Quality competition lasts only 10-20 teams deep. A 16 team league is typically best. 4-5 teams usually able to compete, but are bottom feeders while 4-6 teams at the top as clear-cut teams for a championship.
Allowing teams to choose where to be and putting 20+ teams in a league is moronic. I too am sick of seeing a RUNNING CLOCK for every 3rd period because teams should have dropped down. Total garbage.
The top 8 teams in A are gonna have an amazing playoffs. The top 3-4 will prove to be capable of playing at the AA level (as middle of the ack AA teams) and that's how it should be. There should be overlap. The top 3-4 teams in A should be 5-10 capable in AA. Like it or not, SCAHA ruins this by putting 20+ teams in a division.
I don't need to drive 100+ miles to watch my kid get 2 shifts during a running clock 3rd period. If you are arrogant enough to play in the wrong division, your team should feel the natural consequences of a 20-0 beating. SCAHA and the running clock coddles and enables poor choices for division placement.