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Total rookie to AAA hockey, hence the question that 99% of you will know. My kid just joined a AA team, we will be playing in 3 tournaments (all AAA level). What is the difference with AAA & AA? Is AA a feeder for AAA team (as I think)? Any insights/comments please.
Thank you

Here's my best shot at it:

AA hockey would be your better B1 players and average A players from winter hockey.

AAA hockey has your cream from the A levels from winter hockey.

AA is still good hockey (and most of these teams are called AAA too), but most of your superstars aren't there as they are playing for the high-end teams that are legitimately AAA.

When you look at many AAA tourneys, like the MN Meltdown or Easton Cup, you will find they have 'OPEN' and 'INVITATIONAL' brackets at most age levels. AA teams typically enter the OPEN tourneys. The high end AAA teams receive an invitation to play in the INVITATIONAL bracket as the tournament is bringing in the best teams and players and they want a good tournament.

Hope this helps!

AA = $$$
AAA = $$$$$$$$$

Lots of options around town, and the closer you can stay & play the better (less $). Have fun.

Anyone can make a AAA team, there are plenty of AAA teams out there that are definitely not your cream of the crop players. There are only about 1000 AAA teams in the metro area now, take your pick or create your own

cageballs17 wrote:Anyone can make a AAA team, there are plenty of AAA teams out there that are definitely not your cream of the crop players. There are only about 1000 AAA teams in the metro area now, take your pick or create your own

Unfortunately, this is true. There are many teams out there disguising themselves as "AAA" [Cough] St Croix AAA [/cough], who will take anyone as long as they are willing the spend the money, which is sad and misleading.

You need to do your homework before spending the dough, that being said, it doesn't take long to identify the pretenders versus the true "AAA". Look at tournament results, ask around the rink, talk to parents who have been around....all great resources.

Thanks for info. Pretty much I asked around (as son was 'invited/asked' to be on a AAA team by someone I had no clue of) but the people I asked (since I knew nothing) referred me to another squad. I trust who I asked as they are former D1's etc... Hopefully it'll be A- fun and B- good skill development etc...

Snowmass wrote:Total rookie to AAA hockey, hence the question that 99% of you will know. My kid just joined a AA team, we will be playing in 3 tournaments (all AAA level). What is the difference with AAA & AA? Is AA a feeder for AAA team (as I think)? Any insights/comments please.
Thank you

Understand the answers you are getting for Minnesota out-of-season hockey are quite a bit different than what you see elsewhere. Yes, in most of the country AA clubs are de facto feeder programs for AAA.