Minor Hockey Talks - Hockey Forum

Guest wrote: ↑Wed Apr 12, 2023 8:57 am Being a parent of a child in a younger age group, more specifically 2013. This year is the almighty brick year for these kids and if you talk to some people if your kid doesn't play brick his hockey career is over at 10 years old. Obviously this tread is with people that have been there done that whole mess a long time ago maybe even several times before and now some of yourselves or your children are potentially moving onto to hockey careers in the ohl, college, Jr or whatever. From what you remember are most or some of the brick kids still relevant or are most non existent now? It's the great debate with parents of our age group and younger. Kind of sickening. I figured if we could get some responses from some of the parents or players on either side of the brick fence it may be educational for some people.

Just curious because it's all consuming this year and thought some wiser people that have been through it and are basically at the top of the food chain for minor hockey right now can pass along their thoughts and experience.

Seems like it carries over year to year and makes some parents bat shit crazy!

Guest wrote: ↑Wed Apr 12, 2023 11:20 am

Guest wrote: ↑Wed Apr 12, 2023 11:10 am

Guest wrote: ↑Wed Apr 12, 2023 8:57 am Being a parent of a child in a younger age group, more specifically 2013. This year is the almighty brick year for these kids and if you talk to some people if your kid doesn't play brick his hockey career is over at 10 years old. Obviously this tread is with people that have been there done that whole mess a long time ago maybe even several times before and now some of yourselves or your children are potentially moving onto to hockey careers in the ohl, college, Jr or whatever. From what you remember are most or some of the brick kids still relevant or are most non existent now? It's the great debate with parents of our age group and younger. Kind of sickening. I figured if we could get some responses from some of the parents or players on either side of the brick fence it may be educational for some people.

Just curious because it's all consuming this year and thought some wiser people that have been through it and are basically at the top of the food chain for minor hockey right now can pass along their thoughts and experience.

Seems like it carries over year to year and makes some parents bat shit crazy!

I had 2 kids go through the whole aaa scene. One went to the brick and one didn’t. I can tell you this……the one that went had a lot more opportunities as he was branded ‘brick kid’. He was part of all the elite spring tournaments, always had a spot on any aaa team and got to train with the top kids. At the end of the day, he was drafted to the O late in draft and his career is probably heading toward beer league soon. The other one didn’t go to the brick. He didn’t get the same opportunities handed to him without the brick kid title. He always felt like the underdog and forced to work harder for every opportunity. He’s eligible for the draft this year. He’ll probably get picked around the same round as my other boy. Both kids have turned out to be good hockey players and good kids, but most likely both are not going much further. The brick experience was fantastic and gives the kids more opportunity than non brick kids over the course of their minor hockey years. Definitely not beyond that. If you don’t go to the brick, it does not mean their chances are over. Far from it!

Great insight.

Given the experience the second time around.

What did you find was a waste of money/ time? I hate to admit it but i probably spent around 300k combined for both boys from age 6-16. Would i do it again? absolutely! That 300k helped turn them into the kids they are today, they have lifelong friends and lifelong skills that they would not have had otherwise. Am i crazy? Maybe, absolutely...lol
Where would you invest? Development with top trainers, dont bother with the cheap group stuff with lousy trainers. Save your money
What would you avoid? If youre on a budget, avoid the long distance travel stuff. Invest more in local training and development with top trainers

What was total BS? Any coach that promises you ice time, pp time etc. If they have to promise that stuff to recruit, they stink.

If you had to do it all again - I would've put them in golf and moved to florida. lol

Guest wrote: ↑Wed Apr 12, 2023 11:10 am

Guest wrote: ↑Wed Apr 12, 2023 8:57 am Being a parent of a child in a younger age group, more specifically 2013. This year is the almighty brick year for these kids and if you talk to some people if your kid doesn't play brick his hockey career is over at 10 years old. Obviously this tread is with people that have been there done that whole mess a long time ago maybe even several times before and now some of yourselves or your children are potentially moving onto to hockey careers in the ohl, college, Jr or whatever. From what you remember are most or some of the brick kids still relevant or are most non existent now? It's the great debate with parents of our age group and younger. Kind of sickening. I figured if we could get some responses from some of the parents or players on either side of the brick fence it may be educational for some people.

Just curious because it's all consuming this year and thought some wiser people that have been through it and are basically at the top of the food chain for minor hockey right now can pass along their thoughts and experience.

Seems like it carries over year to year and makes some parents bat shit crazy!

I had 2 kids go through the whole aaa scene. One went to the brick and one didn’t. I can tell you this……the one that went had a lot more opportunities as he was branded ‘brick kid’. He was part of all the elite spring tournaments, always had a spot on any aaa team and got to train with the top kids. At the end of the day, he was drafted to the O late in draft and his career is probably heading toward beer league soon. The other one didn’t go to the brick. He didn’t get the same opportunities handed to him without the brick kid title. He always felt like the underdog and forced to work harder for every opportunity. He’s eligible for the draft this year. He’ll probably get picked around the same round as my other boy. Both kids have turned out to be good hockey players and good kids, but most likely both are not going much further. The brick experience was fantastic and gives the kids more opportunity than non brick kids over the course of their minor hockey years. Definitely not beyond that. If you don’t go to the brick, it does not mean their chances are over. Far from it!

Guest wrote: ↑Wed Apr 12, 2023 8:57 am Being a parent of a child in a younger age group, more specifically 2013. This year is the almighty brick year for these kids and if you talk to some people if your kid doesn't play brick his hockey career is over at 10 years old. Obviously this tread is with people that have been there done that whole mess a long time ago maybe even several times before and now some of yourselves or your children are potentially moving onto to hockey careers in the ohl, college, Jr or whatever. From what you remember are most or some of the brick kids still relevant or are most non existent now? It's the great debate with parents of our age group and younger. Kind of sickening. I figured if we could get some responses from some of the parents or players on either side of the brick fence it may be educational for some people.

Just curious because it's all consuming this year and thought some wiser people that have been through it and are basically at the top of the food chain for minor hockey right now can pass along their thoughts and experience.

Seems like it carries over year to year and makes some parents bat shit crazy!

Guest wrote: ↑Wed Apr 12, 2023 8:57 am Being a parent of a child in a younger age group, more specifically 2013. This year is the almighty brick year for these kids and if you talk to some people if your kid doesn't play brick his hockey career is over at 10 years old. Obviously this tread is with people that have been there done that whole mess a long time ago maybe even several times before and now some of yourselves or your children are potentially moving onto to hockey careers in the ohl, college, Jr or whatever. From what you remember are most or some of the brick kids still relevant or are most non existent now? It's the great debate with parents of our age group and younger. Kind of sickening. I figured if we could get some responses from some of the parents or players on either side of the brick fence it may be educational for some people.

Just curious because it's all consuming this year and thought some wiser people that have been through it and are basically at the top of the food chain for minor hockey right now can pass along their thoughts and experience.

Seems like it carries over year to year and makes some parents bat shit crazy!

Guest wrote: ↑Mon Apr 03, 2023 9:35 pm

Guest wrote: ↑Mon Apr 03, 2023 3:37 pm

Guest wrote: ↑Mon Apr 03, 2023 9:24 am

Guest wrote: ↑Mon Apr 03, 2023 8:45 am

Guest wrote: ↑Mon Apr 03, 2023 8:36 am

Guest wrote: ↑Mon Apr 03, 2023 8:29 am Usually at Minor Midget the G will have a couple dominant teams at the top. But that's because they get stacked by then. And those teams will have just as many kids that grew up playing in other leagues. So yes the G is always the 2 teams in final going back for some years now but it's not due to better coaching or development. It's player movement and rules for teams that aren't equal across the board. For example take all top ETA players from G and stack them on a a team with top players still in ETA, now do same with SCTA. It will certainly change some outcomes year after year. Look at most top 25 OHL draft rankings. Not many from G but they're on the same 2 teams.

They leave those dusty farm arenas to come to the G for better coaching and development, and greater exposure. It’s the yellow brick road, the Hollywood sign. Opportunities that nowhere else can provide. Simple as that.

Wrong. Not better exposure in reality and not better coaching. Again, check top 25 list, very few from G. Every league has their own assigned scouts and Development really starts at next level and so does good coaching.

You obviously have no idea what you are talking about. Not sure you know the meaning of the words "very" or "few".

2022 draft: 8 of 10 from G (including top 2), 0 of 10 from O; 12 of 20 from G, 3 of 20 from O

Let's ignore the fact that the two covid drafts did, let's be honest favour the G as more known players, and look pre-pandemic drafts, similar thing.

2019 draft: 5 of 10 from G (including top 2), 1 of 10 from O; 9 of 20 from G, 3 of 10 from O
2018 draft: 5 of 10 from G, great year for O with almost as many with 4 of 10; 10 of 20 from G, 7 of 20 from O
2017 draft: 7 of 10 from G, 1 of 10 from O; 12 of 10 from G, 4 of 20 from O

Great players come from all over the province. But there is a reason why so many great players come from outside the GTA to play in the GTHL. There is a reason you don't see the reverse.

That just proves that they come to G. Break it down further to tell us how many came from outside the G and at what age level. Any top 20 player would be drafted whether in G or not. Players just like the G. No better exposure or coaching.

The coaching is FAR superior and it’s not even close. Like the other poster said you never see the reverse and that’s why

Guest wrote: ↑Mon Apr 03, 2023 3:37 pm

Guest wrote: ↑Mon Apr 03, 2023 9:24 am

Guest wrote: ↑Mon Apr 03, 2023 8:45 am

Guest wrote: ↑Mon Apr 03, 2023 8:36 am

Guest wrote: ↑Mon Apr 03, 2023 8:29 am Usually at Minor Midget the G will have a couple dominant teams at the top. But that's because they get stacked by then. And those teams will have just as many kids that grew up playing in other leagues. So yes the G is always the 2 teams in final going back for some years now but it's not due to better coaching or development. It's player movement and rules for teams that aren't equal across the board. For example take all top ETA players from G and stack them on a a team with top players still in ETA, now do same with SCTA. It will certainly change some outcomes year after year. Look at most top 25 OHL draft rankings. Not many from G but they're on the same 2 teams.

They leave those dusty farm arenas to come to the G for better coaching and development, and greater exposure. It’s the yellow brick road, the Hollywood sign. Opportunities that nowhere else can provide. Simple as that.

Wrong. Not better exposure in reality and not better coaching. Again, check top 25 list, very few from G. Every league has their own assigned scouts and Development really starts at next level and so does good coaching.

You obviously have no idea what you are talking about. Not sure you know the meaning of the words "very" or "few".

2022 draft: 8 of 10 from G (including top 2), 0 of 10 from O; 12 of 20 from G, 3 of 20 from O

Let's ignore the fact that the two covid drafts did, let's be honest favour the G as more known players, and look pre-pandemic drafts, similar thing.

2019 draft: 5 of 10 from G (including top 2), 1 of 10 from O; 9 of 20 from G, 3 of 10 from O
2018 draft: 5 of 10 from G, great year for O with almost as many with 4 of 10; 10 of 20 from G, 7 of 20 from O
2017 draft: 7 of 10 from G, 1 of 10 from O; 12 of 10 from G, 4 of 20 from O

Great players come from all over the province. But there is a reason why so many great players come from outside the GTA to play in the GTHL. There is a reason you don't see the reverse.

That just proves that they come to G. Break it down further to tell us how many came from outside the G and at what age level. Any top 20 player would be drafted whether in G or not. Players just like the G. No better exposure or coaching.