2018 whl bantam draft

Maddox

Registered User
May 24, 2017
112
18
Edmonton
Starting to wonder if WEHP scouts are really scouting these games. Have the latest newsletter, and there's an 04 player listed in the 60s who's a top 10, maybe top 5 talent in the age group. Also isn't playing for an obscure program.

WEHP guy rarely goes to games. Relies on paid "scouts" to go to games. But mostly back to the copy and paste, just going by trends more than actual player recognition. This is my opinion, but it is shared by many.
 

WestCoastHockeyDad

Registered User
Apr 3, 2018
8
4
WEHP- bad
All of these services rely on the so called "scouts" to feed them information. Seafair just won the Westerns and WEHP didn't have any of their players higher than #90 for both 2003's and 2004's but had 4 players in top 10 in points. Yes points aren't everything but a team that goes 4-1 at Westerns and 5-0 in BC provincials should be getting more respect for it's players.
 

Maddox

Registered User
May 24, 2017
112
18
Edmonton
All of these services rely on the so called "scouts" to feed them information. Seafair just won the Westerns and WEHP didn't have any of their players higher than #90 for both 2003's and 2004's but had 4 players in top 10 in points. Yes points aren't everything but a team that goes 4-1 at Westerns and 5-0 in BC provincials should be getting more respect for it's players.
Totally agree. Seafair was a perfect example of the WEHP flaws.
 

Capitals03

Registered User
Nov 29, 2011
143
28
USA Tier 1 U14 Nationals ( I wish Canada did this (every year where they would take the top Bantam teams and play each other.

If you have hockeytv it gives you a goos idea where the Youth Hockey is at U 14

Buffalo Sabers
Compuware ( 80% of this team was Belle Tire last year)
Pitts Penguins
LA Kings

Pitts beat the Kings 6-1 in the Fall of 2017


These teams are very well coached.
 

Jeff V

Registered User
Nov 8, 2017
20
2
Kings beat Sabres in OT and lost to Shattuck 4-0. Shattuck has 4 So Cal boys who played for that Kings team.
 

Jeff V

Registered User
Nov 8, 2017
20
2
Anyone attending the Prospect camp in Anaheim this weekend? I'm surprised that for all these mock drafts there's no love for US born players. I wonder if that will change after this weekend?
 

Capitals03

Registered User
Nov 29, 2011
143
28
Nope, Most of the USA players will go to USA Development,USHL or NAHL. and keep the school option open, No reason to sign and close the door.
Very few will be drafted ( on average 10-17 and most from Minn ) and the ones that do are usually from the WHL USA Teams.
The USA players have many more options then the Canadian players with all the colleges and they have an extra year to be looked at by the USA programs. Since no one can even play a game till next year anyways. I could see alot more players going to the BCHL Camp in late May in Southern California. This is a decent year for the WHL draft, Plus when the teams want to bring up players in the games , they want them close by. Which is why they tend to draft local, if possible.
 

lfunk

Registered User
Apr 9, 2018
75
23
While WEHP is a ranking site, it is also probably the best place to get bantam news in western Canada. That's why I visit the site.
There are too many bantam leagues and levels to get an accurate ranking system. It is still fun to speculate though.
 

Jeff V

Registered User
Nov 8, 2017
20
2
Anyone posting comments from the Anaheim weekend? Inquiring minds want to know.
 

Capitals03

Registered User
Nov 29, 2011
143
28
Well I guess no news, is not good news for the WHL Camp. I heard nothing from any of the Website scouts on this at all. I do believe the WHL had scouts at this event. Its too bad the USA Pacific Development camp is the same weekend as the World Select Tournament. A few blew off the USA camp for the WSI Tournament. The Kings have their tryouts next week, and will see if they all stay for u15 or all jump to U16. I hope the WCAN team (Alberta) get to play the Pacific Selects( (Mostly BC ) a few from MB and 1 WA)
I have not looked to see if the Strong teams from Chicago, Minn or Mich are attending. But for the East Coast yes they will be at this event.

As for the WHL drafting kids from the Pacific maybe 6 or 7. This does not include Minn,Ill,Mich or Ohio.

Possible a few 03 Kings but as for the others they were not seen enough. Rocky Mtn and St Albert are where teams find the players and CSSHl and U16 is where they put them in a draft position.

There will be a I believe 20-24 USA players selected average is alittle more then 10%

in 2015 30 USA Players selected
in 2016 25 USA Players selected
in 2017 29 USA Players selected
 

Jeff V

Registered User
Nov 8, 2017
20
2
So, is this a function of quality or the perceived commitment of USA players?
 

Capitals03

Registered User
Nov 29, 2011
143
28
The quality is not the problem at all.
Its 2 things really.
1 is commitment - Most USA Players would prefer NAHL,USHL then college. Plus it extends the career.

2. Many WHL teams would prefer to have players local or at least close. So they can watch them and bring them in to practices when needed, They cant fly a player up for a few practices from Phx, to see and watch games or practice. They have scouts to watch players in MML or CSSHL in Canada all over to make it easier to give reports.

Unless the player is worth the wait and he will commit to the WHL it makes it hard to take a USA Player to get Drafted. Its not they they are not good enough. They are alot of very talented players playing in the Western USA, and not just the LA Jr Kings. Sharks, Ducks, The Phx teams all have some very good players. Even Washington has a few.

* Watch the top 10 draft and see how many are from the local areas. if a top 5 player is in Edmonton, The Edmonton team will take the kid from Edmonton since he is home.
 

Maddox

Registered User
May 24, 2017
112
18
Edmonton
24 hours til the draft
Lets hear some predictions guys...

First overall? Stringer?Lambos? Tschiggy?
Where does Guenther go?
Lajoie before Smith for D?
Sillinger over Ostapchuk?
Goalies?

These are just examples of things to predict.
 

Slats432

Registered User
Jun 2, 2002
14,745
2,759
hockeypedia.com
24 hours til the draft
Lets hear some predictions guys...

First overall? Stringer?Lambos? Tschiggy?
Where does Guenther go?
Lajoie before Smith for D?
Sillinger over Ostapchuk?
Goalies?

These are just examples of things to predict.
Everything I have heard Lambos is a likely bet. Good top end prospects though.
 

lfunk

Registered User
Apr 9, 2018
75
23
Draftgeeks says 15 CSSHL players in the first round (top 22)

I say no more than 12 if the scouts did their homework on regional rep teams. Lots of good talent out there from families without the $$$ nor the (____) to send their child away at 14 or under.
 

Slats432

Registered User
Jun 2, 2002
14,745
2,759
hockeypedia.com
Draftgeeks says 15 CSSHL players in the first round (top 22)

I say no more than 12 if the scouts did their homework on regional rep teams. Lots of good talent out there from families without the $$$ nor the (____) to send their child away at 14 or under.
I have spent 4 of the last 5 weekends at AJHL camps. There was nothing in any of those camps that told me that CSSHL is any better than AMHL/club hockey. (Although one NAX goalie at Wolverines camp was lights out. ;) )
 

lfunk

Registered User
Apr 9, 2018
75
23
And this year WHL scouts were in full force at a rink in MB for a regular season game between 2 worst teams in B1 AAA. Why? Hidden gems. I think we will be surprised tomorrow if we rely on rankings.
 

Maddox

Registered User
May 24, 2017
112
18
Edmonton
As a father of a kid in the CSSHL, for one season so far, I would agree that just the league itself does not set these players aside from the other clubs. We loved the program, loved the discipline our boy developed with the demanding daily schedule, loved the development, as well as the team dynamics. Education in our program was not any different or of a higher level than his previous school, although I hear there are some academies with a higher level of education. The program allowed our boy to excel, which he very may well have excelled just as much in his local club. I gotta say, the no evening hockey was a huge bonus! But the fact is, talent and skill is talent and skill, whether you are playing in a tumbleweed rolling town, or in the AMBHL, or the CSSHL. Its easy to reflect on this when you evaluate how many scouts are travelling all over the province (Country) to watch these kids. I can remember the season before last, my boy played for an Edmonton AMBHL club and an out of town team was visiting, a team where the scouts had the opportunity to watch them in Edm as it cut a couple hours of travel for them. This was one of the top teams in the league, there were easily 100 scouts at this game. They knew where the talent and skill were. As for CSSHL being a rich mans league, yes its costly but its not all the well to do making the commitment. Parents will do what it takes for their children, not just in hockey, in life. Many of us not so rich parents in the CSSHL made it work whichever way possible, to give the kids what they and the families felt was the best opportunity for development etc at the time. Am I a die hard CSSHL believer? Not really the case, but like I said above, my boy developed and grew in more ways I could have ever imagined in this league this year. Will we go back? Possibly, but it all depends on the opportunities he has with their midget program. If there isn't a spot for him on the midget prep team, he may tryout for midget AAA in the city.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 04goaliedad

lfunk

Registered User
Apr 9, 2018
75
23
As a father of a kid in the CSSHL, for one season so far...

Thanks for taking the time to write this. I do agree that the CSSHL serves a purpose for some kids. Another year in B1 AAA for TZ (2004) from MB will be detrimental to his development. He needs a higher level of play as he is among the top 40 for 2003 players. His parents will know what's best for him just as we can trust the scouts to find the best talent and skill. Should be fun to watch today.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 04goaliedad

Slats432

Registered User
Jun 2, 2002
14,745
2,759
hockeypedia.com
As a father of a kid in the CSSHL, for one season so far, I would agree that just the league itself does not set these players aside from the other clubs. We loved the program, loved the discipline our boy developed with the demanding daily schedule, loved the development, as well as the team dynamics. Education in our program was not any different or of a higher level than his previous school, although I hear there are some academies with a higher level of education. The program allowed our boy to excel, which he very may well have excelled just as much in his local club. I gotta say, the no evening hockey was a huge bonus! But the fact is, talent and skill is talent and skill, whether you are playing in a tumbleweed rolling town, or in the AMBHL, or the CSSHL. Its easy to reflect on this when you evaluate how many scouts are travelling all over the province (Country) to watch these kids. I can remember the season before last, my boy played for an Edmonton AMBHL club and an out of town team was visiting, a team where the scouts had the opportunity to watch them in Edm as it cut a couple hours of travel for them. This was one of the top teams in the league, there were easily 100 scouts at this game. They knew where the talent and skill were. As for CSSHL being a rich mans league, yes its costly but its not all the well to do making the commitment. Parents will do what it takes for their children, not just in hockey, in life. Many of us not so rich parents in the CSSHL made it work whichever way possible, to give the kids what they and the families felt was the best opportunity for development etc at the time. Am I a die hard CSSHL believer? Not really the case, but like I said above, my boy developed and grew in more ways I could have ever imagined in this league this year. Will we go back? Possibly, but it all depends on the opportunities he has with their midget program. If there isn't a spot for him on the midget prep team, he may tryout for midget AAA in the city.
Great post. And I am on the opposite end. Our boy got cut from Peewee AA in Edmonton. There was politics involved to some degree, but we decided to tell him to get motivated by it. After one two years in the gym, he goes to club level, then MMAAA then MAAA and listed in the WHL. Our costs with training and fees (Not including the equipment which is same for both) is around $8000 per year.(That is base because if you travel extra or go to provincials you are out of pocket.)

I know of higher end players that get reduced rates to play in CSSHL. That means their fees are covered by those that are mid/lower level CSSHL players. Have we considered CSSHL, sure. But our opportunity came at the club level, and we are going to stay with the club. At MAAA in Edmonton, they have games at the same rink every Saturday and Sunday so the bunch of scouts are there every single game.

Club hockey has an issue in Bantam with top players migrating to the CSSHL, because you have to make a team on merit and money isn't the issue. I know of families near the start of the season get offered discounted spots just so they can get filled by the CSSHL teams. There are problems with both sides. Families just have to find the fits for themselves and hope their kids develop to the best of their abilities.
 

Ad

Upcoming events

Ad

Ad

-->