Basically the beginning of the season they have teams play (not sure how many) some games and they use the RPI system to give each team a score.
(I think it goes three teams deep like they do in College Football. Example: You play team 1 and beat them "7-1". That team played team 2 and lost "8-2". Then that team then played team 3 and tied "2-2". So you pretty much through the rating see that your team, team 2 and team 3 are good matches and that team 1 is overmatched. A RPI number is given and the leagues are formed)
Not sure statistically how many games are needed to be a true number.
The issues I've heard are 1. Too hard to set times up to have these pre season games. 2. Many high end players or low end players might be missing from the team due to football, soccer etc so there might be some scores that don't reflect the team.
The way I look at it is, if you have a AA division that looks like this at the end of the year.(Records) Team1 14-2 Team2 12-4 Team3 11-5 Team4 10-6 Team5 5-11 Team6 3-13
It would have been great to have Team 5 and Team 6 play down at A division even though on paper they should have been a AA team. Looking at some of the teams with the worst records in the BTHL, you pretty much can tell within 4 games that they were in over their heads. (Not all but most)
Posts: 22 | Location: Cincinnati | Registered: November 27, 2004
Total number of players each country has at bottom. Some of these countries compete in the upper division in International play, do very well (Ukraine, Latvia, Slovenia) and have less players in their country than some organizations here in the States.
Ukraine and Latvia uses basically the Russian development system. They have 800 and 2700 players in their country total and they can produce a team that can compete against any team in the world. (Maybe not beat but compete)
How can countries like these work in a bubble and produce top notch players (Latvia has a few in the AHL, a few in the NHL Sandis Ozilinch, Arturs Irbe and the recently passed away Minnesota Wild player Zholtok) but programs here in the states feel they have to always produce the top club to go compete against another top club in another city.
Another question (Hypothetical). Lets say that an organization in Ohio has 5,000 players move in during the offseason. Would that organization say "We have a ton of players, lets make a league amongst ourselves." or would that organization still try to make a top team and go travel all over? Even though they could produce 4 evenly matched teams and still be great competition.
Just some thoughts
Player Numbers - all countries Australia 3,000 Austria 7,994 Belarus 1,000 Belgium 1,175 Bulgaria 273 Canada 519,429 China 800 Croatia 480 Czech Republic 52,665 Denmark 4,908 Estonia 985 Finland 112,500 France 17,000 Germany 28,143 Great Britain 7,000 Greece 200 Hungary 1,600 Israel 320 Italy 7,422 Japan 27,200 Kazakstan 2,000 Korea 1,000 Latvia 2,700 Lithuania 550 Netherlands 5,676 New Zealand 1,003 Norway 8,760 Poland 2,500 Romania 1,630 Russia 55,628 Slovakia 16,000 Slovenia 1,187 South Africa 700 Spain 245 Sweden 100,000 Switzerland 26,260 Turkey 450 Ukraine 800 USA 380,625 Yugoslavia 803
Posts: 22 | Location: Cincinnati | Registered: November 27, 2004
you could have 50,000 new hockey players move to C-bus, Cincy, or dayton and you would still have parents and coaches trying to set up an allstar team to go play teams from detroit even though with 50,000 players in one org. you could set up an elite house league that would rival any travel league in the world.
it's all perception.
Posts: 19 | Location: Dayton | Registered: April 06, 2005
Not sure what the last two posts have to do with Squirt AA BTHL hockey, but does anyone have the number of any squirt coaches in Turkey, Spain, Lithuania or Greece? We are looking to pick up some wins and this might be our best hope. Note to self: Steer clear of Latvia.
Posts: 99 | Location: Hockeytown | Registered: August 16, 2004
Originally posted by TwoSkaters: So...any real world predicitions?
Is this going to be a Cincy/Dayton league?
BTHL is up to 5 SQAA teams now, with two in Cincy, one in Dayton, one in Columbus, IN and one in Indy. Question is, is that the first Squirt team out of Indy, or is that the first team that is not playing in the CSDHL? Because then you are looking at Cincy's #3 and #4 teams, Dayton, Columbus, IN and Indy #3. BTHL has committed itself to catering to the A/B level hockey. Nothing wrong with that, but it leaves open the possibility of a AA/AAA league.
How good would a league, based out of Columbus Ohio (simply because of its central location), be that has Cleveland, Columbus, Cincy, Pittsburgh, Indy and Toledo (sometimes Butler Cty or Dayton). All birth year teams with the top team from each program: Columbus Jr. Blue Jackets, Cleveland Barons, Cleveland Panthers, Cincy Cyclones, Indy Checkers, Pittburgh Hornets, Pittsburgh Am. Penguins and Toledo Icediggers -- Squirt up to 18s. The tough sells would be Cleveland Barons, Pittsburgh Hornets and Toledo -- because they have other very good options.
Just a thought.
Posts: 99 | Location: Hockeytown | Registered: August 16, 2004
Seems to me that a league that includes the top birth year teams from Cleveland, Columbus, Cincy, Pittsburgh, Toledo, Dayton, Indy, etc. would be the way to go.
It is clear that everyone is looking for other options for the top birth year team. We have enough good teams with Columbus at the hub, to create a great league.
Originally posted by leftwing8: Seems to me that a league that includes the top birth year teams from Cleveland, Columbus, Cincy, Pittsburgh, Toledo, Dayton, Indy, etc. would be the way to go.
It is clear that everyone is looking for other options for the top birth year team. We have enough good teams with Columbus at the hub, to create a great league.
How to start, and who takes the lead?
Sounds alot like the Great Lakes League to me...just need to expand it to the lower age groups....
