Elite "D" League

Nuts&Bolts · Post by **Nuts&Bolts** » Tue Oct 01, 2013 11:50 am

KB just added to southeast "Elite" roster? Is this the result of an injury to Swaney or did dad not get his way with the southwest team? Maybe its a chance to teach SSM something in the upcoming games (if so I'll take the over 4 in penalty minutes).

How do kids get called up to one "Elite" team and then moved? This is a new one for me. Maybe "they" feel there are only 6 or 7 kids worthy of a chance with the "Elite" league. But seeing how poorly the brain trust did with the D "all-star" team leads me to think they should try something else that is less obvious and gets better results.

Bluewhitefan · Post by **Bluewhitefan** » Tue Oct 01, 2013 12:33 pm

observer wrote:Funny stuff. Only juniors should get the call up. I feel even worse for left out seniors. The League should be trying to get extra attention for the best, oldest, players. Pull up the best junior player. Last season one of the call-ups was a 9th grader, with bantam eligibility, that hadn't even played HS hockey yet. Instead of call-ups based on merit and age more politics and favors.

Two sophomores have been pulled up from the SW team. One is actually a 9th grader and his dad is the coach. This is clearly not the D leagues finest hour.

GoldenBear · Post by **GoldenBear** » Tue Oct 01, 2013 12:36 pm

I speak for many stop the complaining about KB and Brian. Give Brian a call and I'm sure he would enjoy meeting you in a back alley to hear your concerns. So your kid got screwed according to you or you are just a bitter man, move on. Quit hiding behind your screen name and complaining. Maybe you should coach and spend countless hours on the ice working with kids, yes Brian has done that for many years and I tip my hat to him for spending the countless hours helping kids develop their skills. One "all star" team as you keep referencing isn't the end all for these kids. If they are good enough they will get noticed regardless of what you think that one dad and one kid is the reason why your son doesn't have a division 1 offer.

PS: All of the above again in 20 font and all capital letters

GB

bemused · Post by **bemused** » Tue Oct 01, 2013 1:59 pm

GoldenBear wrote:I speak for many stop the complaining about KB and Brian. Give Brian a call and I'm sure he would enjoy meeting you in a back alley to hear your concerns. So your kid got screwed according to you or you are just a bitter man, move on. Quit hiding behind your screen name and complaining. Maybe you should coach and spend countless hours on the ice working with kids, yes Brian has done that for many years and I tip my hat to him for spending the countless hours helping kids develop their skills. One "all star" team as you keep referencing isn't the end all for these kids. If they are good enough they will get noticed regardless of what you think that one dad and one kid is the reason why your son doesn't have a division 1 offer.

PS: All of the above again in 20 font and all capital letters

GB

I speak for many who wish Mn high school kids had a decent place to play from Sept. -Nov. The situation with the SW team is a symptom (but the guy is brutal) MN hockey needs to fix this with some kind Fall/Spring League or let everybody do what only the u16 Blades get to do.. 90 day season will not work!!!

Bluewhitefan · Post by **Bluewhitefan** » Tue Oct 01, 2013 2:18 pm

GoldenBear wrote:I speak for many stop the complaining about KB and Brian. Give Brian a call and I'm sure he would enjoy meeting you in a back alley to hear your concerns. So your kid got screwed according to you or you are just a bitter man, move on.

You speak for many? Who? Have you done a poll? The fact that they have a parent coach who is all but ensuring that his kid (9th grader) gets advantages over equally-deserving kids (11th graders) is a black mark on the league. Sorry I don't buy the great volunteer garbage. Feel free to be impressed, but I speak for many who aren't.

C-dad · Post by **C-dad** » Tue Oct 01, 2013 2:45 pm

Bluewhitefan wrote:
GoldenBear wrote:I speak for many stop the complaining about KB and Brian. Give Brian a call and I'm sure he would enjoy meeting you in a back alley to hear your concerns. So your kid got screwed according to you or you are just a bitter man, move on.
You speak for many? Who? Have you done a poll? The fact that they have a parent coach who is all but ensuring that his kid (9th grader) gets advantages over equally-deserving kids (11th graders) is a black mark on the league. Sorry I don't buy the great volunteer garbage. Feel free to be impressed, but I speak for many who aren't.

We are talking about KB, right? He's a 10th grader. Still not sure how, as he should still be in 9th but somehow he was in 9th last year and now is in 10th.

GoldenBear · Post by **GoldenBear** » Tue Oct 01, 2013 2:56 pm

Bitter, Bitter, Bitter; cry the forum a river..or better yet, get involved and fix it. Start the new league yourself. Or if you don't like it, take your toys and keyboard and go complain about the ACA or something else if it makes you feel better.

GB

PS last response because truthfully I've already wasted 10 minutes of my time I won't get back.

Bluewhitefan · Post by **Bluewhitefan** » Tue Oct 01, 2013 3:37 pm

[quote="C-dadWe are talking about KB, right? He's a 10th grader[/quote]

Yeah I know - just refusing to ackowledge it.

edgeless2 · Post by **edgeless2** » Tue Oct 01, 2013 6:31 pm

GoldenBear is that your God given name? I will say this, KB is a 98 born kid that's getting shredded on this bored and it's plain wrong. Don't attack a kid, plain and simple. For those of you who consider that young man a role player as has been said on here, well your just plain wrong. Whether you like his father or not the boy can flat out play. Time will tell where he ends up. Whether it be CHL or D1 he will be there.

OU812 · Post by **OU812** » Tue Oct 01, 2013 8:49 pm

Bellows already has two assists tonight for Team SE vs Team NE after two periods. I watched him play when he was with Team SW earlier in the elite season, and I thought he played well (didn't see him in elite D). Based on his numbers so far, it seems pretty clear he was a good call up. Maybe we should all just leave him be, so everybody can focus on the positive things about the elite league for a while.

Just sayin...

SidneysDogHouse · Post by **SidneysDogHouse** » Mon Oct 14, 2013 9:23 am

I agree, the Elite D has been good so far. Those that get called up have done fairly well, some have come back to their "D" team as injuries start to come into play.

My only complaint would be that the "D" league is starting to thin out a bit with the call ups, and kids starting to lose interest. The games this weekend were less than inspiring to watch, albeit the Elite D had their team at the Elite level...

Bluewhitefan · Post by **Bluewhitefan** » Mon Oct 14, 2013 1:28 pm

OU812 wrote:Bellows already has two assists tonight for Team SE vs Team NE after two periods. I watched him play when he was with Team SW earlier in the elite season, and I thought he played well (didn't see him in elite D). Based on his numbers so far, it seems pretty clear he was a good call up. Maybe we should all just leave him be, so everybody can focus on the positive things about the elite league for a while.

Just sayin...

Well, good for him. The debate here is not about his ability - of course he can play with those players, it's about the politics of how he got called up. Was he the legitimate first call up? Is he really better than all the other forwards in the league? Does he get advantages because his dad played in the NHL and is a coach in the D league? If you think it's paranoid thinking then look whose kid also got a call up - another former NHLer, who I can assure you is not amongst the top D league players. Just sayin...

SidneysDogHouse · Post by **SidneysDogHouse** » Mon Oct 14, 2013 1:53 pm

I completely agree, and you're right on the most recent call up. Definately not worthy, not really even worthy of his varsity spot last year, but the politics are everywhere. You see it in HS, College, Pros...

MNHockeyFan · Post by **MNHockeyFan** » Mon Oct 14, 2013 3:18 pm

SidneysDogHouse wrote:You see it in HS, College, Pros...

Life...

WarmUpTheBus · Post by **WarmUpTheBus** » Tue Oct 15, 2013 4:54 pm

edgeless2 wrote:GoldenBear is that your God given name? I will say this, KB is a 98 born kid that's getting shredded on this bored and it's plain wrong. Don't attack a kid, plain and simple. For those of you who consider that young man a role player as has been said on here, well your just plain wrong. Whether you like his father or not the boy can flat out play. Time will tell where he ends up. Whether it be CHL or D1 he will be there.

Maybe, but skating must improve. Other skills are there.

TheMayor · Post by **TheMayor** » Mon Oct 21, 2013 3:55 pm

SidneysDogHouse wrote:My only complaint would be that the "D" league is starting to thin out a bit with the call ups, and kids starting to lose interest. The games this weekend were less than inspiring to watch, albeit the Elite D had their team at the Elite level...

It's easy to see why the kids lose interest. Parent coaches that don't show up because their kids are have gotten called up. They are then replaced by other parent coaches who ensure their kids are on stat-producing lines. No updates to the standings or stats on the website in three weeks, but copious amounts of info on the elite players and teams on hockey hub - videos, interviews etc. It should be easy to see why the kids lose interest - the league directors are only interested in one thing - $$$. If you have a soph or junior and you do not plan to coach, keep your wallet in your pocket next year.

preferhockey · Post by **preferhockey** » Mon Oct 21, 2013 6:10 pm

Good advice. Save the money and have your kid play open hockey.

The exposure given is really limited most scouts are looking at only a select few kids.

SidneysDogHouse · Post by **SidneysDogHouse** » Tue Oct 22, 2013 8:12 am

Majorly disappointed in the upkeep of the website, selection of teams and overall "development".

TheMayor · Post by **TheMayor** » Tue Oct 22, 2013 8:38 am

SidneysDogHouse wrote:Majorly disappointed in the upkeep of the website, selection of teams and overall "development".

Graves should be thoroughly embarrassed. The coaches kid plays on the u16 all star team, plays several weekends in the elite league, gets moved to a better team, and triumphantly returns to the D league so he can play on the all star team for a league that he didn't even play in. It just keeps getting better and better. Development at it's finest.

SidneysDogHouse · Post by **SidneysDogHouse** » Tue Oct 22, 2013 12:28 pm

The league should be run by "hockey" people, not wanna-be's. He assistant Director isn't much better! Hockey people would keep the outside conversations to a minimum and all calls should be approved by the Director, decided upon by an advisory board. If you choose to make this a business, then run it like one!

preferhockey · Post by **preferhockey** » Tue Oct 22, 2013 1:00 pm

Being a hockey person has nothing to do with favoritism. It the that fact a coaches (hmm a hockey person) son is getting special treatment. This happens all the time in this league.

cigar · Post by **cigar** » Tue Oct 22, 2013 8:16 pm

Bluewhitefan wrote:
OU812 wrote:Bellows already has two assists tonight for Team SE vs Team NE after two periods. I watched him play when he was with Team SW earlier in the elite season, and I thought he played well (didn't see him in elite D). Based on his numbers so far, it seems pretty clear he was a good call up. Maybe we should all just leave him be, so everybody can focus on the positive things about the elite league for a while.

Just sayin...
Well, good for him. The debate here is not about his ability -

bluewhitefan, you answered your own question with your own admission..... he has the ability...

so he deserves to be where he is/was at..... i would advise you to sit back and enjoy the damn game.... if a kid is deserving the kid will get his day... it might not come in your time, but it will come none the less.....

some kids will always seem to get the short end of the deal, but that is life... it happens at all ages to everyone of us at some time... learn to accept, deal and make the best of it.... or just bitch and complain, which will never help your case...

Bluewhitefan · Post by **Bluewhitefan** » Tue Oct 22, 2013 9:05 pm

SidneysDogHouse wrote:Majorly disappointed in the upkeep of the website, selection of teams and overall "development".

Standings updated. Stats about 3 weeks behind.

Bluewhitefan · Post by **Bluewhitefan** » Tue Oct 22, 2013 9:16 pm

cigar wrote:
Bluewhitefan wrote:
OU812 wrote:Bellows already has two assists tonight for Team SE vs Team NE after two periods. I watched him play when he was with Team SW earlier in the elite season, and I thought he played well (didn't see him in elite D). Based on his numbers so far, it seems pretty clear he was a good call up. Maybe we should all just leave him be, so everybody can focus on the positive things about the elite league for a while.

Just sayin...
Well, good for him. The debate here is not about his ability -

bluewhitefan, you answered your own question with your own admission..... he has the ability...

so he deserves to be where he is/was at..... i would advise you to sit back and enjoy the damn game.... if a kid is deserving the kid will get his day... it might not come in your time, but it will come none the less.....

some kids will always seem to get the short end of the deal, but that is life... it happens at all ages to everyone of us at some time... learn to accept, deal and make the best of it.... or just bitch and complain, which will never help your case...
Thanks for the advice Cigar, but there are plenty of kids in the D league who "deserve" to get a call up. The point is, pay attention, did he get called up before other equally deserving kids whose dads are not coaching or are not big names. I said he could play - you said he deserved to be promoted. Forget about KB, what about JL.? Middle of the pack defenseman, dad is also a coach and big name. Was he deserving.? Just pointing out major flaws in the league as others have. You feel free to accept it.