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State meeting on Friday - Sunday 9/14 - 9/17

In Moorhead (At Marriott Courtyard)
(Feel free to come by and watch/participate. Friday starts at 7pm.
Saturday 8am to about 4pm. Sunday - formal meeting 8am to finished, usually around noon).

District Directors meet Friday night.

Is there anything that anyone would like brought up?
Post it here or email me here or my private email.

Mark Elliott

1) Fixing the Fair play point system. The intent of FP points is valid, the implementation of it is not. I do not believe that minor infractions such as holding, interference, hooking, too many men should have anything to do with losing a point in the standings. Anything that is major or any intent to hurt, etc (misconducts, check from behind, slashing, boarding, cross checks, etc) should be part of fair play.

2) District re-alignment. With gas prices as they are, I cannot continue to afford to drive all over MN for district games. The farthest teams from our association to other district teams are 80 miles, 55 miles, 50 miles, 50 miles and 45 miles. Meanwhile, there are about 20 other associations within 25 miles that are not in our district. I'm referring specifically to district 5 but I'm sure there are other districts that could be arranged for better geographical fits.

Thank you - I will provide copies to all DD's on Friday night.

elliott70 wrote:Thank you - I will provide copies to all DD's on Friday night.

No, THANK YOU ELLIOTT!!!

Get rid of the Regional pool play format and go back to the double elimination format. So many teams got screwed by the pool play format last year, the double elimination is fairer and provides a much more exciting atmosphere.

Get rid of the Regional pool play format and go back to the double elimination format. So many teams got screwed by the pool play format last year, the double elimination is fairer and provides a much more exciting atmosphere.

Totally agree LesHabs. Anyway you can bring that up as an agenda item Elliot?

LesHabs wrote:Get rid of the Regional pool play format and go back to the double elimination format. So many teams got screwed by the pool play format last year, the double elimination is fairer and provides a much more exciting atmosphere.

Couldn't agree with this more!!! It only makes sense!!

Unfortunately at some regionals with the Double Elimination they were set up so that the teams that lost in the winners bracket semi-final 4 hours later would play against a team that would be playing their 1st game with at least a days rest. There is nothing fair about that.
By looking at the new Mn Hockey Handbook on their site the format for this year is the same as last year.

Pool play is crap. If two teams are tied, they go eanie meanie minie..your in and your out. Nothing fair about that. Bring back the brackets, loose 2 and you are done. Simple, straight foreward, correct.

FREDFLINTSTONE wrote:Pool play is crap. If two teams are tied, they go eanie meanie minie..your in and your out. Nothing fair about that. Bring back the brackets, loose 2 and you are done. Simple, straight foreward, correct.

Agree

LesHabs wrote:Get rid of the Regional pool play format and go back to the double elimination format. So many teams got screwed by the pool play format last year, the double elimination is fairer and provides a much more exciting atmosphere.

Gold region always used pool play (maybe not always but for over 20 years).

The tie breaking crieria is laid out pretty well in the handbook.

It will not change for this year, but I will present it Friday night.

There is also an interest to revert back to Gold - Maroon regions as in the past.

Again, thanks for the input.

I know the tie breakers are known before the playoffs start, but in the bracket tournament, you need "no" tie breakers. The best team will move on from their play on the ice, and not from a rule in a rule book. Also, when coming up with these tie breaking rules, it usually involves scoring goals in some sort or another. Why penalize a team that plays a solid game....a team that will not score alot, but also will not give up alot of goals. A win should be recognized as a win, and who cares by what score. I remember back in the old WCHA days when the winner of the first round would move on based on the combined goals of the two games (win or loose). Does that make much sense.

Go back to the double elimination, it is the best way to get the top teams into state, and you will get the occasional upset.

The gold region did do a pool play, but the finals were a double elimination, with the 2 losers playing a back door game for the 3rd seed.

I mentioned this on another post but how about bring up the touch up on offsides for the Btm and PW levels. It creates a much better flow to the game as well making it a much quicker. Any thoughts?

Yup...youbetcha! Go north of the border to play and teams at Bantam and Pee Wee get to enjoy the tag up rule Eh! However for some reason some of the beauruecrats at US Hockey central seem to like the whistle blowing of USA hockey. I know Elliot is not a fan of this.....he likes good flow to a game like any fan of Minnesota hockey would.

northwoods oldtimer wrote:Yup...youbetcha! Go north of the border to play and teams at Bantam and Pee Wee get to enjoy the tag up rule Eh! However for some reason some of the beauruecrats at US Hockey central seem to like the whistle blowing of USA hockey. I know Elliot is not a fan of this.....he likes good flow to a game like any fan of Minnesota hockey would.

Screws up the refs too! because they go from reffing a bantam game to a HS game and they can't seem to remember the rules...oops sorry they say!

That issue was defeated at the Annual USA Hockey Congress for youth and girls. Next time to look at changes is 2 years from now.

Here is a novel approach, instead of triing to change things, why dont you leave everything as is for 3 years , no changes,, period, save alot headaches and nonsense meetings, oops forgot ,nothing has changed in much in 3 years but everybody still goes thru the headaches of complaining,, God i wonder what the jist of this hockey is at times

Anything on Lakeville Hockey

From LHA website:

Today September 16th Tim Shaw (President), Bill Monahan (President Elect), and Gary Podraza (VP of Admin & District 8 Rep) attended and presented at the Minnesota Hockey State fall meeting in Moorhead MN. For 20 minutes Tim and Gary presented a request for the LHA to be moved from District 8 to District 6 and the argument details that support it. Please click here to view the Microsoft PowerPoint in PDF format. (please be patient after clicking, this file is large)

Following the presentation, discussions between the Minnesota Hockey board members and LHA members took place for about an hour. Some of the discussion details included a yes vote could begin a domino effect with other associations, the LHA represented themselves and their cause very well, and the LHA has presented a good case that support their request.

Procedure requirements then lead to discussion indicating a vote could not be taken at this meeting and requires a 10 day processing period. This special meeting will be a teleconference and a vote will be taken. The meeting schedule will be posted on the Minnesota hockey web site by end of day tomorrow Monday September 17th. A discussion with the District 6 Director has indicated that should a yes vote result, this delay will not affect our ability to execute on this change for the 2007/2008 season.

Tim and Gary will continue to be involved in this process and follow it through to completion.

More updates will follow as they are available.

this would be a joke if allowed to happen this way,, they should first have to have to get released before any thing gets brought to Mn Hockey, I cant believe the directors would even give them the time,, well now that they have done that then lets all get in line to switch were we want to go,, is there any protocol here, can be amazed at stupidity at times and this is right up there

Why would this be a joke? Lakeville has been trying to get into D6 for many years. This would help in alignment for the Lake Conference. Logistics for travel time and competition. Part of the reason is the D8 directors doesn't want them to go it's about the almighty dollar!! they can't stand losing that much money.

Update

Regional format using double elimination.
It is on the agenda for the Spring/Summer meetings of 2008.
The current format was voted in for a 2 year period. the whole concept will be reviewed at the conclusion of this year.

Fair Play points - all directors thought it was a good idea to change fair play to put more emphasis on those penalties and actions that display poor sportsmanship and greater potential for injury. The HEP committee ahas this and will review for 2008 season.

Redistricting has come to teh forefront because some directors pushed the Lakeville request to the forefront. This has brought the idea of redistricting to the attention of all and will be on the directors agenda in January. Prior to that I hope to gather input as to where everyone would like to be placed and any other ideas regarding this issue.

Tag-up offsides is a USA Hockey decision. It will come up again summer of 2009. MH representitives have received the paraphrased comments made here.

Lakeville Hockey Association request will be decided at a special meeting on October 1.

The Lakeville problem was the result of not doing anything on redistricting when the subject was hot and heavy last year. It's no secret that the D8 metro associations want their own metro district for many reasons. D8 has more metro teams than other metro districts and will be getting another in a year or two (East Ridge) as the area continues to grow. Lakeville would not be complaining as loud if they were set to play D8 metro teams (Eagan, Woodbury, Rosemount, etc.) as opposed to Mankato and D4 teams.

Bigger question is whether redistricting will be talked about at a meeting, then abandoned because you won't get 100% consensus.

SEMetro wrote:The Lakeville problem was the result of not doing anything on redistricting when the subject was hot and heavy last year. It's no secret that the D8 metro associations want their own metro district for many reasons. D8 has more metro teams than other metro districts and will be getting another in a year or two (East Ridge) as the area continues to grow. Lakeville would not be complaining as loud if they were set to play D8 metro teams (Eagan, Woodbury, Rosemount, etc.) as opposed to Mankato and D4 teams.

I believe (I am sure) the most recent alignment has Lakeville playing with the metro D8 teams and not with D4.

Bigger question is whether redistricting will be talked about at a meeting, then abandoned because you won't get 100% consensus.

Yes, we need to act and not just talk.