Summer Hockey Notes by KarlEast

[kniven]

Last weekend’s Summer Hockey Festival at Braemar Arena in Edina offered a brief dose of hockey for those of us in need of some midsummer action. Twenty teams battled it out over the course of three days, giving the world its first real looks at Janne Kivihalme-coached Lakeville South, a somewhat improved-looking Grand Rapids, and a bunch of kids in bantam or other teams’ breezers who have made their way to a new hockey home for 2018-2019. Watching these sorts of tournaments always comes with a grain of salt, as rosters are incomplete and coaches are sorting through what they have, but they’ve also proven to have some decent predictive power in the past.

Duluth East eased any worries of a drop-off following the graduation of the likes of Garrett Worth, Luke LaMaster, and Ian Mageau with a strong second-place showing. Ryder Donovan looked every bit a Mr. Hockey frontrunner, and the top line of Donovan, Ricky Lyle, and Brendan Baker was tenacious and displayed strong chemistry. Upcoming bantams like Jacob Jeanette and Zarley Ziemski were noticeable in their Greyhound debuts, and the bevy of players looking to claim their spots in the pecking order beyond the top pair on defense largely held their own. The 2018-2019 Greyhounds will be big, tough, and in-your-face. While they still have some sorting to do on the back end an in goal, their forward depth and front-line talent will keep them near the top of the heap this coming season.

Still, the Hounds were not even the best team in their own section at Braemar over the course of the weekend. That title belongs to Andover, which rolled through to a championship. Last season, the Huskies’ top line pairing of Charlie Schoen and Nick Dainty grabbed headlines, and will likely lead the way in their senior seasons. But this time around, it was the rising juniors such as defenseman Wyatt Kaiser and the line of Hunter Zinda, Luke Kron, and Harrison VanderMey that turned my head. The Huskies’ depth will have them sitting pretty in preseason rankings, and with an early December meeting between the Huskies and Hounds, the 7AA dogfight will name its frontrunner early on.

The third power in 7AA, Cloquet, also had a solid showing in Edina. The Jacks, in my mind, are a step behind East and Andover in both star power and depth, but not so far in either that they don’t have a fighting chance at winning the section. There is also the small matter of their head coach following Kevin Smalley’s third arrest for driving while intoxicated and subsequent ouster. Just one year after an abrupt end to a long coaching career, Cloquet will endure another change at the top. There is a fair amount of politicking going on behind the scenes in all of this, and the outcome will have a lot to say about the future of Lumberjack hockey.

Elsewhere, there are rumblings of a power shift in the West Metro. Minnetonka, the defending state champs, will begin the season as #1, and have only reloaded. But beyond that, there are questions. Edina, down a couple of players to early defections, will try to put together a redeem team; while there’s still plenty in the tank for 2018-2019, the future beyond this season is as uncertain as it’s been in 15 years for the Hornets. Benilde-St. Margaret’s, after a two-year down cycle, is on the up and up, and Blake is looking to make waves and fill the void left by Breck’s decline in a certain private school niche. Eden Prairie has more Mittelstadts, Wayzata has the predictability of Pat O’Leary hockey, and Holy Family has had another successful offseason shopping spree. Cretin-Derham Hall, which is not in the West Metro but is stuck in a section with teams that are, will have its best team since Ryan McDonagh roamed the Raider blue line over a decade ago. After a period of relative public school power, the pendulum may be swinging back toward some of the privates in the Metro. The mix of rising contenders and the staying power of the old guard could give 2AA and 6AA as many as 10 teams in the top 25.

Usually, early defections to junior hockey to come from schools that don’t have great odds at a Tournament berth, or from teams that are so deep that they can stand to lose a player or two and still be front-line contenders. This season, however, the relatively low number of departures to date are instead sapping some teams that otherwise might have been home runs. Maple Grove, for example, could have been the next super team if not for three defections this offseason. While the Crimson may still be the frontrunner in 5AA, that squad is not what it could have been. Moorhead could have been a shoo-in in 8AA with Ethan Frisch; without him, 8AA starts to get murky. If Ben Helgeson bolts from Hill-Murray, the Pioneers will still be favored in a thin 4AA, but are more likely than not to continue a State Tournament losing streak that now sits at eight straight. The deep AA sections seem to get stronger while the thinner sections grow weaker.

While the wars brew in the West Metro, much of the rest of the Metro is more predictable. Andover has assumed frontrunner status on the north side, the east in need of someone to emerge to challenge Hill’s supremacy, and the Lakevilles are once again the default top two in 1AA. If I had to find a source of unexpected intrigue, I’d point to 3AA, where rising Rosemount may have enough pieces to win the thing, and Eagan should see its stock climb as well. St. Thomas Academy remains the frontrunner there, but is in need of a jolt to break out of its lengthening string of playoff upset losses.

Elite League rosters also came out this past week, and unsurprisingly, Minnetonka and Duluth East dominate the list for most players. The usual debates over the number of younger players taken have ensued, and there was also some justified angst over seeming competitive imbalance when the Team Southwest roster was revealed. What good does it do anyone to load up a Metro Elite League team like that? At any rate, we’re just over a month from the beginning of that action, which provides another teaser of what’s to come. Until then, we have a summer to enjoy.

On a closing note, this Tweet may be the most Northern Minnesota Hockey thing I have ever seen, and it is marvelous.

[SpOilerfan]

Last weekend’s Summer Hockey Festival at Braemar Arena in Edina offered a brief dose of hockey for those of us in need of some midsummer action. Twenty teams battled it out over the course of three days, giving the world its first real looks at Janne Kivihalme-coached Lakeville South, a somewhat improved-looking Grand Rapids, and a bunch of kids in bantam or other teams’ breezers who have made their way to a new hockey home for 2018-2019. Watching these sorts of tournaments always comes with a grain of salt, as rosters are incomplete and coaches are sorting through what they have, but they’ve also proven to have some decent predictive power in the past.

Duluth East eased any worries of a drop-off following the graduation of the likes of Garrett Worth, Luke LaMaster, and Ian Mageau with a strong second-place showing. Ryder Donovan looked every bit a Mr. Hockey frontrunner, and the top line of Donovan, Ricky Lyle, and Brendan Baker was tenacious and displayed strong chemistry. Upcoming bantams like Jacob Jeanette and Zarley Ziemski were noticeable in their Greyhound debuts, and the bevy of players looking to claim their spots in the pecking order beyond the top pair on defense largely held their own. The 2018-2019 Greyhounds will be big, tough, and in-your-face. While they still have some sorting to do on the back end an in goal, their forward depth and front-line talent will keep them near the top of the heap this coming season.

Still, the Hounds were not even the best team in their own section at Braemar over the course of the weekend. That title belongs to Andover, which rolled through to a championship. Last season, the Huskies’ top line pairing of Charlie Schoen and Nick Dainty grabbed headlines, and will likely lead the way in their senior seasons. But this time around, it was the rising juniors such as defenseman Wyatt Kaiser and the line of Hunter Zinda, Luke Kron, and Harrison VanderMey that turned my head. The Huskies’ depth will have them sitting pretty in preseason rankings, and with an early December meeting between the Huskies and Hounds, the 7AA dogfight will name its frontrunner early on.

The third power in 7AA, Cloquet, also had a solid showing in Edina. The Jacks, in my mind, are a step behind East and Andover in both star power and depth, but not so far in either that they don’t have a fighting chance at winning the section. There is also the small matter of their head coach following Kevin Smalley’s third arrest for driving while intoxicated and subsequent ouster. Just one year after an abrupt end to a long coaching career, Cloquet will endure another change at the top. There is a fair amount of politicking going on behind the scenes in all of this, and the outcome will have a lot to say about the future of Lumberjack hockey.

Elsewhere, there are rumblings of a power shift in the West Metro. Minnetonka, the defending state champs, will begin the season as #1, and have only reloaded. But beyond that, there are questions. Edina, down a couple of players to early defections, will try to put together a redeem team; while there’s still plenty in the tank for 2018-2019, the future beyond this season is as uncertain as it’s been in 15 years for the Hornets. Benilde-St. Margaret’s, after a two-year down cycle, is on the up and up, and Blake is looking to make waves and fill the void left by Breck’s decline in a certain private school niche. Eden Prairie has more Mittelstadts, Wayzata has the predictability of Pat O’Leary hockey, and Holy Family has had another successful offseason shopping spree. Cretin-Derham Hall, which is not in the West Metro but is stuck in a section with teams that are, will have its best team since Ryan McDonagh roamed the Raider blue line over a decade ago. After a period of relative public school power, the pendulum may be swinging back toward some of the privates in the Metro. The mix of rising contenders and the staying power of the old guard could give 2AA and 6AA as many as 10 teams in the top 25.

Usually, early defections to junior hockey to come from schools that don’t have great odds at a Tournament berth, or from teams that are so deep that they can stand to lose a player or two and still be front-line contenders. This season, however, the relatively low number of departures to date are instead sapping some teams that otherwise might have been home runs. Maple Grove, for example, could have been the next super team if not for three defections this offseason. While the Crimson may still be the frontrunner in 5AA, that squad is not what it could have been. Moorhead could have been a shoo-in in 8AA with Ethan Frisch; without him, 8AA starts to get murky. If Ben Helgeson bolts from Hill-Murray, the Pioneers will still be favored in a thin 4AA, but are more likely than not to continue a State Tournament losing streak that now sits at eight straight. The deep AA sections seem to get stronger while the thinner sections grow weaker.

While the wars brew in the West Metro, much of the rest of the Metro is more predictable. Andover has assumed frontrunner status on the north side, the east in need of someone to emerge to challenge Hill’s supremacy, and the Lakevilles are once again the default top two in 1AA. If I had to find a source of unexpected intrigue, I’d point to 3AA, where rising Rosemount may have enough pieces to win the thing, and Eagan should see its stock climb as well. St. Thomas Academy remains the frontrunner there, but is in need of a jolt to break out of its lengthening string of playoff upset losses.

Elite League rosters also came out this past week, and unsurprisingly, Minnetonka and Duluth East dominate the list for most players. The usual debates over the number of younger players taken have ensued, and there was also some justified angst over seeming competitive imbalance when the Team Southwest roster was revealed. What good does it do anyone to load up a Metro Elite League team like that? At any rate, we’re just over a month from the beginning of that action, which provides another teaser of what’s to come. Until then, we have a summer to enjoy.

On a closing note, this Tweet may be the most Northern Minnesota Hockey thing I have ever seen, and it is marvelous.

Leave coach Smalleys personal issues out of the forum and stick to hockey,no place for that on here!!

[Stang5280]

]The third power in 7AA, Cloquet, also had a solid showing in Edina. The Jacks, in my mind, are a step behind East and Andover in both star power and depth, but not so far in either that they don’t have a fighting chance at winning the section. There is also the small matter of their head coach following Kevin Smalley’s third arrest for driving while intoxicated and subsequent ouster. Just one year after an abrupt end to a long coaching career, Cloquet will endure another change at the top. There is a fair amount of politicking going on behind the scenes in all of this, and the outcome will have a lot to say about the future of Lumberjack hockey.

Leave coach Smalleys personal issues out of the forum and stick to hockey,no place for that on here!!

The DWI arrest is simply a factual statement that was reported in multiple news outlets. I don’t see that as slinging mud in any capacity, and unfortunately Coach Smalley made a poor decision in his personal life that greatly impacts the Cloquet hockey program.

More importantly, why is kniven posting Karl’s notes without any explanation? Has this been some sort of alter ego situation that we missed all along?

[northwoods oldtimer]

Its reported on WDIO so looks like its a out in the public domain

https://www.wdio.com/sports/kevin-small ... y/4994108/

[Upfan111]

Last weekend’s Summer Hockey Festival at Braemar Arena in Edina offered a brief dose of hockey for those of us in need of some midsummer action. Twenty teams battled it out over the course of three days, giving the world its first real looks at Janne Kivihalme-coached Lakeville South, a somewhat improved-looking Grand Rapids, and a bunch of kids in bantam or other teams’ breezers who have made their way to a new hockey home for 2018-2019. Watching these sorts of tournaments always comes with a grain of salt, as rosters are incomplete and coaches are sorting through what they have, but they’ve also proven to have some decent predictive power in the past.

Duluth East eased any worries of a drop-off following the graduation of the likes of Garrett Worth, Luke LaMaster, and Ian Mageau with a strong second-place showing. Ryder Donovan looked every bit a Mr. Hockey frontrunner, and the top line of Donovan, Ricky Lyle, and Brendan Baker was tenacious and displayed strong chemistry. Upcoming bantams like Jacob Jeanette and Zarley Ziemski were noticeable in their Greyhound debuts, and the bevy of players looking to claim their spots in the pecking order beyond the top pair on defense largely held their own. The 2018-2019 Greyhounds will be big, tough, and in-your-face. While they still have some sorting to do on the back end an in goal, their forward depth and front-line talent will keep them near the top of the heap this coming season.

Still, the Hounds were not even the best team in their own section at Braemar over the course of the weekend. That title belongs to Andover, which rolled through to a championship. Last season, the Huskies’ top line pairing of Charlie Schoen and Nick Dainty grabbed headlines, and will likely lead the way in their senior seasons. But this time around, it was the rising juniors such as defenseman Wyatt Kaiser and the line of Hunter Zinda, Luke Kron, and Harrison VanderMey that turned my head. The Huskies’ depth will have them sitting pretty in preseason rankings, and with an early December meeting between the Huskies and Hounds, the 7AA dogfight will name its frontrunner early on.

The third power in 7AA, Cloquet, also had a solid showing in Edina. The Jacks, in my mind, are a step behind East and Andover in both star power and depth, but not so far in either that they don’t have a fighting chance at winning the section. There is also the small matter of their head coach following Kevin Smalley’s third arrest for driving while intoxicated and subsequent ouster. Just one year after an abrupt end to a long coaching career, Cloquet will endure another change at the top. There is a fair amount of politicking going on behind the scenes in all of this, and the outcome will have a lot to say about the future of Lumberjack hockey.

Elsewhere, there are rumblings of a power shift in the West Metro. Minnetonka, the defending state champs, will begin the season as #1, and have only reloaded. But beyond that, there are questions. Edina, down a couple of players to early defections, will try to put together a redeem team; while there’s still plenty in the tank for 2018-2019, the future beyond this season is as uncertain as it’s been in 15 years for the Hornets. Benilde-St. Margaret’s, after a two-year down cycle, is on the up and up, and Blake is looking to make waves and fill the void left by Breck’s decline in a certain private school niche. Eden Prairie has more Mittelstadts, Wayzata has the predictability of Pat O’Leary hockey, and Holy Family has had another successful offseason shopping spree. Cretin-Derham Hall, which is not in the West Metro but is stuck in a section with teams that are, will have its best team since Ryan McDonagh roamed the Raider blue line over a decade ago. After a period of relative public school power, the pendulum may be swinging back toward some of the privates in the Metro. The mix of rising contenders and the staying power of the old guard could give 2AA and 6AA as many as 10 teams in the top 25.

Usually, early defections to junior hockey to come from schools that don’t have great odds at a Tournament berth, or from teams that are so deep that they can stand to lose a player or two and still be front-line contenders. This season, however, the relatively low number of departures to date are instead sapping some teams that otherwise might have been home runs. Maple Grove, for example, could have been the next super team if not for three defections this offseason. While the Crimson may still be the frontrunner in 5AA, that squad is not what it could have been. Moorhead could have been a shoo-in in 8AA with Ethan Frisch; without him, 8AA starts to get murky. If Ben Helgeson bolts from Hill-Murray, the Pioneers will still be favored in a thin 4AA, but are more likely than not to continue a State Tournament losing streak that now sits at eight straight. The deep AA sections seem to get stronger while the thinner sections grow weaker.

While the wars brew in the West Metro, much of the rest of the Metro is more predictable. Andover has assumed frontrunner status on the north side, the east in need of someone to emerge to challenge Hill’s supremacy, and the Lakevilles are once again the default top two in 1AA. If I had to find a source of unexpected intrigue, I’d point to 3AA, where rising Rosemount may have enough pieces to win the thing, and Eagan should see its stock climb as well. St. Thomas Academy remains the frontrunner there, but is in need of a jolt to break out of its lengthening string of playoff upset losses.

Elite League rosters also came out this past week, and unsurprisingly, Minnetonka and Duluth East dominate the list for most players. The usual debates over the number of younger players taken have ensued, and there was also some justified angst over seeming competitive imbalance when the Team Southwest roster was revealed. What good does it do anyone to load up a Metro Elite League team like that? At any rate, we’re just over a month from the beginning of that action, which provides another teaser of what’s to come. Until then, we have a summer to enjoy.

On a closing note, this Tweet may be the most Northern Minnesota Hockey thing I have ever seen, and it is marvelous.

Fact or making assumption?

[kniven]

https://apatientcycle.com

Oh for crying out loud people. Some people think I’m some little piece of PLEASE BAN ME that loves to beat the crap out of people on this forum. Well you don’t know me so that is a YOU problem, not mine. Get over yourselves. For the love of Sam Kinison people...

I totally Respect KarlEasts columns over the years, and I enjoy them. I bring them here to share the wealth. I don’t always agree with KarlEast, he is a Hounds Head! And I love that man. Kevin Smalley, Coach Kevin Smalley. My coach knows this....so the rest of you can go stroke a cow or something, since you seem truly bored. Geez

[O-townClown]

Tweet?

[Upfan111]

https://apatientcycle.com

Oh for crying out loud people. Some people think I’m some little piece of PLEASE BAN ME that loves to beat the crap out of people on this forum. Well you don’t know me so that is a YOU problem, not mine. Get over yourselves. For the love of Sam Kinison people...

I totally Respect KarlEasts columns over the years, and I enjoy them. I bring them here to share the wealth. I don’t always agree with KarlEast, he is a Hounds Head! And I love that man. Kevin Smalley, Coach Kevin Smalley. My coach knows this....so the rest of you can go stroke a cow or something, since you seem truly bored. Geez

Your cheese slipping off your cracker? wow. Your all over the place...

[Stang5280]

Tweet?

Here is the link

[Jeffy95]

Last weekend’s Summer Hockey Festival at Braemar Arena in Edina offered a brief dose of hockey for those of us in need of some midsummer action. Twenty teams battled it out over the course of three days, giving the world its first real looks at Janne Kivihalme-coached Lakeville South, a somewhat improved-looking Grand Rapids, and a bunch of kids in bantam or other teams’ breezers who have made their way to a new hockey home for 2018-2019. Watching these sorts of tournaments always comes with a grain of salt, as rosters are incomplete and coaches are sorting through what they have, but they’ve also proven to have some decent predictive power in the past.

Duluth East eased any worries of a drop-off following the graduation of the likes of Garrett Worth, Luke LaMaster, and Ian Mageau with a strong second-place showing. Ryder Donovan looked every bit a Mr. Hockey frontrunner, and the top line of Donovan, Ricky Lyle, and Brendan Baker was tenacious and displayed strong chemistry. Upcoming bantams like Jacob Jeanette and Zarley Ziemski were noticeable in their Greyhound debuts, and the bevy of players looking to claim their spots in the pecking order beyond the top pair on defense largely held their own. The 2018-2019 Greyhounds will be big, tough, and in-your-face. While they still have some sorting to do on the back end an in goal, their forward depth and front-line talent will keep them near the top of the heap this coming season.

Still, the Hounds were not even the best team in their own section at Braemar over the course of the weekend. That title belongs to Andover, which rolled through to a championship. Last season, the Huskies’ top line pairing of Charlie Schoen and Nick Dainty grabbed headlines, and will likely lead the way in their senior seasons. But this time around, it was the rising juniors such as defenseman Wyatt Kaiser and the line of Hunter Zinda, Luke Kron, and Harrison VanderMey that turned my head. The Huskies’ depth will have them sitting pretty in preseason rankings, and with an early December meeting between the Huskies and Hounds, the 7AA dogfight will name its frontrunner early on.

The third power in 7AA, Cloquet, also had a solid showing in Edina. The Jacks, in my mind, are a step behind East and Andover in both star power and depth, but not so far in either that they don’t have a fighting chance at winning the section. There is also the small matter of their head coach following Kevin Smalley’s third arrest for driving while intoxicated and subsequent ouster. Just one year after an abrupt end to a long coaching career, Cloquet will endure another change at the top. There is a fair amount of politicking going on behind the scenes in all of this, and the outcome will have a lot to say about the future of Lumberjack hockey.

Elsewhere, there are rumblings of a power shift in the West Metro. Minnetonka, the defending state champs, will begin the season as #1, and have only reloaded. But beyond that, there are questions. Edina, down a couple of players to early defections, will try to put together a redeem team; while there’s still plenty in the tank for 2018-2019, the future beyond this season is as uncertain as it’s been in 15 years for the Hornets. Benilde-St. Margaret’s, after a two-year down cycle, is on the up and up, and Blake is looking to make waves and fill the void left by Breck’s decline in a certain private school niche. Eden Prairie has more Mittelstadts, Wayzata has the predictability of Pat O’Leary hockey, and Holy Family has had another successful offseason shopping spree. Cretin-Derham Hall, which is not in the West Metro but is stuck in a section with teams that are, will have its best team since Ryan McDonagh roamed the Raider blue line over a decade ago. After a period of relative public school power, the pendulum may be swinging back toward some of the privates in the Metro. The mix of rising contenders and the staying power of the old guard could give 2AA and 6AA as many as 10 teams in the top 25.

Usually, early defections to junior hockey to come from schools that don’t have great odds at a Tournament berth, or from teams that are so deep that they can stand to lose a player or two and still be front-line contenders. This season, however, the relatively low number of departures to date are instead sapping some teams that otherwise might have been home runs. Maple Grove, for example, could have been the next super team if not for three defections this offseason. While the Crimson may still be the frontrunner in 5AA, that squad is not what it could have been. Moorhead could have been a shoo-in in 8AA with Ethan Frisch; without him, 8AA starts to get murky. If Ben Helgeson bolts from Hill-Murray, the Pioneers will still be favored in a thin 4AA, but are more likely than not to continue a State Tournament losing streak that now sits at eight straight. The deep AA sections seem to get stronger while the thinner sections grow weaker.

While the wars brew in the West Metro, much of the rest of the Metro is more predictable. Andover has assumed frontrunner status on the north side, the east in need of someone to emerge to challenge Hill’s supremacy, and the Lakevilles are once again the default top two in 1AA. If I had to find a source of unexpected intrigue, I’d point to 3AA, where rising Rosemount may have enough pieces to win the thing, and Eagan should see its stock climb as well. St. Thomas Academy remains the frontrunner there, but is in need of a jolt to break out of its lengthening string of playoff upset losses.

Elite League rosters also came out this past week, and unsurprisingly, Minnetonka and Duluth East dominate the list for most players. The usual debates over the number of younger players taken have ensued, and there was also some justified angst over seeming competitive imbalance when the Team Southwest roster was revealed. What good does it do anyone to load up a Metro Elite League team like that? At any rate, we’re just over a month from the beginning of that action, which provides another teaser of what’s to come. Until then, we have a summer to enjoy.

On a closing note, this Tweet may be the most Northern Minnesota Hockey thing I have ever seen, and it is marvelous.

Leave coach Smalleys personal issues out of the forum and stick to hockey,no place for that on here!!

I felt the same way when I read it. Kind of like kicking a guy when he was down. But it is public record so if somebody wants to reference it it's probably fair game. Coach Smalley made a choice that night...

That said, great read Karl. It's hard not to feel sorry for Edina when they lose players....

[Corn Cobb]

https://apatientcycle.com

Oh for crying out loud people. Some people think I’m some little piece of PLEASE BAN ME that loves to beat the crap out of people on this forum. Well you don’t know me so that is a YOU problem, not mine. Get over yourselves. For the love of Sam Kinison people...

I totally Respect KarlEasts columns over the years, and I enjoy them. I bring them here to share the wealth. I don’t always agree with KarlEast, he is a Hounds Head! And I love that man. Kevin Smalley, Coach Kevin Smalley. My coach knows this....so the rest of you can go stroke a cow or something, since you seem truly bored. Geez

Your cheese slipping off your cracker? wow. Your all over the place...

Probably off his meds...

[mnmouth]

Hey, Karl - for those of us not at the Festival, what were East's lines beyond the top line, and any intel on why Baker moved from center to wing?

[Stang5280]

https://apatientcycle.com

Oh for crying out loud people. Some people think I’m some little piece of PLEASE BAN ME that loves to beat the crap out of people on this forum. Well you don’t know me so that is a YOU problem, not mine. Get over yourselves. For the love of Sam Kinison people...

I totally Respect KarlEasts columns over the years, and I enjoy them. I bring them here to share the wealth. I don’t always agree with KarlEast, he is a Hounds Head! And I love that man. Kevin Smalley, Coach Kevin Smalley. My coach knows this....so the rest of you can go stroke a cow or something, since you seem truly bored. Geez

I’m not sure exactly what prompted that outburst, but I was merely making a lighthearted joke about you and Karl possibly being the same person. I don’t follow Karl”s website closely, so I wasn’t sure where the notes came from.

Also, I don’t think anyone is attacking Coach Smalley as a person. We are all human and make mistakes. It just so happens that he made a big one at an unfortunate time (and is a public figure), which puts CEC hockey in the difficult spot of trying to find a new coach in late summer, after most of the good candidates have already found jobs. The program has so much talent on the ice, but the chaos surrounding the team sadly never seems to end.

[Usthockey13]

Lines were
Lyle-Donovan-Baker
Erickson-Anderson-Jeanette
Holiday-Hoops-Fellman
Jones-Mcgillvery-Ziemski
Fitzgerald is injured now. He should slide into the 2nd line

[O-townClown]

Lines were
Lyle-Donovan-Baker
Erickson-Anderson-Jeanette
Holiday-Hoops-Fellman
Jones-Mcgillvery-Ziemski
Fitzgerald is injured now. He should slide into the 2nd line

This kid needs major playing time! If he can't get it as a senior that would be a hockey tragedy. As much as I'm an advocate for Minnesota HS hockey, this is one player that would have been well served playing 60 games on a AAA Midget team as a junior.

Moves very well. Skilled. Rare size.

[karl(east)]

Well, this sure blew up.

One general note: it's generally better to link to articles rather than post them verbatim on the Forum. Publications generally frown on that. In this case it's my blog so I don't really care, but as this shows, it can create confusion as to who actually wrote the thing.

I will also note that my blog audience doesn't always overlap with this forum's audience and this piece was written for somewhat more casual fans who may not have already sucked up the details on the summer tournament, Smalley, or Elite League rosters that have already been posted here. Hence my decision not to immediately post it on here, too.

As for the Smalley situation, it's reality and it's public record, and I'm not sure why it makes sense to pretend otherwise. You hate to see things like this for someone who had worked as hard as he did to get where he was, but he made a choice, and I also wasn't especially impressed by his attempt to pretend the situation wasn't what it was in the Duluth News Tribune's reporting on the topic.

As for East's lines, which were accurately reported by Usthockey, East returns all of their centers from last year, so it makes some sense for Baker to slide to a wing--the early returns looked good on that one. And while Jones is a nice player with some upside, I do not see him cracking the top 6. The 3rd and 4th lines looked pretty interchangeable and should see their share of ice time this year, though.

[kniven]

Yes. Sorry about that KarlEast. I did put “by Karl East in the header, but that didn’t make sense to many.

[O-townClown]

I do not see him cracking the top 6.

Great for Duluth East they have so many good players in the program. As far as individual player development it is very unfortunate for this kid!

I think he'll still be playing meaningful hockey in 5 years and you can't say that about most HS players.

Looking forward to winter!

[elliott70]

What about section 8, Karl?

[Stang5280]

What about section 8, Karl?

Karl is not aware of the fact that any hockey is played west of Hwy 169 up north or 494 in the cities

I had actually been playing around with the idea of starting an 8AA thread, but I am not as knowledgeable as you or the Roseau folks about the northern portion of the section. It seems like the section will be down overall, in part due to the early departures of Huglen, Frisch, and Henkemeyer-Howe. STMA also graduated nearly everyone except Flammang and Laylin. Even though Moorhead lost a lot of talent, I assume they would still be pegged as the favorites based on the depth of their system. The section does seem like it will be a mess, and the door is may be open for another surprise team to emerge again… perhaps Brainerd or Buffalo?

[7TIMECHAMPS]

What about section 8, Karl?

Karl is not aware of the fact that any hockey is played west of Hwy 169 up north or 494 in the cities

I had actually been playing around with the idea of starting an 8AA thread, but I am not as knowledgeable as you or the Roseau folks about the northern portion of the section. It seems like the section will be down overall, in part due to the early departures of Huglen, Frisch, and Henkemeyer-Howe. STMA also graduated nearly everyone except Flammang and Laylin. Even though Moorhead lost a lot of talent, I assume they would still be pegged as the favorites based on the depth of their system. The section does seem like it will be a mess, and the door is may be open for another surprise team to emerge again… perhaps Brainerd or Buffalo?

Where does the departure of Huglen come from? Not being on an Elite league roster? I haven’t heard any talk locally about him leaving.

[Stang5280]

Where does the departure of Huglen come from? Not being on an Elite league roster? I haven’t heard any talk locally about him leaving.

I was going by the early departures thread, but I see now that there are some questions about whether that information is correct (and I couldn’t find anything online either). I assume that your local knowledge is better, and he is not actually leaving early for Fargo. If so, that definitely puts the Rams in the thick of the 8AA hunt.

[Section 8 guy]

Where does the departure of Huglen come from? Not being on an Elite league roster? I haven’t heard any talk locally about him leaving.

Same place the information came from on a few of the others...not being on the elite league roster. Not a reliable source.

[blueblood]

My comments on elite League Rosters in reference to karl(east) who is quoted below from the original posting on this topic:

"...and there was also some justified angst over seeming competitive imbalance when the Team Southwest roster was revealed. What good does it do anyone to load up a Metro Elite League team like that?"

In reviewing rosters, we have the following situation for Team North:
1) Duluth East - all East players are on Team North, which there are 10 or 11 East players
2) Hermantown - all Hermantown players on Team North

The only northern players not on Team North are the Greenway kids who have to play for GP, because Coach Clafton is HC of Team North. Player for player, Team North is as good as any metro based team, with the Hounds, Hawks, Jacks; etc. representing the #218.

Now, a few examples of teams from the SW metro that compete in Section 2AA:
1) Chaska players on 3 different teams: SW, SE, & CCM
2) Minnetonka players on 4 different teams: SW, SE, GP and CCM
3) EP players on team SE due to Team SW coaching situation
4) HF players are on several different teams (SW, CCM and maybe one other?

The facts are: there are more teams, and therefore, more players in the SW versus Northern MN. I guarantee, if those SW area based players were on Team North, the #218ers would go ballistic.

-bb

[goldy313]

High school student athletes are expected to behave in a certain way, expecting their coaches to do so as well shouldn’t be a stretch. We are all human and make mistakes but at the same time telling kids not to drink then getting a DUI is highly hypocritical. If we say being a high school athlete is a privilege and not a right than coaches (and officials) should be held to at least the same standard. An athlete getting a DUI is done for at least two weeks, more often half a season.....not counting his/her legal problems. You can’t have a coach go unpunished as they are not only an instructor but a role model.

Rochester Century graduated a top 10 goalie.....though he wasn’t even expected to start.....and their top scorer. Other than that they return a lot. Neither Lakeville school returns as much, Century should be junior heavy and if they show a sense of urgency ( they did not last year in the playoffs)I would expect a 1 or 2 seed from them. This year and next are critical for Rochester, it falls off pretty drastically after that.