Congrats to the Elks!

WestMetro · Post by **WestMetro** » Thu Feb 26, 2015 9:44 pm

Congrats to the Elks on a great season! Good luck to the D1 players and all the others that will continue their hockey careers![/i]

WBLHockeyfan04 · Post by **WBLHockeyfan04** » Thu Feb 26, 2015 9:46 pm

I was kind of hoping to see Jaremko and the Elks at state. All number one seeds would have been one of the deepest tournaments ever, but the Hounds will be a tough out no matter who they draw.

grindiangrad-80 · Post by **grindiangrad-80** » Thu Feb 26, 2015 9:50 pm

I agree.
Section 7 is better than the average fan thinks.

That's okay.

WBLHockeyfan04 · Post by **WBLHockeyfan04** » Thu Feb 26, 2015 9:53 pm

grindiangrad-80 wrote:I agree.
Section 7 is better than the average fan thinks.

That's okay.

I would say it's only behind 6AA in terms of depth in the section. The top 4 seeds were all pretty good this year.

Post by **karl(east)** » Thu Feb 26, 2015 10:15 pm

I do feel for the Elks. I thought it couldn't get any more agonizing for them than last season, but blowing a 3-0 lead like that, and adding a second OT to the equation...ugh. Poor Gordie Roberts has to be wondering what he has to do to get past East.

Congrats to the Elks' seniors on their fine careers, and there's definitely a good chance we'll see Jaremko getting a nice piece of consolation hardware in a week and a half.

green4 · Post by **green4** » Thu Feb 26, 2015 10:20 pm

karl(east) wrote:
Congrats to the Elks' seniors on their fine careers, and there's definitely a good chance we'll see Jaremko getting a nice piece of consolation hardware in a week and a half.

Karl, when do they vote for Mr. Hockey? Could Jaremko not making it to state hurt his chances?

Post by **karl(east)** » Thu Feb 26, 2015 10:49 pm

green4 wrote:
karl(east) wrote:
Congrats to the Elks' seniors on their fine careers, and there's definitely a good chance we'll see Jaremko getting a nice piece of consolation hardware in a week and a half.
Karl, when do they vote for Mr. Hockey? Could Jaremko not making it to state hurt his chances?

I believe they've already voted, so no, it shouldn't affect things.

greenway1969 · Post by **greenway1969** » Thu Feb 26, 2015 11:11 pm

I think if you ask the Elk fans, players and coaches whether they had a great season they would say no. Nothing short of a trip to state would have been a successful season. They are a great program that has high expectations and missing out on a trip to state does not qualify as a great season for them, especially since they were the odds on favorite.

tezer13 · Post by **tezer13** » Thu Feb 26, 2015 11:47 pm

That was definitely a very skilled Elk River squad. Jaremko's skill goes without saying and that wrist shot by Lutz from just inside the blue line was a laser. I'd be surprised if he doesn't get a shot at D-I.

Lots of younger talent as well. Hats off to a very, very good team.

alcloseshaver · Post by **alcloseshaver** » Fri Feb 27, 2015 12:40 am

Long drive home. I thought the Elks ran out of gas and East just kept coming. The 2 PP goals on the major were the difference, at that point the Elks were in the same boat as last year. They had 2 pucks hover at the goal line that would have been the difference. Must be the Curse of Tony Sarsland...
Might need a change of sections to get over the hump. Good luck to East and there is always next year for the Elks.

sanryam · Post by **sanryam** » Fri Feb 27, 2015 1:40 am

The drive home from Duluth seemed longer than the drive up. Real bummer. The 5 minute Major changed everything. With that said, I think Jones (#15) had an excellent year. He was drastically better with his quickness and awareness.

-Jaremko and Lutz are truly spectacular. Looking forward to watching Jake with Mankato and then some. Not sure what Lutz has planned. Hopefully Juniors, at least.
-Don't be fooled. Elks still have promising Soph's (Murray, Zerban, Meyers, Maas, Perbix, Horn, Michaelis, Bouten)
-Most Improved this year: Peter Jones and Alex Schwab (future Captain)

Duluth is a fun town, but put the Elks where they belong in 5AA.

Froggy Richards · Post by **Froggy Richards** » Fri Feb 27, 2015 2:51 am

alcloseshaver wrote:Long drive home. I thought the Elks ran out of gas and East just kept coming. The 2 PP goals on the major were the difference, at that point the Elks were in the same boat as last year. They had 2 pucks hover at the goal line that would have been the difference. Must be the Curse of Tony Sarsland...
Might need a change of sections to get over the hump. Good luck to East and there is always next year for the Elks.

East beat you with a Proctor kid Al. Worth is the best kid his age in the area. He played PeeWees all the way through Proctor. Hermantown recruited the hell out of him, but his parents chose East instead. I'm looking forward to watching this kid play in the future, he's a stud!

Hermhawkey · Post by **Hermhawkey** » Fri Feb 27, 2015 3:20 am

East beat you with a Proctor kid Al. Worth is the best kid his age in the area. He played PeeWees all the way through Proctor. Hermantown recruited the hell out of him, but his parents chose East instead. I'm looking forward to watching this kid play in the future, he's a stud![/quote]

I'm calling BS on the "recruited the hell"...your Hermantown hatred(jealousy) enters EVERY post!! Really gets old. Please stay where you are. Those of us actually living IN Hermantown, coaching IN the program, with kids IN the association, IN the know are quite happy I can assure you.

Congrats to Elk River on a great season.

MNpuckBlog · Post by **MNpuckBlog** » Fri Feb 27, 2015 3:52 am

greenway1969 wrote:I think if you ask the Elk fans, players and coaches whether they had a great season they would say no. Nothing short of a trip to state would have been a successful season. They are a great program that has high expectations and missing out on a trip to state does not qualify as a great season for them, especially since they were the odds on favorite.

I'm sure the Elks would express their disappointment, but it's not to say they didn't have a great year. While they haven't been to state in a decade despite some great teams, only 8 teams go in each class, so it's hard to say every good team that falls short of the X didn't have a great season. Disappointing for them, yes, as well as someone like myself who would have liked to get the chance to see them play...but still had a great year.

alcloseshaver · Post by **alcloseshaver** » Fri Feb 27, 2015 8:46 am

Unlike the middle of the Sarsland era ER was a homegrown team. Murray originally a Princeton kid but moved to ER early. Not a bad run for a very hard working association.

greenway1969 · Post by **greenway1969** » Fri Feb 27, 2015 10:22 am

I guess I see a great season as something different than others. Elk River did not beat anyone in the top 20 (maybe Centennial?) after the first of the year. They were runner-up in the sectionals while being the favorite. What was great about the season? I'm not trying to bash Elk River, but looking at the results of their season. Great to me means "considerably above normal". ER's season was above normal for most teams, but does not reach the standard of "great". It certainly wasn't great by Elk River standards.

alcloseshaver · Post by **alcloseshaver** » Fri Feb 27, 2015 10:48 am

greenway1969 wrote:I guess I see a great season as something different than others. Elk River did not beat anyone in the top 20 (maybe Centennial?) after the first of the year. They were runner-up in the sectionals while being the favorite. What was great about the season? I'm not trying to bash Elk River, but looking at the results of their season. Great to me means "considerably above normal". ER's season was above normal for most teams, but does not reach the standard of "great". It certainly wasn't great by Elk River standards.

Absolutely was not a great season, good but not great. State or bust. Plenty to be proud of but the for this program the last 2 years were the teams that should have gotten it done. They will be back, The Soph class was number one in Bantams for most of last year and this years Bantam group is top 5. Coach em up.

WestMetro · Post by **WestMetro** » Fri Feb 27, 2015 12:59 pm

Go ahead and pound on the Elks if you want

I call 22-5-1 AA record in the state of hockey a great season. Amongst the top teams with the best teenage athletic skill and talent of any sport in the country.

The kids and their parents worked 12+ years to get to this point, along with youth hockey and high school coaches.

Just to name a few highlights: Mr. Hockey or runner up, another top AA point scorer, one of top 10 Dmen, goalie over .90. As well as all the other kids that contributed to team success.

Team was one "teenage moment" away from the X. That happens.

(Im assuming the coach had cautioned against the danger of bad penalties with a 3 to 0 lead. If not , that can also happen.)

Neither takes away from fact it was a great season for the Elks, and congrats are in order. I felt lucky to have seen them play in person a couple times, and remember some almost magical offensive zone moments that I doubt I will see again for a few years to come.

Houndhockey · Post by **Houndhockey** » Fri Feb 27, 2015 1:16 pm

WestMetro wrote:Go ahead and pound on the Elks if you want

I call 22-5-1 AA record in the state of hockey a great season. Amongst the top teams with the best teenage athletic skill and talent of any sport in the country.

The kids and their parents worked 12+ years to get to this point, along with youth hockey and high school coaches.

Just to name a few highlights: Mr. Hockey or runner up, another top AA point scorer, one of top 10 Dmen, goalie over .90. As well as all the other kids that contributed to team success.

Team was one "teenage moment" away from the X. That happens.

(Im assuming the coach had cautioned against the danger of bad penalties with a 3 to 0 lead. If not , that can also happen.)

Neither takes away from fact it was a great season for the Elks, and congrats are in order. I felt lucky to have seen them play in person a couple times, and remember some almost magical offensive zone moments that I doubt I will see again for a few years to come.

I don't think anyone is "pounding" on the Elks here. Is the whole season a complete loss? No. But when you look at this section from start to finish, it was clearly Elk River's to lose and the thought that anything other than a trip to state is in fact an underachievement.

sanryam · Post by **sanryam** » Fri Feb 27, 2015 11:42 pm

greenway1969 wrote:I guess I see a great season as something different than others. Elk River did not beat anyone in the top 20 (maybe Centennial?) after the first of the year.

Interesting the way you phrased that. ER beat every team they played after the first of the year except for Blaine and East, who they tied.
.
Congrats to the Dogs. They beat 2 teams with multiple D1 players to advance to State. Try not to get stomped too hard in the first round.

Froggy Richards · Post by **Froggy Richards** » Sat Feb 28, 2015 1:36 am

Hermhawkey wrote:East beat you with a Proctor kid Al. Worth is the best kid his age in the area. He played PeeWees all the way through Proctor. Hermantown recruited the hell out of him, but his parents chose East instead. I'm looking forward to watching this kid play in the future, he's a stud!

I'm calling BS on the "recruited the hell"...your Hermantown hatred(jealousy) enters EVERY post!! Really gets old. Please stay where you are. Those of us actually living IN Hermantown, coaching IN the program, with kids IN the association, IN the know are quite happy I can assure you.

Congrats to Elk River on a great season.[/quote]

I don't hate Hermantown, I hate that they sandbag in Class A. I'm sure people that live there do enjoy it. I'll take your word for it, as I don't know that many people who actually live there. I know ALOT of people whose kids play hockey there though!

Post by **karl(east)** » Sat Feb 28, 2015 8:24 am

Froggy Richards wrote:East beat you with a Proctor kid Al. Worth is the best kid his age in the area. He played PeeWees all the way through Proctor. Hermantown recruited the hell out of him, but his parents chose East instead. I'm looking forward to watching this kid play in the future, he's a stud!

This can't be right. He was definitely a member of the East PWAA team that finished 3rd at State 2 years ago, and I remember hearing his name as a future East prospect a year or two before that, too.

Not that I think it's a big deal--East has a long history with transfers and open enrollment--but let's at least get the facts right.

Froggy Richards · Post by **Froggy Richards** » Sat Feb 28, 2015 4:22 pm

karl(east) wrote:
Froggy Richards wrote:East beat you with a Proctor kid Al. Worth is the best kid his age in the area. He played PeeWees all the way through Proctor. Hermantown recruited the hell out of him, but his parents chose East instead. I'm looking forward to watching this kid play in the future, he's a stud!
This can't be right. He was definitely a member of the East PWAA team that finished 3rd at State 2 years ago, and I remember hearing his name as a future East prospect a year or two before that, too.

Not that I think it's a big deal--East has a long history with transfers and open enrollment--but let's at least get the facts right.

Yes, I stand corrected. He went to East for his 2nd year of PeeWees. Have to feel for Proctor. If they had Worth and their 4 kids in Hermantown to go along with Pionk, Malec and Dahlgren, they are probably at State this year.