Mid-Am rules do address teams that play in AAA leagues, but only related to regional and national championships, which are prohibited at the Squirt level. It's not clear whether tournaments like Silver Stick will apply the same principles. If so, teams in the EEAHL may be prohibited from playing in Tier II regionals.

23. Tier I/Tier II Certification Method:

All teams competing in the Major Division of a recognized AAA and/or Tier I League must play at the Tier I level regardless of team record or standing. A Tier II team that competes in a Tier I playdown tournament will then be ineligible for Tier II playdown competition.

http://www.usahockey.com/mid-american/main_site/main/rules___regulations///

quote:

Originally posted by TROLL:

quote:

Originally posted by TwoSkaters:
One thing I have noticed - most teams typically 'play down' a notch in terms of level of play when it comes to Silver Sticks (Columbus Capitals Mites and Squirts, Blue Jackets Mites and Squirts last year). The coaches know what the team really is...you can tell by where they slot them for Silver Sticks...this appears to be the real tell tale sign of 'what level they are'...unfortunately parental 'teen spirit' gets in the way.

I don't know that this is true, teams are pretty honest. Last year Capitals Mites and Cincy Mites played Mite AA in Dayton. Capital Squirts, CCYHA 94 Squirts, Cincy 94 Squirts and Dayton 94 Squirts all played Squirt AA in Dayton. Cincy 95 Squirts and CCYHA 95 Squirts played AA Minor in Cincy. Cardinal 93s and CCYHA 93s both played Peewee AA in Dayton. That all seems legitimate for their levels?

Good points

What about Cardinal and Blue Jackets Mites?

quote:

Originally posted by TwoSkaters:
What about Cardinal and Blue Jackets Mites?

I listed the ones I knew off the top of my head. Not sure where those teams played.

Mite level is different anyway. Unless they have been playing together as a travel team, no one knows the right level for a mite team. There is no AAA, so if the team has travel experience, play them in AA. No experience, play them in A. By peewees according to the above posting you commit to a level when you roster, so AAA has some meaning. Squirt seems to be the the division in limbo.

I remember a few years ago when an Indy Squirt AA BTHL team played in a SS Squirt A regional and won. Indy considered themselves a A team that was playing up to develop -- others screamed foul. Nasty emails were flying, SS officials were looking into it, etc. But back then, no one, except the Barons, were calling themselves AAA, so it will be interesting to see if something similar happens at SS if AAA teams play in the AA tournament. I am certain places like Michigan and Pennsylvania have already dealt with these issues, but they are new to Ohio because of the growth of the sport. I guess that's a good thing?

quote:

Originally posted by puckeye:
How about just Ohio Squirt rankings? How would you rank (just for fun!) the following Ohio teams?
Gilmour Sabres - Independent
Cleveland Phantoms - EEAHL
Cleveland Barons - MWEHL
Columbus Capitals - EEAHL
Columbus Blue Jackets - Independent
Toledo Ice Diggers - LCAHL
Cincy Cyclones - EEAHL
Dayton Bluehawks - BTHL
North Olmsted - CSHL
Shaker - CSHL
Strongsville - CSHL
Geauga - CSHL
Elyria - CSHL
Mentor - CSHL
Parma - CSHL

With the season underway and some scores in:

(1) Cincy
(2) Blue Jackets
(3) Phantoms
(4) Gilmour
(5) Barons
(6) Capitals
(7) Dayton
(8) Barons 96
(9) CSHL Select

quote:

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.

Midseason evaluation -- I have to give me an A to A-. I was on the money for most but way off on one team selected in the EEAHL and slightly off in the MWEHL's 96s.

As for the BTHL, dead on. Dayton has already run away with the Sq.AA. They shouldn't lose a game this year in the BTHL. Give them the trophies.

CSHL, again, on the money. The big 4 are always near the top and it will be a horse race to the finish. Parma has fallen off and it will likely be Shaker, NO or Strongsville. I pick NO to win the regular season, but Shaker in the tournament.

EEAHL, I over-estimated Montgomery. Cleveland is clearly the strongest team with only one loss to Cincy. Had the Am. Penguins played in the EEAHL, it would be a Cleveland/Pittsburgh battle. As it is, the season ending tournament will include Cleveland, Cincy, Virginia and Hershey. Expect Cleveland and Cincy in the finals with Cleveland crowned Champions.

MWEHL, everyone is playing for third. As predicted, HB and LC will occupy the top spots. BT will likely be third, with VH dropping to fourth. Here the surprise is BT's fast start.

MWEHL 96s, apparently LC, KV and (the surprise) Cleveland are neck-and-neck, with VH less than a half step behind. So I shouldn't be too disappointed with the ps-predictions, other than having Comp in place of Cleveland.

Looks like a lot of great hockey and some very talented teams.

quote:

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.

Where's Gilmour and CBJ 95's Independents

Let's see CBJ 95 has beaten Bluehawks from the Mighty BTHL (3 times), N.O. and Parma (2 of yer 4), the Capitals (EEAHL AAA) to death twice, Phantoms (EEAHL AAA) - first place, Cyclones (EEAHL AAA), and have split with Gilmour (Independent AAA), along with several LCAHL Ranked Teams, but have struggled against true AAA from MWEHL.

http://www.ccyha.org/Results.asp?org=CCYHA.ORG

Montgomery, if yer talkin about 95, unless the sites wrong has them well under .500 as Virginia is the Top Team.

http://www.eeahl.org/DIV1995_STANDINGS.html

I'd give you a C, but of course, I could be wrong.

quote:

Originally posted by CardsPW92:
Where's Gilmour and CBJ 95's Independents

I'd give you a C, but of course, I could be wrong.

A "C"!? Wow, now that's a tough grading curve. I miss Montgomery in the EEAHL and over shoot with 96 Comp instead of Cleveland and I drop to a "C"? You gotta be kiddin' me?!

If it's because I didn't include the 95 Blue Jackets or Gilmour, you can't take off for that!!! They aren't in a league. They are perfectly fine teams, but I can't pick them to win the BTHL if they aren't in the BTHL. They are about even, so if they were in the EEAHL I'd pick them to finish behind Cleveland and Cincy. If they were in the MWEHL, I'd pick them to finish behind HB, LC, BT and VH. But we'll never know.

Could you reconsider the "A" so at least I could get a free donut at Krispy Kreme?

Maybe I missed the jist of this thread, but i though it was preditions on squirt AA and wasn't specific to being in a league.

It appears under bthl, but don't know why since there is mention of all kinds of leagues, teams, and levels.

So, I ask, why is CBJ 95 AA and Gilmour AAA not included?

If CBJ 95 was in either BTHL or CSHL they would win either and would most likely, based on their record, be a top 2 team in EEAHL as they have split with your favorite Cleveland and have beaten Cincy 3 out of 4 so far this year.

I'd be willing to move that grade to a "B", however any talk of donuts must surely come from the Sudbury Legend "Tim Hortons"