A new place to talk about minor hockey in North America & Around the World. Jump in to the Minor Hockey Talk forum and discuss everything about Hockey in Canada & Hockey in the USA
Guest wrote: ↑Fri Apr 04, 2025 10:47 am
Do spots open up now for AAA for the kids that didn’t make it last year? My kid tried and went to every tryout and never heard anything back, ghosted or rejected. We are still trying to make a team even a bottom of the barrel team. Who’s looking?
By the time tryouts come around in April most teams have no spots left at all and the top 90% of kids have already chosen their teams. Only the bottom feeder teams will have open spots for the bubble kids that are still free agents.
U18 is a little different. Until and including U16, next year's team is mostly this year's core with some of the other players replaced and usually with the same coaches. For most organizations, U18 is not the same kind of continuation from U16. It's usually a different coach that stays with the U18 team year after year as players come in and age out.
So it's easier to get a U18 spot in the sense that it's not just a continuation of an existing team that's had the same core for years, there's less or at least different politics, and there is more turnover due to both aging out and graduating to Junior. But it's also harder because there are fewer spots overall due to U18 including two age groups. Also contributing to making it harder next year is the NCAA CHL rule change that will result in fewer players graduating to Junior.
I'm not sure if it will be easier or harder for you overall, but it will definitely be different. Call the U18 coaches and just be realistic and smart about how you spend your money. Doesn't hurt to try. Go to skates and see how he measures up. Don't let idiots on this forum discourage you.
Why are you telling people to reach for something they can’t get? Use some common sense folks. U18 = ASHL beer league in 1 year, 100% guaranteed. Don’t lead on these poor people to spend their life savings on this garbage and get their hopes up. It’s about having fun and making friends.
Not true, even before the NCAA rule change. The new rule will result in better U18 and more people playing U18 for a year before playing Junior A for a year before playing 2 to years in the OHL before going to college.
U18 is a joke and you’re a joker for claiming it’s that serious they better get ready for LUG then ASHL if they want to live on the dream any more past that.
Guest wrote: ↑Sat Apr 05, 2025 9:01 am
Hey everyone, just a serious question…my son’s goal is to make the jump to AAA, so he’s really focused right now with his gym routine and on ice practices. He goes to a hockey school, so his lunches are already well balanced, but I’m wondering what else he should be doing off the ice.
When he hits the gym, what should he be focusing on specifically?
And at home, what kind of protein shakes or meals should I be giving him to support his training?
Sometimes I make him a shake with protein powder, homo milk, yogurt, and fruit but I’d love some high protein meal ideas too.
Any advice is appreciated, thanks!
You still make his smoothies for him at this age? Are you trying to make him a pansy?
Chicken with protein powder sprinkled on top.
Beef stroganoff with cream of protein powder.
Shrimps dipped in a thick protein sauce.
Lots of deep fried fish with a protein dipping sauce.
1 bag of high protein milk a day.
Deep fried every thing is a real cheat code. It got my kid to 160lbs in no time. Now nobody messes with the kid.
Guest wrote: ↑Fri Apr 04, 2025 10:47 am
Do spots open up now for AAA for the kids that didn’t make it last year? My kid tried and went to every tryout and never heard anything back, ghosted or rejected. We are still trying to make a team even a bottom of the barrel team. Who’s looking?
By the time tryouts come around in April most teams have no spots left at all and the top 90% of kids have already chosen their teams. Only the bottom feeder teams will have open spots for the bubble kids that are still free agents.
U18 is a little different. Until and including U16, next year's team is mostly this year's core with some of the other players replaced and usually with the same coaches. For most organizations, U18 is not the same kind of continuation from U16. It's usually a different coach that stays with the U18 team year after year as players come in and age out.
So it's easier to get a U18 spot in the sense that it's not just a continuation of an existing team that's had the same core for years, there's less or at least different politics, and there is more turnover due to both aging out and graduating to Junior. But it's also harder because there are fewer spots overall due to U18 including two age groups. Also contributing to making it harder next year is the NCAA CHL rule change that will result in fewer players graduating to Junior.
I'm not sure if it will be easier or harder for you overall, but it will definitely be different. Call the U18 coaches and just be realistic and smart about how you spend your money. Doesn't hurt to try. Go to skates and see how he measures up. Don't let idiots on this forum discourage you.
Why are you telling people to reach for something they can’t get? Use some common sense folks. U18 = ASHL beer league in 1 year, 100% guaranteed. Don’t lead on these poor people to spend their life savings on this garbage and get their hopes up. It’s about having fun and making friends.
Not true, even before the NCAA rule change. The new rule will result in better U18 and more people playing U18 for a year before playing Junior A for a year before playing 2 to years in the OHL before going to college.
U18 is a joke and you’re a joker for claiming it’s that serious they better get ready for LUG then ASHL if they want to live on the dream any more past that.
There is no magic recipe. The players skill level and rate of or lack of development will dictate the path.
Guest wrote: ↑Sat Apr 05, 2025 9:01 am
Hey everyone, just a serious question…my son’s goal is to make the jump to AAA, so he’s really focused right now with his gym routine and on ice practices. He goes to a hockey school, so his lunches are already well balanced, but I’m wondering what else he should be doing off the ice.
When he hits the gym, what should he be focusing on specifically?
And at home, what kind of protein shakes or meals should I be giving him to support his training?
Sometimes I make him a shake with protein powder, homo milk, yogurt, and fruit but I’d love some high protein meal ideas too.
Any advice is appreciated, thanks!
You still make his smoothies for him at this age? Are you trying to make him a pansy?
Chicken with protein powder sprinkled on top.
Beef stroganoff with cream of protein powder.
Shrimps dipped in a thick protein sauce.
Lots of deep fried fish with a protein dipping sauce.
1 bag of high protein milk a day.
Guest wrote: ↑Sat Apr 05, 2025 9:01 am
Hey everyone, just a serious question…my son’s goal is to make the jump to AAA, so he’s really focused right now with his gym routine and on ice practices. He goes to a hockey school, so his lunches are already well balanced, but I’m wondering what else he should be doing off the ice.
When he hits the gym, what should he be focusing on specifically?
And at home, what kind of protein shakes or meals should I be giving him to support his training?
Sometimes I make him a shake with protein powder, homo milk, yogurt, and fruit but I’d love some high protein meal ideas too.
Any advice is appreciated, thanks!
You still make his smoothies for him at this age? Are you trying to make him a pansy?
Chicken with protein powder sprinkled on top.
Beef stroganoff with cream of protein powder.
Shrimps dipped in a thick protein sauce.
Lots of deep fried fish with a protein dipping sauce.
1 bag of high protein milk a day.
Guest wrote: ↑Sat Apr 05, 2025 9:01 am
Hey everyone, just a serious question…my son’s goal is to make the jump to AAA, so he’s really focused right now with his gym routine and on ice practices. He goes to a hockey school, so his lunches are already well balanced, but I’m wondering what else he should be doing off the ice.
When he hits the gym, what should he be focusing on specifically?
And at home, what kind of protein shakes or meals should I be giving him to support his training?
Sometimes I make him a shake with protein powder, homo milk, yogurt, and fruit but I’d love some high protein meal ideas too.
Any advice is appreciated, thanks!
You still make his smoothies for him at this age? Are you trying to make him a pansy?
Chicken with protein powder sprinkled on top.
Beef stroganoff with cream of protein powder.
Shrimps dipped in a thick protein sauce.
Lots of deep fried fish with a protein dipping sauce.
1 bag of high protein milk a day.
Guest wrote: ↑Sat Apr 05, 2025 9:01 am
Hey everyone, just a serious question…my son’s goal is to make the jump to AAA, so he’s really focused right now with his gym routine and on ice practices. He goes to a hockey school, so his lunches are already well balanced, but I’m wondering what else he should be doing off the ice.
When he hits the gym, what should he be focusing on specifically?
And at home, what kind of protein shakes or meals should I be giving him to support his training?
Sometimes I make him a shake with protein powder, homo milk, yogurt, and fruit but I’d love some high protein meal ideas too.
Any advice is appreciated, thanks!
You still make his smoothies for him at this age? Are you trying to make him a pansy?
Chicken with protein powder sprinkled on top.
Beef stroganoff with cream of protein powder.
Shrimps dipped in a thick protein sauce.
Lots of deep fried fish with a protein dipping sauce.
1 bag of high protein milk a day.
they better get ready for LUG then ASHL if they want to live on the dream any more past that.