One more Squirt AA team needed for Chicago Pre-season tournament (Sept 23-25). Bracket includes Chicago Blues, St. Peters Spirit, Marquette MI, and Canton Crush. Visit http://www.edgetournaments.com for more info.
Posts: 9 | Location: Chicago, IL | Registered: July 23, 2005
Originally posted by HckyDad: What are the pre-season squirt predictions for BTHL, CSHL, CSDHL, EEAHL, and heck, the MWEHL?
I'll bite again this year.
BTHL Squirt AA: Dayton (easy pick) Cincy Indy (although could edge out Cincy) Everybody else.
CSHL Squirt AA (not A1): Strongsville (always strong, hence the name) North Olmstead (lost too much) Parma (I might have them too low) Shaker (big question mark)
EEAHL: Montgomery (Great Program) Youngstown Phantoms (fka Cleveland) (Big Gap) (Where are the Pens? -- Playing AA? Why?) Cincy (Next 3 - pick'em)
MWEHL 95: HB (no brainer) LC (lots of talent, short bench) VH (a surprise 3rd) Comp (solid Novi team from last year) BT
MWEHL 96: KV (Interesting that they allowed them in) LC Comp VH
Of course, I could be wrong. Good luck and have fun.
Posts: 99 | Location: Hockeytown | Registered: August 16, 2004
These are all pretty good Squirt teams, but first you have to separate the AAA and the AA. So Gilmour, Phantoms, Barons, Capitals and Cyclones are in one AAA group, with the rest in the AA group. The AAA teams have not played each other (that I know of) so its just guesses, but I would say:
Barons or Phantoms 1 and 2 Sabres or Cincy 3 and 4 Capitals
AA is more difficult because most of these teams are new except Bluejackets and Toledo. I would say:
Bluejackets Ice Diggers or Bluehawks (2 and 3) then the CSHL teams.
You have to assume Barons or Phantoms are the top team overall until Gilmour, Cincy or the Bluejackets prove that they can beat them. I don't think any of them have played.
Of course, I could be wrong.
Posts: 99 | Location: Hockeytown | Registered: August 16, 2004
Good points Troll! From what I've been able to find out (from various websites), the head-to-heads (or against common opponents)so far are this: Barons 2: Pittsburgh hornets 3 Barons 6: Pittsburgh hornets 7 Blue Jackets 7: Pittsburgh hornets 3 Blue Jackets 4: Gilmour 4 Gilmour 4: Pittsburgh Hornets 4 Gilmour 7: Toledo 1 Gilmour 4: Toledo 1 Blue Jackets 8: Toledo 2 Blue Jackets 4: Toledo 0
So based on these early results, it would look like Gilmour and Blue Jackets are pretty even and both may be a notch better than the Barons (based on head to head with Pittsburgh). I believe that both the blue jackets and capitals are playing Gilmour this weekend so it should clear (or cloud) things up even more. Nothing conclusive... just more details.
Posts: 7 | Location: Columbus | Registered: August 11, 2004
Now I am confused. I may have to change my predictions or at least my break down of teams because I got conflicting reports this past weekend at the rink about which teams are Tier I teams and which teams are Tier II. I thought AAA is Tier I and AA/A is Tier II. Someone also said anything under Tier I is considered rec, can that be right? Can you be a Tier II AAA team? Are any of these squirt teams actually rostered as Tier I AAA teams or is that just a title better teams in Ohio use? I assume the Barons are Tier I and AAA because they play in the MWEHL, but do you have to be AAA to be in the MWEHL? Is it the same in the EEAHL? Also some of the squirt teams appear to have played in Squirt AA tourns. according to the tournament applications. Can you roster Tier I or be AAA then play in a Squirt AA tournament? Is that up to each tournament to decide? I didn't think so, but maybe I have just been wrong.
Posts: 99 | Location: Hockeytown | Registered: August 16, 2004
Ah... yes very confusing. But before that is cleared up, here are a few more scores. Blue Jackets 3: Gilmour 1 Blue Jackets 2: Gilmour 1 Gilmour 4: Capitals 2 Capitals 6: Gilmour 3
As far as Tier II, Tier I and AAA/AA/A... here's what I know - Tier I = AAA Tier II can be AA or A (but not AAA) Where it gets confusing is that a team can roster itself as Tier II but play a "AAA" schedule or roster as Tier II and advertise themselves as AAA. In the case of the blue jackets, capitals and gilmour I believe the following to be true (based on their websites): Blue Jackets: Identifies themselves as AA but plays a mixed AAA/AA schedule Gilmour: Says they are AAA (but shows that they are playing AA at silversticks) Capitals: Says they are AAA (but shows that they are playing AA at silversticks)
Looks like they are all AA+ or AAA- depending on how you look at it. (or the cynical amongst you would say that the blue jackets are sandbagging and gilmour and capitals are bragging...)
Posts: 7 | Location: Columbus | Registered: August 11, 2004
I believe ALL teams are technically House/Rec until the PeeWee age group. Since there is no State/District/National tournament until that age there is no reason to register Tier I or Tier II until then.
