Heisler's NAHL Ratings - Junior Hockey

Heisler's NAHL Ratings

Each week we get asked about where each of the NAHL team stack up. So here it goes. Please understand that this is by no means scentific and entirely based on my own experience and knowledge about each team. 1-Wenatchee WildThe Wild ...
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hi Stevie Wonder,

Do you have a man crush on the Wenatchee Wild?

Methinks Paul Gillis has always been in over his head, going back to when he coached in the OHL with Windsor.

Tony Curtale wins championship after championship yet he is the reason you have the Texas Tornado rated so low?

If a player will leave Michigan to go play in Kenai River, Alaska (example: Brett Lubanski, who is from just outside Detroit and who now has a Division 1 commitment) would another player from Michigan not stay in the same state and go to Sault Ste. Marie to play for the Eagles?

Did "happy hour" begin a little early today?

Regards,

RR

Curtale is the Achy Breaky Heart of junior hockey... his time, and game, has come and gone.

Winning is not everything when the influence is likely to be under the influence.

Bad guy, bad coach, and bad situation to send players. I know a little something about this game, league, and level of play and can promise you one thing, no child of mine would ever be subject to the likes of a Tony Curtale.

Steve,

I never suggested that you know nothing about the game, league or level of play.

I was merely being rhetoric and inquisitive.

Just because you and I get along and are junior hockey friends does not mean we see all things through similar sets of eyes.

Gotta run, man. It's happy hour in Sault Ste. Marie.

Regards,

RR

Paul Gillis is one of the best coaches in the NAHL, I guarantee you that. The first few years of his coaching career may have been fairly rough, but he has missed the playoffs only a couple of times since.

I find it kind of funny how critical you guys can be of a man who played in the NHL for over a decade, has a solid winning percentage as a head coach, and has been to four championships (winning one of them).

Not to mention, Odessa is probably one of the most professionally run franchises in the entire NAHL. Only good things are on the horizon for Gillis and his Jackalopes, and you will be eating your pitiful ranking when all is said and done.

Mr. Russon, was Gillis in over his head during all of the seasons he led his teams to the playoffs as well? Give me a freaking break.

Mike Lee,

You have your opinions on Paul Gillis and I have mine. That doesn't make either of us right or wrong. They are our opinions and most of us have them and have a right to express them.

I woke up in a free country this morning. I trust that you did too.


Regards,

RR

Mr. Heisler, opinions are a dime a dozen & everyone has one. Time will tell if your accurate,But I must take exception with your comments about the Soo area. Contrary to your concerns about playes wanting to play in the Soo, The eagles have been overwhelmed with interested players from all corners of the country and as far away as Russia. Perhaps the players know something about the Soo area that you don't, Perhaps you should come up & visit us sometime and enjoy our beautiful area.

Really, I thought I was being nice to Odessa at #9.

What did I say wrong about the Soo? Yikes people...

"This would be a top-ten program if Curtale was not the guy on the bench." "Bad guy, bad coach, and bad situation to send players."

Really? Is it hard to breath with your head burried so far up your posterior?

Since 1999, the Tornado under Curtale (except the lone Mullins season) have won five NAHL championships, including three straight from 2004-2006, had seven straight 40+ win seasons from 1999-2006, won 7 straight division titles, and made the playoffs every season of their existance. Since 1999, the Tornado have moved over 120 players to NCAA and/or professional teams. Three ex-Tornado players saw time in the NHL last season.

"I know a little something about this game, league, and level of play."

Obviously the emphasis is on the "little" in that statement.

"and can promise you one thing, no child of mine would ever be subject to the likes of a Tony Curtale."

Thank goodness for small miracles.

"Fans in Texas seemingly have had enough of the Curtale show and have been staying away from the Dr. Pepper Stars Center in record numbers."

While I will admit that the number since the Mullins season and dark year have been down from previous seasons they have averaged over 1830 since moving to Frisco.

"Enough already."

I agree, enough already of your constant immature ramblings on all things Tornado, Frisco, and Curtale.

You constantly point to Tony's years of coaching at the junior level as proof that he is damaged goods that nobody wants, yet trumpet Littler as the savior of the league immediately vaulting Wenatchee to the cup next season. Why is Littler's career behind nothing but a junior bench proof that he is damaged goods? It is because of your jealousy toward Curtale who has succeeded in the Junior Hockey world while you were an abject failure.

Now go promote your Thursday Night Fights, they may go for that South of the border.

No, you're right, Randy. We both are entitled to our opinions. That said, I base my opinion on him off of stats as well as what I have watched firsthand for five years now.

The pro players thought highly of Gillis, the junior players feel the same, and he has never missed the postseason while coaching the Jacks. If I may ask, what do you base your opinion of him on?

Mike Lee,

I just don't think Paul Gillis is enough of a teacher to be a good junior coach. (I should have clarified that earlier, junior coach.) He may have had success at the low minor pro levels as you say but that didn't warrant him a job as a top farm club development coach. In his OHL days with Windsor he was regarded a poor coach because he failed to properly develop his players. Yes, he got into the playoffs with Odessa (barely) this past NAHL season but I am not the only one who thinks he is not a good development coach. Being a junior coach means being a teacher. Sorry, I don't see Paul as a teacher, thus he's in over his head, in my opinion.

Regards,

RR

Kirk,
Take a poll of all NAHL and USHL coaches asking if they would send their own child to Curtale for two years. Two-thirds or more would take the same stand that I do. You really want a shocker, do the same poll with all of his former players and less then 20% would send their own child.

The difference is that I have a forum to express that opinion and only have to face the likes of you when I do.

Tony's game is old and he is too hard-headed to change. Maybe that crap will go over in the Federal Hockey League, but it is no longer necessary at the junior level.

He is also a liar. "I've never told a player to go out and fight." After that quote, I got hundreds of phone calls from all across the US and Canada from players that disputed his statement.

By the way, why would I bring back Thursday Night Fights when I have JuniorHockey.com?

I think come Christmas time Heisler will have to re-arrange his list a little bit.

As a former assistant coach of a private D3 programme in the MCHA there were many coaches in the NAHL who told me "Our players aren't interested in your program, they want to play in the NCHA only, Then after many of their players did not get begged to play by a team in the NCHA the players were having to market themselves, calling us, sending us tapes. There were a couple of exceptions to that.

Some Junior Coaches would send us bio's of the players, their GPA's, ACT/SAT scores, Interested Major's, etc. Weekly Stats and updates, But many even in the Tier 3 ranks did not market their players to colleges at all, unless you were a Plattsburgh State, UW, St. Norberts, Union College.

If I were a parent and my son was wanting to playing Tier 3 hockey, I would want the following to be listed on the Teams website for each player:

Height, Weight, Hometown, GPA, ACT/SAT Score, Possible Majors.

And have the team make up a PDF of more indepth information including contact information on each player and their parents contact information.

Most D3 programmes and ACHA hockey programmes recruiting budgets consist of Emailing coaches, looking at teams websites to find players, Sending out email PDF recruiting brochures, since they don't have the postage budget to send out 100's of pieces of snail mail. Plus most assistant coaches at the D3 level are working other jobs and getting a small amount of money to help coach the team or they have a full time job with the university doing other things outside of assistant coaching.

Hopefully not the last year of the Monsters in the NAHL! I love this team and i think Eric is a great coach and we could do good. Our fan support is pretty good when it comes to the actual fans who love the team and dont miss a game. Lots of people are saying this is the last season of the NAHL Monsters and since i do love the team i refuse to believe them lol. To see this team go would be devastating. I thnk having our WSHL and NAHL teams does help alot but when the WSHL guys are crushing everyone in our division it draws everyone away from the NAHL boys talent and i wish i had some intelligent people with me to explain that the NAHL is a tougher league than the WSHL, I think this could be a great season for Eric and the boys and the city! And M. Heisler you should come to Fresno for one of our games tickets are on me haha! GO MONSTERS!