Junior Leagues in New York

[chef_ducky 0]

Hey Guys-

So I absolutly hate the shitty ass town i live in and want to get out. My dad wants me to try out for Junior C next year (year of birth: 1993), and I would like to play far enough away that I wouldn't have to live here and could be billeted. Does anyone know of any Junior (preferably B, C, D level) right near the Buffalo border. I wouldn't probably like to go farther that Rochester. Let me know.

-Ryan

[JJ Thompson94 0]

Check out the EJHL Eastern Junior Hockey League. They have a team in Syacuse called the Stars. I do think it's Jr. A and they do send a good amount of players to D1 college hockey. Check it out. It may be down your alley. If your interested in moving to NYC, which is not a hick ass town in Ontario, Apple core, who play out of Long Beach in Long Island is one of the better teams in the league. Check it out.

[jon93 0]

What level are you playing now?

you have the Metrojhl and the cha, but cha is probably the worse junior league on the east coast.

It all depends on what your playing right now, especially since your a 93

[dix0r 0]

i didn't realize junior d existed... good luck in the search!

[jon93 0]

nvm.

[chef_ducky 0]

Hey Guys-

Thanks for the imput. I will definately look at all my options. I played rep, but I am taking the year off, to work out, but I am playing with two men's groups. The one is a good skate, a couple ex athletes, and haven't skated with the other yet. I saw the Buffalo Stars in the EJHL? They have a Junior B and C team. I don't think I will be ready for Junior B yet, as you can play it until you are 21(up in Canada anyway).

I think there is only one Jr. D league in Ontario, I have a team about 30 minutes from my house, but as I mentioned, I don't want to be anywhere near here, other that to see my mom and dad, family, etc.

JJ, that would be kinda neat moving to NYC, seeing the Rangers. I meant the town I am living in is a hick ass town(Population of 5500), three quarters of business that goes on here is farming, so if you are right down town, you get the beautiful aroma of cow and pig waste and I am a city kid that just moved here so I can't stand it.

Anyway, thanks again for all the imput, and hope to get some more, from anyone that has any more info!

-Ryan

[biff44 0]

I would recommend trying out for at least a junior B league. There are the Empire and Metropolitan leagues that have some teams in new york.

[warrior37 0]

or the golden horseshoe jr b league, pretty sure they have teams in Welland, Thorold, St Kitts, Niagara Falls ON, and Wheatfield (Buffalo) NY. oh and they send many players D1 and D3 NCAA

[Law Goalie 147]

As a result of vacation and pure accident, I can tell you that the Manitoulin Islanders had a relatively poor showing at their tryouts, and were still evaluating players as of about a week ago. They play in the NOJHL, which is an Ontario Provincial Jr. A league packed with tough as nails farmboys who play very good hockey. Their GM's name is Larry Roy (very nice guy); they're coached by Reggie Leach and sponsored by Sande; and you can run into Randy Carlyle at The Schoolhouse a few times a year.

It's a little further than you'd like, I imagine, and not exactly bright lights, big city, but it's a good opportunity.

[LkptTiger 1]

or the golden horseshoe jr b league, pretty sure they have teams in Welland, Thorold, St Kitts, Niagara Falls ON, and Wheatfield (Buffalo) NY. oh and they send many players D1 and D3 NCAA

You don't want to play for Wheatfield. Trust me.

[warrior37 0]

sounds like someone is speaking from personal experience lol?

[LkptTiger 1]

Hahaha. Nah, I went elsewhere (thank God). I have buddies that ended-up in Wheatfield...they didn't have too much fun there.

[chef_ducky 0]

Hahaha. Nah, I went elsewhere (thank God). I have buddies that ended-up in Wheatfield...they didn't have too much fun there.

Are they any good. That area would be awesome. I love that area, especially Niagra Falls! Maybe I will check it out.

Does anyone play in EJHL on here?

[mxihockey 0]

Dude, haste to burst your bubble but there is no chance you'd be able to crack a spot an EJ roster. Look at the MET or maybe Empire. All of these teams were already picked for this season though.

[chef_ducky 0]

I wasn't talking this year! Maybe next or two seasons from now. What is a MET however?

I meant Empire Junior Hockey League, when I said EJHL, just realized how there is also another EJHL!Q!

[LkptTiger 1]

The Empire league is extremely weak. If you're going to be looking to get yourself into a decent Junior B league next season (one that could bring you legitimate options in the future), look to some of the Canadian teams in the Horseshoe.

[JJ Thompson94 0]

I've never played Empire Jr. league and never played EJHL but I play with guys from Apple Core who play both in leagues. Empire is not that bad. If I were younger I could play Jr. B. Empire may never give you great options to play D1 college but again Jr. B players from any league don't move up like that. If you want hockey options after Jrs. you need to be playing Jr. A. And if someone is considering "Jr. D"? Then they are far removed from Jr. A and options.

[biff44 0]

The Empire league is extremely weak. If you're going to be looking to get yourself into a decent Junior B league next season (one that could bring you legitimate options in the future), look to some of the Canadian teams in the Horseshoe.

Empire is not that bad. The key to empire is that many of the teams are allied with the EJHL, and the best Empire players get pulled up to Junior A.

The original poster is quite young, and a year of good ice time and good coaching in the Empire is not a bad route at all. Coming straight out of townie hockey, he is going to be a "work in progress", and probably has never even MET a good coach in his life.

But you are right, an older player is never going to a D1 college straight out of the empire league. To some extent, Empire hockey has become the supercharged replacement for midget level hockey in the northeast. There are no good midget leagues left out here.

[LkptTiger 1]

If I were younger I could play Jr. B. Empire may never give you great options to play D1 college but again Jr. B players from any league don't move up like that.

I think you might be surprised. Personally, I know a few guys who have been picked-up by D-I and good D-III programs out of good Junior B leagues very recently. I also know/have played with Daulton Leveille...he was with St. Kitts (Golden Horseshoe) last season, then was drafted in the first round of the NHL draft this summer, and is with Michigan State this year.

The Empire league is extremely weak. If you're going to be looking to get yourself into a decent Junior B league next season (one that could bring you legitimate options in the future), look to some of the Canadian teams in the Horseshoe.

Empire is not that bad. The key to empire is that many of the teams are allied with the EJHL, and the best Empire players get pulled up to Junior A.

But you are right, an older player is never going to a D1 college straight out of the empire league. To some extent, Empire hockey has become the supercharged replacement for midget level hockey in the northeast. There are no good midget leagues left out here.

It depends on where he ends-up in the Empire league, though. He also said he didn't want to travel beyond Rochester - and he's not going to find a good Junior program in the States that close. The Buffalo Stars aren't somewhere you want to be.

My advise is that he try to land himself somewhere in the Golden Horseshoe with a good team on the Canadian side (not too far from the border)...and if he doesn't catch on anywhere, find himself a good AAA program on that side and develop another year. I wound-up playing over there are loved it - and I think it did a Hell of a lot more for me than playing Junior B for the Blades or the Stars (or even Jr. "A" for the Jr. Sabres - who just got spanked by Jr. B Thorold last night) could have.

[biff44 0]

A friend of my son had a horrible billet experience with one of those northern NY/Canadian Jr A Teams--lost 25 lbs during half season. Check the billets out very carefully.

[BrooklyniteAlmighty 0]

The program where I coach has the Metro Moose. A few kids are playing from the program are now playing D3 college hockey. Some good players in that moose program. The goalie is insane. Shorter stature this kid gobbles pucks.

Check out the Metro Moose. Nice program and good people running it.

[chef_ducky 0]

The Empire league is extremely weak. If you're going to be looking to get yourself into a decent Junior B league next season (one that could bring you legitimate options in the future), look to some of the Canadian teams in the Horseshoe.

Like the Wheatfield Sabres?

The Empire league is extremely weak. If you're going to be looking to get yourself into a decent Junior B league next season (one that could bring you legitimate options in the future), look to some of the Canadian teams in the Horseshoe.

Empire is not that bad. The key to empire is that many of the teams are allied with the EJHL, and the best Empire players get pulled up to Junior A.

The original poster is quite young, and a year of good ice time and good coaching in the Empire is not a bad route at all. Coming straight out of townie hockey, he is going to be a "work in progress", and probably has never even MET a good coach in his life.

But you are right, an older player is never going to a D1 college straight out of the empire league. To some extent, Empire hockey has become the supercharged replacement for midget level hockey in the northeast. There are no good midget leagues left out here.

I just moved to the small town, I played in a Hamilton before, but my dads job brings us up here, so I have had many good coaches along the way, plus my dad played Junior(not that that matters). Jr. D wasn't really something I wanted, just to play now, because I will only be 16 the start of next season, so playing with guys that are upwards of 20.

Biff44, could you please explain that billet thing?

Thanks again for all the imput!

[LkptTiger 1]

The Empire league is extremely weak. If you're going to be looking to get yourself into a decent Junior B league next season (one that could bring you legitimate options in the future), look to some of the Canadian teams in the Horseshoe.

Like the Wheatfield Sabres?

The Wheatfield Blades are on this (American) side...and they aren't an organization you want to play for if you've got any desire to play hockey beyond the Junior B level. There were a handful of decent hockey players on the team last season (one of whom has been drafted into The O), but the coaching is brutal, and the program doesn't take very good care of its players (which also means they don't do much in the way of "promoting" or "advertising" their better players to college programs...at all). All last season, I heard about (and saw) teammates fighting on the ice, teammates fighting on the bench, guys walking off the team (refusing to play for the coaching staff), etc., etc. It's a shitshow...and I think it's going to get worse before it gets better.

Then there's the whole "pay to play," thing. It'll cost you a pretty penny to play for Wheatfield...and nobody wants to continue to pay (that much money) to play Junior hockey.

If you're going to play in the 'Shoe, stay with someone over there. St. Kitts and Thorold are very good teams with excellent management - they make sure that the guys who can play beyond that level reach their potential. They do a terrific job. And, though I don't have much personal experience with them, I've heard good things about the people in Welland, too.

[willy0314 0]

The Empire league is extremely weak. If you're going to be looking to get yourself into a decent Junior B league next season (one that could bring you legitimate options in the future), look to some of the Canadian teams in the Horseshoe.

Like the Wheatfield Sabres?

The Wheatfield Blades are on this (American) side...and they aren't an organization you want to play for if you've got any desire to play hockey beyond the Junior B level. There were a handful of decent hockey players on the team last season (one of whom has been drafted into The O), but the coaching is brutal, and the program doesn't take very good care of its players (which also means they don't do much in the way of "promoting" or "advertising" their better players to college programs...at all). All last season, I heard about (and saw) teammates fighting on the ice, teammates fighting on the bench, guys walking off the team (refusing to play for the coaching staff), etc., etc. It's a shitshow...and I think it's going to get worse before it gets better.

Then there's the whole "pay to play," thing. It'll cost you a pretty penny to play for Wheatfield...and nobody wants to continue to pay (that much money) to play Junior hockey.

From another voice in the Buffalo area - the above is pretty much dead on. The Jr teams around here are garbage programs. If all you want to do is play, and you have the right political conections than fine play around Buffalo - but if you want to play Jr's as a means to advance further in hockey, I'd try to stay in canada first.....

[chef_ducky 0]

I am really not aspiring to play past junior, it would be cool, but no big aspiratioins here. Thanks for all the advice!

The Empire league is extremely weak. If you're going to be looking to get yourself into a decent Junior B league next season (one that could bring you legitimate options in the future), look to some of the Canadian teams in the Horseshoe.

Like the Wheatfield Sabres?

The Wheatfield Blades are on this (American) side...and they aren't an organization you want to play for if you've got any desire to play hockey beyond the Junior B level. There were a handful of decent hockey players on the team last season (one of whom has been drafted into The O), but the coaching is brutal, and the program doesn't take very good care of its players (which also means they don't do much in the way of "promoting" or "advertising" their better players to college programs...at all). All last season, I heard about (and saw) teammates fighting on the ice, teammates fighting on the bench, guys walking off the team (refusing to play for the coaching staff), etc., etc. It's a shitshow...and I think it's going to get worse before it gets better.

Then there's the whole "pay to play," thing. It'll cost you a pretty penny to play for Wheatfield...and nobody wants to continue to pay (that much money) to play Junior hockey.

From another voice in the Buffalo area - the above is pretty much dead on. The Jr teams around here are garbage programs. If all you want to do is play, and you have the right political conections than fine play around Buffalo - but if you want to play Jr's as a means to advance further in hockey, I'd try to stay in canada first.....