1 AAA Blue taken
Not ONE Select taken

Based on the AAA Major Blues tryout list, they will not be as strong as they have been in the past. That will trickle down to the minors. Thanks Paul and Gino for doing that to St. Louis midget hockey. It will not be a good year for the Selects, a lot of money paid for a lot of @$$ kickings.

Those that can play, play!

Those who can not play, post on N54!

Both team will be fine, with or without your support.

Do you want to be a supporter or a commando?

Your call.

What does the original post have to do with the NAHL.

It doesn't matter how good the AAA Majors are Sanderson and Co. will find a way to blow it like they always do.

Yeh, Like put the presidents kid in overtime defending a power play and they score on you to loose going to nationals.

I don’t understand why so many people are bagging on the Cavallini’s; they’re only meeting a demand that’s not being met for some folks. At what point will AAA look in the mirror and hold people accountable for the decisions they’ve made? For real, how often does an organization lose virtually an entire team to another organization, and a team that was assured an opportunity to play in the national championship tournament at that? And none of the players that left are trying to come back, despite phone calls from AAA asking some of them to return.

You have to wonder why an organization that enjoys an excellent reputation nationally, plays in the best league in the country and has a history of moving players onto the next level is not able to attract all or even most of the best players at the midget level. Many, but certainly not all, of the best 91 and 92 players remain at the Selects. The two best 93 defensemen, 2 of the top four 93 forwards and the best 93 goalie have all chosen to play for the Selects. I’m not as familiar with the 94’s, but the best player from that age group is playing in Chicago. Clearly every team or age group has one or 2 malcontents, but how do you explain away this? Wouldn’t you ask yourself why this is happening if you were in charge?

When you are paying this much money and spending this much time on an activity, consumers demand the best product and value. If someone offers something better, you lose business. It’s not necessarily that AAA is offering a bad product, but maybe the Cavallini’s have something better in the eyes of some people. I don’t have the answers, each family has different reasons for deciding where they want to play and spend their money, but the questions need to be asked.

BTW, why the assumption the Selects will get their butts kicked? They finished the season ranked # 29 at U18 with the vast majority of their players being 92’s and 93’s. In my opinion they should be as good, if not better, than the AAA Blues, but no one know the final rosters of either team yet. Hopefully they’ll both have great seasons and do a good job of representing St. Louis hockey.

no dog in this fight, my "personal" opinion is that AAA is supposed to be the top tier of players, so ideally the top/best 15-20 kids at any given level are all on the same team. I really don't care which team it is, just would like to see all the best on one team.

The only issue I have with 9:55's comment is "they’re only meeting a demand that’s not being met for some folks". So what does mean? I take it as there are kids who want to play AAA but aren't truly capable, therefore form another team and spread the talent. To me this only dilutes these two teams and doesn't put the best product on the ice.

Don't know what the right answer is just would like to see St. Louis represented at the AAA level by the top 15-20 players.

The last time the best at one age group were all on the same team were Al's 96's and Gober/Basil's 90's. Look what happen both won a National Title.

At the midget level Sanderson is just not the go to guy. He has a reputation for only helping a kid if he likes them. How is that determined I'm not sure, Money? MILF? but definitley not ability.

If the better kids don't want to play for him then wouldn't you think a change is in order.

are the selects part of the new national program? if they are, you have the answer as to why kids are not at AAA Blues.

I'm not debating that there may be motives to not be a part of one of these organizations. I'm just saying in "theory" all the best are on one team. Theory doesn't always equal reality. I would also debate that those are the only two times the best players have been on the same team. You can have the best kids from the area on one team and NOT win a national championship, doesn't necessarily have to do with coaching either, could be other teams are just more talented.

this is 10:53 and I bow to your logic. Best kids can be on same team and not win.

My bigger point is that some of the best kids don't want to play for Sanderson Why is that?

The number of kids moving on from STL has steadily grown. College, JR A, Pro is climbing. This did not just happen by wishing. Hard work from a lot of good people. In spite of the knuckleheads.

Does this make me a "Supporter"

10:29, what I meant was some people may be looking for a different approach or philosophy. For example they may want to be able to play high school and AAA without being hassled, or they may want the coach to be more proactive rather than reactive in promoting their players or they don’t want to spend the time and money to travel to Ohio or Chicago to play a game with no scouts in the stands, etc. etc. AAA at this level has basically just said, we play in the best league so come play for us and it’s not working. I don't think anyone is suggesting that the Selects aren't a AAA caliber team.

Some of the coaching decisions have no doubt driven many players away. I don’t know that Sanderson is such a bad coach, but there’s no question Moorhouse and Mermis can be polarizing figures. Families at the 93, 94 and 95 level have not had consistently good coaches through the years. Some of the older age groups and certainly the younger ones have had exposure to some excellent coaching, which is what attracts the top talent. That hasn’t always been the case with these age groups, hence the current situation.

Selects are not part of the national program (which hasn’t been implemented), they’re in the NAHL propects league that was just formed.

No way the best 94 is playing in Chicago but certainly he is one of the top 3. And kudos to the Cavallinis, competition is good for the players. The U18 AAA team will be younger than in previous years but they will good this year and great next.

Scouting and evaluations have a very low rate of success. The best way to know if a player can compete at this level is by giving him a shot and that is what the Cavallini's have done, created another 20 Tier 1 spots in St Louis at the major and minor level.

Some of those kids and the kids that AAA "is forced" to take are going to turn out as stronger players than those that have been anointed. So the players benefit by Cavallini creating the Selects. If Gino, Mermis, Sanderson and Zuke are decent coaches than they will develop the talent they have and create competitive teams.

11:46 thanks for the clarification. I am not personally familiar with all the politics and personalities. "my opinion" is that in an ideal situation the top talent would be on a single team. I certainly understand there are plenty of reasons why people want more options.

Most parent coaches are self serving. Bottom line. Some are better coaches, but most are there to control what team their kid plays on and for whom.

If you're implying the Cavallini's are parent coaches, neither will have a son on the Midget team this year. AAA Blues don't have a parent coach at the Midget level unless DM doesn't make the Major team, which is unlikely.

he shouldnt

maybe but it is better for all if he does

Hopefully the evaluators MacInnis, Ramage, Tkachuk will know who to take. Can't get much better than that. If he makes it, it's on talent, as Bil has no say in U18.

Best 94 player playing in Chicago? The best forward got cut from the U18 team last night and will, most likely, be playing U16. The best defenseman probably will make U18. The only reason a kid has to travel to Chicago to play hockey when they live in St. Louis is perhaps malcontent, not getting catered to like they think they should be. Who wants to travel to Chicago during the week to practice? Don't you think you could find something more acceptable here for a 14/15 year old kid who probably has some school work to do on those weeknights and weekends instead of going five hours for a hockey practice on a weeknight? That's the only way he can play there this year as other team mates and parents unhappy with him not being at practices. Plus, the 94AAA team beat the team he played on last year by a pretty good margin. Is that team really such a draw? With all this said, the best players is an subjective opinion, different by many, as is the opinion above about some of the best playing for Cavallini. It's all who you ask or choose to believe when it comes to who the "best" is. Some kids are "best" for various reasons and some kids are "best" for another reason. Who's to say? Other than scouts, higher-level programs, etc., and time will hopefully tell.

Yeh, Like put the presidents kid in overtime defending a power play and they score on you to loose going to nationals.

What coach made the call to put him out there? What coached picked him in the first place?
To blame 1 player for a loss is a total farce and that comment is really narrow minded.

funny thing is those three 94s have never played on the same team together, that speaks volumes about St Louis Hockey

Who has signed with the U16 and 18 Selects

First, the U16s Selects had more drafted by the USHL then AAA players.
Second, the AAA player drafted by the NAHL will not make the team, guaranteed!

6:30 Three 94s have never been mentioned. Where and what are you reading and between what lines

8;36 - Total bs. Look I don't care if there are two or three AAA teams in St. Louis. The one thing I have problem with is the misleading and white lies being told about things. As with all things, time will tell and truth always prevails. Proof is in the pudding - ask AAA about facts and who all has developed and moved on from their midget program. Pretty impressive.

The fact is that STL has more then 17-20 players developing each year that are worthy of playing at the tier one level and their is only one "AAA" team in town. The formation of two or possibly three teams at this level is possible if the powers to be would get their heads out of their a... and get rid of csdhl and form aa feeder programs for the designated clubs by location(i.e. south, north, and central)

Dont forget AAA Blues developed these kids that the Selects are claiming. All the selects are doing is taking advantage of AAA Blues work. These kids were already on the radar before they hit the Selects.

why is this titled NAHL draft if all you boneheads want to whine about is aaa and the selects?

Original poster needs to get his facts straight - you are forgetting that several kids (I think 3) AAA Blues were tendered to the Bandits and 1 Selects kid was tendered to Springfield Jr. Blues. This makes at least 4 kids selected by NAHL teams in addition to whoever got drafted into NAHL & USHL.

when will we find out how strong the selects are at the u 16s are. and if AAA will play them

9:14 you should know for sure by Feb.

The Midget program Scott/Larry did not develop these kids the coaches they had when they were younger did!