Merlin is opening training camp on the 23. You may call it poor management ,but when you are not putting fans in the arena .Billeting becomes an expensive problem ,if they go to high school that is another huge expense . someone has to foot the bill.The B team is a big commitement for boys driving from out of town .the average is about 4 nights a week ,gets a little demanding on dads car,and school studies .So the parents are all for these boys moving to a team closer to their home . Now that the OHA is demanding 1050 bucks from each player,it is going to be tough getting out of town boys in here . Our team The Killer Bees from MacAllen has just shutdown opperations because they tried to billet all their players . the Arena is new and just a little smaller than the London Buds arena attendance was not the problem.
We can only hope Merlin can get some good talent here this year But he will probably wind up with cuts from London and Stratford again .
SAM
New Season
Moderators: RocketGirl, Blades
Re: New Season
[quote="sam"]Merlin is opening training camp on the 23. You may call it poor management ,but when you are not putting fans in the arena .Billeting becomes an expensive problem ,if they go to high school that is another huge expense . someone has to foot the bill.The B team is a big commitement for boys driving from out of town .the average is about 4 nights a week ,gets a little demanding on dads car,and school studies .So the parents are all for these boys moving to a team closer to their home
This year Chatham, LaSalle and Sarnia all locked up their local kids early then started shopping for out of town talent. The combination of local kids and winning games are what puts the fans in the stands. Fans in the stands brings in revenue to pay for billets etc. Sounds like a relatively simple system. Now that the import rules are dropping, securing local talent is even more crucial especially for the small market teams. For years now St. Marys and to some extent Strathroy and St Thomas have ignored their local players until they have grabbed all of the London players that they can get. Besides developing future Nats, this scenario helps London with their attendance Realistically how many London residents are going to make the drive to St Marys to watch a few of their own players when they can see more of them at a London home game, especially when St Marys comes to town for a beating when they face their former players that have returned to London. St Thomas signed some good local players that helped have out their attendance numbers last season, so their resources to recruit has increased. Until St Marys and others recognize that all of the greener grass (no pun intended) isn't on the other side of the fence (that no longer exists) the Lincs will continue to be one of the leagues cellar dwellers.
This year Chatham, LaSalle and Sarnia all locked up their local kids early then started shopping for out of town talent. The combination of local kids and winning games are what puts the fans in the stands. Fans in the stands brings in revenue to pay for billets etc. Sounds like a relatively simple system. Now that the import rules are dropping, securing local talent is even more crucial especially for the small market teams. For years now St. Marys and to some extent Strathroy and St Thomas have ignored their local players until they have grabbed all of the London players that they can get. Besides developing future Nats, this scenario helps London with their attendance Realistically how many London residents are going to make the drive to St Marys to watch a few of their own players when they can see more of them at a London home game, especially when St Marys comes to town for a beating when they face their former players that have returned to London. St Thomas signed some good local players that helped have out their attendance numbers last season, so their resources to recruit has increased. Until St Marys and others recognize that all of the greener grass (no pun intended) isn't on the other side of the fence (that no longer exists) the Lincs will continue to be one of the leagues cellar dwellers.
The Simon Cowell of the GOJHL.
Re: New Season
It is really good when you can fill in the empty spots with home brew kids . They be lucky if they get 2 a year from our system . Merlin spent about three years in the triple a teams in North Middelsex . And he will be bringing some kids to our team from there . The chance of winning with these first year kids is very slim ,by the second year the big teams have been talking to the good ones . Very discouraging for the ones that are left .
Merlin lost the Smith kid to Quebec Ramparts today , and another first year kid is trying out for the ice dogs.
One answer would be for the strong teams to go Junior A . and the four weeker franchises stay JB
I will never solve this I think this will be the last year for some teams .
sam
Merlin lost the Smith kid to Quebec Ramparts today , and another first year kid is trying out for the ice dogs.
One answer would be for the strong teams to go Junior A . and the four weeker franchises stay JB
I will never solve this I think this will be the last year for some teams .
sam
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Caledonia Fan
- Posts: 883
- Joined: Sat Dec 20, 2014 4:40 pm
Re: New Season
First thing I like to think you for your passion for your team, nice to read.sam wrote:It is really good when you can fill in the empty spots with home brew kids . They be lucky if they get 2 a year from our system . Merlin spent about three years in the triple a teams in North Middelsex . And he will be bringing some kids to our team from there . The chance of winning with these first year kids is very slim ,by the second year the big teams have been talking to the good ones . Very discouraging for the ones that are left .
Merlin lost the Smith kid to Quebec Ramparts today , and another first year kid is trying out for the ice dogs.
One answer would be for the strong teams to go Junior A . and the four weeker franchises stay JB
I will never solve this I think this will be the last year for some teams .
sam
Now let's look at all the good:
- still developing players one to the Ramparts and Ice Dogs that's great.
- a great coach in Merlin.
- a great team history and alumni . Second oldest team in JR B.
- it's only been three bad years.
You probably can name a lot more.
There's no reason why St Mary's can't be competitive; again they were one of the best teams to play for.
They have the coach let's get some player's time for ownership to step up.
The problem with strong teams going JR A and weak teams staying JR B, it changes so much in junior hockey from year to year. And we don't want to split up the league.
If we go up to JR A, we all should go up together.We are already the best JR B league in Canada.It would't take us long to be the best JR A league in Canada.