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Anon

Oct 26, 2017 - 11:36AM

Re: Teams leaving FED

Anon

Goaliekid

Been in the hockey scene for a short time. But, I always wondered about FED and why no other teams have an opportunity to get into elite? To ensure consistent competitive balance I would think any league would want a Parity to decide. If a team can skate into a certain division then they belong.

I think it would be best for the kids to play other teams of like talent. Whether it be in E9/BHL/Fed Elite/T1 or any other color.

At the end of the day, it is about development. Plenty of slow starters who can now out skate the kiddo's that jumped out fast early. It is a proven fact that kids develop at all different ages.

Too much risk. Say for example you are in a bottom Fed Elite program. If you're a decent player you want to stay because you play against the best competition. If you're marginal, you stay because you hope that a few better players can get your team over the hump. If you're terrible, you're likely the coaches kid or have an affiliation with the coach so you're not going anywhere.

If you're a top E9 player, you're likely to get an offer from a top Fed team and you jump because of the competition and reputation of that league.

Why would a parent take a chance at leaving the Fed with the hope that their E9 team may be able to play-in to a spot only to have the same result - a team in the bottom 3? Why wouldn't the top E9 player jump to a "higher" league?

This may make sense at older ages but I wouldn't hang my hopes on how a 8-11 year old hockey team will do the next season to determine where my kid plays. This all makes sense on the Dboard but when you have parents trying to make decisions on where to send Jr for hockey, rational thought goes out the window.

As far as the other leagues around the country that NE can't compete with; look at Team Illinois. I'm an E9 parent that was out in Detroit for the tournament. We watched Team Illinois play the Islander's at the 06 level. Illinois is the good team. I stayed and spoke with one of the directors of their program. They run video sessions, have shot trackers, and make system adjustments for their games. A parent of a new player on the Illinois team said this was their first year and that the amount of time they spend on and off the ice was significant.

I can say that my son and I watched that game. He said that it was a much faster game than he plays and I noticed the same. Both teams looked very skilled but the Illinois team could control the puck much better.

The point is, for the most part, kids are where they belong. My kid belongs in the E9 and is developing. The top kids are on strong EHF teams and are competing. If you're interested in video review, shot tracking and systems - by all means, go move out to the Midwest and spend 6 days out of 7 in the rink when your kid is 11 - I know that's not for my family.

A big factor you leave out is where can a parent drive to on a weeknight? A top player may stay on a e-9 or tier 1 team because it is the only rink the parents can get the kid to on a weeknight after work. You act like player movement has no boundries.

ANON

Oct 26, 2017 - 11:55AM

Re: Teams leaving FED

Now that is a new one... my son plays AAA because the rink is closer... are there really AAA teams that play at rinks where it is a big Dif to get to elite team?..... okay if the only team you can make is Top Gun or Bandits and you live in Boston or western mass I get it... in that case you are more a AAA player anyway and are in the right place... if a kid lives in mass and is a solid EHF Elite player there is a program you can get to.

Anon

Oct 26, 2017 - 12:11PM

Re: Teams leaving FED

ANON

Happens a lot - people won't take on unreasonable traffic or won't drive 30 minutes in the wrong direction if they have other kids they have to cart to other activities. Sometimes, logistics have to take precedence.

And, it won't matter in the end. Cream still rises.

Anon

Oct 27, 2017 - 8:03AM

Re: Teams leaving FED

ANON

No, but you do see kids play in the E9/BHL for elite teams that could make the elite teams at several EHF programs however the driving distance kills it.

For example, if you live in an area that has a notoriously weak EHF program but has a decent program, that played in the E9 or even BHL then it is a no brainier for most. The crazies that still think they have to play in the FED to be considered good wont grasp this concept.

Wolverine

Oct 26, 2017 - 11:56AM

Re: Teams leaving FED

You act like player movement has no boundries. [/quote]

Another big problem...cottage rules would fix this situation. And USA hockey getting off their ass and eliminate the Mass district all together. Start implimanting their power as the sports governing body.. Make districts, leagues and teams falling in line w. USA Hockey norms and values or access to sectionals, regionals or nationals is at risk.

Wolverine

Oct 25, 2017 - 9:25PM

Re: Teams leaving FED

E9 is not there yet.. will take a few years but the league has potential to overtake Eastern Hockey Federation as the top development league in New England. E9's gem is their Boston Hockey League and there 3 bids in each E9 division. These parody spots will enable new Boston Hockey League teams to recruit players that they would not be able to ger access to going forward in the Fed's "old boy club"... they set the rules and now the teams have options. For me I dont care.. both leagues are making big mistakes. The money is there but the talent and coaching is not.

Sad but true

Anon

Oct 26, 2017 - 6:31AM

Re: Teams leaving FED

Vipers are trying to make amends also and get back to the " league". It was wrong what happened to them last year. Everybody knows they are moving leagues

Anon

Oct 26, 2017 - 7:36AM

Re: Teams leaving FED

Fed Elite teams hold a monopoly over the rest of the Fed teams who have an "elite team" stuck in Tier 1. If I were one of these T1 clubs why would I accept the status quo? Im basically relegated as a feeder program to the "elite tier" programs in perpetuity. EHF rewards lazy programs like Top Gun, Capitals, and Bandits who do little to develop and cannot compete with the MMFs and IHCsin most birth years. The lower Elite teams simply rely on T1 players moving up to Elite from within but mostly from other programs that cannot get to elite tier. If I were the Vipers, Shamrocks, etc, why stay in a patently unfair league. At least in the E9/BHL there is an opportunity to play into 1/3 of available slots in the Elite tier. Does the E9 have its issues? Yes. Wizards boys don't belong, travel footprint is too wide, etc. But the league has showed that it's willing to make adjustments to get it right. See Assabet Valley moving up to permanent status, see Jr Rangers given opportunity to regroup and compete in the BHL level. See play-in tournament. I say good for Vipers, Man' Flames, Northstars, and Shamrocks. These are good programs that would otherwise never get a shot by the EHF to compete in the elite tier. Not even a chance to qualify... think about that absurdity. As for the Wolverines, it's a new program that plays in an area where town participation is high, it has its fairly affluent areas, AND they are too good to play EMHL. E9 may be too high a jump for them but BHL is right up their alley for now. And who knows in 10 years... maybe they will have enough skaters to be an elite program. At the least with the E9/BHL what the Wolverines do on the ice will determine where they play in a given birth year, as opposed to some fat guys in a boardroom protecting their investment telling them "you can't play with us".

Anon

Oct 26, 2017 - 8:09AM

Re: Teams leaving FED

None of the teams in question, save the NorthStars, have ever been able to demonstrate the ability to field Elite programs. How many times in the last three years have they even won Tier 1 in a birth year?

The Wolverines are being run by the Michaels boys, who have shown less of ability to develop competitive teams than they did in the extremely average college playing careers. The Price program fell on their faces as an "EMHL-Type" girls program.

We need meritocracy, not entitlements. Prove you belong, THEN say you want to come up onto the big porch.

Anon

Oct 26, 2017 - 8:42AM

Re: Teams leaving FED

Anon

T1 Entitled teams? Huh? Because TG, Bandits, and Caps aren't living high off the hog. They are the poster boys for not only mediocrity, but sub standard program management. Having to prove nothing other than "we're part of the good ole boys club" for the distinct opportunity to play in the league's top division. Now that's ENTITLEMENT.

Furthermore, how do you expect T1 teams to demonstrate consistency when they lose their top players to EHF "elite" programs every year.

Go to E9/BHL, have the chance to prove you belong in the top division at any given birth year. It's really a no brainer... if you're a T1 team with your "elite team" stuck in T1 you should run, not walk to the E9/BHL.

Anon

Oct 26, 2017 - 7:42AM

Re: Teams leaving FED

Using 06 as an example, Shamrocks, Flames, and Northstars are right where they belong in Tier 1 Black.

Anon

Nov 20, 2017 - 1:22PM

Re: Teams leaving FED

Anon

Using 06 as an example, Shamrocks, Flames, and Northstars are right where they belong in Tier 1 Black.

I'd say Northstars, Shamrocks, Vipers and Manchester flames could more than compete with the bottom 4-5 06 Elite teams

Anon

Nov 20, 2017 - 2:16PM

Re: Teams leaving FED

Those teams are right where they belong, in a competitively balanced division where none of them is dominating. They've got a number of losses and ties to the Tier I teams of elite-organization teams. The last thing the 06 elite division needs is some more automatic wins for the top five or six teams - a waste of everyone's time.

Anon

Nov 21, 2017 - 7:51AM

Re: Teams leaving FED

Anon

You must have a kid on those bottom few teams that are afraid to find out your team is really the equivalent of a tier 1 team :grinning:

Anon

Nov 21, 2017 - 8:40PM

Re: Teams leaving FED

Tier 1 Fed is actually Tier 2, Get your terminology straight Fed Bozo. Enjoy your AA team.

anon

Dec 21, 2017 - 9:49AM

Re: Teams leaving FED

Teams should leave: Teams are bring in players every game play game to make the playoff. If the EHF will not enforce the roster freeze rules then move to a league that will. E9/BHL

Anon.

Dec 21, 2017 - 9:58AM

Re: Teams leaving FED

WN you must have a lot of time on your hands. You are going to be on the board too much now.

anon

Oct 26, 2017 - 8:10AM

Re: Teams leaving FED

Dicky Dunn

There has been two meetings in the past month. Crimson, Wolverines, Shamrocks, Manchester Flames and NorthStars all headed to the E9/BHL next year. All over Parity and not being able to play into an Elite division. You heard it here first.

Thank Christ.

Couple of those organizations were meant for the E9, hope they find a home where they can can turn off the scoreboard, play small area games and wait for the hittin to start.

#fedelite4lyfe

Wolverine

Oct 26, 2017 - 8:15AM

Re: Teams leaving FED

#fedBS4life

Haha

Red army USSR

Anon

Oct 26, 2017 - 8:44AM

Re: Teams leaving FED

What's a good number of games to know where the kids skill level is?12-14? Maybe have a weekend tourney with the bottom 2-3 elite vs the top 2-3 black tier 1, depending on what happens teams move up or down. Not to sure how difficult it is to change around the remaining games and parents egos might take a hit but I'd rather my son not be involved in blowouts winning or losing.

anon

Oct 26, 2017 - 9:43AM

Re: Teams leaving FED

Anon

Fed tried this a few years ago. Anyone remember this? They pulled the plug in the middle of the process. They should reconsider if they truly have the goal of supporting a league with four tiers (and collecting all of that revenue). Having a top tier that is not accessible to the teams in the other three tiers is a business risk.

The threat to their business is teams leaving for another league where they perceive their opportunity to play in the top division is better (or even possible). The E9/BHL provides this opportunity, which has to be a huge selling point for these unaffiliated organizations. After everyone leaves and the Fed Tier 1 divisions are made up solely of second tier charter member teams, it'll be too late.

If their goal is exclusivity at the elite level, then they should be prepared to lose market share over time as teams flee for the BHL.

anon

Oct 26, 2017 - 9:53AM

Re: Teams leaving FED

anon

Anon

Nobody flees to the BHL, they flee from it.

If they do, it's like a horse running into a burning barn, they don't know any better.

anon

Oct 26, 2017 - 10:09AM

Re: Teams leaving FED

anon

Anon

Nobody flees to the BHL, they flee from it.

If they do, it's like a horse running into a burning barn, they don't know any better.

You're talking about players, I'm talking about teams/organizations. Please keep up.

And if you are talking about EHF Elite to BHL, fine. But if you think there's a significant difference between EHF Tier 1 and BHL then you need to look harder. It's amazing how loyal people are to a league that treats them like second class citizens.

ANON

Oct 26, 2017 - 10:34AM

Re: Teams leaving FED

Every year about this time people talk about all the teams that are leaving EHF and every year they add another color coded division.... Why? Because all the teams and kids are where they should be .... also if the parents and kids want to play in the EHF Elite they go tryout for one of the teams... then when they can't make any of them they go to another team or league... some at this point complain that they can't play into the league because their kid looks good playing against weaker talent.... if you don't have a single kid that an make an EHF Elite team and you can't win the black or white Div how are you going to move up..... Oh and don't tell anyone but all the owners know this as well. they are not moving leagues so that 95% of their teams can play in the AAA div of a weaker league... sorry thems the facts

Anon

Oct 26, 2017 - 9:49PM

Re: Teams leaving FED

Northstars only one going to E9. Others are PHL candidates.

anon

Oct 27, 2017 - 8:06AM

Re: Teams leaving FED

Anon

Northstars only one going to E9. Others are PHL candidates.

sadly this is what i heard as well. Meetings have nothing to do with E9 because of entry fee's. PHL willing to take them on for no additional charges and less team fees. Suddenly there is more money in the owners pockets. If you think these owners care about some mysterious "prestige" of the EHF you are mistaken. They lose their best players to "Elite" teams anyway. This way they can keep the current product and make more money and offer "Premier" or "elite" level hockey. None of this Tier 1 multi colored crap.

Anon

Oct 27, 2017 - 11:21AM

Re: Teams leaving FED

Dicky Dunn

#fakenews. Try again.

Papa

Nov 20, 2017 - 1:02PM

Re: Teams leaving FED

Here is my 2 cents:

Fed Elite/E9 Create Division of 16 Teams
EHF Black, White BHL American Create Division of 16 Teams
EHF Silver, BHL National Create Division of 16 Teams

Make Hockey Great Again!

:-)

Nov 20, 2017 - 1:17PM

Re: Teams leaving FED

Papa

Here is my 2 cents:

Fed Elite/E9 Create Division of 16 Teams
EHF Black, White BHL American Create Division of 16 Teams
EHF Silver, BHL National Create Division of 16 Teams

Make Hockey Great Again!

Revision:

Fed Elite stays as is.

Fed Black stays as is.

BHL, EMHL and E9 all merge with the Valley.

Anon

Nov 20, 2017 - 1:19PM

Re: Teams leaving FED

:-)

Papa

Here is my 2 cents:

Fed Elite/E9 Create Division of 16 Teams
EHF Black, White BHL American Create Division of 16 Teams
EHF Silver, BHL National Create Division of 16 Teams

Make Hockey Great Again!

Revision:

Fed Elite stays as is.

Fed Black stays as is.

BHL, EMHL and E9 all merge with the Valley.

Moron, please stop.

Anon

Nov 20, 2017 - 1:20PM

Re: Teams leaving FED

:-)

Papa

Here is my 2 cents:

Fed Elite/E9 Create Division of 16 Teams
EHF Black, White BHL American Create Division of 16 Teams
EHF Silver, BHL National Create Division of 16 Teams

Make Hockey Great Again!

Revision:

Fed Elite stays as is.

Fed Black stays as is.

BHL, EMHL and E9 all merge with the Valley.

^^Everything wrong with MA youth hockey, in one post.

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