http://www.thehockeynews.com/news/article/the-incredible-story-of-team-usas-randy-hernandez

Exactly.

And there are a grand total of 0 MA kids on that squad too. Considering how many players and the volume of "Elite and AAA" programs, not to mention the so called skill development hucksters in New England, it's downright embarrassing..

We sure know how to develop them around here don't we..or better yet, collect $$$..

You will see a lot of the top players coming out of Florida as we move forward over the next few years.

BINGO.

But according to a lot of Dads on the glass and coaches they're friends with, - their kids are future superstars and far better than "THAT" kid.

Why would you waste your time with the NTDP and make your kid leave home for Ann Arbour when you can play in the mighty EHF locally ??

It's Al Arbour or Ann Arbor, and they're in Plymouth MI now. Try to keep up.

Anyone that follows the sport closer than you apparently do knows that the 99 birth year was bereft of local talent. A bit inexplicably, I might add.

The media loves a "story." Surprised they didn't tell us he floated over from Cuba on a Boogie Board.

The media loves a story? The Media? It was a story in the Hockey News not an Op piece in the Washington Post

So, what, do you think the people that write for The Hockey News are all retired NHL players? They're journalists, idiot.

It was a harmless article in a Mickey Mouse publication. You used the term " the media loves a story" as if this piece was written with bias to sway a segment of people. Your not an idiot...you are just not funny...that's what you were goin for and you swung and missed.

no but he has point insofar this is a feel good story. But it remains an exception. Most kids that go on play D1, play town then club, then prep, or they are from MI then they need neither of the aforementioned. i agree with the whole EHF nonsense thing though.

"Most kids that go on play D1, play town then club, then prep..."

What's with the prep crap? Most kids that go on play D1, play town, then club, then high school (regardless of the type) or full season, then Juniors. Outside of a few kids doing a PG year and then to Juniors there are very few kids that go from prep to D-I.

I think it's pretty safe to day that the majority of kids that played D1 in to last 10+ years played prep, and not just a PG year. I'm sure we can think some that didn't, but the poster said "most." I think that's a pretty safe statement.

It IS changing, the full-season-straight-to-Juniors route is becoming more attractive, but that's happening at the expense of the publics.

But "very few kids that go from prep to D-I?" Nope. Can't wrap my head around that statement. Not in this part of the country

Using only Hockey East as the example here .

Hockey East approx. 300 players . Only 17 direct from Prep to D1 .....
17 out of about 300 ....... the other 283 98 percent from Juniors a few from Europe ......

17 out of 300

Spot on - 'Prep is now just high school hockey to get the kid ready for Juniors.'

The prep appeal is only if your kid is in a bad hockey / academic school district; or if the kid is in a good hockey / academic high school and needs a PG year to get his grades and test scores up to get serious looks from D-3 schools; and maybe, just maybe get looks from Junior teams to keep the D-1 dream alive.

The idea that prep hockey is this superior place to play and D-1 coaches are there to pluck kids out of prep schools to land on their teams just doesn't happen much anymore. The coaches want to see the kids play against top talent and kid's their own age in Junior hockey and not against some 15 year old freshmen.

Didn't say that wasn't the case. But, they still played Prep before they went to Juniors - even if it was when they were 15 year old freshmen.

so they still played prep though?

and please. prep is just high school hockey. how many public schools are winning the super 8 tournament these days? Don't say Hingham please because this already a couple year back and does not happen more than once every 10 years. or not at all anymore as much as i can tell.

prep is just high school hockey, keep telling yourself that...

You don't know what you're talking about so please stop.

Prep is indeed just high school hockey. Instead of having two good lines like a public or a C.C. they have three and sometimes four. Is the top-end any different? Not really, just look at the numbers. Or better yet, go and look at top-end midget tournaments - the only way you can spot public, catholic or prep players is their helmets. It's not like the prep kids dominate, there are just more of them. Yeah, look at a team like Hingham. Those kids that want to go onto play are sprinkled about in Junior hockey from the USHL to Canada. But for many of them it makes no sense because they certainly understand the economics of junior and college hockey. Like a kid is going to delay for two years going to the school of their choice to gamble on a maybe going to a good school.

you seriously don't make any sense. so you say there are more quality players in private than in public. greater concentration equals greater depth equals better hockey. I agree the prep like everything in NE hockey is diluted, but your argument makes zero sense.

coaches are recruiting individual kids, not third or 4th lines.

Every time the prep vs. public discussion starts, the prep haters come out of the woodwork. Then you turn the lights on, and they go scurrying away.

Guess what, Sluggo, my kid is a current Keller Div. player. I think that means I DO in fact know a little bit about the current landscape.

The better of his teammates - his current teammates - have D1 commitments. How many on your kid's public HS team do? How many have left to go play prep for two years?

Others, like my kid, have interest being shown but haven't decided. We personally don't see any advantage to doing a verbal, as he's still growing and his play is still improving.

Yes, some will probably have to play Juniors after they graduate - my kid, too - and I have a feeling some prep players will start to leave school and go to the USHL. Leaving the NTDP out of the equation for simplicity, some kids from my kid's birth year are going already, but from the publics and Full Season teams. Not yet from top preps. But, just because it hasn't happened yet doesn't mean it isn't going to start.

Midget tournaments? Have you looked at the rosters? almost all of the best kids on the best half season/tournament teams are current prep players. Yale, Cape Cod Whalers, River Rats, all Prep players.

I was able to find the Whalers U16 and U18 line charts on MHR. 39 players. 37 Prep. 2 from CC. That leaves zero public players.

Do you still want to have this debate?

Oh, I get it Sluggo....I get it. O.K. your kid play prep hockey then I see where you are coming from.

Without beating my chest too much (Wow! a current Keller Div. player!) my older boy had a pretty good high school, junior and current college career so I have no ax to grind or tuition payment to justify. He also played on a couple of the teams you mentioned so yeah I know a bit about it. I also know who coaches the teams and where they tend to find players, relax. You come on here acting like prep hockey is what it was years ago and it's the only place to play and it's clearly not. Kids do not go from prep to D-I college like you claimed; THEY ALMOST ALL GO TO JUNIORS. How do you get to juniors? It doesn't matter and you can get there through publics, catholics, preps and now through the junior teams own programs. Come to grips with it. I know you are spending a boat-load to get your kid a high school education and a couple years of juniors isn't cheap but good luck to you.

Granted Im not there just yet with my boys, if I can get a FA package at a prep and not have to pay tution for hockey how is Prep not the best option? Solid education/life experience and good hockey seems to make sense.

Agree 100% Plus it can get the little bugger out of the house sooner!

Seems like 100% FA package is a rare thing at most schools though - yes?
If so, the real question is, if you have to pay 40-60% tuition (with partial FA package), is it STILL worth making the jump.

I don't think you can put a price on a great education for your kid .

Man you're living in the past. In the past 6 years it's pretty safe to say that the majority of kids that played D1 played Junior hockey either in the USHL, USPHL or a few in the NAHL. Prep is now just high school hockey to get the kid ready for Juniors.

Wasn't trying too be funny at all. Not sure why you would think you can speak for me.

What I was going for was that the "Mickey Mouse" reporter decided to do a story based on the kid having a non-traditional hockey background. Think he does the same story on a kid from Coral Gables?

Doesn't look like D Boarders know much about journalism. THN is hardly a "Mickey Mouse" publication.

M I C....see you real soon!...K E Y........M O U S E.......Mickey Mouse

More important in that article and something that USA Hockey has pushed with this kid is the fact that he never played on a full season "Elite" team prior to this.

The key to having a future "star" kid - is the type of aftermarket rims Daddy sticks on his Escalade. Spinning Gold ones guarantee Division 1.

Funny story. First they point out "Randy Hernandez isn't the son of a famous NHLer" to try to show there was no nepotism which USA Hockey has long suffered and then the go to great lengths to point out he's a Florida kid (untapped market), a hispanic kid (untapped race), who had little access to playing on good teams (USA Hockey love$ town hockey growth).

So basically the story states "see it wasn't the troubling nepotism of loading-up with legacy kids that has plagued USA Hockey (and most of hockey in general) in the past rather it was a self serving political pick which we need more of for the sport of hockey to grow (read: membership due$) the sport in the U.S."

Good luck to the kid and good luck to USA Hockey's PR efforts.

Spot on!