There has always been an 'interuption' in the natural flow of developing players in North Bay. Players are developed on a continual and natural basis until they reach Midget. Then it stops.
You see, the Trapper organization operates in a vaccuum. They dont believe in grooming their players to eventually become Skyhawk players. They actually discourage their Midget age players from even attending Junior camps in the fall. The kids like to go to these free evaluation camps to see just where they 'fit it' talent and development-wise. Trappers management actually do all in their power to persuade players to stay away from such camps..even if the boy is just trying to feel his way around and measure his skills against others.
Why do they do this?
Simple.
They are afraid that some of the better Midget players might make that Junior teams' roster and leave the Trappers team!
They claim they are interested in the players development but are more interested in icing the best team they can at all costs.
Unfortunately, this selfish attitude is well known throughout the whole hockey system and now many kids dont even aspire to play for the Trappers anymore!
I wonder how many fans know that each year the Trappers loose many players to other teams because they actually go and live in little towns like New Liskeard and Kirkland Lake so they can play for those Midget teams who actually promote and develop their players for higher levels of hockey (namely Junior!).
In recent years, North Bay minor hockey has placed the emphasis on recreational hockey..not competitive hockey. I dont argue with that as this approach benefits 99.9% of the players, who, lets face it, arent going on to the NHL anyway.
They have tailored their management of hockey to fit the majority of kids, and its hard to argue with that.
AA level of teams up through PeeWee is fine anyway.
Bantam AAA is back in good hands and will begin to redevelop top notch players in future and thus feed the sytem again.
But it doesnt matter anyway. These developed kids wont end up with the Skyhawks, they will go down south to play with teams that encourage them.
Did you know that the Trappers wont even sign an Affiliation Agreement with the Hawks, which would allow their better players to be pulled up to the Hawks games when needed...much less encourage any better skilled boys to try out there!
So you see, basically the whole system is constipated at the Midget level.
What needs to be done to correct it?
I leave that conclusion up to you the reader!

X-HOCKEYMAN