F Javon Moore - Minnetonka High, USHS-MN (2024, 112th, OTT)

Hockeyville USA

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Just seems like the typical late birthday Minnesotan continuing to play below his true talent level because HS hockey is so big in Minnesota from a cultural perspective. Will evaluate when he plays a significant sample size at the USHL level, junior competition will obviously be tougher.
 

Bonin21

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REALLY hard to project. When I watched him last year he was a puck hog. It's clear this year his physical abilities are too much for MN HS and he's dominating. What I'm not sure about is the hockey IQ.
 

three bar

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Not sure what game(s) you were watching, but he's a great puck distributor. He puts in on the tape crisply and has great vision and timing with creating plays. I saw him play recently and he was teeing up guys all night, though more than once they weren't ready for/expecting a pass. Good puck skills, and gets a lot of push on his strides and with his edges. There's a reason he's rated where he is by Central Scouting, and I wouldn't be surprised to see him edge into the first round or top/middle of the 2nd in the draft.
 
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lanky

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Not sure what game(s) you were watching, but he's a great puck distributor. He puts in on the tape crisply and has great vision and timing with creating plays. I saw him play recently and he was teeing up guys all night, though more than once they weren't ready for/expecting a pass. Good puck skills, and gets a lot of push on his strides and with his edges. There's a reason he's rated where he is by Central Scouting, and I wouldn't be surprised to see him edge into the first round or top/middle of the 2nd in the draft.
Was he C or W when you saw him?
 

cheechoo

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Sorry for my ignorance but can someone lead me towards some names in semi recent history getting drafted out of Minnesotan high school (how their stats were in the draft seasons and where it got them taken?)
 

Dirtyf1ghter

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Sorry for my ignorance but can someone lead me towards some names in semi recent history getting drafted out of Minnesotan high school (how their stats were in the draft seasons and where it got them taken?)
His statistics are indeed extremely low, especially for an U19, but franchises like to recruit American prospects from leagues other than USHL for athletic qualities.

Castagna and Svoboda reached ranks 70 and 71 last year.

These choices rarely give satisfaction.

American hockey needs to expand USHL into 2 or even 3 different elite leagues like CHL in order to leave more room for prospects.

Spots are too limited for the current USHL league.
 
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Hockeyville USA

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His statistics are indeed extremely low, especially for an U19, but franchises like to recruit American prospects from leagues other than USHL for athletic qualities.

Castagna and Svoboda reached ranks 70 and 71 last year.

These choices rarely give satisfaction.

American hockey needs to expand USHL into 2 or even 3 different elite leagues like CHL in order to leave more room for prospects.

Spots are too limited for the current USHL league.
The problem is that the majority of the best 16 and 17 year olds in the USHL are on the NTDP. The remaining have to be in the Mac Swanson level of talent to get significant ice time as a 16 and/or 17 year old because the USHL teams load up on 18 and 19 year olds coming out of MN HS & New England HS-Prep.

Like I said, Moore is still playing HS because he's a senior in HS in Minnesota, where staying home to play with your friends is the cultural thing to do, even if it is contrary to personal development.
 
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bigdog16

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His statistics are indeed extremely low, especially for an U19, but franchises like to recruit American prospects from leagues other than USHL for athletic qualities.

Castagna and Svoboda reached ranks 70 and 71 last year.

These choices rarely give satisfaction.

American hockey needs to expand USHL into 2 or even 3 different elite leagues like CHL in order to leave more room for prospects.

Spots are too limited for the current USHL league.
I don't think the USHL has any intention on expanding. There are only so many markets in the US that can support a USHL team. And the last thing they want is a watered down product. The current setup is successful the way it is.

Kids are fine staying home in hotbeds like Minnesota and the northeast at 16-17 years old. The competition is great and if they can, they typically will make the jump to the USHL as an 18 year old.
 

Hockeyville USA

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I don't think the USHL has any intention on expanding. There are only so many markets in the US that can support a USHL team. And the last thing they want is a watered down product. The current setup is successful the way it is.

Kids are fine staying home in hotbeds like Minnesota and the northeast at 16-17 years old. The competition is great and if they can, they typically will make the jump to the USHL as an 18 year old.
The competition is good, but clearly several steps below the USHL or even the BCHL. The bottom 6 and bottom pair D in the USHL you're facing will likely still play in the NCAA at places like Bowling Green or Ferris State. Bottom 6 and bottom pair guys in MN HS or (most) New England HS/HS-Prep are probably not future NCAA players. Just much easier to gauge the USHL when you have sufficient competition and sufficient data to compare/contrast.
 

bigdog16

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The competition is good, but clearly several steps below the USHL or even the BCHL. The bottom 6 and bottom pair D in the USHL you're facing will likely still play in the NCAA at places like Bowling Green or Ferris State. Bottom 6 and bottom pair guys in MN HS or (most) New England HS/HS-Prep are probably not future NCAA players. Just much easier to gauge the USHL when you have sufficient competition and sufficient data to compare/contrast.
Understood and I'm not disagreeing with you. But if you keep adding teams you essentially water down the talent level of the league. Soon your bottom pairing pairings aren't D1 guys anymore
 

Dirtyf1ghter

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I don't think the USHL has any intention on expanding. There are only so many markets in the US that can support a USHL team. And the last thing they want is a watered down product. The current setup is successful the way it is.

Kids are fine staying home in hotbeds like Minnesota and the northeast at 16-17 years old. The competition is great and if they can, they typically will make the jump to the USHL as an 18 year old.
The current system has not been updated since a long time (90s).

However, the quality of American prospects has significantly increased. With the increase in foreign players, there is less and less room in a 16-team league. I think USDP is no longer really suitable and desirable.

USHL could open a league in the northeast region with no problem. This is the heart of American hockey.

On the contrary, more players could play near their parents (all those from the North-East, more numerous than those from the Lakes).

As for the MN level, I regularly see players who are not very strong at more than 3 points per game.

Well, knowing you, you will surely find arguments to say that I am wrong and that you are right as usual.
 

Dr Jan Itor

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Sorry for my ignorance but can someone lead me towards some names in semi recent history getting drafted out of Minnesotan high school (how their stats were in the draft seasons and where it got them taken?)
Casey Mittelstadt had 72 points in 30 games as a HS senior. I think that's the last high forward pick.

The current system has not been updated since a long time (90s).

However, the quality of American prospects has significantly increased. With the increase in foreign players, there is less and less room in a 16-team league. I think USDP is no longer really suitable and desirable.

USHL could open a league in the northeast region with no problem. This is the heart of American hockey.

On the contrary, more players could play near their parents (all those from the North-East, more numerous than those from the Lakes).

As for the MN level, I regularly see players who are not very strong at more than 3 points per game.

Well, knowing you, you will surely find arguments to say that I am wrong and that you are right as usual.
Depends on the school/conference/league they're playing at/in, most of the time.
 

Hockeyville USA

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The system was established in the 90s and has not been updated.

However, the quality of American prospects has significantly increased. With the increase in foreign players, there is less and less room in a 16-team league. I think USDP is no longer really suitable and desirable.

USHL could open a league in the northeast region with no problem. This is the heart of American hockey.

On the contrary, more players could play near their parents (all those from the North-East, more numerous than those from the Lakes).

As for the MN level, I regularly see players who are not very strong at more than 3 points per game.

Well, knowing you, you will surely find arguments to say that I am wrong and that you are right as usual.
My guess is the thought process is the USHL knows they'll get support in decent sized population markets with no/little HS hockey presence. That's why they're not in Minnesota. And the USHL/junior hockey operation budgets are on tight margins, so an expansion into New England/New York would be expensive and could easily fail, as the hockey there is very much focused around prep schools.

I have no idea if the NCDC/USPHL is successful at all or really worth it. Most around the Massachusetts hockey scene have said that the NCDC and the expansion of minor hockey around the area has led to watered down product & competition levels as many have been priced out, & MA HS hockey has eroded over the last few decades.
 
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Hockeyville USA

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The current system has not been updated since a long time (90s).

However, the quality of American prospects has significantly increased. With the increase in foreign players, there is less and less room in a 16-team league. I think USDP is no longer really suitable and desirable.

USHL could open a league in the northeast region with no problem. This is the heart of American hockey.

On the contrary, more players could play near their parents (all those from the North-East, more numerous than those from the Lakes).

As for the MN level, I regularly see players who are not very strong at more than 3 points per game.

Well, knowing you, you will surely find arguments to say that I am wrong and that you are right as usual.
I feel this can be argued either way. When the NTDP was created, they wanted to create a junior all star team to strengthen the elite US talent and steer everyone towards the NCAA route. While 98% of the MN and MA kids were going NCAA, they were all staying home to play HS, which had various levels of success/failure at producing high end NHLers. Tons of MI and NY kids were going to the O, so they wanted to steer them towards the NCAA more.

The NTDP has produced a lot of good NHLers over the past 10+ years, but it probably creates a haves versus have nots in USA Hockey amongst players.
 

bigdog16

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The current system has not been updated since a long time (90s).

However, the quality of American prospects has significantly increased. With the increase in foreign players, there is less and less room in a 16-team league. I think USDP is no longer really suitable and desirable.

USHL could open a league in the northeast region with no problem. This is the heart of American hockey.

On the contrary, more players could play near their parents (all those from the North-East, more numerous than those from the Lakes).

As for the MN level, I regularly see players who are not very strong at more than 3 points per game.

Well, knowing you, you will surely find arguments to say that I am wrong and that you are right as usual.
Financially the USHL in the northeast would get buried. There would be very little interest from a fan perspective. They would play third fiddle to professional and college hockey. At the end of the day it is a business and they won't go to the northeast because they know it would never work financially.

My guess is the thought process is the USHL knows they'll get support in decent sized population markets with no/little HS hockey presence. That's why they're not in Minnesota. And the USHL/junior hockey operation budgets are on tight margins, so an expansion into New England/New York would be expensive and could easily fail, as the hockey there is very much focused around prep schools.

I have no idea if the NCDC/USPHL is successful at all or really worth it. Most around the Massachusetts hockey scene have said that the NCDC and the expansion of minor hockey around the area has led to watered down product & competition levels as many have been priced out, & MA HS hockey has eroded over the last few decades.
The NCDC has become watered down but the only reason it works is because they have youth programs from 8U all the way up to junior hockey. The junior teams operate at a huge loss by themselves.
 
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Dirtyf1ghter

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Financially the USHL in the northeast would get buried. There would be very little interest from a fan perspective. They would play third fiddle to professional and college hockey. At the end of the day it is a business and they won't go to the northeast because they know it would never work financially.


The NCDC has become watered down but the only reason it works is because they have youth programs from 8U all the way up to junior hockey. The junior teams operate at a huge loss by themselves.

I think a junior league of a similar level to USHL in the Northeast region could work very well.

The hockey market is much bigger than where USHL is based.

Obviously, the player pool has become enormously denser and it's time to readjust the system. The current formula with the additional USDP program dates from the 90s. The quantity and quality of foreign players has also increased, therefore less room for national players.

Another possibility is to adopt the European model by opening junior sections among professional senior franchises.In short, there are plenty of possibilities to change the situation.

Sooner or later there will be a rearrangement anyway, US Hockey is not going to stay with the current formula forever and in my opinion they will consider the idea of expanding the junior leagues.

The level is too low outside the USHL for U18 players. The proof is that no leading Canadian or European prospect aspires to play in these leagues. Beyond the annual American top 30, it's very complicated to play at a high level. It used to not be a problem because the USHL was at a much lower level and the US pool was much shallower but with the increase in depth it is becoming a problem. And American NHL players who have not passed through the USHL remain extremely rare.There have been a lot of losses among non-USHL players, franchises are selecting fewer American players than 10 years ago even though the level has probably increased.

But that's just my opinion.
 
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bigdog16

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I think a junior league of a similar level to USHL in the Northeast region could work very well.

The hockey market is much bigger than where USHL is based.

Obviously, the player pool has become enormously denser and it's time to readjust the system. The current formula with the additional USDP program dates from the 90s. The quantity and quality of foreign players has also increased, therefore less room for national players.

Another possibility is to adopt the European model by opening junior sections among professional senior franchises.In short, there are plenty of possibilities to change the situation.

Sooner or later there will be a rearrangement anyway, US Hockey is not going to stay with the current formula forever and in my opinion they will consider the idea of expanding the junior leagues.

The level is too low outside the USHL for U18 players. The proof is that no leading Canadian or European prospect aspires to play in these leagues. Beyond the annual American top 30, it's very complicated to play at a high level. It used to not be a problem because the USHL was at a much lower level and the US pool was much shallower but with the increase in depth it is becoming a problem. And American NHL players who have not passed through the USHL remain extremely rare.There have been a lot of losses among non-USHL players, franchises are selecting fewer American players than 10 years ago even though the level has probably increased.

But that's just my opinion.
They essentially tried to do this by forming the NCDC, to keep kids from fleeing to the USHL and NAHL. But for the most part its been very unsuccessful.

I do agree that there could be a better way to advance players. But again its a business and these teams have owners who need to see a profit. I think that is where the true disconnect is
 
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Hockeyville USA

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I think a junior league of a similar level to USHL in the Northeast region could work very well.

The hockey market is much bigger than where USHL is based.

Obviously, the player pool has become enormously denser and it's time to readjust the system. The current formula with the additional USDP program dates from the 90s. The quantity and quality of foreign players has also increased, therefore less room for national players.

Another possibility is to adopt the European model by opening junior sections among professional senior franchises.In short, there are plenty of possibilities to change the situation.

Sooner or later there will be a rearrangement anyway, US Hockey is not going to stay with the current formula forever and in my opinion they will consider the idea of expanding the junior leagues.

The level is too low outside the USHL for U18 players. The proof is that no leading Canadian or European prospect aspires to play in these leagues. Beyond the annual American top 30, it's very complicated to play at a high level. It used to not be a problem because the USHL was at a much lower level and the US pool was much shallower but with the increase in depth it is becoming a problem. And American NHL players who have not passed through the USHL remain extremely rare.There have been a lot of losses among non-USHL players, franchises are selecting fewer American players than 10 years ago even though the level has probably increased.

But that's just my opinion.
The talent pool is much bigger but the financially feasible hockey supporting market is not that big. MN is all about HS hockey, New England & NY (by association) are mostly about prep school hockey. Trying to expand into areas where there's rich tradition of the forms of hockey there would likely fail or survive at a loss/razor thin margins. The NAHL has expanded significantly and I have no idea if they have been "successful". And the NAHL, while getting somewhat better, still doesn't produce many NHLers.
 
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Obvious Fabertism

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The competition is good, but clearly several steps below the USHL or even the BCHL. The bottom 6 and bottom pair D in the USHL you're facing will likely still play in the NCAA at places like Bowling Green or Ferris State. Bottom 6 and bottom pair guys in MN HS or (most) New England HS/HS-Prep are probably not future NCAA players. Just much easier to gauge the USHL when you have sufficient competition and sufficient data to compare/contrast.
The bottom 6 and bottom pair D hardly even get into the game at the HS level, they play top on top and tons of ice time, Minnetonka is in a good conference and section, where a strong percentage of the NHLers in this state come from. The competition is a lot closer to the USHL at the top programs, Shattuck for example routinely splits with top HS programs in their annual games.

There are pockets of programs in MN that I would say have the resources and capacity in place to develop NHL quality players on a routine basis, Minnetonka is in one of those major pockets, though on the lower end of it.
 
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Dirtyf1ghter

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He must surely be much more athletic and combative and that is already more interesting than a more talented player but not talented enough to have a chance of reaching the NHL.

I always say it : only 40 forwards per class play in NHL (100 games and +), including 20 for offensive roles. Most of these guys we already know. Celebrini and Eiserman already take 2 tickets for sure.

After players like Catton, Demidov, Artamonov, Helenius are light years away from the guy you cite. With the 1st/2nd round prospects succeeding for the majority of them, there is already not much room left.

The other 20 will be warriors who will have a specific role. Franchises like players who have a thing. Javon Moore's chances are low but they probably have to be higher than the guy you're mentioning for NHL scouts.
 

north21

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I always say it : only 40 forwards per class play in NHL (100 games and +), including 20 for offensive roles. Most of these guys we already know. Celebrini and Eiserman already take 2 tickets for sure.

Yes but even in modern days those players are spread out in the draft, lots of big misses at the top but that is what makes it fun.
 
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MNRube

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Is he even better than Carson Pilgrim?

Who are the best Minnesota High School players this year?
He’s a better prospect than Pilgrim. Not a great year for MN kids. I think Moore has the most upside. Most expect him to be a difference maker for the Gophers but probably not until his sophomore/junior years.
 

Hockeyville USA

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He’s a better prospect than Pilgrim. Not a great year for MN kids. I think Moore has the most upside. Most expect him to be a difference maker for the Gophers but probably not until his sophomore/junior years.
Which means his stock could fall because teams might be worried he waits 4 years to turn pro and becomes UFA to pick his spot.

The bottom 6 and bottom pair D hardly even get into the game at the HS level, they play top on top and tons of ice time, Minnetonka is in a good conference and section, where a strong percentage of the NHLers in this state come from. The competition is a lot closer to the USHL at the top programs, Shattuck for example routinely splits with top HS programs in their annual games.

There are pockets of programs in MN that I would say have the resources and capacity in place to develop NHL quality players on a routine basis, Minnetonka is in one of those major pockets, though on the lower end of it.
Top Minnesotans still don't compare to the deeper and older USHL. You are right in that the wealthier Twin Cities burbs have far better HS programs that produce several solid D1 players.
 

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