CAHA Tier 2 Peewee/Bantam changes for 2017-2018

[Icelife]

Sorry for the ignorance, but what do the terms, "playdown" and "play-in" mean?

[Teemu8]

Play downs are what they call play offs... not sure why its called  that...  play in means you have to beat someone to get in.

[skates]

OK, so if you count the 16 teams declared for So Cal and the 4 declared for NorCal, there will be 2 flights of 10. What is all the hype about AA? The only difference really at this level is AA plays nor cal teams during the season and A level only plays NorCal teams if they make it to state finals.  Really not worth the extra expense at the PW level! There is not much difference between A skilled kids and AA skilled kids. They are all 11 and 12 youth. Wish I could convince my wife to play A but to her it was all about playing with friends. My philosophy was the kid will make new friends. 

[trans4761]

Sorry for the ignorance, but what do the terms, "playdown" and "play-in" mean?

It's a lot line the NHL playoff system 1 vs 8......2 vs 7....3 vs 6  etc....

[MO-ICETIME]

OK, so if you count the 16 teams declared for So Cal and the 4 declared for NorCal, there will be 2 flights of 10. What is all the hype about AA? The only difference really at this level is AA plays nor cal teams during the season and A level only plays NorCal teams if they make it to state finals.  Really not worth the extra expense at the PW level! There is not much difference between A skilled kids and AA skilled kids. They are all 11 and 12 youth. Wish I could convince my wife to play A but to her it was all about playing with friends. My philosophy was the kid will make new friends. 

Haha, I'm sure some parents were saying the same thing last season even though I don't agree. That's also a rational conclusion if your team is bottom flight.

[trans4761]

OK, so if you count the 16 teams declared for So Cal and the 4 declared for NorCal, there will be 2 flights of 10. What is all the hype about AA? The only difference really at this level is AA plays nor cal teams during the season and A level only plays NorCal teams if they make it to state finals.  Really not worth the extra expense at the PW level! There is not much difference between A skilled kids and AA skilled kids. They are all 11 and 12 youth. Wish I could convince my wife to play A but to her it was all about playing with friends. My philosophy was the kid will make new friends. 

Haha, I'm sure some parents were saying the same thing last season even though I don't agree. That's also a rational conclusion if your team is bottom flight.

The difference in PW AA TO PW A (at least last year) is kind of the difference between banging a Victoria Secret

Model and the cashier at Walmart..... Same effect......different experience.

[Puck Yeah]

OK, so if you count the 16 teams declared for So Cal and the 4 declared for NorCal, there will be 2 flights of 10. What is all the hype about AA? The only difference really at this level is AA plays nor cal teams during the season and A level only plays NorCal teams if they make it to state finals.  Really not worth the extra expense at the PW level! There is not much difference between A skilled kids and AA skilled kids. They are all 11 and 12 youth. Wish I could convince my wife to play A but to her it was all about playing with friends. My philosophy was the kid will make new friends. 

Haha, I'm sure some parents were saying the same thing last season even though I don't agree. That's also a rational conclusion if your team is bottom flight.

The difference in PW AA TO PW A (at least last year) is kind of the difference between banging a Victoria Secret

Model and the cashier at Walmart..... Same effect......different experience.

I am going to take your word on that one.

[Kangaroo Jack]

OK, so if you count the 16 teams declared for So Cal and the 4 declared for NorCal, there will be 2 flights of 10. What is all the hype about AA? The only difference really at this level is AA plays nor cal teams during the season and A level only plays NorCal teams if they make it to state finals.  Really not worth the extra expense at the PW level! There is not much difference between A skilled kids and AA skilled kids. They are all 11 and 12 youth. Wish I could convince my wife to play A but to her it was all about playing with friends. My philosophy was the kid will make new friends. 

Haha, I'm sure some parents were saying the same thing last season even though I don't agree. That's also a rational conclusion if your team is bottom flight.

The difference in PW AA TO PW A (at least last year) is kind of the difference between banging a Victoria Secret

Model and the cashier at Walmart..... Same effect......different experience.

I am going to take your word on that one.

I am sure in your case Trans it is the difference of rubbing one out to a Victoria Secret catalog or rubbing one out in the Walmart bathroom. 😜

[trans4761]

OK, so if you count the 16 teams declared for So Cal and the 4 declared for NorCal, there will be 2 flights of 10. What is all the hype about AA? The only difference really at this level is AA plays nor cal teams during the season and A level only plays NorCal teams if they make it to state finals.  Really not worth the extra expense at the PW level! There is not much difference between A skilled kids and AA skilled kids. They are all 11 and 12 youth. Wish I could convince my wife to play A but to her it was all about playing with friends. My philosophy was the kid will make new friends. 

Haha, I'm sure some parents were saying the same thing last season even though I don't agree. That's also a rational conclusion if your team is bottom flight.

The difference in PW AA TO PW A (at least last year) is kind of the difference between banging a Victoria Secret

Model and the cashier at Walmart..... Same effect......different experience.

I am going to take your word on that one.

I am sure in your case Trans it is the difference of rubbing one out to a Victoria Secret catalog or rubbing one out in the Walmart bathroom. 😜

I would say yes.....
But better that than being in an airport bathroom playing footsy with the guy in the next stall,  right Zam ?

[skates]

OK, so if you count the 16 teams declared for So Cal and the 4 declared for NorCal, there will be 2 flights of 10. What is all the hype about AA? The only difference really at this level is AA plays nor cal teams during the season and A level only plays NorCal teams if they make it to state finals.  Really not worth the extra expense at the PW level! There is not much difference between A skilled kids and AA skilled kids. They are all 11 and 12 youth. Wish I could convince my wife to play A but to her it was all about playing with friends. My philosophy was the kid will make new friends. 

Haha, I'm sure some parents were saying the same thing last season even though I don't agree. That's also a rational conclusion if your team is bottom flight.

Oh my! CAHA could make it so simple. Have So Cal and Nor cal play a week worth of pre season games in their own region. The top 8 in So Cal are the top bracket and the top 2 from NorCal are in the the top bracket. The rest are in the bottom bracket. Then no one has to travel.


So do we really think they will even drop any teams down to A? Seriously?

[fistocuffs]

Well Well Well. What do we have here?


I feel this really handicaps the teams that are younger that start slow out of the gates, but may pick up a player or two in Late September, and/or start clicking and winning games the 1/2 half of the season.  They are out before they are in.  It insures top ranked teams get an easy in - I am sure they will not pit the top teams against each other, so they get a fee pass.


Teams will simply have to shorten the bench on labor day and play playoff hockey before the season gets going. 


If you read between the lines, It could be designed to drive the number of teams in Tier II down to 10 or less. (Not a bad idea)


But, as I always say buyer beware - your value for the dollar just got leveraged down and if you participate in this, you may be guilty of throwing good money after bad.


Having said all that, teams (players) can do a few things.


1)  Play the whole season and run through the new rule set and see how it goes.  If you are in the loser bracket by Sept 4th, we isn't that a peach.  You are playing basically exhibition for 7 months.  (Yay)
2)  Participate in the preseason / post season Labor Day Extravaganza.  If you are not in the top 6 and/or are asked to play "extra games", the team (or player)  just drops to A right after your last game up In San Jose.


3)  Your team (or player) drops now and avoids this man-made circus.


or (there is always option 4)  Go nuclear!   Manage to get all SCAHA teams to drop to A now, and let the 4 norcal teams have fun all season playing each other.  Thereby circumventing the whole thing and forcing norcal teams to play a 4 team tournament (or they will be suspended from Tier II - if i read it right) - a somewhat in your face approach to the norcal folks who are driving this bus.


Being a person that has been through the youth hockey circuit,  I would relegate my choices to #3, or #4 - lean into #4 hard.  You will save a ton of money, and you will get as many games (or more).  And, especially if somehow people could pull off #4, you will play all the top teams anyways (Just in A).  And you will avoid the choke hold of rules reigning down from CAHA. 


Remeber - Peewee AA never leaves the state after state finals.  (so what is really the difference i ask?).  The difference is, a simple season.  (4-5 preseason games, 16 regular season games - and post season).  No fuss, no muss.


Just think!  All local games, no caha weekends, extra money to save or take lessons, sticktimes, public skates,  I could keep going here, (maybe a college savings plan).


Youth hockey is too expensive, and too complicated, and getting more complicated each year.   Its beginning to be treated like semi-pro hockey, not a youth sport to pass the time and develop skill.  The kids are just that, kids. 


Think about it.  That's my 3 cents.

[skates]

Well Well Well. What do we have here?


I feel this really handicaps the teams that are younger that start slow out of the gates, but may pick up a player or two in Late September, and/or start clicking and winning games the 1/2 half of the season.  They are out before they are in.  It insures top ranked teams get an easy in - I am sure they will not pit the top teams against each other, so they get a fee pass.


Teams will simply have to shorten the bench on labor day and play playoff hockey before the season gets going. 


If you read between the lines, It could be designed to drive the number of teams in Tier II down to 10 or less. (Not a bad idea)


But, as I always say buyer beware - your value for the dollar just got leveraged down and if you participate in this, you may be guilty of throwing good money after bad.


Having said all that, teams (players) can do a few things.


1)  Play the whole season and run through the new rule set and see how it goes.  If you are in the loser bracket by Sept 4th, we isn't that a peach.  You are playing basically exhibition for 7 months.  (Yay)
2)  Participate in the preseason / post season Labor Day Extravaganza.  If you are not in the top 6 and/or are asked to play "extra games", the team (or player)  just drops to A right after your last game up In San Jose.


3)  Your team (or player) drops now and avoids this man-made circus.


or (there is always option 4)  Go nuclear!   Manage to get all SCAHA teams to drop to A now, and let the 4 norcal teams have fun all season playing each other.  Thereby circumventing the whole thing and forcing norcal teams to play a 4 team tournament (or they will be suspended from Tier II - if i read it right) - a somewhat in your face approach to the norcal folks who are driving this bus.


Being a person that has been through the youth hockey circuit,  I would relegate my choices to #3, or #4 - lean into #4 hard.  You will save a ton of money, and you will get as many games (or more).  And, especially if somehow people could pull off #4, you will play all the top teams anyways (Just in A).  And you will avoid the choke hold of rules reigning down from CAHA. 


Remeber - Peewee AA never leaves the state after state finals.  (so what is really the difference i ask?).  The difference is, a simple season.  (4-5 preseason games, 16 regular season games - and post season).  No fuss, no muss.


Just think!  All local games, no caha weekends, extra money to save or take lessons, sticktimes, public skates,  I could keep going here, (maybe a college savings plan).


Youth hockey is too expensive, and too complicated, and getting more complicated each year.   Its beginning to be treated like semi-pro hockey, not a youth sport to pass the time and develop skill.  The kids are just that, kids. 


Think about it.  That's my 3 cents.

I vote for 3 or 4 too. Somebody please talk to my wife about #3.

[skates]

To eliminate so many AA teams and to make it more competitive, how about CAHA makes this rule:


All clubs are only allowed 1 AA team. These clubs with 2 AA teams is not realistic. You can't tell me that they are all AA caliber. Take OC for example: I know only one of their 2 teams might have a chance to be competitive. I am not even sure if any of the 2 would be competitive. But at least you would eliminate one from the beginning.

[6607]

Skates, OC will be just fine.  The Shand team, on paper, is in the discussion for one of the top 4 teams in the state.  They have a core group from the Eagles and added in kids with PWAA experience and a couple other skilled players.   Eyeballing it, they must have at least 6 or 7 of the Top 100 scorers from PWA last year.  Assessing the Bickley team would take a little more knowledge of the other teams.  But its a team whose players bring a lot more experience and size that the 06 Ice Dogs team that you were predicting earlier this year to be a top half team.  If that assessment of the Ice Dogs team is accurate, then the Bickley team will be just fine.

[fistocuffs]

Skates, OC will be just fine.  The Shand team, on paper, is in the discussion for one of the top 4 teams in the state.  They have a core group from the Eagles and added in kids with PWAA experience and a couple other skilled players.   Eyeballing it, they must have at least 6 or 7 of the Top 100 scorers from PWA last year.  Assessing the Bickley team would take a little more knowledge of the other teams.  But its a team whose players bring a lot more experience and size that the 06 Ice Dogs team that you were predicting earlier this year to be a top half team.  If that assessment of the Ice Dogs team is accurate, then the Bickley team will be just fine.

Probably correct,  but wouldn't it be better let the season play out to prove or disprove this?   Say you have injuries, sickness, or a game misconduct or two on Labor Day?    The regular season traditionally is what is used to determine post season play (or it used to be).  During the regular season, you play hard teams and easy teams, and a few games will make the difference, and as a team, you know the games where you have to bear down and bang out a win.  Now its all up to  handful of stunted games in September.  Good luck with that.