Still early, lots of games to play, and some quality teams not even ranked yet, but I thought the first week of 04 rankings was pretty consistent with the discussion on this thread for the last several weeks, both in NE and nationally.

MFR is ranked outside the top 10 for the first time I can ever remember. They are facing some good competition this weekend in Pittsburgh, so will be interesting to see how they do.

Yesterday, SSK lost to LC, the no. 1 ranked team, 10-0. I think there are a number of talented players on SSK, but they really struggle to keep the puck out of the back of the net, especially against quality teams. I think it's a team defense issue. They simply can't compete on a national level with the way they give up goals.

Cyclones are the next highest ranked team and split games two weeks ago with Rats.

Last weekend, Rats played Florida Alliance three times, and lost all three games by a combined 18-4.

Boston Advantage next, but haven't played anyone.

Then Wizards, who lost (competitively) to the one good team they have played (Team Maryland).

Then Seacoast, who are ranked exactly one spot higher than fellow NH team Top Gun, whose top two D went to Seacoast.

Only wish all our boys the very best, but not a great start for the NE 04 teams.

I think the NE 04 teams are hurt by the fact that some of the most elite players aren't even playing U14 in NE. While there are some exceptions, not generally the case elsewhere. Top D in prep playing U18 split season, top D playing U14 Buffalo Jr. Sabres, top goalie playing U16 Islanders, top forward on Rats may have moved to U16. These are the kind of players that if they were on one team with other quality players would be difference-makers. A few other quality 04's are playing U16, etc. The opposite is true elsewhere, with often the very best 04's playing for the same team, or more depth than in NE across a few teams. Something to think about.

Another week of MHR and it looks like mass teams are drawing closer together...

04 Bandits big D playing for Buffalo Jr. Sabres this season committed to Colorado College. Not surprising to me that the next NE commit is a D.

Colorado College has nice facilities, is in a beautiful setting, plays in a very strong conference (last three national champions), but historically is not the strongest team. The schools in the NCHC are really far away from each other, so lots of overnight travel as compared to Hockey East, for example.

Cox posted his list of top 2004s. Couple of major omissions..,

Would love to read it, but not paying a fee to read about 04’s. Stupid!!

In retrospect, those two trips to Florida and Buffalo were ill-conceived. I guess they thought their team was better than it is. I for one would be pretty disappointed traveling for two weekends to go 0-6 and be outscored 34-7. They could have gotten better games back home, plenty of teams around here playing at their level.

Thank you Seacoast team manager who hails from Buffalo. He's trying to belittle Rats for Seacoast's benefit.

Rats will end all talk after this weekend!

End all talk due to a supreme performance? Or due to a head-scratching loss that takes them out of larger conversation?

Not the first time I will be wrong about 14 y/o kids. Congrats to 04 Buffalo Jr. Sabres. They are a really good team. Clearly I didn't see these games but I do think NVRR can play better

Looks like sea coast is not even in the conversation once out of our area. Jr Sabres crushing it again. Look no further

Rats take control for Nationals with a dominate win vs. Kings.

Kings dominated

Rats at least put themselves a bit in the conversation with a 4 goal win over SSK, which was preceded by a 4 goal loss to SSK, and succeeded by a 2 goal loss to Cyclones, so not many certainties. I think SSK is more talented, but they give up a lot of goals. Rats is a new team so has more room for improvement over the course of the season. Still a long time before the Mass team for U14 Nationals will be decided in March 2019, and Wizards or BA might put themselves in the picture. Mass feels a bit like JV compared to the 04 teams nationally.

12 out of the top 14 2004 teams nationally were in action this past weekend at the Motown and Notre Dame tournaments. Lots of close games, and really not that much separation among the top teams.

MFR did well at ND, going 4-1. MRF seems to be doing better than the beginning of the season, but is not quite where it has been traditionally. Pittsburgh Penns Elite is going to be a tough out at Nationals. They have an academy similar to Seacoast and are improving based on how they are doing against top teams.

Seacoast was at Motown and struggled against both good and average competition. I'm still cautiously optimistic about Seacoast as a new team with the extra training they are getting and likely resulting improvement over the course of the season. Travel is a factor that is not often considered in how teams do at away tournaments.

Somebody keeps pumping the Buffalo Jr. Sabres on the DBoard. They are clearly a talented team, and have 2 DI commits (D - Colorado College; F - Penn State). They also played at Motown, but are still not ready to beat the top teams, losing 4-2 to Compuware, who beat LC 2-1 in OT in the Motown semis and lost 5-7 to Honeybaked in the finals. Those 3 Detroit teams will beat and lose to each other a bunch this year, as they already have. Interestingly, although Honeybaked won this tournament, they might be the third best team in MI behind Compuware and LC.

One team that has quietly worked its way into the Nationals conversation is the Syracuse Nationals (ironically). I look for them to move up in the rankings to become a legit at large contender. They are clearly the second best team in NY and might even potentially challenge the Buffalo Jr. Sabres. Syracuse tied and lost to MFR, and just lost in OT and won in OT against Southern Tier Admirals, the no. 2 ranked Canadian team. It's all about the match ups, but just for comparison's sake, Southern Tier Admirals beat Buffalo Jr. Sabres in a shootout, so they are all in the neighborhood of each other. This also points out just how close the top teams are, and how good the US 04 teams are, with the 15th ranked US team basically playing 2 games even with the no. 2 Canadian team.

Just for clarity, the sabres gave up empty net goals in very close games that could have gone either way against both LC and Compuware, losing both of those games by essentially 1 goal. I don't think you can rightfully say they are not ready to beat the top teams, that is really just an ill informed opinion which you are entitled to, but holds no credibility. The sabres hit three posts against LC and that made a difference in the outcome. LC was outplayed but got the win that day with some puck luck, that's hockey. Sabres have proven themselves for years and they will see those teams again.