I guess it all depends on what your end goal is. I personally don't care if my kid plays AAA or AA. but after 4 years of playing AAA on bad teams. 1 with Brampton and 3 with Credit River due to closed boarders. My advice was not about what would necessarily make your kid a better hockey player but would give them a better hockey experience.Guest wrote: ↑Tue Apr 01, 2025 1:09 pmI think he would have continued developing alongside the other players on his AAA team, being challenged more in practices and in games by being surrounded by better competition, learned to understand and enjoy 'the process', and continued doing extras to catch up and hopefully surpass some of those players to earn more minutes. It's all speculative, but my point was that from our experience, dropping down to AA for 2 years to build his confidence did not translate to being a better AAA player - it set him back even further. Again, this is just our experience and i'm sure others have done this successfully and have differing opinions.Guest wrote: ↑Tue Apr 01, 2025 8:23 amWhat would have been different? Do you think he would have enjoyed playing less minutes and losing at AAA more than he did at AA?Guest wrote: ↑Mon Mar 31, 2025 10:41 amPoor advice from our experience. If your child is able to crack a AAA roster, even as a 3rd liner on a weak team, accept the offer if you can afford it. The development will be better, they will be on the ice more, and they will be playing against the best teams and players in the loop. My oldest child made a AAA at u10 where he was a 3rd liner. The following 2 years he dropped down to AA so he could get more shifts and score more goals. When he went back for the u13 AAA tryouts with the same team and many of the same players he played with at u10, the group was unrecognizable. The speed and skill of the game had gotten away from him even though he was 'the guy' in AA.Guest wrote: ↑Sat Mar 29, 2025 9:59 am So my recommendation for any players looking to play AAA for U14 and younger
Take an honest look at your child and their skills.
Are they able to play on the top 2 lines/top4 D on the better/Mid pack AAA teams?
If not you are better off playing on a top AA team with a good coach and using the difference in fees for more ice time.
Your kid will develop more have more fun and enjoy the year more.
Remember that the bottom AAA teams are only going to have AA players with maybe 1-2 real AAA players on them
Obviously there will be others where the AA experience works out for them and they can successfully transition back to AAA, but for us we regret not keeping our son in AAA and allowing him to grind it out and earn his minutes.
When then are 20 years old chances are they are not playing in the NHL, AHL, NCAA etc Are they going to look back at their hockey days and say i played AAA for a losing team for 8 years or look back with found memories of winning tournaments and the tough losses that were close.
is going to make your kid a better hockey player