Minnesota Golden Walleye tourney

[SuperStar]

Not sure if alot of people saw these teams play - But there was some terrific hockey going on at Ridder this weekend. 95 Blades, Machine, LA Selects, Canadien Wolves, Iceman, Nike Bauer Selects, Manitoba Express and a couple others...

The 95 Blades put this tourney on and it was outstanding play. Congrats to the Blades for winning the whole thing!

Awesome Hockey to watch, by all teams!!

[My_Kid_Loves_Hockey]

Anymore information?

Sounds like it was good hockey but how about some details like game scores, players to watch etc.

[SuperStar]

Well - It was all pretty good hockey. Teams that I have never seen before: LA Selects & Canadien Wolves BC & Alberta) have quite a few good players... B. Williams, Becker - The C. Wolves are extremely physical.

The blades website has all the scores - under the 95 team..

[O-townClown]

The 95 Blades put this tourney on and it was outstanding play. Congrats to the Blades for winning the whole thing!

That's the rule in men's college basketball. Invite teams you know you can beat.

[council member retired]

[quote="O-townClown"][quote="SuperStar"]The 95 Blades put this tourney on and it was outstanding play. Congrats to the Blades for winning the whole thing!
[/quote]
That's the rule in men's college basketball. Invite teams you know you can beat.[/quote]


Clown,

My old brain is confused, I don't think the 95' Blades knew they could beat any of these teams, unless they played a good game. If you were being sarcastic, the 95' Machine is very good. The LA Selects and the Manitoba team are at the very top in North America.

Was the Florida top team not invited but wanted to participate? What are they called? What other teams should be invited? This trny sure seemed to really have the best of the best.

[Lowstickside]

O-Town:

Invite teams from two time zones away that you know you can beat?

1995 L.A. Selects are the 2008 Tier 1 AAA national champions. They have been profiled in U.S.A. Hockey Magazine. Canadian Wolves came from primarily Alberta and B.C., Canada. I don't think they came to town to get beat, and I'm sure they don't lose often. You have insulted the great youth hockey players that comprise all of the teams entered in the tournament last weekend.

Also, great teams from Winnipeg, Chicago, and Minneapolis/St.Paul competed.

Sorry you missed the best local tournament of the year.

[O-townClown]

Council, Low - if you can't see the obvious humor in a paragraph that commends a team for putting on a tournament in one sentence and says they win it in the next you are numb from too many hours in the arena.

I didn't miss anything. I'm glad the kids had fun.

CMR, I'm sure the Blades are good. Why wouldn't they be? I have no idea if any Florida teams were invited or what goes on at the Bantam age for summer hockey. In season the Florida Panthers or Florida Everblades play AAA games. Out of season I have no idea.

Low, news to me that I've insulted anyone. Since you apparently have no idea how college basketball works, teams usually travel two or three time zones for the privilege of being fodder for the home team at a holiday tournament. The joke is that they should call it the Indiana Hoosier (not so) Classic or something like that.

I know Los Angeles won the Tier I championship for Pee Wees. I saw the Gulf Coast Flames twice and was impressed. They won the Tier II at the same age group. Two crowns for the Sun Belt.

Said it before and it bears repeating. The Tier I National Championship for Pee Wee and Bantam is not as big of a deal as the Minnesota tournament for that age and the U18 Midget or Prep isn't as significant as the HS hockey tournament.

Best of luck to these kids and programs as they defend next summer.

[muckandgrind]

Council, Low - if you can't see the obvious humor in a paragraph that commends a team for putting on a tournament in one sentence and says they win it in the next you are numb from too many hours in the arena.

I didn't miss anything. I'm glad the kids had fun.

CMR, I'm sure the Blades are good. Why wouldn't they be? I have no idea if any Florida teams were invited or what goes on at the Bantam age for summer hockey. In season the Florida Panthers or Florida Everblades play AAA games. Out of season I have no idea.

Low, news to me that I've insulted anyone. Since you apparently have no idea how college basketball works, teams usually travel two or three time zones for the privilege of being fodder for the home team at a holiday tournament. The joke is that they should call it the Indiana Hoosier (not so) Classic or something like that.

I know Los Angeles won the Tier I championship for Pee Wees. I saw the Gulf Coast Flames twice and was impressed. They won the Tier II at the same age group. Two crowns for the Sun Belt.

Said it before and it bears repeating. The Tier I National Championship for Pee Wee and Bantam is not as big of a deal as the Minnesota tournament for that age and the U18 Midget or Prep isn't as significant as the HS hockey tournament.

Best of luck to these kids and programs as they defend next summer.

I believe the LA Selects are used to traveling long distances to play tournaments, and if I'm not mistaken, they have beaten the Blades on at least one occassion recently. I don't recall which tournament.

And I disagree about the Tier I National Championship not being as big of a deal as the Minnesota tournaments. My bet is that Honeybaked, Little Caesars, St Louis Jr Blues or a few others Tier I clubs would easily beat most, if not all, of our top respective association teams in Minnesota.

[SuperStar]

I do agree that was the best 95 tourney of the summer by far....

As far as Honeybaked , etc beating our top associations - your probably right...But if we did the same thing as they did - gather players form everywhere - we would roll on them, hands down. Our associations are limited to what..? The local Middle school in any given town.. Compared to the whole state for multiple states to recruit kids..

The top peewees in D6 alone last year would rip any of those teams....Even though they would be a small age difference (some 94's & 95 and a couple 96's) - Most would be 6 & 7th graders battling it out for them and for us......

I like both systems.. Anyways congrats to the Blades for beating the T1 national champs 9-5. And thats just (1) 95 team from Minnesota..The LA Selects have the best of the best from a poulation base of what..6 million people..? But, with that said - they still have an awesome team - very talented and great to watch.

[muckandgrind]

I do agree that was the best 95 tourney of the summer by far....

As far as Honeybaked , etc beating our top associations - your probably right...But if we did the same thing as they did - gather players form everywhere - we would roll on them, hands down. Our associations are limited to what..? The local Middle school in any given town.. Compared to the whole state for multiple states to recruit kids..

The top peewees in D6 alone last year would rip any of those teams....Even though they would be a small age difference (some 94's & 95 and a couple 96's) - Most would be 6 & 7th graders battling it out for them and for us......

I like both systems.. Anyways congrats to the Blades for beating the T1 national champs 9-5. And thats just (1) 95 team from Minnesota..The LA Selects have the best of the best from a poulation base of what..6 million people..? But, with that said - they still have an awesome team - very talented and great to watch.

I completely agree with your whole take...although I'm not sure Edina or Eden Prairie PeeWees would be able to skate with Honeybaked 95's, but it would would be fun to see them go at it.

[Can't Never Tried]

Council, Low - if you can't see the obvious humor in a paragraph that commends a team for putting on a tournament in one sentence and says they win it in the next you are numb from too many hours in the arena.

I didn't miss anything. I'm glad the kids had fun.

CMR, I'm sure the Blades are good. Why wouldn't they be? I have no idea if any Florida teams were invited or what goes on at the Bantam age for summer hockey. In season the Florida Panthers or Florida Everblades play AAA games. Out of season I have no idea.

Low, news to me that I've insulted anyone. Since you apparently have no idea how college basketball works, teams usually travel two or three time zones for the privilege of being fodder for the home team at a holiday tournament. The joke is that they should call it the Indiana Hoosier (not so) Classic or something like that.

I know Los Angeles won the Tier I championship for Pee Wees. I saw the Gulf Coast Flames twice and was impressed. They won the Tier II at the same age group. Two crowns for the Sun Belt.

Said it before and it bears repeating. The Tier I National Championship for Pee Wee and Bantam is not as big of a deal as the Minnesota tournament for that age and the U18 Midget or Prep isn't as significant as the HS hockey tournament.

Best of luck to these kids and programs as they defend next summer.

I believe the LA Selects are used to traveling long distances to play tournaments, and if I'm not mistaken, they have beaten the Blades on at least one occassion recently. I don't recall which tournament.

And I disagree about the Tier I National Championship not being as big of a deal as the Minnesota tournaments. My bet is that Honeybaked, Little Caesars, St Louis Jr Blues or a few others Tier I clubs would easily beat most, if not all, of our top respective association teams in Minnesota.

No doubt that the clown can speak for himself...but I think the reference to the "big deal" is that few go to watch those events like the big tourneys in MN; such as MN state HS Tourney or PWA and Bantam A State tourneys.

[muckandgrind]

Council, Low - if you can't see the obvious humor in a paragraph that commends a team for putting on a tournament in one sentence and says they win it in the next you are numb from too many hours in the arena.

I didn't miss anything. I'm glad the kids had fun.

CMR, I'm sure the Blades are good. Why wouldn't they be? I have no idea if any Florida teams were invited or what goes on at the Bantam age for summer hockey. In season the Florida Panthers or Florida Everblades play AAA games. Out of season I have no idea.

Low, news to me that I've insulted anyone. Since you apparently have no idea how college basketball works, teams usually travel two or three time zones for the privilege of being fodder for the home team at a holiday tournament. The joke is that they should call it the Indiana Hoosier (not so) Classic or something like that.

I know Los Angeles won the Tier I championship for Pee Wees. I saw the Gulf Coast Flames twice and was impressed. They won the Tier II at the same age group. Two crowns for the Sun Belt.

Said it before and it bears repeating. The Tier I National Championship for Pee Wee and Bantam is not as big of a deal as the Minnesota tournament for that age and the U18 Midget or Prep isn't as significant as the HS hockey tournament.

Best of luck to these kids and programs as they defend next summer.

I believe the LA Selects are used to traveling long distances to play tournaments, and if I'm not mistaken, they have beaten the Blades on at least one occassion recently. I don't recall which tournament.

And I disagree about the Tier I National Championship not being as big of a deal as the Minnesota tournaments. My bet is that Honeybaked, Little Caesars, St Louis Jr Blues or a few others Tier I clubs would easily beat most, if not all, of our top respective association teams in Minnesota.

No doubt that the clown can speak for himself...but I think the reference to the "big deal" is that few go to watch those events like the big tourneys in MN; such as MN state HS Tourney or PWA and Bantam A State tourneys.

I'll buy that. Although, I've never seen the attendance figures for the Tier I championships...

[O-townClown]

Can't is right.

When I was in New Hope Arena to see Centennial beat Edina with Budish-Gaarder-Everson the place was full. Nobody goes to the National Championships, save a few interested people from USHL or prep school teams that are looking for players. Nobody cares. Really.

Win the state PW or Bantam tourney and at least your teachers, classmates, and some in the community know it happened. It merits a write-up in the local (Sun-type, not Strib) paper.

Never did I say the state PW champ could beat the national Tier I champ. It isn't an even comparison. Minnesota players are older but come from a very small geographic area. The large sponsored programs from Detroit cherry pick the best of the best. But I do know this...ON THE WHOLE the field for the District 6 tournament is as strong as the National Championships for PW or Bantam. You have a lot of low-end crap at nationals because all 12 areas are represented geographically. While hockey in many areas has improved greatly, it hasn't caught up to the hotbeds everywhere.

Trivia for you: How many Bantam teams do you think were in the running for the Southeastern spot at Tier I nationals.

"Haven't seen attendance figures?" Okay, how about you just COUNT those in the arena next time you watch "In the Crease"? Or just take 3 times each car you see in the parking lot? Mom, Dad for each kid playing. Oh, Mike Liut was there too. Big Basil McRae appearance. What is that? Maybe 100.

Some of the people that are proponents for Minnesota-based Tier I teams that can play in nationals may be surprised at what that entails. Of course, if you are from most programs in Minnesota the state tournament is a pipe-dream anyway.

If the goal is to field a team from Minnesota that can go to nationals and beat LA Select and Compuware or Little Caesar's from Detroit Minnesota Hockey better act now. Not sure why that would be the goal, but if it is the present system is clearly failing. However, realize that Minnesota may send a team that gets beat by a team from Texas, New Jersey, Illinois, Colorado, or Arizona. Then I'm sure some from Minnesota will wonder what all the hype was.

[Terry Moore]

I am not sure about the protocol of using my real name but here I am. I wanted to comment because I am one of Blades directors and am involved with the Golden Walleye.

First, thanks for all the kind words. We had an outstanding group of volunteer parents that made the tournament a success.

We are proud of the level of competition. It is based on a model called SuperAAA. You bring in just a few teams and all are hand-picked for their ability to compete. We had only eight teams, which included three good Minnesota teams (a fourth was invited but had a conflict). We had the best team from Winnipeg and the two best teams from Chicago. The other two were the current 1995 National Champions (LA) and a select team mainly from Alberta/BC and other places (the Wolves). (BTW-we also invited Honeybaked, but they do not play in August).

You can still see the games, which were all broadcast on the internet. Go to www.minnesotablades.com then click on the B2Networks logo.

Minnesota community teams would not be able to compete well at the Walleye. Nor should they. The Blades, Machine and Icemen players are selected from everywhere in Minnesota, some from Wisconsin and we even have one kid from Colorado who is very good. The Wolves had players from NY and four provinces. LA has a kid from Alaska. And none of these players are chosen at random. A bunch of kids from the same zip code should not be expected to compete with that. When Mn teams used to go to nationals, our communities would play at Tier II.

O-Town-We took your humorous comment as you intended it. No worries or offense. As it happens, we play the Florida Everblades this weekend in Chicago. I'll let you know how it goes.

[O-townClown]

O-Town-We took your humorous comment as you intended it. No worries or offense. As it happens, we play the Florida Everblades this weekend in Chicago. I'll let you know how it goes.

Terry, good. That was the intent, missed on others. What birthyear for the Everblades? I may know a dad of a player. Is this the 95 kids?

I commend you for posting under your name. On another board I frequent that's the norm.

Enjoy Chicago.

[MoreCowBell]

A lot of people talk how the national tier 1 tournaments are not well attended compared to Minnesota state championships. Think of this, how many people would attend a championship between Roseau and Edina if the game were played in say Buffalo, NY. My point is Minnesota attendance is high because its played right in our back yard.

[O-townClown]

A lot of people talk how the national tier 1 tournaments are not well attended compared to Minnesota state championships. Think of this, how many people would attend a championship between Roseau and Edina if the game were played in say Buffalo, NY. My point is Minnesota attendance is high because its played right in our back yard.

Obviously.

Which highlights the point that AAA hockey is for the most part 'anonymous' hockey played in front of empty seats.

[MoreCowBell]

A lot of people talk how the national tier 1 tournaments are not well attended compared to Minnesota state championships. Think of this, how many people would attend a championship between Roseau and Edina if the game were played in say Buffalo, NY. My point is Minnesota attendance is high because its played right in our back yard.

Obviously.

Which highlights the point that AAA hockey is for the most part 'anonymous' hockey played in front of empty seats.

Do you think the kids really care how many people are in the seats watching them, or is more important for the parents to see the crowds.

[Can't Never Tried]

A lot of people talk how the national tier 1 tournaments are not well attended compared to Minnesota state championships. Think of this, how many people would attend a championship between Roseau and Edina if the game were played in say Buffalo, NY. My point is Minnesota attendance is high because its played right in our back yard.

Obviously.

Which highlights the point that AAA hockey is for the most part 'anonymous' hockey played in front of empty seats.

Do you think the kids really care how many people are in the seats watching them, or is more important for the parents to see the crowds.

Well my guess if they want to move up the latter in this game of which the 94-95's are just now getting into that stretch .........I'd say yes it matters.
How much? that would be up to each individual, but if they're playing T1 AAA my guess is they'd like to be seen by more than mom and pop!

[O-townClown]

Do you think the kids really care how many people are in the seats watching them, or is more important for the parents to see the crowds.

Uh yeah. You can tell a game is big when the stands are packed.

The Minnesota Made tiff I saw last summer between the Machine and Deuce had tons of people there. People generate electricity.

Conversely, do you think any Pee Wee age kid in Minnesota would yearn for Tier I nationals if their parent told them leading their association to the state final was a far bigger deal? Kids just want to play.

[jancze5]

If any of you actually had some of the Tier 1 experiences others have had, you would just shut up and enjoy your kid playing the game and understand there is a fundamental difference in the Minnesota model which requires 1 full year and 2 other 1/2 years of talent to make a team versus the 1 single birth year that is used in AAA. There is no comparison that can be truthfully made no matter how you scew it.

As far as packed crowds and attendence, in Minnesota this year most if not all squirt/pee wee/bantam games I watched had the same crowd as every other AAA game I've went to in the last 6 years.

YES, the high school state tournament and the high school season games are special. YES, the Minnesota youth regional tournaments attract amazing crowds and energy. But to discount AAA hockey as "nobody cares", especially when you have only a 6 year old mite and NO EXPERIENCE with AAA hockey, is just a outright unjust statement.
Nobody outside Minnesota knows who any kids from Minnesota are, but they know who kids from LA, Florida, NJ, Detroit, Texas, etc.. are. They go to tournaments and say "hey, I'm going to the rink tonight to watch the Hbaked-LA game, such and such is playing, this kid is unreal".

When my son played for the New York JR Rangers in Quebec against the hometown Quebec Remparts as a 12 year old, and the Pepsi Colisea had a crowd of 14,000 plus, tell me that AAA kids haven't or don't experience what is experienced in Minnesota. When he boarded with a family in Quebec 2 winters in a row for 8 days and experience living in Quebec and even getting to go to a school for a day, that he didn't experience good things or that nobody cared. When you go to Chicago in October and play games in front of crowds of people equivalent to high school games here, tell me nobody cares. When you can put your kid on a plane, fly him to NJ and him spend a week with a family he met through hockey and is like cousing, tell me nobody cares.

Until you've been on both sides of the fence, it's just not fair to toss stones at the other. Both models work for their respective players. Accept it and enjoy the game. Just like these little 96s on the Machine...you can blast Bernie and the fact he's making money, but these kids can play and play well. This past weekend at the Easton Cup, there was alot of good hockey players on the ice. When parents get along in the game far enough to recognize that while the teams are nice, watching a kid like an AJ Michaelson play is special, or the hated machine kids move the puck, and the list could go on.

LOVE THE GAME guys....see you at the rink, oh, state fair means it's almost freaking winter, I'm tired of cutting my grass, so sounds good to me!!

[O-townClown]

Jancze, you just showed that AAA hockey in a heavily populated area where hockey is very serious is markedly different than what you'll find at Nationals. Congratulations. I thought that was obvious.

How is meeting a family in New Jersey any different than one from Thunder Bay or Fargo? I'm not sure I follow.

Nobody knows who the top Minnesota players are at the younger ages because the state exists on an island. I didn't realize it was important to have people from other states christen a Pee Wee as great for that to be the case.

Do you somehow think I don't understand the "fundamental difference" between how hockey is in Minnesota versus the rest of the U.S.? Enlighten me.

You bring up a good point. The big-deal weekends for AAA hockey don't necessarily include nationals, from a crowd standpoint. My bias (which I always disclose) is that it doesn't make sense for a kid from the Southwest suburbs to travel to Chicago, Detroit, or Ontario for a winter tournament when they can have the same experience in Bloomington or Edina. As I've stated many times, the best 'fit' for Tier I teams in Minnesota is best for the great players in ordinary programs.

Eventually I think your model (I think it was you that proposed it) of a league with Shattuck, a Southern MN team, two Northerns, and about three or four Twin City teams in a league with ND and WI probably happens. (9 or 10 teams perhaps.) I don't think that day is soon. I could easily be wrong.

For many AAA proponents I offer a cautionary be-careful-what-you-wish-for comment. Yesterday I heard all about the implosion of another Tier I group of kids as the best scattered to dance with prettier girls. As much as you may not want to acknowledge this, there is nothing new here at all. This is status quo for 'grassroots' sponsored basketball and has been for nearly two decades.

[muckandgrind]

Eventually I think your model (I think it was you that proposed it) of a league with Shattuck, a Southern MN team, two Northerns, and about three or four Twin City teams in a league with ND and WI probably happens. (9 or 10 teams perhaps.) I don't think that day is soon. I could easily be wrong.

Actually, I think that day may be sooner than most of us think. Sure, there are a lot of healthy associations in this state, but there are also alot of associations that are dying a slow death due to dwindling numbers. Some of these associations have some pretty good players that would like the opportunity to compete at a high level. There are some families that feel as if they are being held "hostage" by their local associations and Minnesota Hockey, and the only way out is AAA.

All that needs to happen is for a Tier I team to form and to start recruiting players in the inner metro area (District 1, 2, and 3) and you will see momentum start moving in that direction to create more teams. I realize that the Fire are already doing that to a degree, but there are still enough talented players in the area to create additional teams. Sure, you won't see players from Edina, EP, Wayzata, et al leave their respective associations. But how about Richfield, Washburn, Highland, Mounds View, Irondale, Hopkins. etc?

I know that MM has started the Choice Mite and Squirt Leagues, and that is only the beginning, IMO. I wouldn't be surprised if McBain is the one to get the ball rolling with the older players as well.

[jancze5]

O-town... I think you missed my point. I agree with 98% of what you say...it's just the 2% part of downplaying the AAA experience vs the Minnesota Hockey experience. You seem to think that kids who play AAA hockey don't have the same memories of hockey that you had as a kid growing up in Edina and playing in the state tournament and on into college. My side is that they do.

[O-townClown]

Muck, we see this the same. If my son were a good player in a program like Kennedy's it might be easier to have them join a better team than it would be to move.

The timeframe is at the discretion of Minnesota Hockey. Like I said, I could be wrong but I don't think this happens quickly.

We shall see.