mxihockey 0 Report post Posted August 6, 2008 i don't think that league will last very long. Only like 3 or 4 teams, and one of them is in exeter NH in a rink that is nice, but definitely not suited for pro hockey. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dontdumpdangle 0 Report post Posted August 6, 2008 Best of luck on the try out. My only caution is to be realistic with yourself. Have a good friend who I played college football with, neither of us were drafted by an NFL club which was no surprise to me. For him, it's been almost 6 years of working low end jobs so he can play semi-pro ball and hit the gym all the time. He's almost made a couple of arena football teams, but I just don't think he's ever going to have what it takes to play in the NFL. The passing years aren't doing him any favors either. So I guess end of the day, take your shot, but don't stall your life out waiting for something that's never going to happen either.I would love to play semi pro. Whats better than playing hockey, and getting paid for it. After I get done with college, I'm gonna do everything i can to keep playing. I could care less how much money i make if I can play hockey for it. I'm gonna play hockey for as long as i can. I love it that much, more than a big salary. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JamesCL 2 Report post Posted August 6, 2008 I'll keep ya posted, im leaving thursday night for Canonsburg, PA. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Buddy 7 Report post Posted August 6, 2008 i don't think that league will last very long. Only like 3 or 4 teams, and one of them is in exeter NH in a rink that is nice, but definitely not suited for pro hockey.Well I heard the league is trying to offer new england players a place to play closer to home without having to head south and still be looked at. Heard they tried getting a few more teams lined up for the season, but couldn't secure the deals in time. I guess its like any other league that starts up, just have to wait and see what it brings to the table. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Chadd 916 Report post Posted August 6, 2008 i don't think that league will last very long. Only like 3 or 4 teams, and one of them is in exeter NH in a rink that is nice, but definitely not suited for pro hockey.Well I heard the league is trying to offer new england players a place to play closer to home without having to head south and still be looked at. Heard they tried getting a few more teams lined up for the season, but couldn't secure the deals in time. I guess its like any other league that starts up, just have to wait and see what it brings to the table.If they last the season, I'l be surprised. In the last five or six years there have been at least three new leagues set up in NY, PA and NE and none of them even finished their first season before falling apart. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Buddy 7 Report post Posted August 7, 2008 i don't think that league will last very long. Only like 3 or 4 teams, and one of them is in exeter NH in a rink that is nice, but definitely not suited for pro hockey.Well I heard the league is trying to offer new england players a place to play closer to home without having to head south and still be looked at. Heard they tried getting a few more teams lined up for the season, but couldn't secure the deals in time. I guess its like any other league that starts up, just have to wait and see what it brings to the table.If they last the season, I'l be surprised. In the last five or six years there have been at least three new leagues set up in NY, PA and NE and none of them even finished their first season before falling apart.Chad what leagues are you referring to? Just curious Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Chadd 916 Report post Posted August 7, 2008 i don't think that league will last very long. Only like 3 or 4 teams, and one of them is in exeter NH in a rink that is nice, but definitely not suited for pro hockey.Well I heard the league is trying to offer new england players a place to play closer to home without having to head south and still be looked at. Heard they tried getting a few more teams lined up for the season, but couldn't secure the deals in time. I guess its like any other league that starts up, just have to wait and see what it brings to the table.If they last the season, I'l be surprised. In the last five or six years there have been at least three new leagues set up in NY, PA and NE and none of them even finished their first season before falling apart.Chad what leagues are you referring to? Just curiousOne was the NEHL, don't recall the others. I just remember them coming out to open hockey to scout for talent. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
biff44 0 Report post Posted August 7, 2008 Well, I am all for another league, especially in New England. Players need all the chances they can get. ECHL is pretty good, but what do you do when the AHL team sends someone down and your roster spot evaporates? Hang up the skates? Better to reign in hell than serve in heaven.I do agree though that it is rough trade for these pro leagues to make a go of it. Lots of expenses and you are at the mercy of your fan attendance during tough financial times!BTW, any reports back from tryouts? I thought there was one at the beginning of August. Wheeling nailers or somthing. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
chippa13 1844 Report post Posted August 7, 2008 i don't think that league will last very long. Only like 3 or 4 teams, and one of them is in exeter NH in a rink that is nice, but definitely not suited for pro hockey.Well I heard the league is trying to offer new england players a place to play closer to home without having to head south and still be looked at. Heard they tried getting a few more teams lined up for the season, but couldn't secure the deals in time. I guess its like any other league that starts up, just have to wait and see what it brings to the table.If they last the season, I'l be surprised. In the last five or six years there have been at least three new leagues set up in NY, PA and NE and none of them even finished their first season before falling apart.Chad what leagues are you referring to? Just curiousOne was the NEHL, don't recall the others. I just remember them coming out to open hockey to scout for talent.A buddy of mine got had a old college teammate of his call him to play a game for the New England Stars in that league. He said it was a joke show.Well, I am all for another league, especially in New England. Players need all the chances they can get. ECHL is pretty good, but what do you do when the AHL team sends someone down and your roster spot evaporates? Hang up the skates? Better to reign in hell than serve in heaven.I do agree though that it is rough trade for these pro leagues to make a go of it. Lots of expenses and you are at the mercy of your fan attendance during tough financial times!BTW, any reports back from tryouts? I thought there was one at the beginning of August. Wheeling nailers or somthing.The last thing this world needs is another watered down league. If you can't make the ECHL then you take your shot at the IHL or the CHL or the SPHL or the.............. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kevin 5 Report post Posted August 7, 2008 There are too many opportunities to watch good Division One NCAA hockey, AHL, and NHL hockey in New England without traveling too far for their ever to be much fan interest in low minor pro hockey (single A league). Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
chippa13 1844 Report post Posted August 7, 2008 As it is, the AHL Lowell Devils are having a hard time drawing, how the heck is a team filled with Tom from the mailroom and UPS guy Jerry ever going to draw. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Griff 2 Report post Posted August 7, 2008 Depends if Tom from the mailroom is willing to fight Jerry the UPS guy. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JR Boucicaut 3803 Report post Posted August 7, 2008 USPS, WHAT!!!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
biff44 0 Report post Posted August 8, 2008 Well, obviously if the hockey stinks, that is another matter. But nobody has seen a game yet. Lets see what they can bring. NCAA hockey is fairly big in new england. But there is little checking and no fighting, and NO BEER served! If I want to be entertained, I want to see a pro-style game. Hockey east has its BU BC Maine and NH with sold out games, so good luck getting a ticket! UMaine students can not even get in because every seat is sold out for the next decade! The other teams are pretty much perennial losers. I tried a few years of season tickets at one, but got tired of seeing them snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. In other words, you either can not get in, or you get bummed out seeing your team scrape bottom every year. Is that fun?Hey, Macafee just told me I got a trojan while posting that last message. Are we hacked again? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kevin 5 Report post Posted August 8, 2008 There’s plenty of checking in NCAA hockey. BC and BU tickets are easy to get, but maybe not the night of a big game. Unless Harvard is playing Cornell, tickets are always available at Bright (Harvard is not one of “the perennial losers”). There is beer at BU. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
the_game 452 Report post Posted August 8, 2008 There’s plenty of checking in NCAA hockey. BC and BU tickets are easy to get, but maybe not the night of a big game. Unless Harvard is playing Cornell, tickets are always available at Bright (Harvard is not one of “the perennial losers”). There is beer at BU.Don't forget Northeastern as well, its easy to get tickets for games at Matthews arena, even on the day of games. Not to mention Merrimack and Lowell are not that far away.Most of these teams in EPHL will not be competing with college hockey with the exception of the team in New Hampshire and maybe the team out of Danbury. This league looks like it will be similar to the MAHL which started last year but had its season cut short and had its share of 'financial troubles'. Whether or not the hockey is good remains to be seen, it will depend on the players involved. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
biff44 0 Report post Posted August 10, 2008 Lowell and Merrimack were specifically what I was thinking of when I said perenial losers. Jeez, they could not even get Lowell students to come watch the games last season when they gave out free tickets! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mxihockey 0 Report post Posted August 10, 2008 Merrimack is my favorite place to watch a game. It was my home rink growing up so I got to meet/play with a lot of their players. My favorite team is BU because they have had so many kids from my town/that played on my prep team. But there is no better seats in hockey east then standing behind the glass at Merrimack. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
chippa13 1844 Report post Posted August 11, 2008 Merrimack has a dump of a rink compared to pretty much every other rink in Hockey East. No wonder they struggle to draw top level talent to be competitive. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
biff44 0 Report post Posted August 11, 2008 Merrimack has the advantage that you can have pretty much any seat in the house for many games, since the students do not show. The weight room is acceptable, although not up to BU standards for instance. Other than that, the cooling plant is screwed up enough so they play 1/3 of each period with standing water behind the goal near the main entrance. Visiting team locker rooms are still hell holes. Food service reminds me of poor high school service. Yeah, its great. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ean 0 Report post Posted August 20, 2008 any updates? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
iceholes 0 Report post Posted November 4, 2008 did this ever happen??? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JCL 0 Report post Posted January 6, 2009 Yeah went down there, did well, was on the top line into all the scrims, come last scrimmage, i got blindsided and seperating my AC joint, i had to drive home with my manual car from pittsburg to Toronto, Canada, was fun! lol Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
interpathway 9 Report post Posted January 6, 2009 There is beer at BU.Hell, my brother served it at Agganis until he graduated. Beer, fries, and colas! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cmvondran 0 Report post Posted January 9, 2009 Merrimack is my favorite place to watch a game. It was my home rink growing up so I got to meet/play with a lot of their players. My favorite team is BU because they have had so many kids from my town/that played on my prep team. But there is no better seats in hockey east then standing behind the glass at Merrimack.I have a friend that played for Merrimack, nick parillo. He played for the Toledo Storm. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
