Slovakia World Junior Team

[furlanitalia 1]

So I'm at the arena for my brothers atom tourney this morning, when after the game a couple slovak players skate across the ice to get to the other arena. Turns out they had their team photo shoot, so I figured I'd check out wut new gear they were rocking.

Nothing too fancy, like I expected the majority of the players had vapor xxx skates on. Lascek and Zagrapan were wearing 9k's, they looked sweet; lascek even had lightspeeds on his. The Rbk gloves looked pretty good, mostly blue with red and white on them they went nicely with the jerseys. Speaking of the jerseys I didn't realize all the junior teams were getting the tight fitting style with the tight socks. They whole setup looked sweet, didn't look funny on the players at all.

As they were leaving I asked Zagrapan if he liked his skates, he said they were very good. His english turned out to be not to bad.

I snapped some pics but they didn't turn out that great, had I known that the team was there I woulda brought my nice camera lol.

[Langenbrunner15 0]

thats really cool. So the juniors even get outfitted with all custom stuff eh'? Thats awsome.

Are there any scouts on this board who could answer a simple question for me? If a kid was on a highschool team and not a travel team or vis-versa. WHich team would you loook at more? The school team or the travel team?

[furlanitalia 1]

Keep in mind these are world junior players, not just junior A or B.

[Chadd 916]

thats really cool. So the juniors even get outfitted with all custom stuff eh'? Thats awsome.

Are there any scouts on this board who could answer a simple question for me? If a kid was on a highschool team and not a travel team or vis-versa. WHich team would you loook at more? The school team or the travel team?

If you have a good relationship with a player from a younger age, they're more likely to stick with the gear if they make it to the NHL.

As for being scouted, it depends on what the higher level of hockey is in your area. People will question you if you aren't playing against the highest level of competition.

[sherwood21 0]

thats really cool. So the juniors even get outfitted with all custom stuff eh'? Thats awsome.

Are there any scouts on this board who could answer a simple question for me? If a kid was on a highschool team and not a travel team or vis-versa. WHich team would you loook at more? The school team or the travel team?

AAA/Travel before High School. As long as your high school isn't prep hockey, no one's going to care/scout there. Travel and Higher level stuff (AAA,AA etc) has less of an age range and more talent. Keep in mind though that if you're good, you'll always get opportunities to get to the next level..

[furlanitalia 1]

only pic i had of the 9k's, its hard to see but the left pair has lightspeed holders on it. Slovak 9k's

[whbd18 0]

thats really cool. So the juniors even get outfitted with all custom stuff eh'? Thats awsome.

Are there any scouts on this board who could answer a simple question for me? If a kid was on a highschool team and not a travel team or vis-versa. WHich team would you loook at more? The school team or the travel team?

AAA/Travel before High School. As long as your high school isn't prep hockey, no one's going to care/scout there. Travel and Higher level stuff (AAA,AA etc) has less of an age range and more talent. Keep in mind though that if you're good, you'll always get opportunities to get to the next level..

My team isnt a prep team,but trust me there are college scouts there. We do play Prep teams though.

[Langenbrunner15 0]

Well the school faces Prep schools. How would I find out if it is a ''prep school''? It's montclair kimberly acadamy (MKA). Id be going there next year if I am execpted.

So if it's not a prep school then go with high travel before hs team?

[nsa97531 0]

I think that those tight socks are a great idea but how well do they hold up, as for recruitmant you really need to play the highest level in your area may it be high school aaa or prep if u must play high school make sure you try out for team(your state) and try to get into the national festivals to get some college looks.

[Project824 0]

Well the school faces Prep schools. How would I find out if it is a ''prep school''? It's montclair kimberly acadamy (MKA). Id be going there next year if I am execpted.

So if it's not a prep school then go with high travel before hs team?

Montclair Kimberly is a NJ high school. The only high/"prep" schools you really have a chance of being seen out of in NJ is Lawrenceville, and mainly because they play mostly a New England prep school schedule. Possibly Delbarton if you count low level Division III. Chances are if you're going to play at a higher level out of NJ, you play some kind of post high-school hockey, be it true Juniors, or New England prep school. If you're good enough to play at that level, you should already have some people knocking on your door.

It's all situational, and in a lot of states, travel hockey might get you noticed by a junior team, but more importantly, the competition and hopefully the coaching is usually better. Outside of Minnesota, Michigan, Mass., and some preps, high school hockey is just not that great. Of course there's always good travel programs and second tier ones too. Programs like those in the Midwest Elite League or Detroit area frequently have players go in the OHL and USHL draft. There's usually a couple from AAA programs out east, like the Mercer Chiefs, Suffolk PAL, Apple Core or NJ Rockets.

Basically just play the best hockey you can and worry about it when and if it comes about. You have to be pretty talented to get on the fast track like kids in those programs do.

[Langenbrunner15 0]

Well my plan is for my junior year to go to st.mary's and hopfully play there hockey. WEll our travel teams go to states and all that stuff at the midget level.......So even pingry and delbarten arent that ''great''. Are the NJ rockts the best chance to bee seen?

[TCsnipes9 0]

thats really cool. So the juniors even get outfitted with all custom stuff eh'? Thats awsome.

Are there any scouts on this board who could answer a simple question for me? If a kid was on a highschool team and not a travel team or vis-versa. WHich team would you loook at more? The school team or the travel team?

AAA/Travel before High School. As long as your high school isn't prep hockey, no one's going to care/scout there. Travel and Higher level stuff (AAA,AA etc) has less of an age range and more talent. Keep in mind though that if you're good, you'll always get opportunities to get to the next level..

different for minnesota. there has yet to be less than 15 NHL scouts at any one of our first 7 games.

[Langenbrunner15 0]

But thats probably a lot from other teams im guessing or am I WAY off?

[sherwood21 0]

thats really cool. So the juniors even get outfitted with all custom stuff eh'? Thats awsome.

Are there any scouts on this board who could answer a simple question for me? If a kid was on a highschool team and not a travel team or vis-versa. WHich team would you loook at more? The school team or the travel team?

AAA/Travel before High School. As long as your high school isn't prep hockey, no one's going to care/scout there. Travel and Higher level stuff (AAA,AA etc) has less of an age range and more talent. Keep in mind though that if you're good, you'll always get opportunities to get to the next level..

different for minnesota. there has yet to be less than 15 NHL scouts at any one of our first 7 games.

But he lives in NJ so it's a different situation. Of course High School in Minny is huge, every year they have 4 or 5 guys drafted straight out of high school

[Langenbrunner15 0]

I wasnt to go to college though, I was talking about like college scouts. If i did get drafted i would turn back because i wouldnt get another chance. So the NJ rockts is my best bet until St. Marys?

[whbd18 0]

I wasnt to go to college though, I was talking about like college scouts. If i did get drafted i would turn back because i wouldnt get another chance. So the NJ rockts is my best bet until St. Marys?

I dont think you are going to go anywhere playing for the Rockets,and your going to play for Shattuck St.Marys?

[Langenbrunner15 0]

Im saying like IF I make the team for St. Mary's.

[Project824 0]

No TCsnipes is absolutely correct. Minnesota is its own little world and high school hockey is life there...not even really sure if there's much emphasis on travel hockey. The state HS tournament there is ridiculous, closest thing I could compare it to is high school football in Texas. It's different but obviously it works. Minnesota HS turns out just as many USHL and college players as Michigan's midget system does. Neither one is necessarily better, and both work, but the excitement over HS hockey in Minnesota is definitely a plus.

And no, Pingry definitely isn't that great, and Delbarton is alright. But anyone who's made it anywhere from those schools had to make a stop somewhere and learn to play real hockey instead of being a Home Depot high school star.

[hockechamp14 0]

If by st. mary's you mean shattuck, then good luck :D

but in the mean time, there are good junior teams out there in the NY/NJ area, so try and find somewhere to play there. The fact is that, even at most prep schools, they really don't care that much about making you a better hockey player, they just want to win games. So besides places like Phillips Exeter, Cushing, Taft, and Shattuck, you have to find ways to make yourself better.

The fact is, if you want to make it, you have to find as much open ice at the rink, work on your skating, stickhandling and all that stuff in order to be the best player you can.

[#96 0]

All the good HS players here in NJ MUST play somewhere else...NJ hockey is just not competitive enough on its own to get kids into the better leagues (NHL, Minors, etc.). Here in NJ, it is imperative you play some sort of travel hockey because the HS hockey system is not good enough nor competitive enough to churn out players ready for much higher levels of play.

The "good" players will play HS, and travel, with travel being the most important for recognition. After graduation the "best" players MAY go onto College. But the others that have some talent will play Junior but at a higher level somewhere else like MI, MN, IA, MA...places like that. There they hone the skill and maybe go into College hockey a little older, or perhaps make some sort of Canadian junior team.

The road to the NHL for a typical NJ kid is a loonnnng one. Most kids that want to get to that level pretty much have to get outta here to do it.

[#96 0]

And not to burst your bubble Langer, but schools like Shattuck or any other competitive teams (Avon Old Farms, other Prep Schools) will have their rosters set in advance. They know exactly who is coming up through the system and who is good enough to compete for them.

Now I'm not pro, or a scout. But I'd bet that if you are 13, 14, and a school like Shattuck hasn't contacted you, you won't make their team as a walk on. They have scouts, they know who in the country or world for that matter is ready to compete, even at such a young age.

[hockechamp14 0]

And not to burst your bubble Langer, but schools like Shattuck or any other competitive teams (Avon Old Farms, other Prep Schools) will have their rosters set in advance. They know exactly who is coming up through the system and who is good enough to compete for them.

Now I'm not pro, or a scout. But I'd bet that if you are 13, 14, and a school like Shattuck hasn't contacted you, you won't make their team as a walk on. They have scouts, they know who in the country or world for that matter is ready to compete, even at such a young age.

The thing about shattuck that is better than all the other prep systems is that they have lower teams that actually try to make the kids better in order to move them up.

I think you should just contact the coach. It takes some balls, but you don't want to end up in a situation where you're screwed, and I'm sure St. Mary's doesn't want you to end up in a bad situation either.

96, I don't know much about St. Mary's school, but NJ wouldn't be the first place I looked for players for my school.

[#96 0]

And not to burst your bubble Langer, but schools like Shattuck or any other competitive teams (Avon Old Farms, other Prep Schools) will have their rosters set in advance. They know exactly who is coming up through the system and who is good enough to compete for them.

Now I'm not pro, or a scout. But I'd bet that if you are 13, 14, and a school like Shattuck hasn't contacted you, you won't make their team as a walk on. They have scouts, they know who in the country or world for that matter is ready to compete, even at such a young age.

The thing about shattuck that is better than all the other prep systems is that they have lower teams that actually try to make the kids better in order to move them up.

I think you should just contact the coach. It takes some balls, but you don't want to end up in a situation where you're screwed, and I'm sure St. Mary's doesn't want you to end up in a bad situation either.

96, I don't know much about St. Mary's school, but NJ wouldn't be the first place I looked for players for my school.

Exactly. It's just not a hockey hot-bed here. Which I can understand.

But you're right, if you are serious about getting looked at, call or email the coaching staff. The worst they'll do, is do nothing. But best case scenario, they come out and see you...or more probably...they have an old hockey buddy, or scout, or acquaintance that lives in NY and will take a look for them.

Hockey is like a big network, with people willing to help out others. Look at MSH! Same thing. So you can bet the coach at St. Mary's has a friend he met years ago at a tournament or a game that lives in PA or CT or NY and when there is some talented kid that everyone is talking about, they will go out and take a first look for their friends.

[Langenbrunner15 0]

guys, thanks for the insight. My organization has alot of politics and becuase of some people knowsing the coaches well they got moved up and so on and I ended up on the B team. Should I wait till next year to e-mail the coaching staff or do it as soon as possible?

[Langenbrunner15 0]

And my mom is all for me getting out of the state and going to boston or MN to play hockey.