Pay-to-play pro hockey.
And this is my one hand clapping.
It's the natural evolution of the pay-to-play scam.
First, they've expanded travel hockey to have five levels of play at each age group starting with U10.
Then, they've held more and more "showcases" for kids in the middle levels who are trying to "get exposure" to "advance their careers" and "play at the next level."
Next, they added more and more pay-to-play junior hockey teams and leagues to collect money from gullible parents who don't understand that just because Johnny's been playing since age seven doesn't mean that he is good enough to play real college hockey.
But since he isn't good enough to play real college hockey, Little Johnny, who's such a good hockey player and oh so special (even though he has feet for hands and can't crossover backwards in both directions), will burn more of his parents' money to pay to play club hockey.
And then, Johnny graduates, and off he goes to the Union Hockey League, paying more money to "play pro hockey!"
Johnny still can't cross over backwards in both directions, catch a pass on his backhand side, or keep the puck in the zone at the blue line, but he's got a place to play!
This is what happens when the sport becomes all about how much money mommy and daddy have and not about skill. It's not like that at every level, but it sure is when you plumb the depths of youth travel/junior/club hockey, and now Single-A too, it would seem.