College Club Hockey

[j_ryan 0]

The youth hockey scene is very strong in St. Louis. I believe we have 3 St. Louis boys in the NHL right now, and a bunch in the NCAA DI ranks. Most of St. Louis' elite players have come out of the St. Louis Blues Jr. B program and moved on to play Jr. A in the USHL or NAHL. Concerning the caliber of players at the upper ACHA DI levels, not all have played Jr. A, but these programs play at a level that is similar to Tier II Jr. A. I know this because I have played against or watched many of the top ACHA teams in the country.

[Doctor Hook 0]

There are so many random club teams from schools you wouldn't even think would have a rink nearby. It's a good thing to see that our sport is alive and well and thousands of kids are continuing the tradition.

[epstud74 24]

Am I the only one that thinks the USHL has established itself as the premier Junior A league in the country?

[chilaxin12 2]

Am I the only one that thinks the USHL has established itself as the premier Junior A league in the country?

Absloutely not, USHL is by far the premier Junior A leauge in the country, if you go USHL you will be able to go D1 pretty much when EJHL AJHL, NAHL and other US junior leauges cant say the same.

[Kevin 5]

I doubt any of the club teams could beat any of the MN DivIII teams There are some stellar players that have played in the MN small college leagues or even Div II (Bemidji State)

Bemidji state is d1 and in the CHA. no club could beat d1 anymore, believe me. the penn state over robert morris was a fluke, as robert morris was a first yr program

Robert Morris is a club team. Actually, I believe Robert Morris has a few club teams. No club team could compete with a NCAA DI team.

[Gongshow11 1]

robert morris is d1 in the cha too, depends which robert morris

[Megamandan 0]

Play for Niagara University Club ACHA D-I team. Our players are ok, we have some from every level...NCAA D-I, D-III, Jr. A & B, High school and even AA players. I also equipment manage for the D-I team and it is VERY possible some of the ACHA teams can beat D-I teams...Rhode Island is insane.

[hockeyherb 1]

There are so many random club teams from schools you wouldn't even think would have a rink nearby. It's a good thing to see that our sport is alive and well and thousands of kids are continuing the tradition.

Like Texas!! I think our AA/A level beer league could take them. Of course, practically nobody in beer league is really 'from' Texas.

[Trooper 8]

I doubt any of the club teams could beat any of the MN DivIII teams There are some stellar players that have played in the MN small college leagues or even Div II (Bemidji State)

Bemidji state is d1 and in the CHA. no club could beat d1 anymore, believe me. the penn state over robert morris was a fluke, as robert morris was a first yr program

Robert Morris is a club team. Actually, I believe Robert Morris has a few club teams. No club team could compete with a NCAA DI team.

Penn State played the Robert Morris (PA) NCAA team. They beat them their first year and lost to them this year.

To me, club hockey compares to good HS hockey perhaps?

Here's my experience recruiting and coaching for a team that was DII club last year and went to regionals and is an average to below average DI club team this year.

If you are one of the best high school players in the area at the AAA level, you will probably help my team and be a top 2 line player. An average HS player may or may not make the team.

We have three Jr. B kids on the team. Two of them are among our best players but are about average in the league as a whole. One has lots of skill but just can't put it together to be productive. One was named one of the top 25 players in Pittsburgh in HS and the other is better than him.

From scouting kids and HS games, average DII club and up, average DI club and up, and the top of DIII club is all better than all HS I've seen in our area.

I would put the average game at the Jr. B or Midget AAA level and the better teams well above that.

Even if the skill is the same, you now have college kids who are 10-20 lbs heavier and stronger than the HS age kid. It is more physical.

[epstud74 24]

I wonder how the top MN HS teams like Shattuck or Holy Angels would compare to some of the club teams

[SherSports 0]

College club hockey is great in that it allows players to continue playing hockey and represent the school they attend.

Can club teams compete with NCAA team. Not usually, it has happened where an ACHA team has beat an NCAA team, but if you look at the numbers as a whole you would see the NCAA teams are better.

I realize that in some cases that schools start as club teams and make the jump to NCAA. I think that is great when it happens. Although you hear just about evey ACHA team say they are going to go varsity and it doesn't happen.

One thing I don't like about the ACHA teams in my area. Whenever one of them comes to our high school coaches meetings to speak about the programs, they always present it as playing division 3 hockey.

Typically they would say something like this. "Why send your kids far away from home to play Div 3 when we have Div. 3 right here."

I just think it is a bit funny that they fail to mention that the teams are club level ACHA teams and the statements they make lead you to believe they are NCAA teams.

[bainsstatic 0]

Do you have to be recruited from high school? Or can I play when I transfer?

[Docter Pepper 0]

I live in Fort Wayne and remembered reading this thread as the Div.III National Championships are here the weekend of March 1-4 and I was wondering if there were any guys going to be here off MSH?

P.S.- Just realized I have state tourney myself in South Bend the weekend of. Does anyone know if the tournament will be taped and copies will be sold?

And another thing, what is the typical size of rinks Div.III teams play in? Here in Fort Wayne, McMillen Ice Arena where the tournament is, which is a 2-rink facility, the one rink I think holds a little over 100-150 people and the newer rink holds somewhat over 1,000. I was just wondering unless I didn't see that some of the games were being played at the War Memorial Coliseum which is home of the UHL's Fort Wayne Komets which holds over 10,000. Again, just wondering how Fort Wayne got this tournament.

Are the pro shops there nice? is there one at the rink?

[D-MaN88 0]

There is one at McMillen, CenterIce. It's pretty decent, if you come from a hockey hotbed its nothing. We have the racks of OPS, the hanging shafts (Tapered and Standard) and a thing full of blades. There's a good amount of protective equipment and we have a lot of high-end to mid-range skates. Always stock of laces, tape, and the skate sharpenings are pretty damn good. The UHL equipment manager will probably be there doing skates in high volume if the UHL team doesnt have games with times he can be there. All in all its a good proshop and should have anything you should need throughout the weekend.

Any other questions feel free to PM me.

[Docter Pepper 0]

sweet. we don't have a lhs here. the closests one is in phoenix

[hockechamp14 0]

Does anyone know who won penn state vs. stony brook? The game was 10 minutes from my house, but I was feeling sick the last couple days so I slept in and decided against seeing the national championship game.

[Trooper 8]

Does anyone know who won penn state vs. stony brook? The game was 10 minutes from my house, but I was feeling sick the last couple days so I slept in and decided against seeing the national championship game.

Edit: Gotcha- that wasn't the national championship game, it was the Super East league championship- SBU 3 PSU 1

Penn State was up 1-0 going into the third.

[wallin2199 0]

I played two years for a nationally ranked club team and now play NCAA. Honestly, as said before, the top 4 teams in the nation, URI, PSU, Ohio and Illinois would be the only teams to even compete at mid level D3. URI played Wesleyan and Worcester early in there seasons and were able to go 1-1. Then played in a midseason tournament against ranked D3 opponents and was absolutely smacked around. The major difference between D3 and D1 Club is depth. When you go through most D3 Rosters, you will not find a played who hasnt played years at Prep, Jr.B or Jr. A. When you go through Club rosters, you find kids that played low-end travel or just for a local High School. I am not saying their is anything wrong with club, but NCAA is on a completely different level.

Also, my Jr. B team beat Drexel University and West Chester University pretty handily during the year. Granted we were ranked in the Top 10 Nationally, but some high end Junior B teams can compete against good ACHA schools.

[hockechamp14 0]

Does anyone know who won penn state vs. stony brook? The game was 10 minutes from my house, but I was feeling sick the last couple days so I slept in and decided against seeing the national championship game.

Edit: Gotcha- that wasn't the national championship game, it was the Super East league championship- SBU 3 PSU 1

Penn State was up 1-0 going into the third.

Thanks for the clarification, my dad coaches at the rink, so he called and told me it was the championship game if I wanted to go and watch it.

[Project824 0]

Does anyone know who won penn state vs. stony brook? The game was 10 minutes from my house, but I was feeling sick the last couple days so I slept in and decided against seeing the national championship game.

Edit: Gotcha- that wasn't the national championship game, it was the Super East league championship- SBU 3 PSU 1

Penn State was up 1-0 going into the third.

That wasn't even their good team.

[Trooper 8]

Does anyone know who won penn state vs. stony brook? The game was 10 minutes from my house, but I was feeling sick the last couple days so I slept in and decided against seeing the national championship game.

Edit: Gotcha- that wasn't the national championship game, it was the Super East league championship- SBU 3 PSU 1

Penn State was up 1-0 going into the third.

That wasn't even their good team.

It wasn't their top team, but that is still a talented team.

[Gongshow11 1]

I played two years for a nationally ranked club team and now play NCAA. Honestly, as said before, the top 4 teams in the nation, URI, PSU, Ohio and Illinois would be the only teams to even compete at mid level D3. URI played Wesleyan and Worcester early in there seasons and were able to go 1-1. Then played in a midseason tournament against ranked D3 opponents and was absolutely smacked around. The major difference between D3 and D1 Club is depth. When you go through most D3 Rosters, you will not find a played who hasnt played years at Prep, Jr.B or Jr. A. When you go through Club rosters, you find kids that played low-end travel or just for a local High School. I am not saying their is anything wrong with club, but NCAA is on a completely different level.

Also, my Jr. B team beat Drexel University and West Chester University pretty handily during the year. Granted we were ranked in the Top 10 Nationally, but some high end Junior B teams can compete against good ACHA schools.

what team do you play for now?

[wallin2199 0]

I play for Utica in the ECAC-West right now, from going through the thread im guessin you play SUNY or MIAC/NCHA

[Gongshow11 1]

SUNY

[wallin2199 0]

Thats cool, did we play you this year? And how nice is the new Oswego rink, its a beaut.