The Future of Hockey in Duluth Proper - Bold Predictions

[blueblood]

MNHockeyFan:

BSM and HF would not be in section 6A if they played Class A. More likely they would be in Section 2A.

Section 6A could have St. Cloud Cathedral represent though.

[MNHockeyFan]

BSM and HF would not be in section 6A if they played Class A. More likely they would be in Section 2A.
Section 6A could have St. Cloud Cathedral represent though.

Good point. If BSM and HF were in 2A that would be a very strong section if Breck and Blake also stayed there.

[Nevertoomuchhockey]

Marshall opted up for one reason only: They have lost players and supporters ($) and are now having a very difficult time recruiting students (players). By opting up, they are buying some time with the hopes that local talent will make the switch. Eventually they will go Tier 1. They have the facilities, the location, parents/supporters who want it...and the money.
I'll guess by 2017/18...

Duluth will be fine on the boys side. Girls are in a clockwise spiral down. Kids quitting (lost 2 of their captains last week), youth program is a shadow of itself from 5 years ago. Sad times for girls hockey in Duluth.

Denfeld has a strong coach with a lunch bucket mentality that will keep the interest level high for the youth in the non-East neighborhoods. They have carved out a place that should keep them competitive...to a degree.

Hermantown has strong youth numbers for both girls and boys... Probably the best in the region. Very healthy from top to bottom. They will be fine regardless if A or AA.

Proctor desperately needs new facilities. Girl's coop with Hermantown, so it's the boys that will continue to struggle until they get a new rink.

The captains just out and out quit? So they can't play anywhere this season?

How does a MSHL program become a Tier 1 program? Obviously we watched Achiever transform to BE this year, but that was far from the traditional and entrenched program of a school like DM. Is there a precedent for this? And I'm assuming only a private could go this way. Or could I rally my north metro parents and set up/fund a Tier 1 program out of Blaine or Irondale hs?

[observer]

Eventually they will go Tier 1.

The girls?

They've suggested it in the past but don't have the girl numbers in Duluth. They'll hope they get 5-6 girls from outside the Duluth metroplex but that shouldn't be a strategy just so your daughter can have that experience. It starts with growing Duluth youth girls hockey with a single association and adding 20-30 5-6 year old girls every year. Develop more youth girls and someday Duluth may be able to support two strong teams.

[Hard water fan]

No, the boys. The girls would follow suit. The failure of the girls Tier 1 program a couple years back would have no bearing on this happening with the boys program. The boys program floundering at AA would be the impetus behind the change.

[Nevertoomuchhockey]

Isn't there a traditional girls team now?

And can anyone answer the question about the actual feasibility of leaving MSHL and playing Tier 1?

[Froggy Richards]

Isn't there a traditional girls team now?

And can anyone answer the question about the actual feasibility of leaving MSHL and playing Tier 1?

I'm not sure what you mean by feasability. It's simple. They just ask MN Hockey for a Sanction and they're in. Just like Shattuck and BE did. The Precedent has been set to let Privates do it. And there's no way they get denied if they let BE in. Marshall actually has an established Academic Program that is highly regarded.