Squirt A 2016-17

[skates]

Lol! They are 9 and 10 year olds and you want to see how they compare against other 9 and 10 years old and you have to travel to London or Canada? Really? Do they eat more Wheaties in Canada or a London? Lol! They play just like any other 9 or 10 year olds play. You can get the same competition at the next closest rink.

[Disco Dan]

You cannot get the same level of competition at home, hence minor aged, highly skilled teams have to play up a division.  From what I can see, the ADM model has hurt the full-ice play.  Our kids lack the positional knowledge of the Canadian players, but make-up for it in athleticism.  Overall, this was a good showing for California hockey.

[Just Saying]

And, um, can we all get on the same page... there is also a London in Canada... just outside Toronto.

[LetsGoRangers]

Lol! They are 9 and 10 year olds and you want to see how they compare against other 9 and 10 years old and you have to travel to London or Canada? Really? Do they eat more Wheaties in Canada or a London? Lol! They play just like any other 9 or 10 year olds play. You can get the same competition at the next closest rink.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jjy_7haflaM

[Puck Yeah]

How are the Jr Kings doing in Canada?

Squirt A went 1-3, 3 very tight one goal games and got blown out by London.   Overall great experience and great time had by all.  Bummer to lose two one goal games but they showed they can compete with some of the top teams in Canada.  Should have won both of those games but penalties were a factor in both.  We will be back next year.

Drew Doughty Invitational in London Ontario.

Because you can't develop a Squirt team locally.  Ontario is the closest place for any real competition. Good Grief, they are 9.

It's not about development, it's about seeing how you compare to top competition from other regions. In other words, about measuring the development.

Then I guess since they were one goal games and the Canadian 9 year olds are heads and shoulders above SoCal 9 year olds we will be expecting an undefeated season before hoisting the cup come springtime.  I am booking a room for the finals now before all the scouts take them.

[#4BobbyOrr]

Lol! They are 9 and 10 year olds and you want to see how they compare against other 9 and 10 years old and you have to travel to London or Canada? Really? Do they eat more Wheaties in Canada or a London? Lol! They play just like any other 9 or 10 year olds play. You can get the same competition at the next closest rink.

Our team is 9 yr olds playing against mostly 10 yr olds in scaha.  We travel to see how we do against 9 yr olds from traditional hockey markets to see where we are developmmentally.  Not sure what is so hard to understand about that. SoCal birth year teams have been doing that for years. There were teams from Pittsbugh, Long Island, and Syracuse there as well Plus the kids have a blast and it builds team unity. 

[Puck Yeah]

Lol! They are 9 and 10 year olds and you want to see how they compare against other 9 and 10 years old and you have to travel to London or Canada? Really? Do they eat more Wheaties in Canada or a London? Lol! They play just like any other 9 or 10 year olds play. You can get the same competition at the next closest rink.

Our team is 9 yr olds playing against mostly 10 yr olds in scaha.  We travel to see how we do against 9 yr olds from traditional hockey markets to see where we are developmmentally.  Not sure what is so hard to understand about that. SoCal birth year teams have been doing that for years. There were teams from Pittsbugh, Long Island, and Syracuse there as well Plus the kids have a blast and it builds team unity.

I think the only difficult part to understand is why some think it matters how they stack up against 9 year olds 1500 miles away.  There is nothing so profound in Squirts Canada that it can't be found here. 

To each his own.  It is your money, spend it as you wish.  It is not my place to tell you how to expose your player to hockey.  However, I do have my own opinion on the importance of 9 year olds getting on a plane to play a hockey game.

[JustPlay]

Agree.  It's six of one, half dozen of the other traveling to the East Coast vs. Canada as far as cost (maybe even cheaper if you factor in the currency exchange rate).

Great experience, great hockey, some families caught a few World Cup games - sounds fun to me.  The fact it was hosted by Drew Doughty and the London Jr. Knights in partnership with the LA Kings seems logical that the Jr. Kings were a part of it.

[Kangaroo Jack]

Do not forget Bailey the Lion was there as well.

[trans4761]

Do not forget Bailey the Lion was there as well.

That dude owes me $$ too  !!

If doing this tournament is to see how you "stack" up against other 9 year olds. Its like measuring up your pinga against your 9 year old buddies when you were a kid..  It doesn't matter until much later in life. Then it matters.

[Hockey999999]

I think it's about 2 things; the travel experience which is fun and good team bonding and it's about ego ("we played a tournament in Canada so we are good").  You want local competition from 9 year olds I hear Gasseaus 2007 BB team is really good.  They haven't lost a game this season (won all by 7-8 goals) and have won every tournament they have been in over the last year.

[MO-ICETIME]

Rumor has it, there is a pretty good 06 team down the road that was nationally ranked last year. I'm sure they could have provided a pretty good measuring stick? But hey, I agree, the fun memories are what the kids will remember. All the other stuff is for the parents and club.

[#4BobbyOrr]

I think it's about 2 things; the travel experience which is fun and good team bonding and it's about ego ("we played a tournament in Canada so we are good").  You want local competition from 9 year olds I hear Gasseaus 2007 BB team is really good.  They haven't lost a game this season (won all by 7-8 goals) and have won every tournament they have been in over the last year.

That Ducks BB team looks pretty good but they have played mostly bottom half teams.  They only beat the Kings 07 bb by 1 (not 7 or 8.  If they are so good why didn't they go squirt A instead of BB?

Rumor has it, there is a pretty good 06 team down the road that was nationally ranked last year. I'm sure they could have provided a pretty good measuring stick? But hey, I agree, the fun memories are what the kids will remember. All the other stuff is for the parents and club.

An 07 team against a top ranked 06 team?  That would be an embarrassment for both teams.

[MO-ICETIME]

I think it's about 2 things; the travel experience which is fun and good team bonding and it's about ego ("we played a tournament in Canada so we are good").  You want local competition from 9 year olds I hear Gasseaus 2007 BB team is really good.  They haven't lost a game this season (won all by 7-8 goals) and have won every tournament they have been in over the last year.

That Ducks BB team looks pretty good but they have played mostly bottom half teams.  They only beat the Kings 07 bb by 1 (not 7 or 8.  If they are so good why didn't they go squirt A instead of BB?

Rumor has it, there is a pretty good 06 team down the road that was nationally ranked last year. I'm sure they could have provided a pretty good measuring stick? But hey, I agree, the fun memories are what the kids will remember. All the other stuff is for the parents and club.

An 07 team against a top ranked 06 team?  That would be an embarrassment for both teams.

Sorry was referring to the 06 team not the 07 team.

[#4BobbyOrr]

The catalyst for this whole trip was the NHL Kings stroking a fat check for a 3 year sponsorship of the Drew Doughty tournament to benefit Ronald McDonald House , and in return the Jr Kings get a spot in the Atom and Minor Atom divisions.  So the 07's and 08's will most likely go next year and the 08's and 09's the year after.  It was a first class event and a first class experience.  Beats going to KHS or Lakewood on a Sunday morning, even if the competition is good (it is).  Sorry but it's the truth.