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USPHL 2014-15 Season Thread

JB51Hockey

JB51Hockey

51Hockey
Nov 19, 2012
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20p37u8.png

Boston Jr. Bruins look to defend their 2014 Premier Championship win while Rochester and Springfield join the top Division. The USPHL now consists of 33 organizations with the additions of Team Comcast at the U16, U18 levels, Richmond Generals at the Empire, Elite levels and Providence Capitals at the U16, Elite levels. The top three Premier scorers from this past season are all headed to Hockey East schools this coming season. There were more than 70 NCAA commits in the Premier Division from this past season.
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MiracleOnSkates

Registered User
Jan 12, 2014
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petejudge said:
Rochester is joining the Premier this league too, correct?
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That's what I've heard too.

I think it would be good for the Premier, they need more teams. As you can see though, they are completely out of the other Tier 3 leagues play level. I wasn't able to go to the Nationals games, but from what I've heard, the Bruins dominated every game they played. Once the Premier starts to get Depth, and more teams that can compete in the league and compete with the top teams, they should be able to gain more and more recognition/respect.
 
JB51Hockey

JB51Hockey

51Hockey
Nov 19, 2012
826
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http://www.providencejournal.com/sp...idence-capitals-add-junior-and-u-16-teams.ece

The Caps’ goal is to have a contending team in 2014-15 at the Elite level, which is a step below the USPHL’s top Premier division, and then to move up to the Premier division in 2015-16.

“We are looking to have an extremely solid (Elite) program that is not just ’94s and ’95s, but a mixture of some ’96s and ’97s that can gain a year of experience. Then when we make the jump to the Premiere, they’re not rookies any more,” Omicioli said.
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Potentially another Premier team for 15-16
 
JB51Hockey

JB51Hockey

51Hockey
Nov 19, 2012
826
0
10168145_10152356854934648_3851944991603101981_n.jpg


Letter the Portland Pirates ran in a Lewiston newspaper. Says that they will be debuting the USPHL Junior Pirates for the 14-15 season.
 

doncherrysgrill

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Dec 13, 2010
976
5
Don't quite understand the ad, had they not previously been playing in the arena? Or is there some sort of new affiliation? If this is their first year at the Colisee that's a big step for the USPHL I think...maybe this is a step for USPHL teams towards advertising and trying to draw crowds to the games?
 
JB51Hockey

JB51Hockey

51Hockey
Nov 19, 2012
826
0
petejudge said:
Don't quite understand the ad, had they not previously been playing in the arena? Or is there some sort of new affiliation? If this is their first year at the Colisee that's a big step for the USPHL I think...maybe this is a step for USPHL teams towards advertising and trying to draw crowds to the games?
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No they played in Saco. I'm guessing they will do exactly what the AHL team did this year. Practice and workout in Saco and then bud up every night for games. Regardless, a huge step in the right direction.
 

3rd Guy High

Registered User
Feb 17, 2010
1,004
174
jeben51 said:
No they played in Saco. I'm guessing they will do exactly what the AHL team did this year. Practice and workout in Saco and then bud up every night for games. Regardless, a huge step in the right direction.
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Yup, their last rink (and team) was lackluster. Will be interesting to see what happens this season with them and the Jr Rangers, especially with the addition of Springfield and Rochester.

Guess we will get out first preview May 9-11 at the Spring showcase.

I'm also interested to see what happens with Philly. Regardless of their success, they sent the least players to college of any team, and somehow their top scorer got decommitted although he was 3rd in league scoring.
 

ogieoglethorpe

Registered User
Feb 9, 2014
2
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I am also interested in Philly. Does anyone know anything about the coach in terms of placing kids or D1/3 connections? Not bashing by any means from what I saw of them last year he got a lot out of that team.
 
JB51Hockey

JB51Hockey

51Hockey
Nov 19, 2012
826
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ogieoglethorpe said:
I am also interested in Philly. Does anyone know anything about the coach in terms of placing kids or D1/3 connections? Not bashing by any means from what I saw of them last year he got a lot out of that team.
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Jared Beach, he was the coach of Team Comcast U18, a very good midget AAA team that successfully competed in the strong T1EHL. I count 8 D-1 advancements from 2011-2014.
 

MiracleOnSkates

Registered User
Jan 12, 2014
91
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Hmm. This new coach for the Jr. Rangers is a NHL scout for the St. Louis Blues, and it's an actual job. He's listed on their website, so I'm sure he's the real deal. I've only heard good things about him lately, and I hope that can contribute to the Jr. Rangers actually having some success this year, because last year was just an embarrassment to the league and organization on how poorly they played.

Heard that there were only a few kids from last year at the tryouts, interested to see how they turn out to be this year. I've also heard that IHC didn't have the best players at tryouts, but I'm sure most of their players didn't even attend, due to them having most of their roster already picked.

I'd love to see if the Jr. Rangers can actually pick it up this year and compete, along with the Pirates. Having a super competitive league is better than a league where there are two teams stomping the rest of the teams isn't the best, and hopefully that will change. I also think if some of the teams picked it up, the games would be more interesting, thus bringing in a little bit more of a crowd, yet the USPHL needs to do a lot more advertising, and that applies to the teams also.
 
JB51Hockey

JB51Hockey

51Hockey
Nov 19, 2012
826
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I agree with the post above...

I'm not sure how the Breakers managed to defeat NJH a few times last year as I thought Bay State was for sure the weakest of the top 7. My question is, the best kids will always try to make the Bruins, Hitmen etc. In what world will the Pirates and Yankees ever be as competitive as those top teams as their roster is generally filled with Jr. Bruins cuts? I really don't see it happening. I think the gap can be closed a little, but there will always be a definitive line between the top 8 and the rest.
 

3rd Guy High

Registered User
Feb 17, 2010
1,004
174
JB51Hockey said:
I agree with the post above...

I'm not sure how the Breakers managed to defeat NJH a few times last year as I thought Bay State was for sure the weakest of the top 7. My question is, the best kids will always try to make the Bruins, Hitmen etc. In what world will the Pirates and Yankees ever be as competitive as those top teams as their roster is generally filled with Jr. Bruins cuts? I really don't see it happening. I think the gap can be closed a little, but there will always be a definitive line between the top 8 and the rest.
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It will always depend on the coaches. Better recruiters that have proven to move players on to the D1 level will always be able to get the best players. I feel there's "one shot" for certain teams to get it right with a coaching staff. PAL placed players in D1 last year and thus players will want to go play for those coaches. On the flipside, doesn't look so bright for Bay State or Philly. Portland and CT both have new coaches, so we'll see what happens there.
 

MiracleOnSkates

Registered User
Jan 12, 2014
91
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3rd Guy High said:
It will always depend on the coaches. Better recruiters that have proven to move players on to the D1 level will always be able to get the best players. I feel there's "one shot" for certain teams to get it right with a coaching staff. PAL placed players in D1 last year and thus players will want to go play for those coaches. On the flipside, doesn't look so bright for Bay State or Philly. Portland and CT both have new coaches, so we'll see what happens there.
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Completely agreed. I think people don't understand just how much a good coaching staff can do to a team. If a coach has a lot of experience, is well known, and has good connections, can guarantee you the players on that team will get committed. Look at the coach of the IHC. Sean Tremblay is so well known, and is constantly able to get his players D1 commitments, usually more than half his team.
 
JB51Hockey

JB51Hockey

51Hockey
Nov 19, 2012
826
0
MiracleOnSkates said:
Completely agreed. I think people don't understand just how much a good coaching staff can do to a team. If a coach has a lot of experience, is well known, and has good connections, can guarantee you the players on that team will get committed. Look at the coach of the IHC. Sean Tremblay is so well known, and is constantly able to get his players D1 commitments, usually more than half his team.
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Very true. Good points. Islanders lost to the Pirates a couple times and weren't as impressive as I thought they would be. However, they might have lead the Division in NCAA commitments.
 
JB51Hockey

JB51Hockey

51Hockey
Nov 19, 2012
826
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Kenny Gillespie of New Jersey Premier, decommits from UMass-Amherst, commits to RPI

http://usphlprospects.:eek::eek::ee...thread/50/gillespie-new-jersey-hitmen-commits

Saw him a few times. Great skater, I think the OHL would have been a better option for him as he is a really good power forward. He is absolutely huge, his legs rival many NHLers. I honestly think he would be in the ECHL right now had he gone the OHL route. Whatever gets you there, I guess.
 
JB51Hockey

JB51Hockey

51Hockey
Nov 19, 2012
826
0
8 ovechstrom 19 said:
I've attended some of the tryouts, springfield definitely the worse showing
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Not too shocked to hear that honestly. You have to figure that they had 5-10 guys back that weren't at tryouts who are invited back. They also did send a lot of guys to D3 schools since the 13-14 season started, so that is going to hurt. They were always competitive in the EJ but not having a Premier team last year really hurt them I think. The kids who wanted to play Premier went to Yankees, Islanders, Kings when otherwise would have stayed with Springfield.
 
JB51Hockey

JB51Hockey

51Hockey
Nov 19, 2012
826
0
USHL Phase II Draft is today. Some notable selections from the USPHL

22. Brian Bowen, Jr. Bruins (Green Bay)
48. Beau Starrett, Kings (Dubuque)
79. John Marino, Kings (Chicago)
114. Ryan Finnegan, Skipjacks (Green Bay)
250. Ben Israel, Hitmen (Tri-City)
 

doncherrysgrill

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Dec 13, 2010
976
5
Really proud of Gillespie getting that RPI commitment. I was blown away at the fact that he wasn't a D1 commit at the beginning of this season, the kid really impressed me over the last few years but this year he took a new step in his development.

Curious to see if Bowen and Cloonan from the BJB will actually head to the USHL. I'm a big fan of both of those guys, especially Cloonan..for selfish reasons I'd love for them to stay out here but I'm interested in seeing them both a year older and in the USHL.
 
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