Saskatchewan Minor Hockey Thread

[Hockeynoitall]

Top of the League

who is top of the pile this year ? Saskatoon ? Regina ? PS ?NE ?

Out of those four the best team will be NE. PS loses milligan to ND. Regina is not that strong in the 99 birth year. Saskatoon is an uknown as it is the first year for them. Yorkton will be Ok considering losing Kustra and Foster to ND. Weyburn will be in the mix as will Swift. PA will be strong in the north for sure. There wont be anyone really dominating the league this year. If you look at the SSMHL two years ago it was Yorkton who dominated the league and won Provincials. With the loss of Kustra and Foster now, the league should be fairly equal. Time will tell I guess.

 

[Hockeynoitall]

Top of the League??

Out of those four the best team will be NE. PS loses milligan to ND. Regina is not that strong in the 99 birth year. Saskatoon is an uknown as it is the first year for them. Yorkton will be Ok considering losing Kustra and Foster to ND. Weyburn will be in the mix as will Swift. PA will be strong in the north for sure. There wont be anyone really dominating the league this year. If you look at the SSMHL two years ago it was Yorkton who dominated the league and won Provincials. With the loss of Kustra and Foster now, the league should be fairly equal. Time will tell I guess.

Also forgot to mention Moosejaw loses Petruik to ND which will definately hurt them as he is thier best offensive player

 

[nah68]

My take on the north...
1st. P.a....Alot of talent but they don't have any extra kids joining from pewee year, and goaltending may be a issue.
2nd. Saskatoon team, they will always put together one who will compete, holt, leshyshyn, and crew will be able to hold down one of these spots.
3rd. to 11th
This is an obvious crap shoot, NE should be there but question is they only have 3 returnies with tufs, bzdel, and arps. And Tisdales and Melforts pewee year was terrible.
NB and WC in tough also, hardly any returnies but draw areas are big and there could be a few suprises. With sv they have returnies in wheeler, adrian, thorpes, and gryzbowski unless he heads to ND. They were bad a pewee level but are joining 2 teams and a large draw area. Rest of Saskatoon teams will be mixed in, lack of goalies will be a issue, but they have deep enough talent to make up for that...It'll be a interesting year.

 

[PokeCheck101]

Now that Saskatoon has decided to join the league, which is going to be best for both parties I must say. Lets now drop the topic and move on to other area of interest.

Couldn't agree more.

 

[hockeyviewer]

I think the Saskatoon teams will be stronger than a lot of people do. They will have over 35 player who have played a year of GSHL bantam hockey. Even though it didn't compete really well with the Sbaahl teams they still had better teams than other tier 2 teams around the province. The other teams in the north only have 3-4 returning AA players and Saskatoon will average 7. I think Humboldt PA and WC will struggle with NE being a question mark. I think all the returnees will be top line guys it just depends on how the rookies respond to tougher competition. Team defence will be a problem with most of the teams with only Gardener having a great first year in the north. Second year goalies Gryzbowski tuescherrer and Arps are going to have to steal games for their teams. Of course there will be a couple of unknowns show up during the year that could change a teams makeup drastically. It should make for a very interesting year in the north.

 

[nah68]

With NE, sv, wc, and nb.....they cut kids that probably would have played in the gshl. Don't be surprised to see these teams compete very well. It's a different league with no friends going into the corner with you...also fair play is out the window, ask around you'll see.

 

[lefthook]

Saskatoon will do better than what people think , there will be one coach that will try and load up one of the teams for sure ( depends on the way they draft the kids ? ) PA will again start off strong and fall off half way , NE will come out around the top again , WC will be good but SV will be better. Could be a fun year

 

[SaskRinkRat]

Saskatoon will do better than what people think , there will be one coach that will try and load up one of the teams for sure ( depends on the way they draft the kids ? ) PA will again start off strong and fall off half way , NE will come out around the top again , WC will be good but SV will be better. Could be a fun year

How do you expect a coach to load up one of the teams in Saskatoon?

 

[dickiedunnwrotethis]

How do you expect a coach to load up one of the teams in Saskatoon?

Yep. Rules have been implemented that have pretty much put an end to the back room deals that used to occur from time to time. The parity we've witnessed over the last few years is a testament to that. And given the structure of the evaluation process, it's extremely unlikely that a coach can draft a "loaded" team.

Just my 2 cents, but look where the two top goaltenders - Morin and Henry - are drafted and you'll probably find Saskatoon's two top teams. Whichever teams gets Prefontaine will also likely have a say in the matter.

 

[PokeCheck101]

Saskatoon should fair well w the amount of potential 2nd years.... 5 teams equals 75 skaters so with that in mind roughly 2/3rds will be second years. That definitely is a good thing especially w the grind of the league schedule.

I do like P.A. In the north and contrary to other posters I don't see them fading off. SV will compete this year for top 3-4 in north. NE unfortunately does not have good pickings from pw AA programs out of Tisdale and Melfort draw areas. WC will lack star power and will be inexperienced due to only two returning skaters I believe. They do have a few first years with legit shots at making the team including pw league leading scorer. Humboldt will struggle (anyone see it differently). This will be an interesting year and I think Saskatoon will be okay. Any early predictions on who we should be looking out for folks from across the north country?

 

[nah68]

Yep. Rules have been implemented that have pretty much put an end to the back room deals that used to occur from time to time. The parity we've witnessed over the last few years is a testament to that. And given the structure of the evaluation process, it's extremely unlikely that a coach can draft a "loaded" team.

Just my 2 cents, but look where the two top goaltenders - Morin and Henry - are drafted and you'll probably find Saskatoon's two top teams. Whichever teams gets Prefontaine will also likely have a say in the matter.

If teams can't be loaded up then how through the pewee years did scissons team always get junior blade players, Thomas team get most of the same kids, and Tyndals team get mostly Quest kids....maybe a unwritten rule?

 

[Superbowlfishca]

South SBAAHL Predictions 2013-4

I will comment on South as I know more about these teams.
1. Yorkton. Even without Kustra and Foster this will be the team to beat. They have very capable depth in 1999 age group, good goaltending with Geddes, very good on D with Stratechuk and Dubas – Good on forward with Carson Welke, Mackenzie Welke, and Budz plus in 2000 age group their team was the best team in the province last year and two years ago.
2. Weyburn Have eight returnees including forwards Deroose and Kesserling who led their team in scoring about a point a game, and Altwasser. On D they will be strong led by Niemengers and Englot. Also probably the best goalie in the south in Dosch.
3. Prairie Storm Always strong and were very good in Peewee winning Regina league. Also have a strong crop of 2000 players including Piller. Milligan will be missed but returning Tyson and Tanner Manz will be their scorers. Only one returning Dman in Ziegler so they have a question mark here and in goal.
4. Swift Current this team was big, and were much improved in their peewee year so I expect them to be a big team. They will be led by two returning forwards Hutchinson and Stephenson. Jace Dyke was a solid player for them and Hunter Lamb will also come in as a 2000 aged kid.
5. Estevan has four kids returning. They will be led by Dmen Pachal and Martins. On forward they have returning Skjonsby, and Davis. A top 2000 forward Fonstad will provide much needed scoring. In goal Veroba was one of the best in the south his peewee year.
6. Melville has 4 kids returning and will be very good on D with returning Johnson, Sass and Baber. Their problem will be scoring with only returnee being Holloway. And they have a question mark in goal. Top 2000 Rin Beny will help up front.
7. Moose Jaw The loss of Petruic is big for this team as he was counted on to do most of their scoring. They have Bryant and Bisson returning at forward. Douglas is a 2000 aged kid who will be counted on for some scoring. Question marks on D and in goal.
Regina is weak in the 1999 aged year and very strong in the 2000 aged year. A couple of the teams will be strong in goal with Johnson and Lumbard as two top goalies in the south. There were very few 1999 aged kids who made the Regina Bantam AA teams. Beatty and Ludwar on D and McDonlad and Chekay on Forward. That being said dropping down to three teams will help their overall depth. These teams will be in battle for final playoff spots.

Other than Yorkton none of these teams are real strong or as strong as some of the top teams in the South last year. Coaching and development can be a huge equalizer so we will see. Last year it shocked me to see the improvement made in all of the teams in this league and the league was extremely competitive top to bottom. I would expect to see the same thing occur this year and there are sure to be many welcomed surprises.

 

[SaskRinkRat]

If teams can't be loaded up then how through the pewee years did scissons team always get junior blade players, Thomas team get most of the same kids, and Tyndals team get mostly Quest kids....maybe a unwritten rule?

Higher number of non-parent coaches at bantam should eliminate any side games. It sounds like Stoon has the option to go fully non-parent if they choose to. That will be interesting to see.

 

[dickiedunnwrotethis]

Higher number of non-parent coaches at bantam should eliminate any side games. It sounds like Stoon has the option to go fully non-parent if they choose to. That will be interesting to see.

Exactly. If the majority of coaches from last year return then I'm fully confident everything will be on the up-and-up. I'm not familiar what with the pee wee scene from last year, but at the bantam level, that kind of stuff just did not happen. Period. And again, even if coaches were of a mind to, the rules concerning the selection process makes it very difficult to play those kind of games.

On a completely different note, can anyone tell me why they've maintained the North/South interlocking schedule? Hockey still deemed not expensive enough for parents?

 

[PokeCheck101]

Exactly. If the majority of coaches from last year return then I'm fully confident everything will be on the up-and-up. I'm not familiar what with the pee wee scene from last year, but at the bantam level, that kind of stuff just did not happen. Period. And again, even if coaches were of a mind to, the rules concerning the selection process makes it very difficult to play those kind of games.

On a completely different note, can anyone tell me why they've maintained the North/South interlocking schedule? Hockey still deemed not expensive enough for parents?

Sorry I'm with NAH68 on this topic... It's a little beyond coincidence that the coaches NAH mentions happened to have the majority of spring players they coached. Too many personal agendas and I certainly hope none of them get on coaching, period. There's too many parents belly aching behind the scenes about this type of stuff and if more of them would step forward you'd see there was a problem. But sadly every year it's the same thing, b**ch, b**ch, b**ch but no one steps up and says anything. The nepotism is what irks me about our beautiful game. Hopefully a non issue at bantam. Not saying parent coaching is a bad thing, so long as they're there for ALL kids, not the sake of their own and their buddy club.

 

[Friendlyfire]

I think before you continue debating this issue, it would be worthwhile to post the numbers to show the facts. Prior to this past winter bantam season there were 3 spring teams with Saskatoon kids. Divide that into 6 bantam teams and how many reasonably should end up on the same team in an equitable winter draft? Didnt some spring coach pairings split up and lead winter teams? It bothers me that this board is used to poke at specific coaches, without posting the real numbers. It makes perfect sense that a player would be invited to a spring team, after a good winter season ( play, attitude, heart) under a specific coach, so don't count these in your numbers.

 

[TitanJofaDaoust]

I agree with nah as well. Time to let go of little Johnny and step aside guys. Most parent coaches in hockey think that they are doing what is best for the kids but in Bantam its time to let them be.

Its like a weight lifted from the kids when they don't have to go back to the bench and listen to 'Dads' advice after every shift. Parent coaches cannot be objective when it comes to their own kids, especially with the pressures of Bantam hockey. An independent coach that is dedicated to teaching all the kids and seeing the kids from a team perspective is much preferred. Ever notice that its the coaches son that receives the 'player of the game' more often than not?

Parent coaches often over-estimate how good their kid played and how poorly they played, ultimately hurting the kids development. Not to mention the effect it has on team-mates perception of the kid!

 

[coach kleats]

I think before you continue debating this issue, it would be worthwhile to post the numbers to show the facts. Prior to this past winter bantam season there were 3 spring teams with Saskatoon kids. Divide that into 6 bantam teams and how many reasonably should end up on the same team in an equitable winter draft? Didnt some spring coach pairings split up and lead winter teams? It bothers me that this board is used to poke at specific coaches, without posting the real numbers. It makes perfect sense that a player would be invited to a spring team, after a good winter season ( play, attitude, heart) under a specific coach, so don't count these in your numbers.

I agree with Friendlyfire on this one. People like to speculate that there is always some sort of back room dealing but it often is just that, speculation. Depending on what position you are picking in a round you have the option of choosing between 8 to 10 kids. Would it not make sense to select one that you have familiarity with and are comfortable with as opposed to an unknown? I know that is what I would do.

 

[nah68]

If teams can't be loaded up then how through the pewee years did scissons team always get junior blade players, Thomas team get most of the same kids, and Tyndals team get mostly Quest kids....maybe a unwritten rule?

I apologize for the statement made here...but, In no way does it say that these coaches are bad. I said and meant, its a little funny for 2 years that the same players end up with the same coaches. As for parent coaches, its totally up to you guys what you wish to do, I honestly could'nt care less. In my opinion, I would'nt want my kid playing for me....thats just me though! As for Scissons and Thomas, everyone I've asked has said the same thing, they are credible coaches and probably deserve a chance to coach. As for tyndal, I don't know him, but in reading past posts about spring hockey, he was the coach for the quest who had a successful spring season, so maybe he's a good fit for one of those spots also.

 

[redtitan20]

Just my 2 cents, but look where the two top goaltenders - Morin and Henry - are drafted and you'll probably find Saskatoon's two top teams. Whichever teams gets Prefontaine will also likely have a say in the matter.

Your theory did not work for Abrook or Reeve the past season and Prefontaine not in the same class. He was on a very strong defensive team with Morin as one of the goalies. I'm not sure where Saskatoon is gonna find 10 goalies. drafts 7 thru 10 wont play much and the team that gets 5 & 6 better have a bunch of goal scorers.

 

[redtitan20]

On a completely different note, can anyone tell me why they've maintained the North/South interlocking schedule? Hockey still deemed not expensive enough for parents?

Saskatoon parents voted NO in the past. Now that they are being forced to join (if good enough) I wonder if some good players will opt out, thereby allowing kids to play that likely shouldn't be there?

 

[dickiedunnwrotethis]

Your theory did not work for Abrook or Reeve the past season and Prefontaine not in the same class. He was on a very strong defensive team with Morin as one of the goalies. I'm not sure where Saskatoon is gonna find 10 goalies. drafts 7 thru 10 wont play much and the team that gets 5 & 6 better have a bunch of goal scorers.

I agree, Prefontaine isn't in their class. I think he'll be better. In fact, by last season's playoffs, I think he was already the equal of Abrook. [Note: As a point of interest, it's my belief that Malainey was the most effective defenseman in the league last year.]

Defensively, Prefontaine is already dominant, especially along the boards where he uses his size, positioning, and active stick to win battles. With the puck he displays effective on-ice vision and a very low panic threshold (as the playoffs wore on he was the one put on the ice in close late-game situations). True, he's not as flashy as a Reeves, nor as physically aggressive. But I believe there is untappped offensive potential and an effective, albeit under-utilized shot from the point.

Last year, Hucul and Hobbs were stand-outs, but the gap between them and the next 3 or 4 best goaltenders wasn't immense. There was a rough parity. This year I'm not so sure. Which is why I made the rather obvious prediction that whatever teams have Morin and Henry should be favoured. Simply put, the gap in goaltending should create a different dynamic in comparison to previous years. It's with that dynamic in mind that I mentioned Prefontaine, who, in my opinion, is the only truly lockdown defender (also in my opinion, the most defensively aware player I've seen since Pilon) in Saskatoon. I think that kind of player can help out questionable goaltending more than a forward, which is why if another team is to challenge my guess is that it would have him on board.

 

[redtitan20]

I agree, Prefontaine isn't in their class. I think he'll be better. In fact, by last season's playoffs, I think he was already the equal of Abrook. [Note: As a point of interest, it's my belief that Malainey was the most effective defenseman in the league last year.]
.

Touché Dickie! In fairness I only saw Ty a few times, but I never saw the toughness, edge and offensive potential that Abrooks, Reeve, and Malainey posess, or that people think Ty has. Ashton Heidt was at least comparable most nights, with more offensive potential. Abrook was on a young team and tried too hard to be the tough guy, wrong attitude. Malainey was good but had different partners all year. Was not as good when he had to lead the much heralded DiPaulo. He and the Generals had the most lethal offensive attack in the league and the best goalie. They won. Prefontaine had Morin, Hamm, Leniuk, Randell and Gitzel. But no goal scoring. They lost. It's a total team effort.

Time will tell, but Abrook and Malainey were not drafted with all their potential. I'm just saying I agree that Morin and Henry will play a HUGE part, Prefontaine not so much. I just don't see a player in Saskatoon with enough potential (other than goalie's) that will make a difference this year. If Prefontaine, Holt, or Lechyshyn get on a team with Morin or Henry, okay. If not, who knows.

 

[PokeCheck101]

I agree with Friendlyfire on this one. People like to speculate that there is always some sort of back room dealing but it often is just that, speculation. Depending on what position you are picking in a round you have the option of choosing between 8 to 10 kids. Would it not make sense to select one that you have familiarity with and are comfortable with as opposed to an unknown? I know that is what I would do.

I am speaking in generalities when it comes to this topic. These are two intelligent coaches mentioned. My problem is that people keep pointing these type of issues out. Well if they are truly issues then ADDRESS THEM. If nepotism is rampant, DEAL with it. This idea of yapping about it to other parents gets a person no where. The same people who do the complaining are the same ones who generally do not lift a pinky finger to volunteer ( my opinion). Before people start slamming parent coaches, remember, at least they're volunteering. Some rural teams can't scrape up anyone to coach period. I know several people who are parent coaches and they're in it for the game not their kid.

 

[Superbowlfishca]

Parent Coaches - Agree Poke Check

I am speaking in generalities when it comes to this topic. These are two intelligent coaches mentioned. My problem is that people keep pointing these type of issues out. Well if they are truly issues then ADDRESS THEM. If nepotism is rampant, DEAL with it. This idea of yapping about it to other parents gets a person no where. The same people who do the complaining are the same ones who generally do not lift a pinky finger to volunteer ( my opinion). Before people start slamming parent coaches, remember, at least they're volunteering. Some rural teams can't scrape up anyone to coach period. I know several people who are parent coaches and they're in it for the game not their kid.

If we lived in a perfect world all SBAAHL teams would prefer independent coaches. Its a huge commitment to coach one of these teams. Kudos to any independent person who is willing to volunteer their time to take on this job. That being said it is almost impossible to find these people. The reason parents become coaches is they have a vested interest in helping their own child, and of course other kids. Then you get the parents gripping about perceived favoritism. This word perceived is very important because I'm sure if you talked to the coach he might think just the opposite as would some of the parents. Bottom line parents in my experience your complaining does nothing but hurt your child and the team. Kids in this age group have to be taught that life is not fair. They have to learn to take the high road when involved in team sport. IE If you are not on the power play work very hard to improve you skills and ice awareness to the point where you give a coach no choice but to give you that ice time. As mentioned most of these guys are very intelliigent guys and good hockey people
If you are in a situation where your child is not playing to me this is how I would handle it. Allow your child to persevere through the situation without complaining.
Pull your kid from the team to play a lower level of hockey. Otherwise "shutup".
And for all those complainers out there. Try becoming a coach, manager, trainer, etc. because as mentioned on these post most of you are takers in the minor hockey world. Very few are givers. Its always the same people year after year doing these jobs and they get little credit for it.
Scissons is a great coach and hockey guy. Saskatoon is lucky to have him.