Big Decision

[dumbpolak9 1]

Ok, today I received an email from the Philadelphia Jackals, saying that they would like me to try out for them. The problem is now that I am going to college with no hockey program, and working about 5 days a week. Should I go ahead and tryout? Mind that I am about 2 hours out of Philly, and they practice 3-4 times aweek. Is it worth it? Also its a Jr A tier III program.

[hockeyfreak7 0]

If I'm not mistaken, this team was previously known as the Philadelphia Thunder of the UJHL?

Complete joke of a team. Calls themselves Jr. A, but theyre really nothing even close.

If you have no where else to go, then I guess it is worth a shot so you can still play some hockey, but I'd strongly recommend against them if it's the same team I think it is.

[Hradsky 1]

Well if the tryouts are free then why not? You can probably ask around and see if it's actually a good team, and if a future hockey career is possible going that route.

However, if you are going to college without a hockey program, it seems you've already given up on your hockey career...

[sickwilly 37]

If there's no major commitment/cost to try out, why not try out and decide afterward.

[bostonjuniorblackhawks 1]

If you have the time to play and the team isn't that brutal, I say play for em. I buddy of mine attended bentley this year and played juniors with us too.

[yrhmblnr8r 69]

Go to the tryout. If the organization is complete clownshoes, you can figure it out then. Nothing says you have to accept a spot on the team if one is offered.

[shooter27 116]

The organization sounds kind of like a joke to me. The rink they play in according to the website is a complete joke, its been around for about 40 years with no real renovations done to it. I grew up about 5 minutes from the rink but played elsewhere because of the state of the rink. I've honestly never even heard of the league - IJHL. The top Jr. A leagues in the US are the USHL, NAHL, and EJHL. The leagues below those - for the most part - don't produce college players, they simply serve as stepping stones to those leagues. Now there is a Philadelphia team in the EJHL, but they play in Warminster, not Elkins Park. If the two teams are somehow related then it might be interesting, as it would be an avenue to the EJHL.

[bostonjuniorblackhawks 1]

Actually I play in the IJHL lol. Not junior A as it claims. Don't feel like playing for the local empire or metro teams because I've heard bad things about their coaches. Play is comparable to metro and empire. In terms of producing college players, well no shit it's not gonna produce comparble numbers to the ushl. A handful of college players are produced from the local B leagues. Vatrano is a sophomore in highschool playing for the empire jr bruins team...............already committed to BC. IJ produces D1 kids once in a while. A couple D3 every year and a lot of kids go on to NAHL or USHL. League has been getting better, so I'm curious to see what's in store for next season. I've noticed that a bunch of screw ups play in the IJHL. One kid who should be playing D1 now, played junior A in canada then came back to the ij for some retarded reason. Hope this helps the op. Also lots of international players, so you meet alot of people.

[mxihockey 0]

Actually I play in the IJHL lol. Not junior A as it claims. Don't feel like playing for the local empire or metro teams because I've heard bad things about their coaches. Play is comparable to metro and empire. In terms of producing college players, well no shit it's not gonna produce comparble numbers to the ushl. A handful of college players are produced from the local B leagues. Vatrano is a sophomore in highschool playing for the empire jr bruins team...............already committed to BC. IJ produces D1 kids once in a while. A couple D3 every year and a lot of kids go on to NAHL or USHL. League has been getting better, so I'm curious to see what's in store for next season. I've noticed that a bunch of screw ups play in the IJHL. One kid who should be playing D1 now, played junior A in canada then came back to the ij for some retarded reason. Hope this helps the op. Also lots of international players, so you meet alot of people.

To say the IJ sends kids D1 and to the NAHL or USHL is so far from the truth its not even funny.. and it's not close to empire.. maybe the bottom of the barrel teams like Salem ice dogs.

[Hradsky 1]

I smell a BJB vs. MXI showdown in the making.

[mxihockey 0]

That would be real mature huh?

[Hradsky 1]

Well it would actually be pretty cool to watch since both of you are apparently pretty good players, but you claim to be better so...

[hockeyfreak7 0]

BJB- The players that Jr. B produces that play D1 dont go straight to D1 from Jr. B. They move on to the EJ, AJ, NAHL or USHL before moving on to the college ranks. Jr. B is just a stepping stone, so you cant really say that "a handful of college players are produced from local B leagues".

And lets not give the Empire too much credit, mxi. There are some truly pretty bad players in that league, also. IJHL seems to be around equal to the mid level teams in the EmJHL. I have played with and against a lot of the low level teams in the EmJHL, and many of the players have no business even playing junior hockey. On the other hand, the EmJHL serves as a stepping stone to higher levels of junior hockey, and in that regard, it is a great league. Same with the MJHL. Great for the 16/17 year old youngsters not ready to jump into Jr. A; bad for the 18, 19 year olds still trying to make it.

The thing that is wrong with the IJHL is that they advertise as Jr. A when they are very, very far from the level of the Tier III Jr. A leagues that they claim to be on par with. So any prospective IJHL player should know that their chances of getting a college hockey opportunity from this league are pretty small.

EDIT: BJB, do you happen to know why Vatrano continues to play Jr. B? Clearly he could play in the EJHL by now, so I dont see why hes being held back.

[bostonjuniorblackhawks 1]

To say the IJ sends kids D1 and to the NAHL or USHL is so far from the truth its not even funny.. and it's not close to empire.. maybe the bottom of the barrel teams like Salem ice dogs.

Your an idiot. http://goblackbears.cstv.com/sports/m-hock...ley_josh00.html

there's 1

http://www.cbssports.com/mcc/messages/chrono/19807564

he played for a while

2

http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/pdisplay.php?pid=97753

my old coach. played for the blackhawks. Walked on to sacred hart. Didn't play much, but still

3

http://www.southcoasttoday.com/apps/pbcs.d...6/PUB05/1060422

played for cubs a bit

4

I'll stop there for D1

http://texastornado.pointstreaksites.com/v.../news/news_4700

there's someone who went to the nahl

the mass maple leafs beat suffolk pal of the mjhl . Blackhawks beat the leafs. Blackhawks are the worst team in the ij. Your team beat us by 3. You would have lost to the cubs

BJB- The players that Jr. B produces that play D1 dont go straight to D1 from Jr. B. They move on to the EJ, AJ, NAHL or USHL before moving on to the college ranks. Jr. B is just a stepping stone, so you cant really say that "a handful of college players are produced from local B leagues".

And lets not give the Empire too much credit, mxi. There are some truly pretty bad players in that league, also. IJHL seems to be around equal to the mid level teams in the EmJHL. I have played with and against a lot of the low level teams in the EmJHL, and many of the players have no business even playing junior hockey. On the other hand, the EmJHL serves as a stepping stone to higher levels of junior hockey, and in that regard, it is a great league. Same with the MJHL. Great for the 16/17 year old youngsters not ready to jump into Jr. A; bad for the 18, 19 year olds still trying to make it.

The thing that is wrong with the IJHL is that they advertise as Jr. A when they are very, very far from the level of the Tier III Jr. A leagues that they claim to be on par with. So any prospective IJHL player should know that their chances of getting a college hockey opportunity from this league are pretty small.

EDIT: BJB, do you happen to know why Vatrano continues to play Jr. B? Clearly he could play in the EJHL by now, so I dont see why hes being held back.

Age maybe? UMAINE goalie came straight from ijhl. Everyone else used the ij as a stepping stone like you said I guess

I smell a BJB vs. MXI showdown in the making.

Already happened. His team won by 3. We were winning and blew it

edit this argument is stupid. I believe somethings were misread.

I said a handful of college players were produced from ALL of the local junior B leauges, not just the ij. I also said that the ij produceds d1 players ONCE IN A WHILE(pretty rare is what I should have said). I never said every year or something like that, I know that a few d1 players passed through the ij at one point though like you guys said.

[ndlancer95 0]

Your an idiot. http://goblackbears.cstv.com/sports/m-hock...ley_josh00.html

there's 1

http://www.cbssports.com/mcc/messages/chrono/19807564

he played for a while

2

http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/pdisplay.php?pid=97753

my old coach. played for the blackhawks. Walked on to sacred hart. Didn't play much, but still

3

http://www.southcoasttoday.com/apps/pbcs.d...6/PUB05/1060422

played for cubs a bit

4

I'll stop there for D1

http://texastornado.pointstreaksites.com/v.../news/news_4700

there's someone who went to the nahl

the mass maple leafs beat suffolk pal of the mjhl . Blackhawks beat the leafs. Blackhawks are the worst team in the ij. Your team beat us by 3. You would have lost to the cubs

Age maybe? UMAINE goalie came straight from ijhl. Everyone else used the ij as a stepping stone like you said I guess

Already happened. His team won by 3. We were winning and blew it

edit this argument is stupid. I believe somethings were misread.

I said a handful of college players were produced from ALL of the local junior B leauges, not just the ij. I also said that the ij produceds d1 players ONCE IN A WHILE(pretty rare is what I should have said). I never said every year or something like that, I know that a few d1 players passed through the ij at one point though like you guys said.

You win whatever bitch slap fest you two were having because you have all the supposed facts

Now Kiss and make up

[Hradsky 1]

Now Kiss and make up

Aw nobody wants to see that...

unless they're girls.

[bostonjuniorblackhawks 1]

Aw nobody wants to see that...

unless they're girls.

Neither of us are..........haha

[mxihockey 0]

Your an idiot. http://goblackbears.cstv.com/sports/m-hock...ley_josh00.html

there's 1

Hes on practice squad....

http://www.cbssports.com/mcc/messages/chrono/19807564

he played for a while

For who? Does not mention he played in IJHL... BCHL is a very good league.

2

http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/pdisplay.php?pid=97753

my old coach. played for the blackhawks. Walked on to sacred hart. Didn't play much, but still

He played for valley in EJHL before sacred hart... And never played....

3

http://www.southcoasttoday.com/apps/pbcs.d...6/PUB05/1060422

played for cubs a bit

And the cubs had what impact of him getting a commitment? He probably played for them for fun and a free skate when he was home a couple weekends...

4

I'll stop there for D1

http://texastornado.pointstreaksites.com/v.../news/news_4700

there's someone who went to the nahl

Got released/cut from team... healthy scratch every other game. Played in EJHL before NA..

the mass maple leafs beat suffolk pal of the mjhl . Blackhawks beat the leafs. Blackhawks are the worst team in the ij. Your team beat us by 3. You would have lost to the cubs

When did I ever bring my old team into this? My team wasn't that good... that's why I moved on. As for the maple leafs, they are a joke, and the CHA is a joke. Also, my team sent 7 kids to the NAHL this season, 2 to the EJ, 4 to the Atlan.JHL 1 to the USHL, 1 to the QMJHL and 1 to D3 college. Thats probably more than the entire IJ..

I said a handful of college players were produced from ALL of the local junior B leauges, not just the ij. I also said that the ij produceds d1 players ONCE IN A WHILE(pretty rare is what I should have said). I never said every year or something like that, I know that a few d1 players passed through the ij at one point though like you guys said.

I agree with all of this^^.. but to say that they PRODUCED these players is not the truth..

- I was never trying to take a personal shot at you or your team, although I see thats what your trying to do. I would still like to hear about these so called players that the IJHL sent to the USHL. I simply don't want people getting the wrong idea about the IJHL. The IJHL and UJHL are SCAMS, they advertise as junior A leagues when they are far from it. They trick Euro players into thinking its a top league, having them spend big $$ to play "junior A", There is a reason why it is unsanctioned by USA hockey.

[TheHerminator22 0]

I ask one question: Can you make it to the NHL? If yes, do it, if not, then only if it doesn't affect grades in school and stuff like that

[bostonjuniorblackhawks 1]

Sealy is the only player that came straight from the ijhl recently ,hence why I said once in a while. Practice squad ain't that bad. At least that's what I thought. Not trying to say the ij produces the caliber of players the ushl or nahl does, you just downplayed example I gave you. Taker played 3/4 of last years season for the stars before going to the bchl.

[drew97 0]

I dont know the philly Jackals signed Donatelli. He is one of the top players from the pihl