They do have a good re****tion, I get that. But I see kids on their teams from different birth years who aren't that great. Their teams seem to have some top players who really stand out, do most of the work and the rest are meh. Then the parents of the meh kids like to puff their chests out and think they're so great because their kid plays for that team when they don't do much of anything in the games. I do wonder if these meh kids will just continue to play on those teams because their parents have relationships with the coaches. I think it gets harder to cut the meh kids when relationships develop.

Whatever!

My kid is with the BJE. Like any other org, it's just a few kids that carry the team. The bottom half of the roster can be changed out or even improved upon, but it's not really a priority unless the team is below 500.

Totally disagree re: depth chart though. The f/f kids may linger on the team longer than they should, but I haven't seen any favoritism on PP/PK. The best kids are out there in the final minute, and 4/5 are not f/f.

Yeah that's what I've been noticing on pretty much any team - there are a handful of impressive kids who seem to be the key players and then a bunch below who really don't stand out at all or do much.

Seems like some parents care more about wins, re****tion and where kids who played there go to college than they do about their own kid developing. I'm not saying none of that matters at all but just because someone else's kid got a D1 scholarship because they played for a certain team doesn't mean yours will.

16 y/o Jr. Eagle on my kid's varsity prep team. 4th liner, average (to below average) speed, size, shot, IQ. Absolutely nothing about his game even sniffs elite. Yet he has an insufferable opinion of himself, and believes he should be a first liner & tells every teammate as much. To be honest the kid wouldn't be a first liner on a D3 MIAA Varsity team, let alone a NEPSAC Varsity team. But when you're a Jr.Eagle I guess you're told ad nauseam you are elite. Tell someone a lie enough times and eventually they'll believe it.

Not surprised.

You are an idiot. Very few 14 year old kids have the size and strength to compete against kids that are 17 and 18 years old. These 17 and 18 year olds did not start playing hockey yesterday. They have all been skating there whole lives. Very few 14 year olds have the speed to out skate a 17 or 18 year old and if they can outskate them they only have 200 feet and 85 feet to do it.

I am not saying they are not more skilled players. Only a dummy would say that.

They couldn't play as a team in the miaa either they would get crushed.

Any bozo who thinks it is a walk in the park with benders playing MIAA has no idea what they are looking at and should sit this one out. Nobody is saying it is filled with kids going D1 or tier1 tier 2 jr's. But is is very fast, very physical hockey with an obvious drop off of talent from the top 10 or so teams. After that each team has a signficant drop off in skill but these kids can all skate.

If you think playing full season is better than playing against bigger and stronger kids then you know your kids isn't ready for the physicality. There is a crap ton of development that happens playing that level of physical hockey that can't be replicated at u14 against kids that might at most weigh 140 lbs.

But I do agree....calling the Eagles a joke is absurd. Your both losers.

I think you are an idiot too. There is no way that a team outside the top 10 in MIAA would "crush" a top u14 team ranked that high nationally. Its an interesting debate but I just don't see it. Would love to see a game though.

Then I'll guess you haven't watched much hockey beyond U14. That 17 yo kid that's too slow for prep will still be fast enough to match up to most 14yo players because they are simply stronger. That puck battle, when you are 50 pounds heavier than the kid you are putting into the boards, isn't as much of a battle. I could go on and on. If age, maturity, size doesn't matter than why are 90% of college freshman hockey players drinking age when they step on campus?

It's not a knock against this team, it's just reality of development. You are right though, it's at least an interesting discussion.

stop it with the miaa comparison

some of these people clearly have not watched enough or any highschool games to think that this group of kids could compete with a decent highschool team

likewise, I'm sure s lot of these same people have never watched a D3 college or college club game to realize how good that level of hockey is as well

enjoy it for what it is and while it lasts because the majority of all of these kids will not play at any level of college

Spoken like a true HS coach

My kids U14 team blew up because everyone committed to full season but then started going to captain practice and all but 7 kids left to play high school. Last minute we decided to just let him try out at his team as his other option was combine with kids on the select team. He attends a pretty good D1 school so we didn’t expect much. He made the team and skated today at practice with the second line most likely. My kid was always average on a mid pack elite team.

It’s a joke but figure let him have his fun this year as the team blew up.

The Eagles are a first class organization. This is from someone who comes from another competitive organization and respects how they do business. No organization is perfect or meet's everyone's needs. But their philosophy, strength of ownership down to the coaches and their on ice performance demonstrates they are a great organization to play for. It may not be right for your child or where he is in their development but to call them a joke is totally not true.

they're not a joke. But they're also not the only good hockey program in MA.