The Monctonian AAA Challenge is aptly named.
This weekend was an epic challenge for the players, coaches, officials, tournament volunteers, rink staff, anyone behind the scenes and of course the parents. The tournament is an exhausting marathon of hockey, but yet so rewarding for so many people. Banners were claimed, players were identified, and some outstanding performances were turned in. Perhaps the first challenge at the Monctonian happens well before the puck is dropped, the most epic challenge of all is the search for a parking spot.
Finding a parking spot at the 4 Plex is like landing a close drive thru parking spot at Costco. There’s a need to celebrate that accomplishment like scoring a goal. Unfortunately, many people came outside or were notified that their vehicle was towed. One could only imagine how that must have felt and the frustration that went a long with that. Signs were posted on every door at the entrance and those checking tickets and tournament passes were reminding spectators of the consequences of parking on the grass or in no parking zones around the complex. Nevertheless, the level of hockey at the Monctonian never disappoints.
This was the second year in a row that I haven’t covered the tournament in an official capacity as a scout at the U16 AAA and U18 AAA level, but it’s always great to get out and watch games live and get an early snapshot of certain players and teams before putting together my annual independent QMJHL scouting reports prior to the draft.
Whenever you have a showcase tournament like the Monctonian there’s always going to be ups and downs and a few bumps along the way. Games running late, scheduling woes, lopsided games etc. To the organizing committee and all the people behind the scenes that made it possible I would like to take this opportunity to say thank you for everything you do and growing the game in this region.
The product on the ice and the discussions off ice continue to make showcase tournaments like the Monctonian so special for the hockey fraternity.
Here are some of my observations from this weekends action.
How did they do it?
As I was sitting there Saturday morning or going between all four rinks, to catch some of the action I was reminded of something I wrote a few years ago about the exhaustion that the players must be experiencing. This year’s event was a touch different without the Top Prospect Game, but there was a Wildcats game on Friday which a lot of the teams attended which was great to see, but even without the prospect game, players play a lot of hockey over the course of the tournament, but by the end of the weekend how the hell do they do that still comes to mind. By Saturday nights quarterfinal action players still had a ton of jump. They should have been exhausted, they should have been gassed, how are they still doing this, how are they competing this hard? The compete level was off the charts. There’s a misconception out there that kids these days don’t care or take things for granted. When it comes to these young hockey players, many believe that entitlement runs rampant and in many cases it does, but what I witnessed throughout my time there last weekend was the complete opposite. Every kid emptied their tanks and would have done just about anything to win. You can tell a lot about a kid’s character by their compete level or “give a shit factor.”
There’s an extremely fine line between winning and losing, especially with so much parity in the NB/PEI U-18 Major AAA Hockey League and at that level across this region. Every single player should be very proud of their effort during the Monctonian Challenge. Sadly, many scouts don’t always attend games on Saturday night or Sunday during showcase events due in large part to travel. Nevertheless, the scouts that were in attendance this weekend were no doubt blown away by the compete level that was on display.
How did they do it? Well, they gave a shit, they wanted it, and they were willing to empty their tanks for it, they wanted to win more than anything for each other, that’s what it’s all about, that’s what makes our great game so special.
Uncertainty, The Undercurrent of Change and the Possibilities
Whenever you have that many levels of AAA hockey in one place you’re going to hear a gamete of conversations, theories, philosophies, player projections, complaints and concerns. Some hockey people might think the game is great where it is right now while others see it as a dying entity or in serious jeopardy and peril. Some hockey minds might think it’s all bull shit and there shouldn’t be changes at all and let things play out. Opinions are like noses everyone has one and is entitled to their own, so this is mine. There is a ton of uncertainty right now surrounding “elite” level hockey in this region with the ever-changing landscape.
I don’t have all of the numbers and analytics, but you don’t have to look too hard or long to find out that Atlantic Canada is still behind there other provincial counterparts when it comes to developing elite level players.
Some say players from this region are still 6 to 9 months behind other players at the same level. “Oh, here’s Craig spouting off yet again about development.” Well, that might be the case, but one only has to look at the influx of free agents coming into to the CHL and that trend is only going to continue over the next few years. So, my question to the hockey traditionalist or purists out there that are still saying to stay status quo where is the game or U15 AAA/U16AAA and U18 AAA leagues going to be in lets say three to five years?
What are they going to look like?
What’s the development model going to look like in this region? There’s an undercurrent of change lurking and if the hockey leagues and governing bodies react instead of taking a proactive approach this region is going to be even farther behind the developmental model and our production of players “to the next level” whatever level that might be will take a drastic hit.
Obviously, conversations in the hockey world are difficult to have because everyone thinks their way is better than the “next persons” and they’re hell bent to show you why and how it’s so much better. With the ever-changing landscape there needs to be a call for alignment and that alignment needs to start with tough, uncomfortable conversations, but there are a small percentage of people that refuse to even sit at the same table to listen or offer their thoughts and opinions. However, there’s a collection of people that want to get out ahead of current trends and help things to get better. This progressive thinking starts with uncomfortable conversations at showcase tournaments much like the Monctonian amongst others and I applaud those hockey lifers that are trying to elicit much needed change to the game and development opportunities for players and coaches in this region.
The alignment needs a shift in thinking at every level and if that were to occur, oh the possibilities. This small collective of hockey minds and progressive thinkers want to make things better, but to make changes in the hockey world around here you have to fight tradition and the “this is how it’s always been done” mentality and that in itself is almost a mission impossible given how entrenched those individuals are when it comes to potential change.
What will the Monctonian Challenge look like in three years from now, what will hockey in Atlantic Canada look like in 2030? There’s a ton of uncertainty right now, there’s an undercurrent of change lurking, but the possibilities are endless if the hockey world in this region gets on board, gets aligned and is willing to keep an open mind, have the difficult conversations, make changes for the players playing our great game in this region.
The Monctonian Challenge never disappoints and continues to showcase all sides of our game and provides a perfect backdrop for hockey conversations and memories, even if it’s almost impossible to find a parking spot.
To be continued…………
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