Tryout Season: The Springfield Aces

So, a lot of people are sharing this graphic on social media and, like, I want to share it too...but anyone that knows me knows I'm super transparent and even more long winded...

A simple share just won't do...

I've got three hockey players and one currently plays for the Aces.

Another used to.

And one doesn't.

Every one of them plays where they do for a reason...

- - - - - - - - - -

My oldest, Duncan, first skated with the Springfield Aces in February of 2023.

We were doing the whole "free agent" thing before tryouts that experienced hockey parents tend to do.

Hat Tricks, Express, CJR, MassConn, Wolf Pack, Chiefs, Yale, Elite -- you name it, we've been there.

You know, always searching for that perfect fit.

Brewster and Danbury felt a little too far to travel, Stamford was just too hard to get to, and the others just didn't feel right or, more accurately, they felt like a continuation on a path to no where.

When your kids are 13 or 14 years old -- it's super imporant to find a path...somewhere.

Or hockey ends.

With a thud.

And a lame party at a bowling alley.

Springfield had never really been a consideration for us -- we're from Connecticut, the Rifles/T-Birds were always kind of a second level rival.

I'm not saying they don't run a solid program too...but everytime we crossed paths with those programs as mites, squirts, and peewees, well, I never came away thinking, "Wow, I'd love to see my kid in that uniform!"

Well, besides those old Rifles socks.

The black ones.

Those were awesome.

Anyway, let's introduce the Aces.

We knew a family that had joined them for their first season back in 2021 and even played against them in a showcase that September.

Beat them 3-2 in overtime and I remember coming away from that game thinking, wow, for a first year program, they were a lot better than I'd expected.

That's Duncan (82) in the white helmet in the photo, crashing the net on the OT winner.

There's a reason some programs are perennial powerhouses -- they've been building themselves up for decades.

And these guys just took us to overtime? How?

But there were an awful lot of familiar faces on that team -- looking back, it was a collection of talented players that stepped off the "hype" train of some of our region's other programs.

We all know who those programs are -- no need to name names.

Whether these players left voluntarily or were classified as "not good enough", I'm not sure.

Doesn't so much matter.

There's a right spot for every player.

If you're already confident that your player is in the right spot to get where they want to go, and there's a proven track record supporting it, I'd always advise staying the course.

We've changed course a few times -- you've seen the rainbow of uniforms my kids have worn here on this website and on Facebook.

Rainbow is an exaggeration -- really, there've only been 3 main programs and they were all "right", well, mostly right, at the time based on my kids' individual skill level and where they wanted hockey to take them.

I tend to look two years ahead with most things and, with my older two boys in 2023, that put us beyond where youth hockey in Connecticut extends.

As I said above already, if you have a 12, 13, or 14 year old hockey player...your runway is really short now.

Hockey is coming to a close.

Opportunities aren't around every corner.

Playing the next town over isn't a thing anymore.

Like...U14 teams implode, mid-season, as kids switch to high school hockey...un-announced.

Be ready. Or make a plan.

Two years ago, there wasn't a high school option in front of us -- our school district didn't have a team -- so I knew I had to find a path that would allow my kids to continue playing at a high level beyond 14 years old...

Enter...the Springfield Aces.

Like, for real, this time...

It was February of 2023 and Duncan's first year of bantam hockey was coming to a close.

He'd played a bunch of games with the kids a year older than him that season so we had first hand knowledge of how dire their "future" hockey plans were.

After bantam...hockey was a deadzone. Boy, were some of those families in a panic...

Constant chatter of a full season U15 team had always been floating around the corners of the rink...but, even now, multiple years later, a full season team for that age group has never materialized.

A couple of former coaches that are still frequent advisors for us were blunt with us -- "You need to move your kids out. Now!"

With that, after conferring a little with the couple families I already knew that had skated with the Aces, I sent a blind text to the phone number on the website -- wordy, as I always am -- inquiring about the following season and tryouts.

It was 15 paragraghs long. Ridiculous.

I'm fully aware of my verbosity...

The response?

"Hey Chris, let's have him out tomorrow at 7pm. Thanks."

The following week, Henrik followed suit.

And a month later, post tryouts, I'd officially moved both of my older boys to the Springfield Aces.

Not on a whim.

No.

It was part of a plan.

That whole "look two years ahead" thing...

Center on the end game.

Don't get blindsided.

Now, the Aces don't extend beyond U14 -- just like pretty much every hockey program in Connecticut -- so my oldest was only going to get a single season out of them.

"One and done" hockey seasons are never a good look -- team jumpers so frequently come with a LOT of baggage -- but the Aces offered a path beyond the Aces.

That was the attraction.

I'd seen so many of my kids' former teammates just age out of youth hockey and end up floating around aimlessly without a team to play for...or praying for that U15 team to come to fruition but for three years in a row -- the 2006, 2007, and 2008 birth years -- I'd watched them play in some crummy "state" or league tournament in late February and then everyone went their own way.

Zero guidance. No continuity. Sorry, no team for you.

A lot just quit after bantam, it's over, or they found the only option available to continue playing was to play for their high school team...

And I use the term "play" loosely. Many just "watched" more often than not... That whole 9th and 10th grader "pay your dues" thing at play.

If that's your player's goal -- have at it.

High school hockey is super competitive and a great social experience. I won't knock it.

Well, not today, at least...

But before we settled on trying out for and making the Aces...we did our homework to ensure they were DIFFERENT from the other teams we scoped out.

And the one thing that really stood out was that many Aces moved on to the Springfield Pics, a full season team, as they turned 15.

Extrapolating from there, tons of the Springfield Pics are selected in the NCDC Draft. Some jump to the NAHL. The USHL too -- the highest point of US-based junior hockey.

Duncan's ambitious stretch goal is to be selected in the QMJHL Draft -- Pics players get that opportunity too.

There are Pics playing NCAA D1. Tons of them playing D3.

There are Pics playing professional hockey -- legit, they come to skills sessions during the off season.

The same could NOT be said for any of our prior programs.

Sure, they might have had "a" guy that made it.

One.

Maybe.

Like, 12 years ago. Dusty jersey still tacked to the wall in the lobby.

You know what I'm talking about...

The Pics, though, have a constant flow of players they push upward -- every single season.

Look 'em up -- Carter Hanrahan, Coleson Hanrahan, Devin Niles, Michal Stinil, Bahdan Radzivilka, Tomas Smetanka, Charlie Wilson, Adam Botlo, Joey Jubb, Markus Gentile ...and even Duncan's current teammates Caden Turgeon and Jokubas Spruntulis.

Okay, okay...junior hockey isn't your thing -- you haven't heard of any of those guys...

Well, Peter Bondra's kid played for the Pics.

We're not reaching way back here, either.

Sure, Bill Guerin played for the Pics too...but what a guy in his mid-50's today did 4 decades ago has almost zero relevance to a kid that's 13 or 14 years old now.

My kid wants to be like the guys he shares the ice with every week that got drafted last year and the handful more that will get drafted, like, two months from now.

Sheesh, I think his mind was blown THIS season when his d-partners were from Czechia and Slovakia.

It can get real...at 15. This isn't anything like high school hockey...

And that's what we were seeking. Those are the guys we want to follow.

And the Springfield Aces pour right into that Springfield Pics pipeline.

And I know someone reading this is thinking, "My kid is 12 years old. We're not at that 'USHL' point...not even close. Junior hockey? Not even on the radar...we'll cross that bridge when we get to it. None of this applies..."

Except...you are a lot closer than you think.

Hockey could END in two years for you -- that bridge won't even be there.

If there's even the slightest desire to play college hockey or dream big and maybe even go pro, you've gotta get in line before your player's final bantam season is coming to a close.

It sneaks up on you fast... One day you're tying their skates for them and the next, they're showering in the locker room after practice and watering their moustaches hoping for more growth.

So, yeah, two years ago, the plan was to play for the Aces as a Bantam, move up to the Pics the following season, and move deeper into "real" junior hockey afterwards.

And it worked -- the Aces delivered.

We're 100% on board, staying the course, for kid 2 -- he's got one more season with the Aces to go.

If your son wants to play junior hockey that actually leads to college hockey opportunities, not of the imaginary sort, the Springfield Pics are the local program to skate for.

The Springfield Aces are the front steps and the welcome mat to get your foot in the door to higher level hockey.

And if you're thinking, yeah, the Aces are still a second rate youth hockey destination for misfit players -- as many said right to my face as I pulled my kids from their former programs...well, the MHR rankings are pretty eye opening.

Henrik's prior two teams, one of which likes to proclaim they're "Nationals" bound to the point it's uncomfortably awkward, are both currently hovering at an 82.

His Aces team...is an 87.

Pretty good misfits, right there.

MHR aside, Henrik's got an Elite Prospects profile as a result of playing for the Aces too. Exposure matters -- the Aces offer that too.

It was never a step backwards -- it was part of a plan.

Duncan's skill elevation since going to the Aces, which led right into the Pics, paved that path in my mind.

It leads to something. It really does.

I was a track athlete in high school...it sucked when it just ended, splat, just when I was really getting good. Woulda, coulda, shoulda.

Cue up Springsteen's "Glory Days"...

Hockey doesn't need to just "end" when they're just getting started...but you need to line them up in advance to continue.

Center in on the end game before it's too late.

And did I mention the tuition? If you're from Connecticut...it's almost unbelievable.

No joke -- my mite's tuition in Connecticut eclipsed my Aces peewee and bantam tuitions that first season. Seriously.

Next season, the listed tuition for my squirt is $4295 to play in a AA league -- Black Bear's AHF -- in Connecticut.

His team has a 72 MHR rating.

That's...not AA level hockey. Every hockey snob knows that.

My bantam, with the Aces, has a $3900 tuition...and an 87 MHR ranking.

I dunno...I'm pretty confident I've made the right moves...

Both for their own hockey progression...and my wallet.

I can't predict how far any of my kids will go in hockey or if they'll even get within striking distance of their own goals...but I'm certain the path they're on now will launch them higher than playing for a Division III high school team would have.

Actually, that's already been confirmed...Duncan's U16 Pics team shut out the second ranked Division I Connecticut high school. With ease.

And that team recently defeated the top ranked Connecticut high school team.

Point is, there isn't a comparision to be had that's, um, comparable...

It's a different game, it's a different level.

The Springfield Aces launched him beyond the top ranked Connecticut high school team in a single season...where he would have been a grade nine nobody.

Okay...so here are the rebuttals...

The Aces only practice twice per week.
I know, it sounds light. Explains the tuition too, right? Sorry -- three full ice sheets or nothing for me. And, look, I can't deny that I used to be one of those parents looking for ice every night of the week...but all ice is not equal.
Every other program we've skated for, that third night has been billed as a "skills" night, or split with another team, and often gets bumped from the schedule every now and then. Point is...while it IS ice time...it's not productive ice time. I can only think of one Aces practice over two seasons that didn't meet my expectations...and that's cause the rink's compressor failed. It wasn't due to the coaching or the drills.

The Aces play in the MVHL. Never heard of it. Must be terrible.
Same deal, I used to be a league snob too. Fed, E9, AYHL, or nothing... Then Black Bear came along a few years ago and scrambled all of the pieces with their THF and AHF leagues. But, yeah, I understand the reservations...
But, have you ever heard of the Long Island Gulls? Connecticut Chiefs? Elite? Those are some good old AYHL programs. Chiefs were even in the Fed back when we started there. Never heard of the VT Flames? They're no joke.
And that's the thing -- the THF is super strong at the top and then drops off. So is the Fed. E9 too -- all of us in this area know it's mostly false hype.
A good team is a good team -- and the MVHL has a bunch of high 80's and low 90's MHR teams within it. They're independent too so, like, they're in tournaments where they play teams from other leagues.
It's not a "closed" ecosystem to hide where the talent level really lies in the grand scheme. Aces teams have faced off against Mid-Fairfield. Aces play against BHL teams. Fed teams. AYHL teams. Even those Connecticut based CHC teams sometimes. Like, if it's a good match-up, it's gonna happen.
Once the kids move up to the Pics, they get poured into the THF (which has tentacles into the USPHL now) where it's not solely a league of Black Bear owned programs anymore. Guess what? These Aces kids hold their own with those THF guys. My oldest son's U16 Pics team is currently in 9th place out of 38 teams...ahead of a bunch of programs most youth hockey parents have heard of.

Dual birth year teams? No thanks...
I hear that. I too latched on to birth year teams when my kids were mites. Got snobby about it too as all three of my kids are guilty of having "played up" for years.
But I've since refined my thinking. Having older or younger players on the roster is win for everyone... Hockey is weird -- it's a team game...but it's also about individual skill development.
Having one year as the understudy and one year as the stud is like a launching pad for development. You're never pigeon-holed into a permanent role -- you might be a bottom six guy NOW as the younger player but, next season, you're gonna be top six as those players above you age out. So, yeah, the Aces lose some games due to having dual birth year teams...but they produce better players at the end of it. For me, it might sound selfish, but the player development outweighs the team's win/loss record. Stay focused on the end game -- moving your player upward.

Peeked at your schedule for this season -- it sucks.
Matter of opinion, really. I mean, it's a lot like the 3 days vs. 2 days of practice thing. My boys' Aces seasons have always eclipsed the 60-game mark. That's in-line with all of their prior seasons with other programs and even exceeds many of Henrik's seasons.
There have been a lot of double headers this season and a lot of weekends where there's a free day. I don't know about you...but having three kids playing hockey and being a decade into this, if one kid has an open day on the weekend, that's a win for our family.
And, sure, driving to Montpelier, VT is a hike...but it sure beats our AYHL, EJEPL, and THF treks to the Philadelphia area! It's the little things, man... I'll drive to Albany or Glens Falls over Mt Laurel, NJ every day of the week.
Distance might be the same...but the difficulty of getting there isn't even comparable. I swear -- I am NEVER in the correct lane approaching the George Washington Bridge even though I've crossed it over 100 times.
But if there's one thing I've learned over the years, it's that you don't need to drive three plus hours to get your ass kicked.
I've driven to Harrisburg, PA -- a 6 hour drive -- for a 36-minute squirt game, knowing we were going to lose. I don't seek that stuff every single weekend any more. Aces don't make me do it.

Yeah, but who are the coaches?
If there's one thing that grinds my gears during tryout season, it's programs either not announcing coaches at all...or announcing them and then pulling the bait-and-switch after families have already committed. The latter irks me more -- it's so disingenuous.
So far, the Aces have followed through with the exact coach they've announced for every team -- mite through bantam -- for both seasons we've been there. At the same time, during our two seasons there...every coach in the program has been on the ice during practice for every team.
Every coach knows every player -- mite through bantam. And they're all good. Like, if they were to pull a bait-and-switch next season...and the current squirt coach was now the bantam coach, I'd be cool with it. Not bluffing.
They list 5 coaches on their website...and those are the 5 coaches. Even better -- and showcasing the pipeline, three of them have coached my son this season on the Pics. And that's the thing -- it's a small group with a consistent message. For real, the squirts do the same drills that the U16 Pics do...just slower and a little sloppier.
Now imagine how great the current 9 year olds will be when they're 16... Yeah...get on this ride as early as you can...
Added bonus for the hockey snobs like me out there, all of them have an EP profile. Not a single "I play a little men's league on Tuesday nights" dad among them...

Okay, I'm done. Too many one sentence paragraphs, as usual...

Henrik's gonna be an Ace next season.
Zero doubt.
He wants to be a U15 Springfield Pic the year after that.

Duncan's gonna be a U16 Springfield Pic again next season.
Zero doubt.
He wants to get drafted or tendered.

Emmet's going to be on the Wolf Pack next season...but the Aces are definitely on the horizon for him too if he demonstrates that he wants to play at a higher level for another decade.

Totally transparent, open book, here.

Aces Tryouts are just $75.

Mites and goalies are free. No gimmicks. Just two nights -- no long drawn out process or date shuffling...it is what it is.

The home rink is literally the very first exit into Massachusetts -- and, honestly, I get off in Enfield, exit 49, more often than not. It's not that far.

It's a small program -- everyone knows everyone. It's not one of those cases where the mites never even cross paths with the wispy moustached bantams.

It's a team -- they're all Aces. We all practice on the same nights so, yeah, the kids cross paths to and from the locker rooms. The dual birth year teams even solidify the culture more -- Henrik's been teammates now with kids a year older and a year younger than him.

Holiday party each season is really something too...and that atmosphere makes the transition to the Pics that much easier...cause they do the same thing there too.

Players on the USPHL Premier team, players that are 20 years old, will already know and acknowledge Henrik from his first day of wearing that jersey. In fact, he's already had the opportunity to practice with the Pics a few times...and guys in the locker room already knew who he was.

"RUTSCH!" is some sort of battle cry for the older kids. I've even heard it exclaimed at the rink before when there isn't even a "Rutsch" player on the ice or in the building. It's like a running inside joke or something -- they might be poking fun...but aren't at the same time. Maybe it's just a fun word to say? I dunno... Hey, at least they're pronouncing it correctly!

But, yeah, I dunno how best to explain it -- no one is an anonymous rando so, like, that "Join the Culture" tagline is real.

On that front, though, it's not for gym class hockey players. The Aces are fast paced -- I mentioned earlier that the squirt team does the EXACT same drills the U16 Pics team does. It's not for the lazy.

But, as a result, I can't think of anyone on the three rosters we've been a part of with the Aces where I've thought, "Why is that kid on the team?"

Everywhere else, there's always at least one...

Expectations are high and the kids are expected to work on their own game OUTSIDE of the practice nights....which is why the players aging out are so driven and skilled...which also explains why so many move on to the Pics and thrive.

The Aces' coaches are all aligned and connected...and connected beyond the Aces too. Contacts you make in this program will open doors elsewhere...and not just with the Pics.

But, best of all, they offer a path beyond bantam. A paved path.

Uniforms are super cool too.

Registration link is here:
   https://www.greaterspringfieldaces.com/page/show/6147013-2025-2026-season-tryout-registration

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