United States Premier Hockey League

I am Eric Swanick, Swan Commander on social media.

We are in season three, Surviving the Cut, and we are joined once again by RC Like, the general manager and head coach of the Westchester Wolves in the NCDC, program director of the entire Wolves organization.

RC, welcome back.

Thanks for having me.

And will compete with anybody in skating.

Um, and I think that we also really identified that.

Um, to a man, there will not be a team that out-skates us in the NCDC, not even close.

Um, our, our speed from our D core to our forwards is extremely high.

Why would I want him over a guy who would probably have been a tier three player has been playing on my division two club? Why would I want him over a guy playing a doll who's coming to me? You know, you're getting guys from good leagues are going there.

NCDC guys, some guys are going there, a good NCDC player.

Why would I turn down him for a guy? It's basically a tier three player has been playing on my, on my lower level club.

No, you're not going to do that.

You're giving up the better juniors.

They're playing in the better leagues.

You're not going to see guys give up the NOL or the NCDC early to go play Division II club.

That's not happening.

Feeling great, feeling good.

Our guest today, beauty, NCDC beauty, if you will, Joey Nogle, got him on.

I actually didn't play hockey with him growing up, so kind of a little bit different.

Went to elementary school with him actually out in Colorado, so that's how I know him.

So just in that, in that, you know, three months span, I went from a guy that's supposed to being looked at to put up points to a guy that's got to get the puck in the puck out, go hit a guy and get off.

you know, so that, that was absolutely crazy.

And then I, I go to the NCDC, just flooded with confidence.

It was a new start, you know, in the CC, you can't wear a visor or anything.

Then the next class after that, they can and do play in the NA and the BC.

Then the next class after that, they can and do play in the CJHL and the Atlantic Division of the NCDC.

By the time we get to U18 hockey... we're at the bottom of the totem pole.

And I'm not trying to discourage anybody.

And I think for U18, that really changes.

I mean, in my opinion, for how things are today, there's not really enough room for U18 and Tier 3.

And if you want to consider part of the NCDC Tier 3 and the EHL Tier 3, there's not room for for all of this.

And I think that's going to be the biggest clash.

...

in the USPHL hails from this excellent smelling city in Pennsylvania.

This city is also home to the Washington Capitals AHL team.

Okay, Hershey.

Bear.

Matching the color of the city's most famous export.

And the USPHL mascot is the baby version of that animal.

What is it?

He did make some appearances for the Blaze NIHL side in 21-22 before moving to Canada for two years in the OHA league.

and then move into the US for the USPHL.

So USPHL, a lot of young players have come from that league back to the UK.

If you think about the Osbournes, they came from the USPHL as well.

So you've got some players there that they're putting up good points and then they're coming back over and they're coming back over hungry.

And Jake Hayward's one that I think people might sleep on, but he's on a two-way with Coventry Blaze for a reason.

the prospect you know showcases and the recruiting and all that comes with that so credit to the ACC like you could you know if your other leagues like I've heard of the grapevine yeah they're upset that they're leaving their other conferences they're upset that players are going to play for ACC schools but that's just the name of the game so I I don't know if it's such a bad thing as in they're just taking a full advantage of their resources and you know certainly are making the most of what's been a crazy shuffle the last two years around club hockey teams

I have to throw this in there, and this is not supposed to be a dig on junior hockey at all, and I'm sure you both will probably already know where I'm going with this, but this very much reminds me of the USPHL and all the divisions that it has and then the divisions within the respective leagues.

One of the issues that it has is that at this point, people are considering the talent to be watered down.

Yes, you have your top teams that are always good, advancing players, getting recognition, getting notoriety, whatever you may have it.