Best Youth Hockey Programs in Canada?

[JFA87-66-99]

A few years ago the hockey news future watch magazine listed the 10 best youth hockey programs in the usa. Shattuck St. Mary's, Compuware, Pittsburgh Hornets, Madison Capitals, Honeybaked, LA selects, etc. My question is what do you guys think are the 10 best in Canada. What do you guys think?

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[SPORTSMANIAC]

A couple off the top of my head: Lac St. Louis Lions (Quebec), Notre Dame Hounds (SK), Toronto Marlboros, Toronto Jr. Canadiens.

 

[Tigers1992]

A couple off the top of my head: Lac St. Louis Lions (Quebec), Notre Dame Hounds (SK), Toronto Marlboros, Toronto Jr. Canadiens.

Agree on those two for Ontario.

Two others that always produce good talent is the York Simcoe Express and the Elgin Middlesex Chiefs.

 

[Joe Hallenback]

Vancouver NW Giants,Edmonton SSAC,Saskatoon Contacts,Prince Albert Mintos,Winnipeg Thrashers

 

[Canuck71*]

Toronto Marlboros would be one of the top ones in my opinion. All the star players play there. A few others from Ontario are the Toronto Jr Canadiens, Toronto Young Nats, Ottawa Valley Titans and the teams from the London area such as the London Jr. Knights and Elgin-Middlesex Chiefs have produced a lot of star players.

 

[Garyboy]

Toronto Marlboros would be one of the top ones in my opinion. All the star players play there. A few others from Ontario are the Toronto Jr Canadiens, Toronto Young Nats, Ottawa Valley Titans and the teams from the London area such as the London Jr. Knights and Elgin-Middlesex Chiefs have produced a lot of star players.

Pretty much sums up the top programs in Ontario. I'd add the York Simcoe Express to the list as well.

 

[Lazarrr]

I know Don Mills also has a very good AAA team. But Notre Dame Hounds is probably the best.

 

[Tigers1992]

I know Don Mills also has a very good AAA team. But Notre Dame Hounds is probably the best.

Don Mills rarely has a top team. In the 93 and 92 years I think they had 3 wins combined. This year is strong, and i have heard positives about next year, but they are not on the level of any of the teams mentioned here.

 

[smitty10]

Toronto Marlboros, Toronto Jr Canadiens, Toronto Red Wings, Toronto Young Nats, London Jr Knights, Ottawa Valley Titans and Markham Waxers as mentioned before are probably all of the top Ontario teams. North York Knights have had a few strong teams as well. I'd assume there is probably a very strong team in or near Thunder Bay/ Northern Ontario, but I wouldn't know for certain.

 

[Spackler]

Out here in Vancouver there's basically two programs that consistently pump out future NHL prospects, the North Shore Winter Club and Burnaby Winter Club.

Just to name a few, Kyle Turris, Evander Kane, Gilbert Brule and Ben Maxwell all played a large part of their minor hockey there. There's also a pretty good amount of guys that move on to the WHL or NCAA out of there.

As for the BWC has graduated Paul Kariya, Glenn Anderson, Cliff Ronning, Santorelli, McArdle, Mark Dekanich, Karl Alzner, Greg Zanon, and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins.

A pretty solid list I'd say.

 

[Neely2005]

Toronto Marlboros, Toronto Jr Canadiens, Toronto Red Wings, Toronto Young Nats, London Jr Knights, Ottawa Valley Titans and Markham Waxers as mentioned before are probably all of the top Ontario teams. North York Knights have had a few strong teams as well. I'd assume there is probably a very strong team in or near Thunder Bay/ Northern Ontario, but I wouldn't know for certain.

The Waxers? Really? I've never heard them mentioned with the other organizations that you listed.

 

[leafsfuture]

The Waxers? Really? I've never heard them mentioned with the other organizations that you listed.

Agreed. The Waxers had one good year (90) when they had Stamkos, Del Zotto, and Hodgson, but thats really their only big year

 

[danishh]

nepean raiders is another one in ontario that deserves mention.

meeker, eaves, doug smith, patterson, pang, paterson, yzerman, chycrun, reckie, rowbotham, baker, dobson, mews, eastwood, ratushny, alan brown, ward, redmond, aucoin, tj moss, burke murphy, travis scott, guinn, matt lahey, prior, zion, mancari, and julien demers is a list of their nhl alumni. They've really slowed down over the past few years, but historically they're probably tops in ottawa, and without looking at some of the other eastern ontario teams in depth i'd have to think they are the top program in eastern ontario.

 

[Tigers1992]

nepean raiders is another one in ontario that deserves mention.

meeker, eaves, doug smith, patterson, pang, paterson, yzerman, chycrun, reckie, rowbotham, baker, dobson, mews, eastwood, ratushny, alan brown, ward, redmond, aucoin, tj moss, burke murphy, travis scott, guinn, matt lahey, prior, zion, mancari, and julien demers is a list of their nhl alumni. They've really slowed down over the past few years, but historically they're probably tops in ottawa, and without looking at some of the other eastern ontario teams in depth i'd have to think they are the top program in eastern ontario.

They are a AA team are they not? They do not have AAA in Ottawa until Minor Bantom, which is odd.

 

[Garyboy]

Out here in Vancouver there's basically two programs that consistently pump out future NHL prospects, the North Shore Winter Club and Burnaby Winter Club.

Just to name a few, Kyle Turris, Evander Kane, Gilbert Brule and Ben Maxwell all played a large part of their minor hockey there. There's also a pretty good amount of guys that move on to the WHL or NCAA out of there.

As for the BWC has graduated Paul Kariya, Glenn Anderson, Cliff Ronning, Santorelli, McArdle, Mark Dekanich, Karl Alzner, Greg Zanon, and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins.

A pretty solid list I'd say.

As far as the Burnaby Winter Club, I know they have a very powerfull 97 team that went toe-to-toe and lost a 1-0 nail biter at the Quebec Peewee Tourney to the Detroit Compuware team that won everything and everything last year. I remember hearing BWC had an incredible player on their team, but his name escapes me. Do you know who that might be? Thanks.

 

[Garyboy]

They are a AA team are they not? They do not have AAA in Ottawa until Minor Bantom, which is odd.

Isn't AA in Ottawa basically AAA until Minor Bantam? Weird, I know, but I remember growing up teams like Gloucester, Nepean, Ottawa Valley would be in all the big AAA tournies and do very well, all the while having the AA designation beside their name.

 

[Minister of Offence]

They are a AA team are they not? They do not have AAA in Ottawa until Minor Bantom, which is odd.

Didn't have AAA at all not too long ago.

 

[thumper73]

You can probably throw the Whitby Wildcats into the mix. Small town has produced quite a few NHL'ers per capita.

 

[Tigers1992]

Isn't AA in Ottawa basically AAA until Minor Bantam? Weird, I know, but I remember growing up teams like Gloucester, Nepean, Ottawa Valley would be in all the big AAA tournies and do very well, all the while having the AA designation beside their name.

I think three-four years ago they changed their drawing areas, and pushed it into 5 elite teams. Now added the Prep School Ontario Hockey Academy for 6. Im all for limiting AAA programs, but not sure why you cant have AAA before Minor Bantam.

As I said previously, I like the limiting of AAA teams. Kitchener and Waterloo will be doing it next year from Minor Bantom and up, eliminating the Waterloo Wolves from Minor Bantam and up, and aligning area as simply the "Kitchener Jr Rangers".

 

[Coach Parker]

As far as the Burnaby Winter Club, I know they have a very powerfull 97 team that went toe-to-toe and lost a 1-0 nail biter at the Quebec Peewee Tourney to the Detroit Compuware team that won everything and everything last year. I remember hearing BWC had an incredible player on their team, but his name escapes me. Do you know who that might be? Thanks.

Justin Szeto perhaps. Could also have been Matthew Barzal.

I coach out here and play against the peewee AAA BWC team. Szeto's little brother is on my team and Justin is probably going to go top 10 in the WHL draft.

In B.C. it is usually the Winter Clubs that run the show until Bantam.

 

[Garyboy]

Justin Szeto perhaps. Could also have been Matthew Barzal.

I coach out here and play against the peewee AAA BWC team. Szeto's little brother is on my team and Justin is probably going to go top 10 in the WHL draft.

In B.C. it is usually the Winter Clubs that run the show until Bantam.

It was Matthew Barzal, thanks. Apparently he was the best player in Quebec, so a name to keep an eye on.

 

[Garyboy]

I think three-four years ago they changed their drawing areas, and pushed it into 5 elite teams. Now added the Prep School Ontario Hockey Academy for 6. Im all for limiting AAA programs, but not sure why you cant have AAA before Minor Bantam.

As I said previously, I like the limiting of AAA teams. Kitchener and Waterloo will be doing it next year from Minor Bantom and up, eliminating the Waterloo Wolves from Minor Bantam and up, and aligning area as simply the "Kitchener Jr Rangers".

Thanks for the info.

Yeah, I agree, would be better with less AAA teams. I miss the day when the GTHL was known as the MTHL, and there were only 8 AAA teams. It's not quite the same without the Wexford Raiders around.

 

[hattub]

What about the program in Thunder bay, and Sudbury seems to produce quite a few players.

 

[outKast*]

Edmonton Knights of Colombus by FAR in all of Canada.

 

[Petey3329]

1.toronto marlboros
2.toronto jr canadian
3.york simcoe express
4.notre dame hounds
5.elgin middlesex
6.Vaughn Kings
7. Toronto Young Nats
8. Missausauga Rebels
9. Ottawa Valley Titans
10. Thunder Bay

all in ontario...just say top 10 ontario teams that i believe in (catenacci and murphy) played in top prospects game (express alumni) plus ii played there so its sick lol