertaining teams in recent Elite League memory. The HT, GR, and DE kids are going to be great to watch all coming season, probably wont get a chance to see Perunovich again until next Elite season.

They'll all be at Amsoil Arena on Feb. 20. 7AA semi's are Noon and 2PM, 7A's are 6PM and 8PM. I would think in 7A you'll have Hermantown playing the 4/5 winner at 6, and then Hibbing vs Greenway at 8:00, which should be a hell of a game. Perunovich really stood out last year in their loss to Htown.

[Sats81]

Lots of scouts at this one, as well as Lucia and Sandelin of course. Why Wyatt Aamodt hasnt been snapped up yet is a mystery to me.

Agreed. Kid is fantastic. Perhaps he is weighing options; I'm sure there are plenty of suitors.

No surprise that teams with both Perunovich and Aamodt on them are hard to beat. Perunovich will put up a ridiculous amount of points for a defenseman and Aamodt will put up solid points along with pounding opponents into submission.

Perunovich named tournament MVP. So far this year he put up a monster sophomore season at Hibbing, committed to UMD, made Team USA that played in Slovakia this summer, led Team North to the Elite title, and now the CCM honor.

He'll have more talent around him at Hibbing this season, so I expect the team to be damn good. Whether that translates into a trip to state remains to be seen...

Kid is a phenomenal talent.