American Prospect Update Thread
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WarriorofTime
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- Jul 3, 2010
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sigx15
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invites were announced March 14th last year, I would expect somewhere between March 10th-15th this year as well
There is always a lot of talk about rising up to challenge Canada, but you have to face the truth. Again first round picks 18-4 for Canada. It's a crushing result. 4 is a depressingly bad result. NTDP needs re-evaluation. I would say that nowadays there should be like 8-10 every year. Everything else is miserable. First overall picks should also start coming a little more often.
Rabid Ranger
2 is better than one
We kind of have all of our eggs in the USNTDP basket. Some years (like 2019) that results in a boon, and other years it's a struggle (like this year). Next year should be better, led by Hagens.
07 group was on the weak end and infused with politics. Lot of picks that had people scratching their heads. Think the 07 group is the one they are revamping correct? Kind if a low blow to the kids who got picked, but at least USA hockey are acknowledging that they messed up. Hopefully it's the last time they mess up and are forced to replace so many kids.
NTDP needs to move away from the nepotism and political buddy system if they want to compete with Canada for 1st round draft picks. Yes Canada has it too, but Canada has a lot more kids playing. So for every kid that gets bumped for somebodies friends kid there is another program that will take him.
We only have one NTDP and USHL still not there yet to compete.
Rabid Ranger
2 is better than one
Interestingly, the USHL without the program had a great first round. Mostly foreign players though. NCAA also.did well in the top half, but only one of those players is American. Nothing out of USHS and the CHL participation for high end Americans has cratered. USNTDP or bust. Some tweaks are needed.
15 players in the first three rounds. Really bad. 39 players over seven rounds. USA Hockey cannot be satisfied with the result.
I have always been a big fan of NTDP and have defended it despite its weaknesses but I have recently changed my mind. Ending the NTDP would be sad in many ways, but I believe the time has come.
USA Hockey invests too much in players who are not even drafted or doesn't have any chance to actually reach the NHL. It just doesn't work well.
What else does it really give except the opportunity to poach dual nationals. The point is that the guys wear the shirt for the right reasons and we don't need duals. If they want to come then great, but if not then so be it.
The USHL should be a big focus for USA Hockey. It should truly challenge the CHL. It's the next step for USA Hockey. It's time to take the next step and get more high draft picks outside the NTDP. Especially since the program has failed several times recently.
It is noteworthy that only one goalie was selected.
Nothing surprising otherwise. Tanner Adams was actually the only one I was a little surprised that no one picked him in the later rounds.
I have always been a big fan of NTDP and have defended it despite its weaknesses but I have recently changed my mind. Ending the NTDP would be sad in many ways, but I believe the time has come.
USA Hockey invests too much in players who are not even drafted or doesn't have any chance to actually reach the NHL. It just doesn't work well.
What else does it really give except the opportunity to poach dual nationals. The point is that the guys wear the shirt for the right reasons and we don't need duals. If they want to come then great, but if not then so be it.
The USHL should be a big focus for USA Hockey. It should truly challenge the CHL. It's the next step for USA Hockey. It's time to take the next step and get more high draft picks outside the NTDP. Especially since the program has failed several times recently.
It is noteworthy that only one goalie was selected.
Nothing surprising otherwise. Tanner Adams was actually the only one I was a little surprised that no one picked him in the later rounds.
I don't follow youth hockey closely, but problems of this nature are more likely to be resolved there than focusing too closely on where junior age players are playing. That's where key development happens and if there aren't enough players with significantly developed skill reaching the NTDP or any other junior level hockey then they can only do so much.
If USA Hockey ever did drop the NTDP I would hope all the money would go to figuring out the issues at those early stages of development; not sure if it's coaches/parents focusing on wrong elements of skill/player development, or cost to play at a high level program being too high, or what, but would be interesting to know what that scene is like nowadays from anyone with significant knowledge of it.
Is the the ADM still a thing? Is it not working despite the research/principles behind it? Maybe I'm a cynic but I could see rich/obsessive parents paying a ton of money to coaches so their kids can play 80 games a year and win as much as possible with total neglect of actual skill development with a long-term focus in mind. Meanwhile potentially talented kids get priced out of the game, and never focus on it in any serious way.
If USA Hockey ever did drop the NTDP I would hope all the money would go to figuring out the issues at those early stages of development; not sure if it's coaches/parents focusing on wrong elements of skill/player development, or cost to play at a high level program being too high, or what, but would be interesting to know what that scene is like nowadays from anyone with significant knowledge of it.
Is the the ADM still a thing? Is it not working despite the research/principles behind it? Maybe I'm a cynic but I could see rich/obsessive parents paying a ton of money to coaches so their kids can play 80 games a year and win as much as possible with total neglect of actual skill development with a long-term focus in mind. Meanwhile potentially talented kids get priced out of the game, and never focus on it in any serious way.
Probably a bad agent. He should have definitely been drafted. I see it often, kids who I have higher dont get picked but weaker kids do. When you do a little digging you see it often comes down to agent and their social network.
His international play numbers haven't been great but he is still a solid player who should have gotten a pick.
This is all very true and still prevalent. Once parents hit mites - 7u/8u the "elite" teams play full ice so the goal is to get on any "elite" team asap so their kids can play "real" hockey. This trickles down to CT and even parts of NJ and Long Island.
The place where ADM does a great job is at the 6u level. 6u ADM hockey is bringing more players into the sport than I could remember. Cheap sign up fees, gear is cheap, and the ice slots are actually decent. 7am usually the earliest.
As far as pricing goes, ADM gets the parents on the hook and they get sucked in bc it is very cheap through 8u. After that a lot of top kids get free rides as early as 9u squirt, other really good kids get 50% discounts, however there are definitely a lot of late bloomers who get priced out of the sport for sure.
