Keep Your Ghost Rosters to Yourself!

I hate ghost rosters.

I know everyone puts them together and I’m guilty of that as well, but it’s just too damn early for that.

You can bet your ass that every single QMJHL team’s coaching staff and front office have their ghost rosters made.

That’s perfectly fine, that’s what you are suppose to do.

Don’t worry they are protected and as secure as a Brink’s truck.

You see it’s way too early to start predicting opening day line ups and starting goaltenders.

Sure you can project, but don’t make it public.

For now keep your ghost rosters to yourself.

I think the worst aspects of “ghost rosters” is when organizations or team personnel start talking about them publicly.

It makes it sound like there they have already made all of their decisions and have already picked the team.

What ever happened to the try out process?

It seems like more and more kids are being signed without proving their worth or showing what they can really do.

Don’t get me started on resume over performance during the tryout process that just pisses me off, but it’s ridiculous to think that where the kid played the season before means something.

It shouldn’t, that’s why they call it tryouts. The player tries out for the team, they don’t magically appear and make it.

But you would be surprised that shit happens every year in minor hockey.

Don’t believe me, just ask around.

It’s so wrong, it’s always been wrong and that’s one aspect of the game that needs to drastically change.

Of course Major Junior teams sign players, that happens all the time, it’s an early sign of commitment, and much deserved and highly earned, but I was truly shocked to hear Midget aged kids getting signed weeks before training camp even started.

In my opinion that’s wrong, but there you go “ghost rostering” at its finest.

Pencil the names in, project your lines, D pairings and specialty teams, and even your goaltenders if you want, but keep that shit private.

I get that junior hockey players shouldn’t care about social media, or what other people say, but when “ghost rosters” come out that all changes especially if they are leaked from a “reliable source.”

In my opinion “ghost rosters” have no place in minor hockey, they have no place in the public eye.

I guess it all goes back to the difference between predictions and projections and the hockey world’s addiction to that side of the game.

QMJHL Training Camps are set to open in less than 24 hours and everyone has already made their projected rosters.

I’m guilty of that with a certain junior team here locally, but I would never publicize that line up right now.

I haven’t watched all the kids play, I’m projecting and going on what some very reliable sources have said about new free agent invitees and where I’m projecting the team’s returnees.

Given the length of this particular off season there are no guarantees, for roster spots on any given team.

Everything is wide open, that’s the way it should be.

That’s the way it should be when it comes to minor hockey tryouts.

Obviously Major Junior hockey and the pro ranks are different, but it’s still way too early to talk ghost rosters.

Sure it’s exciting to predict, but you have no idea how stressed or how much pressure QMJHL players are feeling right now.

The nerves and anxiety in a lot of cases is crippling.

Let’s be patient and see how things play out.

Let’s wait and see before we all jump to conclusions with our ghost rosters.

Even with training camp numbers locked in at 34, 36 counting the two imports, there will definitely be surprises.

I hate to make predictions, but I hate ghost rosters more.

For now let’s keep all the ghost rosters to ourselves and compare notes privately.

The time to predict line ups isn’t right now. It’s time that we celebrate the games return and respect and appreciate the time and effort these young players have put into getting to this point of their careers.