Somebody must be doing something right. Second week of rankings are out, so it's early and things can change, but this is an incredible story.

U18: # 1
St Louis Selects # 26
U16: # 14
94: # 9
95: #34
96: # 1
97: # 1
98: # 1

4 of the 7 teams are # 1 in the country, 6 of 7 are top 15.

This is just Tier 1, in Tier 2 there is at least one St Louis team in the top 25 at every age level. There is a tremendous amount of hockey talent in this city and we should celebrate the accomplishments of these kids and coaches.

It is a great story early this season. Success at the top (AAA) has helped at the next level and with a new AAA team inching up the rankings at U18 could we be far behind with another age group going to a AAA level next year. Talent is here but do we have the deep pocket books to support another AAA group. Affton does nice job keeping cost down and competing at a lower AAA level when called upon with their Central States program. But most teams at CS would be stripped if another AAA forms. Looking at AAA rosters a lot of talent comes from CS teams so the development map may already be in place in St.Louis. Time will only tell.

Sweet dude...

it's oct. 8th. let's not start pulling each other's pud just yet.

You need 20-25 games for this ranking system to provide a meaningful measure of how teams are ranked relative to others. But, early results seem to bode well for the St Louis program.

I thought the 98s were terrible?

where are these rankings located?

www.myhockeyrankings.com

Also onsider how many kids from STL playing Junior A Tier I and Tier II this year. Clearly the programs are developing kids.

2:43. At AAA best age level in St. Louis. #1 at 98 and a couple others carrying 97's. After that HUGE drop off. Affton CS mediocre, Chesterfield can't even beat their own AA team of 99's.

The ex blues in the valley have their shit together and have developed one of the premier AAA organizations in the country. In the same caliber as Mission, Little Ceasers, Compuware etc. Now that has many around here pissed off for a variety of reasons.

People go on and on about how there should be more than one AAA organization. Why?

Why are so many bitter about the success that the AAA Blues have built?

First, the 98 team in St.Louis is top dog at AAA but give others a chance to develop. The two 98's don't carry 97 team and after watching Affton dominate with 96 over 97, do you really think top 97's wouldn't beat best from the 98 group. C'mon. Little Gretz shut down and stubby defender a little above average. If you were able to put best 97 team together like Brownie has done at 98's wouldn't be a problem for 97's in a game. As far as the NHl boys from Valley bringing AAA along they have had a big hand in their success but development has come elsewhere and talk of another AAA only makes sense. Enough talent to go around but cost is a big factor why some don't venture into a AAA program. My gut feeling the Chicago and Detroit boys are not happy with Blues success and having them join a league might slow them down. The grind on the road and top teams every week would diminish their chances of putting together stellar records at all levels.

I am so tired of hearing this crap about how money keeps so many from playing AAA. I got news for you. If your kid is good enough the money can all be worked out. So please stop with the lame some of the best kids are not going out for AAA because of the money.

Name me an age group that you could take the a central states team that could compete with the AAA team.

What's going on with CHA and Lindsey's team their not ranked or I missed them. I thought they were going to have a decent team and may even have a chance at a repeat.

10:07 money definitely keeps a "few" kids who actually have the talent away, not "many" and certainly not a whole team of them. If you don't believe that you are naive.


7:35 based on CHA's early showing in the Affton tourney they were 3rd in their bracket, didn't make it to the semi's. Don't know how many returning players from last year but don't seem to be at the same level. However the season is still early and a lot can happen.

If the St. Louis teams are so dominant--and they clearly are at least at 96, 97 and 98--doesn't that prove that St. Louis could support a second AAA team? Maybe that team wouldn't be #2 in the country, but they could be top 15 if they got everyone to play. I'm thinking if you combined the Affton and CHA CS teams at 96, 97 and 98 you'd have 3 pretty darned good tier 1 teams. Not as good as the Blues, but good. Affton's squirts last year would have been ranked in the top 20 at Tier 1 and that is without adding some of the CHA and St. Peters kids (and others) who could have improved that team.

Indeed. Both the 96 CS teams are solid and this promises to be a great match up all year. Affton won their AA tournament and CHA finished 2nd in the Fury AAA tournament. They have both blown out their common CS opponents in the early going. Great to have competitive hockey at that level. Both of these teams can certainly hang with a number of AAA teams. You don't need the label per se as there are plenty of AAA tournament opportunities to play against AAA talent. Should be a fun season for both. Good luck boys!

Guess what guys none of it means anything unless you area a success in Midget Major.

Let's talk money.
My son is not AAA but, through business I meet with multiple parents from various levels of AAA. They will tell you the all in cost is around 12-15k per season. Thus, it does keep some from being able to play it is not conjecture it's a mathematical fact.

Michigan has MANY sponsored organizations off the top of my head, Little Caesars, Belle Tire, Compuware, Victory Honda, Honeybaked.
So here are my questions: A) financially what does the sponsorship mean? Jerseys? Ice? everything?
Is there an organization you can think of in St. Louis who would be willing to shill out the dough?
Also, it would be my guess if I pay you play wearing my name and give up the Blue Note.

I think the St. Louis combination of: talent, ice availability, & demographics support 1-AAA 2-CS multiple clubs but, for how long at these price tags?

10/8 10:07pm.....Thats an easy one - 95's on any given day.

Get your facts first. Ask any AAA parent from either Chicago or Detroit and you will find they are paying more than double what St Louis AAA pays.

2 AAA clubs would be a mistake. The numbers are not there to support 2 Good programs. And to answer the above question about Chesterfield CS MMajor not being ranked... the list given was tier I, look at Tier 2 rankings, they should be somewhere in the top 15.

Thanks I went to USA Midget Major AA Rankings and still didn't see them.
Affton Twin Bridges were there but not them.

Must have 5 scores posted before you are rated. I'm sure they'll be rated highly. Clearly there is a lot of talent in St. Louis, a lot of teams are representing the area in a very impressive fashion.

Obviously people can be disappointed and angry if their kid doesn't make a team they think they should have, but this shows there are a lot of great options here. The better St Louis teams do at all levels, the easier it is to get quality teams to come HERE to play games, which is a huge benefit for all of us. I know folks in Chicago and other areas are noticing the high level of play from St Louis teams, Detroit can't be far behind.

The positive tone of the majority of posts on this thread is encouraging. Not as many AAA sucks, any AA team could beat them posts. Clearly AAA is doing something right and it helps all of St Louis hockey.

Week 1:
U18: # 1
SLS: # 26
U16: # 14
94: # 9
95: #34
96: # 1
97: # 1
98: # 1

Week 2:
U18: # 2 Top Tier II CHA # 4
SLS: # 29
U16: # 18 Top Tier II AFF # 11
94: # 11 Top Tier II AFF # 13
95: # 17 Top Tier II AFF # 10
96: # 1 Top Tier II AFF # 2
97: # 1 Top Tier II AFF # 11
98: # 1 Top Tier II AFF # 27


Affton strongest at CSDHL and big move by 95 AAA this week only 5 wins away from equaling last year's win total.

For all the bitching and moaning that goes on here (which is why we read this nonsense I suppose), it's pretty incredible the amount of success St Louis teams have had at a national level considering our pool of talent is not as large or deep as many others. Without focusing on the names (which I'm sure will be done), try to appreciate what the boys have accomplished. Not final, but updated rankings are:

TIER 1
U18
#1 AAA Blues
#29 STL Selects

U16
#10 AAA Blues

94
#10 AAA Blues

95
#22 AAA Blues

96
#1 AAA Blues

97
#1 AAA Blues

98
#1 AAA Blues

TIER 2
U18
#4 Affton
#5 Chesterfield

U16
#3 Affton
#42 Chesterfield

94
#7 Affton
#27 Chesterfield

95
#4 Affton
#27 Chesterfield

96
#2 Affton
#28 Chesterfield

97
#12 Affton
#14 Chesterfield

98
#16 Affton
#20 Chesterfield

I agree. The better all of these teams, the better it is for St. Louis. Who would have ever thought there would be St. Louis kids getting drafted into the NHL and a good number going to college to play. That number will only go up in the future.

look at what the Cavallini brothers are doing at the Midget Major level as well. Looks there is planty of room for more than one AAA team.

March 11 at 3.18 please put the bong down. Im sure your info is wrong from the first thing you typed! I guarantee you Shattuck is number 1 in the country at U18 tier1 and I dont even have to look it up!

a previous poster stated AAA cost 12-15K. You can spend that mutch if you travel with Mon and the other kids and grandma and grandpa (some do) but if you do it like most us the cost is more like 7-9K. What's CS cost - $5K?

if you saved the 9k, invested it over the years from squirt through major at 10%, you would have about $160k, who needs hockey

Guess what, AAA Blues were in the #1 spot for a time, now they hold the # 2 spot....

I count that St. Louis could have 6 or 7 teams at nationals if the hockey gods look upon us. It would be a really great representation, especially since the two host teams could potentially cause some noise.

Tier I

U18
U16 Host
96s

Tier II
U18 Affton
U16 Affton Host
U14 Affton
U12 Affton


And 94AAA has played Mission and Madison tough, but Mission is the No.1 team in the country. Doable in a one-game playoff though.

Are there any girls teams that have a shot? Am I missing anybody else?

Jr Blues are going to the Tier III Nationals in Massachusetts next week.

St. Louis Lady Blues 12U AAA made it to Nationals as well.

does that mean the game will end in a tie?

Afton wouldn't even play st.peters AA in a practice game.They were scared of what would have happened.Give st. peters 98s a little credit

Not because they were scared I promise you.

I heard that St. Peters Spirit Hockey club is folding. Here is what I heard. First alot of their better players from their 98,97,96 and 95's are OTT because the lack of leadership on their board. This will be another year STP will not have a spring program,the city put together a program with the Cavallini's. The city is also at a riff with STP because the city built a beautifull building and Spirit can't even put any programs together with their club or bring in any week long camps. All the players that want to get more development have to go to other clubs programs. Between the Cavallini's the High Schools buying ice at the Rec-Plex, I heard that their are a group of (Ex-STP) parents that are planning on buying alot of ice from the city and planning on using the ice for extra development for the kids that want it. Also other clubs have approached the city to buy ice for their clubs. So It looks like STP parents if the club does'nt fold will be driving again back to Wentzville, does Wentz. have enough ice for the entire club ? If the better players leave it means that all teams will be watered down and all teams at every level will suffer. Please respond if you know anything about any of what I've heard. Because you're not going to get the truth from the STP Board.

It's about time, board has always sucked, the pres. does'nt know anything about hockey. How much hockey did SHE play and at what level ?

I heard the same alot of kids leaving. No one ever leaves a club and goes to spirit.

It is all Afftons fault!

spirit sucks always had always will. why do you think the high end kids always leave.

Pretty good year for St. Louis Youth Hockey. Congratulations to
all teams that won the National Title, and to all the kids for doing
their best and leaving it all on the ice.