Showcase Tournaments

[dangles16 0]

Hi guys, long time reader here. I just wanted to get the opinion on what your guys thoughts were on showcase tournaments. My son will be making the step to junior in the next couple years and I thought it would be a good idea to maybe attend a showcase. I was thinking either EHK or Global showcase. Does anyone on this board have any experience with either? It seems these two are some of the better showcases. Are these showcases just basically a money grab with no actual interest from the scouts? Or do some players get noticed?

If anyone has any help on showcases either EHK or Global or any other one please let me know.

[furlanitalia 1]

I worked with the owner of global and have known guys that went to their showcases before. I'd say about 20% of the kids there actually have a shot at going somewhere, the other 80% is a money grab. They invite every rep player they can get their hands on. Then they invite every house player they can get their hands and tell them they had to pull strings to do it. The players there are mostly spoiled with money as the showcases usually aren't cheap.

Yes there are scouts there, and like I said I've known two people who went and one got scouted to play Junior B in the states, the other is playing Junior A up here in the BCHL. In both cases it was a last resort for the guys.

I've also heard from a tonne of people that they are completely overcrowded, and run poorly with little discipline on the ice.

Does it give you exposure, yes, but with the number of people there you really have to stand out. But hey, exposure is exposure right? Although I'd personally save your money and put it towards training at least for the next year or so until your son is actually ready.

[chk hrd 164]

Have to agree with the above. If we had to travel to skate in Globals we wouldn't. Since it is here we do just to see how he stacks up against other skaters. It is kind of expensive for 4 days of skating but since there is no travel cost for us it doesn't break the bank. Once you skate in it you will get emails from every pay to play team and camp. We haven't had any real bad experience with the Globals and our localone is usually ran pretty well. The only negative thing is some kids come to drop gloves more than play. They think a junior scout is more interested in that than thier talent...to bad thiey are wrong. Two years ago two players from Shattucks got booted from the tourney for cheap play and fighting. I watched my son play them and can see why. I understand they got pretty heavy discilpline from Shattucks because it made them look bad. The on ice behavior is only as good as the refs and what the organizers will let them get away with.

I think one reason we get alot of scouts is because it's in Vegas; it gives them a good excuse. Any exposure is good but if your kid has potential the scouts will find him (regardless of level). With camps and showcase, if they are out of state I would save the money and put it toward private training.

[dangles16 0]

Thanks for the information guys. Does anyone have any info on EHKs showcases?

[dangles16 0]

Hey guys, I was also just wondering. What do you think the possiblities are that any major junior teams show any interested after the showcase? Pending a good camp.

[furlanitalia 1]

From what I've heard there isn't much showing from major junior scouts. Mostly Junior B, some Junior A, and Div 2/3 colleges. I think because quite honestly if you're better then those divisions, you wouldn't be going to a showcase camp. But there's nothing saying you can't make the jump from one of those teams.

[dangles16 0]

I was sent the scouting list from previous years from the EHK showcase and there had been many

div.1/major junior scouts showup. Along with about 7 NHL teams. But Im still hesitant, because most people say it's a money grab.

[furlanitalia 1]

I can't speak for EHK but I've been around Global during the tournament and knowing the guys that run it they claim those guys come, and probably have had them in the past, but it doesn't necessarily mean they'll be there.

Again, I'm not saying it's a terrible idea, just don't get your hopes up, and be prepared to deal with packed benches and kids just there to fight.

[dangles16 0]

We have been invited to the Elite Prospects junior showcase, so we may be going to that one. It seems to be more elite then the others exspecially with alot of top end players as their alumni aka P kane Jon Tavares. The Elite showcase is also by invite only and also only has six teams.

[furlanitalia 1]

Only having six teams I would think is more important then it being invite only. All showcases are invite only, it just depends if they invite 100 players or 1000.

[dangles16 0]

What I mean't by invite only is you can't just go onto their website and register you have to be invited, unlike globals and other showcases where you can simply register on their website.

[furlanitalia 1]

I get what you're saying, but Global is still invite only. Just because you register doesn't mean you get to come.