Dallas Stars Elite win U16 championship

The Stars Elite program last month won one of the biggest games in its history.
The
Dallas Stars Elite
U16 team went to Blaine, Minnesota and left with the championship trophy, defeating Cleveland, 4-3, in overtime and going 5-0 in the entire tournament. It was a huge performance for a team who was pretty much raised and trained in Texas. And it's a harbinger of just how fast the Elite program is improving.

"Right now, we've got a good pyramid. We have good people in place, we work together and ultimately we've become a player development-centric market," said Eric Silverman, who runs the Elite Program and coaches the Under 16 team. "I think we are probably the healthiest youth hockey market in the country."
That's a huge badge of pride for those running the program, as it was restructured almost a decade ago with the desire to reach this goal. By putting together a structure that allows young players to work through the pyramid, the Stars have created a positive environment. As a result, several teams are among the best in their respective age groups and a team like the U16 is able to bring home a significant trophy.
"We've been working at this a long time," said Damon Boettcher, a senior vice president with the Stars in charge of all StarCenter facilities. "The key was getting the hockey community on the same page. We're all trying to get better. We follow the American Development Model ADM] and that puts more emphasis on puck touches and doing more small area games at the younger ages. You used to see more full ice practices and kids standing in line waiting for their turn. We changed all of that to station-based practices and cut things up into small areas and small groups, and we've been doing that for years now."
The ADM is a program designed by USA Hockey, and the Stars have embraced it wholly. The Stars start with a Little Rookies program which invites very young players to try the game for free. If you're curious about hockey, the Stars will outfit you with the necessary equipment and then take you through a five-week training experience. If you want to continue, you are given the option to buy the equipment and move into team play. If not, you can walk away.
Boettcher said the Rookies program has about a 60 percent retention rate right now. It started with roughly 40 players and now has about 200.
"Everybody thought we were crazy when we put more emphasis on the ADM program," Boettcher said. "Now we're seeing the benefit from it. Kids are getting better, they're practicing the right way, and now we're not only competing with some of the top teams in the nation, we are one of the top teams in the nation in some of these groups."
The Stars have teams at different age and tier levels, but the push for consistency throughout the program has created a real progress of learning.
Silverman said several players grew up together and played together as they moved through the system. That was a big reason they were able to win the National Bound Tournament. The players compete in league play and then 22 of the teams from leagues across the nation end up at the tournament. The Stars had to win four games to get to the final against Cleveland.
Dallas was down 2-0 in the second period, but then came roaring back with three goals in the third period by Jackson Crowder, Cullen Potter and Caleb Mahar to tie the game and force overtime. There, in the three-on-three, Landon Hafele scored the game-winner to earn the championship.
It was a first for the Stars program.
"It was really rewarding for these boys," said former Stars player Vern Fiddler, who serves as an assistant coach on the team. "We've put a lot in this year and we believed in each other as a group. That's how we were able to win. Every player has a different role on the team. Even the guys who weren't playing that much, they had their arms around each other and they were pushing their teammates. It was really something to see."
Fiddler's son Blake is on the team and the veteran of 877 NHL games said going through the development journey together has been insightful. Fiddler said he thought it might be best to have Blake play in Canada, so the family headed home. He said he found the Texas way of hockey was better.
"This is a big reason we came back," Fiddler said. "We lived up there and we were disappointed with how things were up there. It wasn't the same as what we have here in Texas. When we got back, we found there was more ice, and more opportunity to work on different skills."
Having former players involved has been a big boon for the program. Craig Ludwig is an assistant coach on the Under 18 team, and current players Joe Pavelski and Ryan Suter have their sons in the program, as well.
"That stuff goes a long way," Silverman said. "To have players like that involved, it's awesome."
The entire process is good for hockey in Texas. By growing the sport at the grassroots level there is a development that breeds success and love for the game. It also offers opportunities for young hockey players as they move on in the game and leave the area. The Blaine tournament hosted a sea of scouts and Silverman said he believes that this U16 team will eventually have players on the U.S. National team and playing in the USHL, Western Hockey League and North American Hockey League.
"While winning a championship is exciting, personally as a coach I care more about the kids playing at the next level," Silverman said. "That's why they put in all of the time, so that's what matters more. When we look back at this season, we'll be most proud of the opportunities the kids are getting than anything else."
But the victories are nice too, and the two go hand-in-hand. Create a good system, work hard, and you can win.
"These are among the first kids that went through the whole program, but there are going to be more," Boettcher said. "As we grow and as our base gets bigger, all of our teams are starting to get better. The Double-A squads and Single-A squads, they're getting better, and more kids are pushing for spots on the Triple-A squad. Everyone is getting better, and I think you'll see more championships won in Dallas at all levels."
This story was not subject to the approval of the National Hockey League or Dallas Stars Hockey Club.
[Mike Heika is a Senior Staff Writer for DallasStars.com and has covered the Stars since 1994. Follow him on Twitter @MikeHeika.