National festival roster

[Mnnstar]

The u-18 roster is out
There are at least 2 elite league teams that could beat this bunch

[j4241]

A very talented group, but there are some very odd omissions (and selections by comparison), without a doubt.

[Mnnstar]

Breza, Scribner, DelaRosa, Delinades, Martin, Steighauf, Langseth, Just to name a few.

[highgloveside]

False MNSTAR. The MN girls are on the Elite league teams and the ones who are not play for Shattuck. People seem to be sour with the picks every year but they keep winning. I was sour 2 years ago but they won and then won again so I realized maybe there's more to it than just throwing darts at a board? What Elite league teams are you talking about anyway?

[massalsa]

Breza, Scribner, DelaRosa, Delinades, Martin, Steighauf, Langseth, Just to name a few.

They were all at 66 for a week of evaluations so I don't quite know how these girls were omitted for at least semi good reasons. I would hope that evaluators had plenty of time to see how all of the 66 girls that were at the camp practiced, played and acted off the ice.

Interesting things to me at first glance:

9 Minnesota girls. 5 NY, 4 MI, 1 MA/TX/CA/OH/CT/Saskatchewan

4 of the 5 2003's are Gopher commits.

At least 9 Gopher commits.

7 Shattuck, 5 Selects Academy, 2 Blake and the rest of the schools (including Harvard!?!) with 1 each.

2 Gopher (MN) goalies, 1 Vermont goalie

I think every girl committed (after looking up a few of em).

I am guessing that there will be a few girls added for the World Championships that are not on this list (I can think of at least 1 girl who has been recovering from an off season surgery all summer). Who knows Mnnstar, maybe a couple of those girls might be asked to play. I am guessing that USA hockey will be at plenty of games this fall/winter including elite league to watch those that have made it this far and also are bubble kids.

[massalsa]

Also of note for MN hockey nerds (like me):

2 over 18 teams of 22.

https://teamusa.usahockey.com/page/show ... -team-blue

https://teamusa.usahockey.com/page/show ... team-white

1 MN high school player invited...Madeline Wethington (the frontrunner for Ms Hockey 2018/2019?!?)

19/44 from Minnesota.

[MNHockeyFan]

At least 9 Gopher commits.

I count 10:
Addie Burton
Vivian Jungels
Peyton Hemp
Sadie Lindsay
Abbey Murphy
Maggie Nicholson
Makayla Paul
Sydney Shearon
Skylar Vetter
Audrey Wethington

[j4241]

Every tryout process of any kind at any level produces head scratching decisions. And the kids represented are all good. What’s odd to me is how systematically EVERY Gopher recruit was selected, and EVERY top kid I thought was a shoe-in that is NOT a Gopher recruit was omitted. That doesn’t seem like how it’s supposed to work.

That said, I’m guessing the greater injustice is the non-MN kids that were taken over th MN kids. There is good hockey across the US, but 8 or 9 of 31 is not representative of how dominant MN is in producing the best players in this country in girls hockey.

[MNHockeyFan]

What’s odd to me is how systematically EVERY Gopher recruit was selected...

I count 5 Gopher recruits who were not selected.

[j4241]

That’s an accurate correction, but doesn’t change the substance of my point.

[massalsa]

That said, I’m guessing the greater injustice is the non-MN kids that were taken over th MN kids. There is good hockey across the US, but 8 or 9 of 31 is not representative of how dominant MN is in producing the best players in this country in girls hockey.

How about only FOUR Minnesota kids making the team!?! Yikes what in world happened? Inquiring minds want to know!

I watched some of the games online (thanks for the free stream Canada) and Vetter looked rock solid despite getting shelled in the 3rd game. She faced 79 shots in 2 games and the Canadian goalies faced 81 shots in all 3 games. Also looked like the 2 MN forwards played sparingly.

Obviously the US missed players like Heise, Wethington, and others who aged out. But there was a different head coach and WAY less MN kids.

Any opinions from any of you who were there or watched online or talked with those who are in the know?

[Mnnstar]

Watched all the games online talked to a lot of of 02 parents at both the last prospect camp and Os shoot out. From what I heard a couple of things went down and this is just speculation 1. Because Shattucks u-16 team was down the perception was Mn hockey 02 class was down. 2. Even though coach is UMD head coach she is from out east as were assistants. 3. JJ was in coaches ear in Maine. Just my opinion. Add Langseth, Martin, Steighauf, Bothun, Delarosa, Scribner, Wethington, Delinides,(sp) and Burton and you sweep. Combine a team of elite red and Sky form last years elite league and you beat this team 4 out of 7.

[highgloveside]

What 02 parents? most of the girls you mentioned are 01's. That team is loaded with 02 forwards that are not going to lose a spot to anyone no matter where their from. if JJ was in their ear don't you think some of the girls you mentioned would be on the squad since they are from MN? The only sense you make is that you are obviously a parent of one of the girls you mentioned and you are also listening to other 02 parents who think they got snubbed. I'm pretty sure none of the parents you listed below would give you the time of day. The Sky team from last year was not very good, Not one of those players are better than anyone on that roster. At least that's what I heard from 02 parents that I talked to at Prospects and OS shootout

[woody]

I heard Oggie and MNStar have similar interest in one player. #annoying #brokenrecord #rosecoloredglasses

[massalsa]

There does seem to be players from similar schools every year...both winter teams (HS/prep/club) and also colleges represented (for commits). Generally there are more from the power 3 schools (MN/WI/BC) but with only 4 U of M commits on the current team it feels like that is about as low as it has been in several years. I do think that they appear to have the most high end players but also in the case of BC/UM also have coaches on staff. Wisconsin does not if I recall correctly.

I have heard about the style of play from MN to East Coast and MNHS to Tier 1 and wonder if this team appeared to play a different style than years past. Is the difference players or coaches or the evolution of the game? MN was certainly well represented in the U22 series.

Regarding the goalie situation it appears as if Vetter (the 03 and Gopher commit) did an amazing job and faced a lot of shots and activity. She looked like the real deal when I saw her in Spring League and looked great in the parts of USA/Canada series games I watched. Possibly the next Maddie Rooney?!?

[goaliedad31]

I think it may also be that there has become one team at each level that is "anointed" greatness based on who they play for. The tryout system in MN for HP and Elite League has become lazy and the evaluators are looking for the same girls. These girls all play together, are used to each others system of play. They play well as a team, but individually have not progressed as well as they might otherwise progress and other solid players are left out of the equation and are not given a chance.

[Mnnstar]

I heard Oggie and MNStar have similar interest in one player. #annoying #brokenrecord #rosecoloredglasses

Wrong again Nice try though I think you have tried this before. #allknowing #alwaysright #bitter

[highgloveside]

Two replies, first, The girls don't play with the same players every HP or Elite League. At 54's they play with a different set of girls each year it seems to me. Elite league is the same, there may be some of the same girls but generally it's different teams each year. On top of that there are no set lines so how can you master chemistry with line mates when you go out with different girls every shift? Second reply to MNstar, I'm pretty sure Woody is correct in pinpointing who you are because you have bragged about the same kid many times on the forum. Lets put it this way If it's not the Dad or Mom, it's the sister, it's all the same. Same house. It's OK to be proud of your kid but if they are really really good someone else will do it for you

[SteelCurtain]

I think it may also be that there has become one team at each level that is "anointed" greatness based on who they play for. The tryout system in MN for HP and Elite League has become lazy and the evaluators are looking for the same girls. These girls all play together, are used to each others system of play. They play well as a team, but individually have not progressed as well as they might otherwise progress and other solid players are left out of the equation and are not given a chance.

Spot on goaliedad and J4241. - Mnnstar (likes the cool-aid..his own)

It seems like some of these coaches use these teams as development tools for their own team/programs to a point. Not saying these pigeonholed kids are not good hockey players in their own right, but a decent percentage are overlooked for sure. You can say those overlooked kids are not in the right network i.e attending a "local college", or have Os affiliations so to speak. There are many examples of this. These high profile programs are using Os and HP feeder programs to funnel certain selected talent to local college program by only keeping certain players tryout after tryout. This way these local colleges can circumvent NCAA rules and still develop/coach there local talent all the while loading their teams with only their selected players. Then there is the U18 or U22 USA teams... By the way, who is the coaches of those teams again, and how do those rosters look. So if you think some other quality kids are not being over looked when the coach of a particular college is coaching these teams they are trying out for, your pretty naive. Just another platform for these select high profile players to get a leg up, and more practice (local coaching) outside of their school they committed too (or magically will be). No different from the parent coaches issues you may run into to here and there through out the system. These issues are just on a grander scale. Its humane nature to a point, and frankly a sad state of affairs indeed.

[highgloveside]

You may not like it but they are winning and you are whining. USA Hockey and D1 Colleges are out to find the best coaches and the best players. There certainly are very good players that don't make it at those levels but I wouldn't think for a minute they were not trying to field a winning team? Just so happens the "local Colleges" are very good teams and compete with each other so yes they want to get cozy with people that run the top programs and see these kids on the ice all the time. If your're that parent who brags all the time or complains about getting a raw deal all the time guess what? you're probably going to get a raw deal. If winning is a "sad state of affairs" I would have to see losing

[hockeychopper]

When is the team finalized? Are there many more cuts left to make? Watching a few of the games, they are a talented team I thought they controlled a lot of the play but couldn't finish and the special teams looked a bit mediocre at best.

[SteelCurtain]

You may not like it but they are winning and you are whining. USA Hockey and D1 Colleges are out to find the best coaches and the best players. There certainly are very good players that don't make it at those levels but I wouldn't think for a minute they were not trying to field a winning team? Just so happens the "local Colleges" are very good teams and compete with each other so yes they want to get cozy with people that run the top programs and see these kids on the ice all the time. If your're that parent who brags all the time or complains about getting a raw deal all the time guess what? you're probably going to get a raw deal. If winning is a "sad state of affairs" I would have to see losing

First I have no skin in the game... just my particular warped observation over the years. So whining doesn't make since in this case. But my kids did just fine thank you. Tipping the scales, or " getting cozy" is exactly what I am talking about. I will agree with the winning part as well, I am sure they want to win. But judging talent again is a matter of opinion on what type of player he/she is looking for, and what school is being fed, and if said player happens to be committed to whatever program said coach is from, well it’s easy to figure out at that point. As far as thinking they will have an inferior team on the ice, (MN HP, Elite League, U18, U22) well I doubt that very much. At these upper levels of play is there really a "bad" pick, a risky pick. I would say no. Just select picks from biased coaching staffs that benefit there commit pool. Frankly that’s where the small percentage of other quality (potential College) players are overlooked, and the local committed players are given the who’s who hand out because where they signed. mn < how did that get in there. This isn't about not putting in your time, or the dreaded entitlement issue that most people like to counter this with. Its just a perspective of mine as I was looking at roster choices over the years in relation to the coaching staff. Cozy in this case is cause for concern. This isn't a huge problem mind you, but its a problem just the same. That is my fair and unbiased opinion...for what its worth.

[Mavskie]

We all want best for our kids. Having them in these conversations says they are good. But the best players end up on best teams for best coaches. Breath deep and slow when evaluating your own. There is only one WG and she/he is not living under your roof. Be proud of your players where ever they land.