Reply To: Diary of a Season 2024-25

[Tom Molloy]

Tryouts

Our season has started. Ran three conditioning practices Thursday.

Today tryouts started. 140 players trying for 3 teams. Those who don’t make it play in a lower division.

We play 5-5 games, no drills. Our coaching staff watches the game and then meet during the flood and do an overall ranking then watch the next game and repeat. After two games we submit our ranking and the executive lets the players know if they are invited back to the next evaluation games. We start with 8 teams, then 6, then 4 and then the three coaching staffs meet with the chairman and we draft three teams. We play against the top teams in our Province.

Tonight and Sunday 8 teams play and we rank them in the 4 games.

T-Th we cut 2 teams and we evaluate them 3 games each night.

Friday-Sat 4 teams play 2 more games each. We watch and rank them.

Sunday morning we draft our 3 teams in a snake draft. Straws for draft order then a snake draft by position. 1-2-3-3-1-2-2-3-1-1-2-3 etc.

Each team a few extra players to make final decisions on after a few ex games, then name our 18 skaters and 2 goalies. Late cuts are affiliates.

I think this format gives every player a fair chance.

Watched 4 games tonight. 12 more to go.

Cut down to 6 teams who played two games each then to 4 teams who played on each.

Had a draft with the three teams choosing from the final four teams. We no have 15 F, 8 D, 3 G and will practice and play exhibition games to get down to 12 F, 6 D, 2 G. The players not chosen will be our affiliates.

'The Game is the Greatest Coach'
'Enjoy the Game'