New this year to MNHockeylife are Minnesota High School Hockey Class A rankings. The rankings are thanks to @ClassAHockeyGuy on Twitter and will come out each Sunday. These rankings are an excellent resource to keep you fully informed on what’s happening in Class A, which is often overlooked.
@ClassAHockeyGuy is a must follow on twitter, so please do so……enjoy the rankings!
2022-23 Class A Preseason Rankings
1- Hermantown (7A)- The defending State Champion Hawks get the pre-season tab as the team to beat in Class A again as has become the norm. While the Hawks were hit hard by graduation and an unusually high early departure list (Zam & Max Plante and Ty Hanson) this year’s group will still be very strong as they look to defend their title. Their strength starts in the net as returning Junior goaltender Dane Callaway (20-2-0 .920 SV% 1.47 GAA) will provide an area of strength in the net that has been the Achilles heel of past Hermantown teams. Seniors George Peterson (10-12-22 pts.) & Nolan Baker (4-4-8 pts.) and Junior Will Esterbrooks (4-5-9 pts.) return on the blueline to lead a very solid defensive attack. Up front they will have firepower as they are led by a nice trio in Seniors Kade Kohanski (21-37-58 pts.), Wyatt Carlson (18-13-31 pts) & Matthew Kauppinen (5-8-13 pts.) along with emerging superstar Junior Dallas Vieau (17-12-29 pts.). Also, don’t forget the batch of AA Bantams ready to step in led by Super Sophomore River Freeman ready to contribute immediately. Hermantown will be a mighty mountain to conquer for the rest of Class A this winter as they look primed to defend their title.
2- Warroad (8A)- Could we be in store for a Class A Title rematch this winter? The Warriors look like Class A’s number two team on paper again this winter. Warroad returns stud netminder and recent D1 commit Senior Goaltender Hampton Slukynsky (26-4-1 .924 SV% 1.59 GAA) who played nearly every minute in net last season. He has two outstanding defenders in Senior Eric Comstock (4-30-34 pts) & Junior Ryan Lund (5-19-24 pts.) on the blue line to play mega minutes this winter. On offense they return star forward Senior Jayson Shaugabay (27-54-81 pts.) and dynamic Juniors Murray Marvin-Cordes (15-19-34 pts.) & Carson Pilgrim (17-14-31 pts.) who developed nicely as the season went along last winter and will look to be even bigger contributors in their second full season of varsity hockey. The question marks will be with their depth and they will need to find it in players with last names like Marvin, Boucha and Hardwick which one would think with those great bloodlines this Warriors team should be ready to challenge everyone in Class A and get revenge in the Title Game come early March.
3- Mahtomedi (4A)- One thing we can say almost with certainty is the Zephyrs will be playing in March in St Paul as they have become “the program” in a very down Section 4A and this team returns serious depth from a group that finished 3rd place a year ago. They return a good core of defenders led by Seniors Cav Bruner (6-20-26 pts.) & Carson Marshall (3-6-9 pt) along with Sophomore Sam Harris (0-10-10 pts.) who played good minutes return to lead a solid group on the blueline. Up front they are led by an outstanding core of Senior forwards returning who all played big minutes in their top three lines a year ago in David Wolsfeld (22-27-49 pts), Charlie Drage (18-25-43 pts.), Jonny Grove (14-17-31 pts.), Carter Haycraft (15-15-30 pts.), Cory Bohmert (8-16-24 pts.), Seth Nelson (6-14-20pts.) along with Juniors Jake Hodd-Chlebeck (4-8-12 pts) & Patrick Egan (5-3-8 pts.) ready to get more extensive minutes for the Zephyrs who will have a deep experienced team returning if they have an answer for the goalie question they will be very tough to beat this winter again could very well be the team to win it all in Class A.
4- East Grand Forks (8A)- The Greenwave were easily last year’s biggest Class A disappointment but a veteran lineup returns not to mention a wealth of underclassmen, many of whom won the State A Bantam title in 2021. Up front and after some growing pains last winter they will lean on Senior forward Caleb Schmiedeberg (8-10-18 pts.) & Juniors Brock Schultz (14-20-34 pts), Landon Jamieson (5-8-13 pts.) & Jace Fore (4-4-8 pts.) to provide the offensive punch and there will be a few young guns to step in as well. On the blueline they return Junior Grady Magner (9-19-28 pts.) & Sophomore Cole Bies (1-8-9 pts.) to a unit that needs to be much better as last year’s leaky team defense proved to be too much to overcome. However, even with the veteran lineup and young talent coming into the lineup the key to this team will be goaltending and how they are in that department will prove again to be the ultimate barometer as to if the Greenwave will look to be back as one of Class A’s elite teams.
5- Orono (2A)- The Spartans return a loaded team this year as they literally only lost one player to graduation last spring and they are a tough and battle-tested crew full of experience. They bring in a new coach who turned the girls program into a powerhouse in a few short years which should play well for the boys program this year. However, the reason this team will be a Top 10 team and legit State Tournament threat is the return of star goaltender Senior Brock Peyton (8-14-0 2.78 GAA .924 SV%) who routinely stopped 40 to 50 shots a game last year for a young team that grew throughout the year and he is the type of goaltender that can carry this group a long ways come March. They return Seniors Bradley Walker (26-22-48 pts.) & Avery Anderson (9-14-23 pts.) along with Juniors Easton Sankey (10-12-22 pts.), John Engebretson (6-9-15 pts.) & Joey Mugaas (1-13-14 pts.) and many others all of whom have a wealth of Varsity experience under their belt coming into this winter. This Orono team will be physical and experienced in all areas and should be good enough to make a strong run this winter and be the favorite to represent the deepest Section 2A at state.
6- Alexandria (6A)- The Cardinals look to return to St Paul this March and continue what could be a dominant stretch in a thin Section 6A. Alexandria brings back a very nice core of forwards as Seniors Tyler Kludt (14-37-51 pts.), Joe Lamski (14-20-34 pts) & Nicholas Peterson (14-11-25 pts), Jack Breitzman (2-5-7 pts) and Juniors Leo Kompelien (9-17-26 pts.) & Gavin Olson (12-6-18 pts.) return from their top 3 lines to form a very nice core forwards to build off of this winter. On the Blueline they will return Seniors defenders Henry Ramstorf (2-8-10 pts.) & Zaven Noetzelman (0-5-5 pts) along with Junior Jack Lamski (3-13-16 pts.) all who played good minutes in their D core a year ago. The big question mark is they will need to find a goalie to step up but they will have a nice group of AA Bantams coming in and they do return a good batch of underclassmen from a very stellar JV team last winter. If they have an answer for the question in the net they return enough up front and on the back end to be a Top 10 team in Class A again this winter.
7- Delano (2A)- The Tigers have built one of the better Class A programs over the last 10 years and while they were hit hard by graduation they still bring back some very nice pieces and should be a Top 10 Team again this winter as we are accustomed to seeing from them. Delano will have the good fortune to rely on returning starting goalie Senior Drew Dorsey (13-5-0 1.77 GAA .912 SV %) to ease the transition of some new young players stepping in. They also return Senior Cole Schmidt (3-14-17 pts.) & Junior Brayden Coppin (3-6-9 pts.) on the blue line and they will rely heavily on super Senior Will Brown (18-18-36 pts.) to carry the load offensively as they will look to rebuild their offensive attack. Add in a group of A Bantams that went to State along with one of the better Class A JV teams in the state and this coaching staff and program has proven over the last decade that they will reload and be right in the thick of it all winter long again in Class A.
8- Northfield (1A)- The Raiders look to be a serious Top 10 contender this year as they bring back a team looking for revenge after being upset early on in the Section 1A Playoffs last winter. They return the majority of their team that winter as Senior Keaton Walock (19-5-1 1.89 GAA .918 SV %) will return for his third year as the starter. Defensively they will return Seniors Michael Fossum (0-22-22 pts.) & Matthew DeBuse (1-12-13 pts.) along with superb Junior Ty Funk (5-25-30 pts.) to be very solid on the back end. Up front they return slew of forwards as Seniors Gabriel Sawyer (6-11-17 pts) & Cullen Merritt (5-10-15) return along with an excellent Junior core of Kamden Kaiser (20-22-52 pts.), Cayden Monson (20-30-50 pts.), Jake Geiger (12-10-22 pts.) & Andrew Winter (9-6-15 pts.) plus they return Sophomore Brayden Olsen (4-13-17 pts.) and have a crew of underclassmen coming up from an A Bantam team that qualified for State. This appears to be the team to beat in the South and this crew could do some serious damage next year.
9- Providence Academy (2A)- If you are looking for a program that could offer some new blood at State, Providence Academy appears to be the best bet. If everyone returns the Lions will have one of best offensive juggernauts units in all of Class A Seniors Johnny Hendrickson (21-18-39 pts.), Andrew Owen (21-20-41 pts.) & Andrew Vos (3-15-18 pts) along with Junior forwards Louie Wehmann (34-27-61 pts.), Sammy Lewis (13-26-39 pts.) & Jac Larson (5-7-12 pts.) all return up front. On defense they will need to find some more depth but they do return Senior Nick Damberg (1-7-8 pts.) but loss of Junior Jack Anderson (7-19-26 pts.) to Benilde is a big blow and the blueline could pose issues to the Lions.The other key will be the development of Starting Goalies Senior Nate Miest & Junior Evan Villagomez both shared time in the net and struggled with consistency. However, for those looking for the new private metro program that is young and looking primed to make a big jump look no further than Providence Academy this winter.
10- St Cloud Cathedral (5A)- Welcome back one of the great Class A programs over the last twenty years. After things looked like they may be falling apart in their disastrous 2021 campaign but a new coach and young team were able to make the Crusaders relevant again last year and came painfully close to State. This year they return as the favorites in Section 5A and their strength is in net where they’ll return Junior Nick Hansen (13-13-0 2.96 GAA .902 SV %) who had played nearly every minute last winter.. They will also return the majority of their D-core Junior defenseman Vince Gebhardt (5-9 14 pts.) and Seniors Brandon Hemmer (3-9-12 pts.) & Tommy Gohman (2-8-10 pts.) should provide stability on the blue line. Upfront they are led by Sophomore Studs John Hirschfeld (11-13-24 pts) & Joey Gillespie (10-10-20 pts) who look to add on to what were impressive freshman campaigns. Add in a bunch of juniors who all played major minutes last winter and SCC could be one of the surprise teams to be playing on Friday at the Xcel in early March. This group looks primed for a big year and to return to the old days of the program’s glory.
11- Hibbing (7A)– Keep an eye on Hibbing this winter and for the next few years as they appear to be a program regaining some momentum and restoring some tradition from its historic past. This year’s Bluejackets return a large Senior core led by Senior Goaltender Brayden Boyer (8-9-0 2.39 GAA .906 GAA) who returns for what will be his third year in net. Up front Seniors Beau Frider (11-13-24 pts.), Peyton Taylor (8-10-18 pts.), Christian Dickson (6-12-18 pts), Keeghan Fink (8-9-17 pts.), A.J. Lehman (8-5-13 pts) returns to lead a veteran group.Defensively, Senior Tristan Babich (1-12-13 pts.) & Junior Christian Emonds (3-6-9 pts.) return to create a veteran team that will have a ton of varsity experience under their belts. Add in that their A Bantams went to State last winter and this Hibbing program will be one to keep an eye on over the next few years as they will be on the rise in the Class A Rankings they could be one of the surprise teams this winter.
12- Little Falls (5A)- Flyers were hit hard by graduation but they do return high scoring forwards Senior Matt Filippi (35-40-75 pts.) & Junior Carter Oothoudt (24-35-59 pts) up front along with Sophomores Joey Welinski (8-14-22 pts.) who played big varsity minutes last winter as freshman. They also bring back Senior defenders Coltin Johnson (6-15-21 pts.) & Matthew Copper (2-20-22 pts) who each had great years and played mega minutes on the blue line and Sophomore Luke Avery (8-11-19 pts.) will move back to defense this year after good 9th grade year at forward on the varsity to create nice core to build a solid Class A team around along with Senior Netminder Richie Varriano (10-3-0 2.77 GAA .907 SV%) who has experience in the net. There is enough there to make another run if they have some other pieces, but last year they tried to play a two line and four D team and got burned late in the year. I may be too high on them? I don’t know what comes in from the bantams but they will need depth but again they do have star power up front to be in the mix this winter.
13- Thief River Falls (8A)- Yes I know the Prowlers did graduate 12 seniors from last winter. However, they will return their 2nd leading scorer in high scoring Senior Tysen Loeffler (22-20-42 pts) along with a trio of Juniors Max Arlt (9-13-22 pts), Braydin Lund (10-11-21 pts) and leading defenseman Junior Jace Erickson (4-17-21 pts) who were 4th, 5th & 6th respectively in scoring last winter and they return most of their Powerplay unit which was very successful during the great 2nd half of the season last winter. They also have a very good goaltender in Junior Connor Roff who waited his time last year and who is ready to step in and be an elite goalie. The returning core will give Coach Bergland enough to build another solid team around and be in the thick of it in 8A. I look for them to maybe start slow but they will play their system and be a Top 15 Class A team by the end of the year like always are.
14- Rock Ridge (7A)- The Wolverines will be in the 2nd year of their co-opt and look to get off to a better start this season then last. I had high hopes for this team last season but they really never got it put together as a late season push ended in an early round upset. I may be too low on them this year as they do return leading scorers Seniors Dylan Hedley (12-18-30 pts.), Isaac Flatley (8-15-23 pts & Ryan Mannien (9-9-18 pts.) along with Juniors Kasey Lamppa (7-14-21 pts) & Brant Tiedeman (11-9-20 pts) all of whom will bring productivity and experience to the lineup. They will need to find some depth on the Blueline behind Junior Sam Troutwine (3-4-7 pts) and they will have some goaltenders to choose from with experience in the net. They also will draw from big numbers. I could be low on Rock Ridge as they might end up in the Top 10 but I will let them rise as the year goes along.
15- Detroit Lakes (8A)- The Lakers are coming off one their best seasons in over twenty years and yes they did lose some big pieces to graduation but they also return a good core. They will be led by their top overall player in Senior Defenseman Jacob Thomas (9-25-34 pts) who is a do it all 2-way threat from the blue line. Up front they return Seniors Cole Larson (10-21-31 pts.), Cooper Moore (10-11-21 pts), Ben Hines (11-9-20 pts), Carter Bellefeuille (8-12-20 pts) along with Juniors Cole Deraney (7-11-18 pts.) & Riley Engum (5-9-14 pts.) all return coming good offensive seasons. They also have Senior Goaltender Josh Mack (8-0-0 1.12 GAA .941 SV%) back who did see time in a backup role last season and will be ready to take over the starting gig. Keep an eye on the Lakers again this winter. They should be in these rankings all winter long.
16- New Prague (1A)- The defending Section 1A champions do bring back leading scorer Junior John Schmidt (10-16-26 pts.) who led the team in points while Juniors Willy Seymour (10-12-22 pts.), Braeden Woitas (7-6-13 pts.), Michael Beckius (4-9-13 pts) will be back to add good scoring depth for the Trojans. However, the early departure of Luke Portner who had over 20 points from the blue line will be a big loss. Also the big question will be can New Prague find a goalie but they will play a tough schedule and have a bad record but will be a factor and should be looked at in this Top 20 Rankings all year for Class A.
17-Mankato East (3A)- The Cougars look to be favorites again in Section 3A and look to return to State for the 4th time in the last 7 years. They do return a good chunk of their scoring as leading scoring defenseman Seniors Shea Gavin (16-13-29 pts) & Alexander Morgan (2-7-9 pts) lead a good group of defenders. Up front they return Seniors Andrew Bastian (10-14-24 Pts) & Brayden Borgmeier (11-9-20 pts.) along with Juniors Christian Theuninck (11-12-23 pts) & Rafe Bowman (7-6-13 pts) to have a nice core to build around. They will also get Senior Zach Lebens & Junior Owen Quist back who are two of their better players that both missed last season due to injuries. The big question mark will be in the net but this looks like a solid Top 20 team in Class A who should represent 3A again at the Xcel in March.
18- Chisago Lakes (4A)- The Wildcats did lose their pair of 70 point scorers to graduation from their 21 win team but they return nearly everything else and should still be a very good team this winter. They return their stand out starting goalie Senior Jack Hanson (15-6-1 2.59 GAA .915 SV%). They also return a solid group of forwards in seniors Nikolas Jinks (22-23-45 pts.), Cameron Stangl (13-13-26 pts.), Cullen Dorcas (7-13-20 pts.) & Junior Jack Bakken (9-8-17 pts.) who should provide plenty of scoring depth. They also return their top defensenseman in Senior Nathan Bluhm(7-31-38 pts.) to lead the teams defensive unit. They in total have 13 returning letterwinners coming back and they should be back in the Section Final for 4A this winter.
19- Northern Lakes (6A)- The Lightning look on paper like a team that should be playing in the Section Final in 6A this winter. They return good scoring punch forwards Juniors Taylor Berg (15-20-35 pts.) & Logan Verville (20-6-26 pts.) along with Senior Darby Boelter (10-12-22 pts) all who had double digit goals. They also return Seniors Christian Crutcher (2-24-26 pts) & Zach Ehnstrom (9-13-22 pts) along with Junior Isaac Peterson (4-16-20 pts) all of whom had 20 points from the blueline. Add in returning starting goalie Junior Nigel DeSanto (10-7-0 3.40 GAA .893 SV%) and an incoming A Bantam team that finished 2nd in State and this should be a Lightning squad on a serious upswing.
20- Monticello (5A)- The Moose lost a ton to graduation but Coach Eric Nelson showed last year you should never count them out as this program has been to State 4 of the last 6 years. Down the stretch last year they did play 4 lines down so they have experience coming back and will be led by Seniors Tyler Miller (6-15-21 pts), Tyler Bitz (14-4-18 pts.) & Brayden Dunn (3-13-15 pts) along with Juniors Roman Thompson (7-9-16 pts.) & Gunnar Simon (4-7-11 pts.) should give them experience and balance up front. However, they will have a big void to fill on the blueline and will need Junior Owen Soderholm (0-2-1 4.13 GAA .833 SV%) to be more steady in the net a year later in order for Monticello to return to State for the 5th time in 7 years and repeat in a very even Section 5A.
Five Notable Class A Teams outside of the Preseason Top 20-
Minneapolis (2A)- After a historic season in the 612, MPLS lost a ton to graduation and their blueline took a hit this offseason when Senior defender Drew Pittsdecided to leave for juniors. However, Senior Joel Hanson does return along with Junior Hank Davis to build on from the backend. Finding scoring could be an issue for them as they will look to Senior Will Pankratz & Junior John Bebler to build off solid seasons and provide experience. They will also need to find a goalie as they return no one with experience in the net. There are lots of questions but they should still be mentioned as a notable group to start the year.
Albert Lea (1A)- The Tigers were one game away from State last winter in Section 1A and they will bring back a ton of Seniors led by Joseph Yoon & Tim Chalmers and they will also return Senior Starting Goaltender Dakota Jahnke who won 17 games before missing the entire Sectional due to injury. Albert Lea returns 9 of its top 10 leading scorers this winter from a team that won 19 games and will be a very good team with a lot of experience and should be watched as they will be a serious threat to make a trip to St. Paul.
Cambridge Isanti (5A)- The Bluejackets were one of the best Class A stories during the year but they faded down the stretch in Section 5A. They do return their 3 leading scorers in Juniors Finn Overby & Will O’Donovan along with Senior Seth Terhell. They also return all three Seniors Luke Pierson, Kaden Schibilla & Wyatt Nutt who made up their defensive minded shutdown 2nd line and they will return starting goaltender Sophomore Jaxon Sibell to make this a team to watch again next winter. However, they lost all of their defenseman to graduation and will need to address that question mark to be a Top 20 team again this winter.
River Lakes (5A)- Looking for this year’s surprise story program that has never had much success look no further than the Stars. This team returns four of their top six defensemen and seven of their top nine forwards including their entire potent first line in Seniors Jacob Philippi & Brady Blaschko and Sophomore Blake Schultz along with returning both of their starting goaltender tandem from last year. River Lakes lost nine 1 goal games as a young team last year and don’t be surprised to see this program make some noise this winter and possibly reach the program’s first ever Section Final and maybe even play in St Paul.
Luverne (3A)- Is Roll Cards Roll ready to return to the big stage this winter? Well, Luverne will bring back it’s entire core high scorers led by Senior Brock Behrend along with Juniors Patrick Kroski & Owen Sudenga and they return talented young defender Sophomore Blaik Bork to lead the blueline group. They also return their starting goalie from a 15 win team a year ago and look for them to make some serious noise again in the Southwest part of the State this winter.
Section 1A Preseason Poll (12 Teams)
1- Northfield
2- New Prague
3- Albert Lea
4- Rochester Lourdes
5- Dodge County
6- Faribault
7- La Crescent
8- Winona
9- Waseca
10- Red Wing
11- Austin
12- Cotter
#1 Northfield- The Raiders return just about everything this winter from a 20 win team a year ago and are the obvious choice to be the favorite in 1A. The Raiders return dynamic forwards Junior’s Kamden Kaiser & Cayden Monson along with a large cast of others who will help Northfield have no issue in the goal scoring department. On defense they return Junior defenseman Ty Frank and Senior defenseman Michael Fossum who ranked fourth and sixth on the team in scoring and will make the Raiders a well rounded unit. Add in Senior goaltender Keaton Walock entering his 3rd year as the main starting goaltender and Northfield looks on paper to be the obvious choice to win this section.
#2 New Prague- The defending Section 1A champions do bring back leading scorer John Schmidt who led the team in points while Juniors Willy Seymour, Braeden Woitas, Michael Beckius will be back to add good scoring depth for the Trojans. However, the early departure of Luke Portner who had over 20 points from the blue line will be a big loss. Also the big question will be can New Prague find a goalie but they will play a tough schedule and have a bad record but as we saw last year that only helps them be more prepared as they will be a serious threat to repeat in Section 1A.
#3 Albert Lea- The Tigers were one game away from State last winter as they came up just short in Section 1A Championship Game and they will bring back a ton of experience led by Seniors Joseph Yoon & Tim Chalmers and they will also return Senior Starting Goaltender Dakota Jahnke who won 17 games before missing the entire Sectional due to injury. Albert Lea also returns 9 of its top 10 leading scorers this winter from a team that won 19 games and the Tigers will look to be a serious threat to take it one step further this winter and return and win the Section 1A Championship game.
#4 Rochester Lourdes- The Eagles showed last year they are back as a program that needs to be considered when thinking about Section 1A as last year’s group won 19 games and returned to Section Semis. This year’s team will be interesting to watch as they lost a tremendous group to graduation. If Lourdes wants to build on last years success they will need even bigger years from returning scoring leaders Junor Forwards Peyton Loeslie & Aidan Ritter and they will need to continue to get stellar goaltending from Junior Xander Carter-Kleven who has played nearly every minute for the Eagles the last two years and enters this winter as maybe one the top goalies not only in 1A but all of Class A.
#5 Dodge County- The last time we saw the Wildcats in 1A they were taking 2nd place at State going the furthest we had ever seen a Section 1A team since the Johnny Pohl Red Wing 90’s teams. This Dodge County team is not that group but they will serve as a threat in 1A. They return their two leading scorers in Juniors Gyffon Funke & Cooper Jacobson who each had double digit goals. However, there are lots of question marks after that as this team was hit hard by graduation. No, Brody Lamb isn’t walking through the door anytime soon again, but they do have an interesting team and could be top 5 in 1A.
#6 Faribault- “IF” the Falcons are indeed returning everyone I may have them too low as they could be the 4 seed as they took the young team label to a whole different level last winter. Up front they return and are led by Junior forward Oliver Linnemann and two 9th graders Jackson Kurth & Tommy Kunze from a team that played a lineup littered with underclassmen and multiple middle schoolers last winter. Again, “IF” everyone stayed this could be the surprise team in Section 1A.
#7 La Crescent- The Lancers are looking to build off their program’s recent success when the program reached its first ever Section Semi-Final two years ago and followed that up with a 14 win campaign last winter and fell one goal shy of returning to the Semi’s a year ago. In order for the Lancers to continue to knock on that door they will need to rely on their dangerous scoring duo of Juniors Wyatt Farrell & Colton Holzer to keep up their tremendous scoring output they also return scoring depth (6 of the top 10 leading scorers) and both of their goalies and look to have a solid year.
#8 Winona- The Winhawks were one of the most improved teams down the stretch in Section 1A last winter. They return scoring punch this winter as Junior Teis Larsen & Sophomore Aven Prodzinski can create a Winona offense that could score in bunches last winter. However, the scoring punch was needed as they had one of more shaky defenses and goaltending in southern Minnesota and winning shutouts can only take you so far.
#9 Waseca- The Bluejays are a team coming off of a very tough year but they do return one of the better scoring duos in the state as Seniors Kyle Ahlschlager & Griffin Krautkramer to give the Bluejays a chance to out score you each night. However, again this is a team that has made defense optional but they do return pieces and will look to be improved.
#10 Red Wing- The Wingers are in a rebuilding mode this winter as they lost 5 of their top 6 scorers and their cornerstone in net. They do return Junior Robbie Tripp who put up 26 points last year but this could be a rough year for a once proud Section 1A Program.
#11 Austin- The Packers will look to improve on their 1 win campaign a year ago. They do return a lot and will look to build around Seniors Toby Holtz & Isaac Stromlund as they look to be more competitive this winter.
#12 Cotter- The first year for Cotter was one to forget with numeros cancellations and struggling to fill a lineup card most nights. Hopefully in year two they can play their full schedule and they do return. Most of their team will look for Junior Aaron Romance to have an even bigger year for them this winter.
Section 2A (11 Teams)
1- Orono
2- Delano
3- Providence Academy
4- Minneapolis
5- Southwest Christian
6- Breck
7- Hutchinson
8- Litchfield Dassel-Cokato
9- Mound Westonka
10- Waconia
11- Bloomington Kennedy
#1 Orono- The Spartans return a loaded team this year as they literally only lost one player to graduation last spring and they are a tough and battle-tested crew full of experience. They bring in a new coach who turned the girls program into a powerhouse in a few short years which should play well for the boys program this year. However, the reason this team will be a Top 10 team and legit State Tournament threat is the return of star goaltender Senior Brock Peyton who routinely stopped 40 to 50 shots a game last year for a young team that grew throughout the year and he is the type of goaltender that can carry this group a long ways come March. They return Seniors Bradley Walker & Avery Anderson along with Juniors Easton Sankey, John Engebretson & Joey Mugaas and many others all of whom have a wealth of Varsity experience under their belt coming into this winter. This Orono team will be physical and experienced in all areas and should be good enough to make a strong run this winter and be the favorite to represent the deepest Section 2A at state.
#2 Delano- The Tigers have built one of the better Class A programs over the last 10 years and while they were hit hard by graduation they still bring back some very nice pieces. Delano will have the good fortune to rely on returning starting goalie Senior Drew Dorsey to ease the transition of some new young players stepping in. They also return Senior Cole Schmidt & Junior Brayden Coppin on the blue line and they will rely heavily on Super Senior Will Brown to carry the load offensively as they will look to rebuild their offensive attack. Add in a group of A Bantams that went to State along with one of the better Class A JV teams in the state and this coaching staff and program has proven over the last decade that they will reload and be right in the thick of it all winter long again in Section 2A.
#3 Providence Academy– If you are looking for a program that could offer some new blood at State representing 2A, Providence Academy appears to be the best bet. If everyone returns the Lions will have one of best offensive juggernauts units in all of Class A Seniors Johnny Hendrickson, Andrew Owen & Andrew Vos along with Junior forwards Louie Wehmann, Sammy Lewis & Jac Larson all return up front. On defense they will need to find some more depth but they do return Senior Nick Damberg but loss of Junior Jack Anderson to Benilde is a big blow and the blueline could pose issues to the Lions. The other key will be the development of Starting Goalies Senior Nate Miest & Junior Evan Villagomez both shared time in the net and struggled with consistency.
#4 Minneapolis- After a historic season in the 612, MPLS lost a ton to graduation and their blueline took a hit this offseason when Senior defender Drew Pitts decided to leave for juniors. However, Senior Joel Hanson does return along with Junior Hank Davis to build on from the backend. Finding scoring could be an issue for them as they will look to Senior Will Pankratz & Junior John Bebler to build off solid seasons and provide experience. They will also need to find a goalie as they return no one with experience in the net. There are lots of questions but they should still be considered a contender in Section 2A. .
#5 Southwest Christian- The Stars were a team receiving top 20 confederation at the beginning of last year but they never were really able to get anything put together during the year and they ended up finishing below.500 and exiting early from the 2A playoffs. This season the expectations are not nearly as high as they were hit hard by graduation but they do return their two of their top scorers in Senior Caleb Bendell & Junior Jared Greiner up front to lead what should be a good offense. They also return Junior Jannes Kamp in net who has experience but they will have questions on the blueline and in the depth department that could keep them from truly contending in 2A.
#6 Breck- The Mustangs do return a very large Junior class who saw action as Sophomores last winter and took their lumps at times. Top scorer Junior Nate Miller will be one of the top forwards in Section 2A and he will have help as Senior Luke Kern will look to have another good year. There is depth to this offense as many of the Juniors saw action as young Sophomores last year. However, The question marks for Breck are on the blueline and in the net they lost tremendous talent to graduation in both those areas and how well they have replaced them will determine how high this Mustang team can rise throughout the winter.
#7 Hutchinson- The Tigers are another team that could be interesting in 2A this winter. They will be led by their Super Sophomores Emmett Reiter and Toren Miller return from impressive freshman campaigns. They also return depth as 14 letterwinners return. The big question mark will be in the net. Yes, they return three goalies who saw action last winter but none had GGA below 3 and or SV% above .900 how improved they are in the net will determine alot for what could be a surprise team in 2A.
#8 Litchfield Dassel Cokato- The Dragons were hit extremely hard by graduation as they graduated 12 seniors including their six leading scorers and many of their top defenseman from last winter. They do return Senior Travis Halonen who played every minute in net for them last year and they will look to rely on him as they build a new group in front of him.
#9 Mound Westonka- The White Hawks had a rough offseason they graduated 5 of their top scorers then their leading returning scorer transferred out and in August their Head Coach left for a new job at STMA. What’s left is a young team that will be going through some serious transition. They will have Senior Mason Evenson to build around returning to the net but there are plenty of questions everywhere else they will need to answer.
#10 Waconia- The Wildcats are hoping to improve on their 5 win season last year and they should be much more competitive this winter. They do return leading scorer Senior Brett Siddons and they have 12 letterwinners overall coming back with experience. However, the goaltending department must improve as both returners had an above 5 GAA and low .800 SV%; those numbers must improve for Waconia to make a serious jump.
#11 Bloomington Kennedy- The Eagles were a team that struggled most of last winter and they were hit hard by graduation. However, they do return Senior Clayton Deutsch up front who had over 20 points and Junior Dominick Walton in net who was the starter from last year. They will look to build around them to have a competitive team this winter.
Section 3A Preseason Poll (10 Teams)
1- Mankato East
2- New Ulm
3- Luverne
4- Mankato West
5- Marshall
6- Windom
7- Minnesota River
8- Fairmont
9- Worthington
10- Redwood Valley
#1 Mankato East- The Cougars look to be favorites again in Section 3A and look to return to State for the 4th time in the last 7 years. They do return a good chunk of their scoring as leading scoring defenseman Seniors Shea Gavin & Alexander Morgan lead a good group of defenders. Up front they return Seniors Andrew Bastian & Brayden Borgmeier along with Juniors Christian Theuninck & Rafe Bowman to have a nice core to build around. They will also get Senior Zach Lebens & Junior Owen Quist back who are two of their better players that both missed last season due to injuries. The big question mark will be in the net but this looks to be the team to represent 3A again at the Xcel in March.
#2 New Ulm- The Eagles found a formula for great success last year by beating all the Section 3A teams they played twice as they were not afforded the opportunity to play either Mankato school but they went undefeated against the rest. Beating up the rest of 3A was enough to get them the number one seed but once they went toe to toe with Mankato East they were blown out 6-0 in the 3A Final. This winter they return forward Junior Austin Uecker who had over 20 goals and defender Senior Jack Albrecht to build another solid group around. If the Eagles just beat up on the Big South Conference again like previous years they will be top 3 seed and a contender in 3A.
#3 Luverne- Is Roll Cards Roll ready to return to the big stage this winter? Well, Luverne will bring back its entire core high scorers led by Senior Brock Behrend along with Juniors Patrick Kroski & Owen Sudenga and they return talented young defender Sophomore Blaik Bork to lead the blueline group. They also return their starting goalie from a 15 win team a year ago and look for them to make some serious noise again in the Southwest part of the State and build off their Semi-final appearance from a year ago.
#4 Mankato West- The Scarlets were better than their record indicated last year but their poor play early set up a first round match up in the 3A Quarterfinals with Mankato East which put a quick end to their season. They should be much improved this winter as they return Junior Gage Schmidt and Senior Zch Benson up front. On the back end they will be led by youth as stellar Sophomore Jaeger Zimmerman is back after a great freshman year and speaking of 9th grader Mankato West will look to turn to one as Freshman Mason Schrieber looks to be the starter in net.
#5 Marshall- The Tigers had a very up and down season last winter that ended by getting blown out on their home ice in the 3A Quarterfinals. They will look to improve on that this winter as they return 16 letter winners led by forwards Seniors Sean Nwaiga & Zach Kramer to provide offensive upfront and Defender Junior Talen Plante returns and has been the Tigers best overall player the last two winters. They do return both starting goalies but they will need to get more consistency but look for the Tigers to be battling for a top 4 seed in 3A again this winter.
#6 Windom- The Eagles had a historic winter last year as they went to the program’s first ever Section Semifinal and pushed New Ulm to the brink in a very good game. They did lose pieces to graduation from that group but they do return leading scorer Senior Brady Espenson along with some other depth but finding a goalie will be key if Windom wants to continue to make more history this winter.
#7 Minnesota River- The Bulldogs will look to improve a tough 5 win season last winter but things are looking up as they do return 15 letter winners. Junior Drew Simonette returns as the leading scorer a year ago with a host of others with experience. Finding a goalie will be the key to see if Minnesota River can make a jump in 3A.
#8 Fairmont- The Cardinals will look to continue to build off a decent season a year ago. They do return some depth and they will look for Seniors Brock Lutterman & Nate Rakness to have good seasons again in the scoring department and they do return their starting goalie Junior Carson Johnson in net.
#9 Worthington- The Trojans were hit very hard by graduation losing 9 seniors to graduation including their top five scorers and both starting goalies. They will look to build around defenseman Junior Ian Bumgarden as they go through a rebuilding year.
#10 Redwood Valley- Things are looking up for the Cardinals a year after only winning two games. They return 11 letter winners including leading scorer Sophomore Kilen Cliek as they look to be more competitive this winter.
Section 4A Preseason Poll (9 teams)
1- Mahtomedi
2- Chisago Lakes
3- Simley
4- St Paul Academy
5- Two Rivers
6- St Paul Highland Park
7- South St Paul
8- Northern Edge
9- St Paul Johnson
#1 Mahtomedi – The Zephyrs have become “the program” in a very down Section 4A and this team returns serious depth from a group that finished 3rd place a year ago. They return a good core of defenders led by Seniors Cav Bruner & Carson Marshall along with Sophomore Sam Harris who played good minutes to lead a solid group on the blueline. Up front they are led by an outstanding core of Senior forwards returning who all played big minutes in their top three lines a year ago in David Wolsfeld, Charlie Drage, Jonny Grove, Carter Haycraft, Cory Bohmert, Seth Nelson along with Juniors Jake Hodd-Chlebeck & Patrick Egan ready to get more extensive minutes for the Zephyrs who will have a deep experienced team returning if they have an answer for the goalie question they will be very tough to beat this winter again could very well be the team to win it all in Class A let alone Section 4A.
#2 Chisago Lakes- The Wildcats did lose their pair of 70 point scorers to graduation from their 21 win team but they return nearly everything else and should still be a very good team this winter. They return their stand out starting goalie Senior Jack Hanson. They also return a solid group of forwards in Seniors Nikolas Jinks, Cameron Stangl, Cullen Dorcas & Junior Jack Bakken who should provide plenty of scoring depth. They also return their top defenseman in Senior Nathan Bluhm to lead the team’s defensive unit. They in total have 13 returning letterwinners coming back and they should be back in the Section Final for 4A this winter.
#3 Simley- The Spartans had a great year last winter with a veteran team but the graduation of 10 seniors last year will cause some growing pains this year. The Spartans return forward Junior Matt Milner and defender Senior Caden Renslow who both had over 20 points last winter to build around. But the Spartans will have a lot of new faces and the big question mark will be net as they lost both of their very good starting goalies to graduation but this team should still be the 3 seed in 4A.
#4 St Paul Academy- After a tough year last winter the Spartans look to have a resurgent year this winter. They return 14 letter winners including their top five scorers led by brothers Senior George Peltier & Sophomore Ethan Peltier. SPA will need to get more consistent goaltending but they do return three goalies all of whom have experience in net. There are enough pieces for this team to earn a 4 seed.
#5- Two Rivers- The Warriors had a very up and down year last year. If Two Rivers is going to make any progress in the 4A this year they will need big contributions from returning leading scorer Senior Casey Bell who had over 30 points last winter and they will also look to Senior Tyler Ouren to build off of some good numbers he put up in the net. Two Rivers will be battling the rest of the middle of the pack in 4A for the 4 seed this winter.
#6 St Paul Highland Park- The Scots coming off a good 10 win season for their program but they did get hit by graduation as they lost their 3 leading scorers from a low scoring team last winter. They do return their starting goaltender Senior Ben Olson and they have their entire D-core back so if they can find scoring they could rise in 4A.
#7 South St Paul- The Packer do return 14 letter winners to try and wash away the pain of a difficult (6-20-0) campaign a winter ago. The problem is that even their leading returning scorer Sophomore Roddick Simons only registered 12 points on the year. The hope is that with all that experience back they will be ready to be more competitive this winter.
#8 Northern Edge- Dropping back to Class A after a tough year last year Northern Edge has a ton of question marks. They will have a new coach and basically a new team as 15 seniors graduated from a year ago. They do return Senior Owen Dubois their second leading scorer but there are a bunch of question marks after that.
#9 St Paul Johnson- This once proud historic program is on life support. There is still doubt if they will even have enough to field a team this winter. But the Govs do have a schedule it looks like and they will need to rely on Sophomore Isaiah Henderson to grow as he is one of the few returners coming back.
Section 5A Preseason Poll (10 teams)
1- St Cloud Cathedral
2- Little Falls
3- Monticello
4- Cambridge/Isanti
5- River Lakes
6- Princeton
7- Sauk Rapids
8- Mora
9- Pine City
10- Becker/Big Lake
#1 St Cloud Cathedral- Things looked like they may be falling apart in the Crusaders program their disastrous 2021 campaign but a new coach and young team were able to make the Crusaders relevant again last year and came painfully close to State. This year they return as the favorites in Section 5A and their strength is in net where they’ll return Junior Nick Hansen who had played nearly every minute last winter. They will also return the majority of their D-core as Junior Vince Gebhardt and Seniors Brandon Hemmer & Tommy Gohman should provide stability on the blue line. Upfront they are led by Sophomores John Hirschfeld & Joey Gillespie who look to add on to what were impressive freshman campaigns. Add in a bunch of juniors who all played major minutes last winter and SCC looks primed for a big year and to return to the old days of the program’s glory.
#2 Little Falls- The Flyers were hit hard by graduation but they do return high scoring forwards Senior Matt Filippi & Junior Carter Oothoudt up front along with Sophomore Joey Welinski who played big varsity minutes last winter as a freshman. They also bring back Senior defenders Coltin Johnson & Matthew Copper who each had great years and played mega minutes on the blue line and Sophomore Luke Avery will move back to defense this year after good 9th grade year at forward on the varsity to create nice core to build a solid Class A team around along with Senior Netminder Richie Varriano who has experience in the net. There is enough there to make another run if they have some other pieces, but they will need depth but again they do have star power up front to be in the mix this winter in 5A.
#3 Monticello- The Moose lost a ton to graduation but Coach Eric Nelson showed last year you should never count them out as this program has been to State 4 of the last 6 years. Down the stretch last year they did play 4 lines down so they have experience coming back and will be led by Seniors Tyler Miller, Tyler Bitz & Brayden Dunn along with Juniors Roman Thompson & Gunnar Simon should give them experience and balance up front. However, they will have a big void to fill on the blueline and will need Junior Owen Soderholm to be more steady in the net a year later in order for Monticello to return to State for the 5th time in 7 years and repeat in a very even Section 5A.
#4 Cambridge Isanti- The Bluejackets were one of the best Class A stories during the year but they faded down the stretch in Section 5A. They do return their 3 leading scorers in Juniors Finn Overby & Will O’Donovan along with Senior Seth Terhell. They also return all three Seniors Luke Pierson, Kaden Schibilla & Wyatt Nutt who made up their defensive minded shutdown 2nd line and they will return starting goaltender Sophomore Jaxon Sibell to make this a team to watch again next winter. However, they lost all of their defenseman to graduation and will need to address that question mark to be a threat again to win Section 5A.
#5 River Lakes- Looking for this year’s surprise story program that has never had much success look no further than the Stars. This team returns four of their top six defensemen and seven of their top nine forwards including their entire potent first line in Seniors Jacob Philippi & Brady Blaschko and Sophomore Blake Schultz along with returning both of their starting goaltender tandem from last year. River Lakes lost nine 1 goal games as a young team last year and don’t be surprised to see this program make some noise this winter and possibly reach the program’s first ever Section Final.
#6 Princeton- The Tigers are another team to keep an eye on this winter as they return 12 letter winners including 5 of their top 6 in scoring from last year. Seniors Jake Patnode, Jake Baumann, Tim Donnay all had double digit goals and also keep an eye on Sophomore Jaeger Wood who had 20 points as 9th grader last winter. They return their main goaltender from last year as well in Junior James Koecher. The pieces are there for Princeton to have a very solid veteran team this winter and make 5A even deeper.
#7 Sauk Rapids- The Storm did lose 12 seniors to graduation which will make this team have a younger look to it. They do have a decent group of Sophomores coming in and they will look to Senior Luke Pakkala and Junior Teagan Dodge to replicate their offensive effort as they each had over 20 points a year ago. They do return 3 goalies who saw varsity action but one of them or a newcomer will need to step up and solidify the net.
#8 Mora- The Mustangs had one of the best seasons in a long time winning 18 games and nearly upsetting Cathedral in the playoffs. However, pretty much every piece of that team graduated, losing 10 seniors who made a big impact on the program. They do return Junior Trenton Fore who had over 40 points from the blueline last year but beyond that there will be a lot of growing pains and new faces in the lineup.
#9 Pine City- The Dragons had a tough season last year and lost 4 of their top 5 scorers to graduation. They do return Seniors McCoy Leger & Ryder Youngbauer who both had over points. They also have 11 letter winners returning that should help them improve on last season but finding a goalie will be a big question.
#10 Becker/Big Lake- The Eagles will look to improve on their 4 win season from a year ago and they should be improved as they return the majority of their scoring led by Senior Eli Scheideman & Junior Jase Tobako who each had over 20 points last year. They also return three goalies who all saw varsity action to hopefully allow them to be more competitive this winter.
Section 6A Preseason Poll (8 teams)
1- Alexandria
2- Northern Lakes
3- Fergus Falls
4- Wadena Deer Creek
5- Morris Benson
6- Prairie Centre
7- Willmar
8- Breckenridge/Wahpeton
#1 Alexandria- The Cardinals look to return to St Paul this March and continue what could be a dominant stretch in a thin Section 6A. Alexandria brings back a very nice core of forwards as Seniors Tyler Kludt, Joe Lamski & Nicholas Peterson, Jack Breitzman and Juniors Leo Kompelien & Gavin Olson return from their top 3 lines to form a very nice core forwards to build off of this winter. On the Blueline they will return Seniors Henry Ramstorf & Zaven Noetzelman along with Junior Jack Lamski all who played good minutes in their D core a year ago. The big question mark is they will need to find a goalie to step up but they will have a nice group of AA Bantams coming in and they do return a good batch of underclassmen from a very stellar JV team last winter. If they have an answer for the question in the net they return enough up front and on the back end to repeat as Section 6A Champions.
#2 Northern Lakes- The Lightning look on paper like a team that should be playing in the Section Final in 6A this winter. They return good scoring punch forwards Juniors Taylor Berg & Logan Verville along with Senior Darby Boelter all who had double digit goals. They also return Seniors Christian Crutcher & Zach Ehnstrom along with Junior Isaac Peterson all of whom had 20 points from the blueline. Add in returning starting goalie Junior Nigel DeSanto and an incoming A Bantam team that finished 2nd in State and this should be a Lightning squad on a serious upswing and will challenge in 6A.
#3 Fergus Falls- The Otters lost alot of scoring and the early departure of Issac Johnson really hurts them but they do return high scoring forward Junior Kellen Stenstrom along with their three returning main defenseman Seniors Colin Becker & Ethan McGuinness and Junior Leighton Buckmeier. They also return Senior Goaltender Ben Swanson who will enter his 4th season as the Otters Starter and they will be competitive in 6A. The question will be can they score but I wouldn’t count Fergus Falls totally out in 6A this winter.
#4 Wadena Deer Creek- Looking for a surprise contender in Section 6A look no further than the Wolverines. They will return 12 total letterwinners and their top 10 returning scorers. They will be led by Seniors Cole Woods & Connor Davis who each had over 20 goals and 40 points last year. They also return starting goalie Junior Gunnar Olson; the pieces are all there for WDC to have a historically good year and contend and try to return to state for the first time since 2004 they will be a definite factor in 6A this winter.
#5 Morris Benson- The Storm made their first ever appearance in program history last year in a Section Semifinal and they will look to be in the same spot this winter. Up front they return Seniors Ryan Tolifson, Trevoir Buss & Cole Blume who each had over 20 points last year. They also return starting goalie Junior Christopher Danielson along with 10 returning letter winners to try to build on last year’s postseason success.
#6 Prairie Centre- The Northstars are led by high scoring Senior Eli Fletcher who had over 40 goals a year ago add in other top returning scorers Junior Jesse Williams and Zac Brik and Prairie Centre should have no trouble scoring. The issue will be keeping the puck out of the net. They do return a two year starter in net but will need to replace their D-core which has haunted them in the past.
#7 Willmar- The Cardinals do bring back top scorers Junior Cullen Gregory & Senior Ethan Stark to help hopefully have a more competitive year this winter. They will need to see improvement in the goaltending department as no one they return in net had a GAA below 5 which makes it difficult for any team to compete.
#8 Breckenridge/Wahpeton- Here is to hoping the Blades can win a game this winter no program should ever go winless like they did last season. Leading scorer Senior Jack Rittenour returns as the leading scorer and they will have a host of other returners to hopefully put together a more competitive group this year.
Section 7A Preseason Poll (10 teams)
1- Hermantown
2- Hibbing
3- Rock Ridge-
4- Duluth Denfeld
5- Proctor
6- Greenway
7- International Falls
8- North Shore
9- Ely
10- Moose Lake
#1 Hermantown- The Hawks were hit hard by graduation and an unusually high early departure list (Zam & Max Plante and Ty Hanson) this year’s group will still be very strong as they look to defend their 7A title. Their strength starts in the net as returning Junior goaltender Dane Callaway will provide an area of strength in the net that has been the Achilles heel of past Hermantown teams. Seniors George Peterson & Nolan Baker and Junior Will Esterbrooks return on the blueline to lead a very solid defensive attack. Up front they will have firepower as they are led by a nice trio in Seniors Kade Kohanski, Wyatt Carlson & Matthew Kauppinen along with emerging superstar Junior Dallas Vieau. Also, don’t forget the batch of AA Bantams ready to step in led by Super Sophomore River Freeman ready to contribute immediately. Hermantown will be a mighty mountain to conquer for the rest of 7A this winter as they look primed to defend their title.
#2 Hibbing- Keep an eye on Hibbing this winter and for the next few years in 7A as they appear to be a program regaining some momentum and restoring some tradition from its historic past. This year’s Bluejackets return a large Senior core led by Senior Goaltender Brayden Boyer who returns for what will be his third year in net. Up front Seniors Beau Frider, Peyton Taylor, Christian Dickson, Keeghan Fink, A.J. Lehman returns to lead a veteran group. Defensively, Senior Tristan Babich & Junior Christian Emonds return to create a veteran team that will have a ton of varsity experience under their belts. Add in that their A Bantams went to State last winter and this Hibbing program will be one to keep an eye on over the next few years as they will be on the rise in Section 7A.
#3 Rock Ridge- The Wolverines will be in the 2nd year of their co-opt and look to get off to a better start this season then last. I had high hopes for this team last season but they really never got it put together as a late season push ended in an early round upset. They do return leading scorers Seniors Dylan Hedley, Isaac Flatley & Ryan Mannien along with Juniors Kasey Lamppa & Brant Tiedeman all of whom will bring productivity and experience to the lineup. They will need to find some depth on the Blueline behind Junior Sam Troutwine and they will have some goaltenders to choose from with experience in the net. They also will draw from big numbers and should be a key contender in Section 7A.
#4 Duluth Denfeld- The Hunters were hit hard by graduation and lost many familiar faces that helped elevate the program to being a top 10 team and the main contender to the Hawks in 7A. All is not lost this year though as they do return a trio of Seniors Andy Larson, Kaden Postal & Whittaker Heart all who had double digit goals and over 20 points last winter. They will need to find depth and a new goalie but the Hunters have enough left to still be considered a contender in 7A.
#5 Proctor- The Rails had a really nice year last year winning 16 games last year and they do return 11 letter winners from that team. They will be led by Junior Carson Palowich who has double digit goals and over 20 points as a youngster from the point last winter and they could be dangerous as they return top 7A goaltender Junior AJ Reyelts who is coming off an elite league season this fall. The Rails will be pushing to be top 4 seed this winter in 7A.
#6 Greenway- The Raiders will return two of their top scorers and will rely on leadership from Seniors Aden Springer & Carter Cline who both had good junior seasons. They did lose some valuable pieces to graduation and they lost their goaltender but there are some youngsters coming in and Greenway should be very competitive with the middle of the pack in 7A again this winter.
#7 International Falls- The Broncos bring back a ton of experience as they return 14 letter winners including leading scorer Senior Colin Kostiuk who had over 30 points last year along with Seniors Braden Skifstad & Max Dremmel who each had 20 point seasons of their own. They also return a goaltender who shared time last season. There is enough talent and experience returning that this should be a solid Broncos team and will contend for top five seed as well in Section 7A.
#8 North Shore- The Storm will rely on a pair of Juniors to hopefully improve and be competitive this winter. Junior Jake Stadler had double digit goals and Junior goaltender Zach Bentler was the main starter in net they will need both to have big years for the storm to keep up with the rest in 7A.
#9 Ely- The Timberwolve return nearly everyone on the roster including double digit scorers Senior Kole Macho and Junior Drew Marolt which should help them improve on their win total and be more competitive this winter. They do have a question mark in the net which will need to be answered from them to move any higher in 7A.
#10 Moose Lake- The Rebels do return 14 letter winners and should be better than last season’s 2 win team. They will rely on Senior Everett Gamst to play mega minutes again on the blue line and hope that a more experienced team will allow them to stay in more games this winter.
Section 8A Preseason Preview Poll (10 teams)
1- Warroad
2- East Grand Forks
3- Thief River Falls
4- Detroit Lakes
5- Red Lake Falls
6- Crookston
7- Kittson Central
8- Bagley/Fosston
9- Park Rapids
10- Lake of the Woods
#1 Warroad- The Warriors again look like one of Class A’s elite teams this winter. Warroad returns stud netminder and recent D1 commit Senior Goaltender Hampton Slukynsky who played nearly every minute in net last season. He has two outstanding defenders in Senior Eric Comstock & Junior Ryan Lund on the blue line to play mega minutes this winter. On offense they return star forward Senior Jayson Shaugabay and dynamic Juniors Murray Marvin-Cordes & Carson Pilgrim who developed nicely as the season went along last winter and will look to be even bigger contributors in their second full season of varsity hockey. The question marks will be with their depth and they will need to find it in players with last names like Marvin, Boucha and Hardwick which one would think with those great bloodlines this Warriors team should be ready to challenge everyone in Class A and repeat as Section 8A Champions.
#2 East Grand Forks- The Greenwave were easily last year’s biggest Class A disappointment but a veteran lineup returns not to mention a wealth of underclassmen, many of whom won the State A Bantam title in 2021. Up front and after some growing pains last winter they will lean on Senior forward Caleb Schmiedeberg & Juniors Brock Schultz, Landon Jamieson & Jace Fore to provide the offensive punch and there will be a few young guns to step in as well. On the blueline they return Junior Grady Magner & Sophomore Cole Bies to a unit that needs to be much better as last year’s leaky team defense proved to be too much to overcome. However, even with the veteran lineup and young talent coming into the lineup the key to this team will be goaltending and how they are in that department will prove again to be the ultimate barometer as to if the Greenwave will be able to win 8A.
#3 Thief River Falls- The Prowlers did graduate 12 seniors from last winter. However, they will return their 2nd leading scorer in high scoring Senior Tysen Loeffler along with a trio of Juniors Max Arlt, Braydin Lund and leading defenseman Junior Jace Erickson who were 4th, 5th & 6th respectively in scoring last winter and they return most of their Powerplay unit which was very successful during the great 2nd half of the season last winter. They also have a very good goaltender in Junior Connor Roff who waited his time last year and who is ready to step in and be an elite goalie. The returning core will give Coach Bergland enough to build another solid team around and be in the thick of it in 8A.
#4 Detroit Lakes- The Lakers are coming off one their best seasons in over twenty years and yes they did lose some big pieces to graduation but they also return a good core. They will be led by their top overall player in Senior Defenseman Jacob Thomas who is a do it all 2-way threat from the blue line. Up front they return Seniors Cole Larson, Cooper Moore, Ben Hines, Carter Bellefeuille along with Juniors Cole Deraney & Riley Engum all return for good offensive seasons. They also have Senior Goaltender Josh Mack back who did see time in a backup role last season and will be ready to take over the starting gig. Keep an eye on the Lakers again this winter in 8A.
#5 Red Lake Falls- The Eagles return 6 of their top 8 scorers from a 17 win team last winter. The return Senior Evan Girdler and Sophomore brother Gavin Girdler along with Junior Blake Brieland and Sophomore Brock Seeger all of whom had over 20 points last winter. Add in they return both of their starting goalies from last year and Red Lake Falls should once again have a good year in 8A.
#6 Crookston- The Pirates only lost 4 players to graduation and they return the majority of their scoring and their starting goalie to be a more veteran team this winter. They will go as far as Seniors Jack Doda & Alex Longoria will take them as they are both coming off outstanding and very productive junior years last winter. Crookston should be much improved this winter.
#7 Kittson County Central- The Bearcats return standout Senior Tyler Hennen who had 38 goals and over 70 points last winter. If the Fall Elite League was any indication he is looking primed to have an even bigger and more proactive year than last winter. He will try to carry the Bearcats to another successful year this winter in his fifth season of varsity action.
#8 Bagley Fosston- The Flyers have a veteran team returning as they have 11 seniors ready to make a big final statement on their final year of varsity hockey. They will be led by Seniors Markus Olson & Brecken Levin who both had over 40 points last season and they will look to have one of the better teams they have fielded in sometime to make the bottom of 8A even more solid.
#9 Park Rapids- The Panthers return third leading Senior Joey Hillukka who will need to do even more heavy lifting offensively as Park Rapids lost their other top 3 leading scorers to graduation. They do return their main goaltender from last year plenty of depth forwards and their main D core to build a solid team around.
#10 Lake of the Woods- Da Bears were hit very hard by graduation and they will have many key holes to fill to start their year. They do return Senior Charlie Eck to build around as he is coming off a double digit goal 20 plus point season but looking at the rest of 8A it will be a mighty hill for the boys from Baudette Bay to climb this winter in 8A.