Alta_redneck Alta_redneck:
Could it be that we are not sending our best players, but the best players who's parents can afford to send their kids to all the Hockey Canada BS like summer camps, The Program of Excellence. I think it costs about $400. just to try out for the Red Deer AAA Midget team, then have to go grab a $200. stick?
A lot of kids miss out just because of the cost.
That's a distinct possibility but it could also be because they pretty much exclusively recruit from Major Junior while leaving the Jr. A and University leagues out of the equation which is sad because alot of kids playing in those leagues have the talent to play Major Junior but chose that route because of a desire to get an education either supplied by an American University or at home.
Of course, it could also be because it's cyclical and we're in a downturn in talent, just like we were on an upswing when we won our 5 gold medals in a row.