would u consider shattuck a 2nd USNTDP??

i mean its not officially one but they have players from all over the country.....
do u agree......the usntdp and shattuck facinate me.

I can see where your coming from and it is a great feeder program for the USHL. I guess it's just the difference in competition that the two teams actually have. But Shattuck's is a great development program.

i mean its not officially one but they have players from all over the country.....
do u agree......the usntdp and shattuck facinate me.

what ranking the top prep or high school teams in the country,,, shattuck, what about culver?

what ranking the top prep or high school teams in the country,,, shattuck, what about culver?

Both Shattuck and Culver are excellent preps, but then again so are Phillips (both Exeter and Andover), Cushing and Avon Old Farms to name a few.

Some of the best developing High Schools are in the midwest. Look at Blake, Breck and Centennial in Minnesota as very good examples.

BTW, I'm judging this by the talent that's coming out of these schools and bound for NCAA schools.

When I played in the USHS, Malvern Prep was the top school in the state of PA, but it's not a great state for hockey at least not back in '89-'91.

Both S-SMs and the NTDP have proven they can develop talent. The NTDP offers a tougher schedule at both the U17 and U18 levels but players like Ben Eaves, Zach Parise, and Drew Stafford have proven you can develop into great college players and NHL prospects while staying at S-SMs through graduation. The only reason I really prefer to see kids go to the NTDP is because it really helps create team chemistry for international tournaments which results in better showings for the USA.

Both S-SMs and the NTDP have proven they can develop talent. The NTDP offers a tougher schedule at both the U17 and U18 levels but players like Ben Eaves, Zach Parise, and Drew Stafford have proven you can develop into great college players and NHL prospects while staying at S-SMs through graduation. The only reason I really prefer to see kids go to the NTDP is because it really helps create team chemistry for international tournaments which results in better showings for the USA.

cagney: do you get out to any of the EJHL games out near your neck of the woods? What are they like? A very competitive league with a balance of very good teams?

HELP!

I'm brand new to U.S. amateur hockey.
Can someone please tell me what USNTDP, S-SM, and EJHL are.
Thanks for the help.
JP

Well, the USNTDP is the US National Team Development Program. They play teams from the NAHL, NCAA, and in International tournaments. Depending on if they are the under-18 team or under-17 team, they play different amounts of each league. Shattuck's St. Mary's is kind of a feeder to the USHL. Many kids from that school have been drafted into the USHL or played in the USHL. It is a boarding school, college prep type atmosphere. But many talented hockey players. The EJHL is a league I believe with about the same age group as the USHL, but it is not a tier 1 league. I don't know much about it, but it's located in Boston.

EJHL - Eastern Junior Hockey League is based in Arlington, MA but has teams throughout New England and the state of New York. I guess the best way to describe the league a junior "A" league not quite at the elite level of the USHL.

cagney: do you get out to any of the EJHL games out near your neck of the woods? What are they like? A very competitive league with a balance of very good teams?

No, I don't get to any EJHL games. I know the New York Apple Core team plays out on Long Island and I've thought of trying to catch a game but I don't drive so it would be kind of a pain getting there and back.

Does anyone have a link to the league that SSM plays in?

Does anyone have a link to the league that SSM plays in?

Try looking
HERE (http://www.s-sm.org/athletics_boys_hockey.asp). Hopefully it'll be some help to you.

I have that site already. Im trying to find a teams site in their league. I think they are the Omaha team in that league?? any help?

I have that site already. Im trying to find a teams site in their league. I think they are the Omaha team in that league?? any help?

Then try
HERE (http://www.minnesotahockey.org/html/hockey%20links.htm). I think (don't quote me on this) SSM plays in the Minntoka District league. The link I provided here has their link as well as others in the "State of Hockey".

The different S-SM teams don't play in the same league. In fact, not all of them even play in a specific league. Which S-SM team are you specifically thinking of?

While it would be easier to help you find the team you're looking for with the above information, you might recognize their name from this (http://www.geocities.com/usmidgetaaa/mgtlinks.htm) list.

anyone have a link to stats and rosters for past years for S-SM?

I was talking the U-16 team. I have a friend who tried out for the Omaha Energy or something along that line. loking \for that site.

S-SMs U16 team plays an independent schedule and from what I can find, they didn't play any team by that name last year.

Their are Canadians who play for Shattuck so that immediatly doesnt make it a US NTDP.

I think the person who started this thread meant that shattuck as a developmental program like the usntdp. and yes i think it helps players develop.

Both the NTDP and SSM basically pluck players that were already top players in their own right before they get selected. But I think Shattuck doesn't develop players as much as the USA team. There are exceptions but Shattuck players seem to head to junior hockey more these days while almost the entire NTDP heads to college hockey right after high school. A lot of that is probably the advanced level schedule that the NTDP plays.

I think SSM is a good program but I saw them get handily beat by a team of top HS players from MN in the MN Fall elite league last year and the team that beat them didn't have the advantage of playing or practicing together for a few months like SSM does. I think SSM sometimes get a little more credit than they deserve when it comes to building players. No doubt some good ones have come thru their program though.

Both S-SMs and the NTDP have proven they can develop talent. The NTDP offers a tougher schedule at both the U17 and U18 levels but players like Ben Eaves, Zach Parise, and Drew Stafford have proven you can develop into great college players and NHL prospects while staying at S-SMs through graduation. The only reason I really prefer to see kids go to the NTDP is because it really helps create team chemistry for international tournaments which results in better showings for the USA.

Don't forget, the Wild's 1st Round Pick this year, AJ Thelen, also played there before he went to Michigan State. In fact, he graduated a year early to get a headstart on college hockey.

Don't forget, the Wild's 1st Round Pick this year, AJ Thelen, also played there before he went to Michigan State. In fact, he graduated a year early to get a headstart on college hockey.

Actually, Thelen left S-SM's for the NTDP. He played the 02-03 season with the U-17 team and then moved onto Michigan State.

Many high prospects are graduating a year early to go to college quicker

I have heard alot about the SSM hockey program... I was just wondering how high of a level of hockey you have to play at to make one of their teams