Its 2024, and junior hockey is being played all around the world. During the preceeding off season, the USPHL forced some teams that were not competitive in 2023 to sell or fold their franchises because those operators did not meet a certain set of standards. The EHL has similarly forced teams to be sold or fold in the past if they did not maintain or achieve a set of standards or level of play.
These examples are what Tier 3 junior hockey should look like. In fact, these standards should be applied to all levels of junior hockey. If you cannot maintain a high level of operations, and be competitive within the league, you should be forced out. I think everyone in junior hockey would agree with instituting these rules across the board except those owners who dont meet the standards.
Here were are at the end of October 2024, and the season is still very new, and teams have time to get better, and make adjustments to their rosters. Good teams, and good leaders of those teams almost always come around during the season if they have a rough start.
Some teams though, simply do not understand what it takes to operate a good program for its customers. And thats exactly what players are, customers. They are paying to receive a product of a certain value, with features and benefits. They are paying to be coached, learn, and improve.
But learning and improving, providing value to your customers who are paying, starts with ownership and trickles down to general managers and coaches. Good leadership is what sets the standard. One could also say that good league leadership also sets the standards.
There are several teams at the pay to play level, including Junior A in Canada and Tier 3 in the United States can show everyone what a complete lack of standards provides. The forever terrible Yellowstone Quake with an 0-14-0 record and a minus 100 goal differential, are the example I will use today.
This team is the identity of what Tier 3 junior hockey was never intended to be. It is not just about not having won a game in nearly two years, because players can learn without winning. It is about not being competitive at all, and not providing a positive environment in which players can grow as people and athletes.
Its not just the NA3HL that has teams like this either. There are sanctioned leagues in Canada, unsanctioned leagues in Canada, and teams in the United States outside of Yellowstone that have these problems.
We know that the USPHL and EHL will enforce their standards at the end of this season. But will anyone else?
Is the quest for expansion fee’s over riding the need for competitiveness? Is quantity trampling the benefits of quality? Are parents and players just that desperate to play junior that they are willing to pay anything to play somewhere regardless of how the program is operated?
Fifteen years ago USA Hockey and Hockey Canada were reducing the numbers of teams. Leagues were consolidating, and the level of play, as well as the quality of operations were said to be on the rise because of those actions. So where are we now and how did we get here?
There are some teams at the Tier 2 or Junior A level in Canada that wouldnt even be competitive against a good Tier 3 team from the United States. But they have the Tier 2 lable, collect the tuition and are allowed to remain in the league regardless of what other owners in the league may say.
One thing Europe does well is relegation. If you cant compete at one level, you are automatically dropped down a level. When you dominate a level, you can move up a level. Tier 3 and Junior A need to find a system like this to reward good operators and remove bad ones. But that will never happen.
Players and parents have some responsibiity in this mess as well. Why do you keep paying? Why do you keep signing contracts with teams that do not meet a high set of standards? And after you sign, when things go down hill fast, why do you stay?
Those pesky pay to play contracts are part of the problem for players and parents. They usually dont read them, and then when its too late they are afraid of the financial consequences.
Lets hope that other leagues across North America have the balls to get rid of these franchises that shouldnt exist to begin with. Or, maybe they would prefer to have this article written about a team in their league next year?
