AA 2021 Preseason Rankings

[karl(east)]

At long last, welcome to the 2021 high school hockey season. I don’t need to tell anyone that this is going to be a challenge this year, with limited schedules and the inevitable postponements and cancellations that will descend upon us, to say nothing of the new challenges in simply watching games. But the rankings go on, and will as long as there are games to play. Here’s my preseason take:

1. Eden Prairie
-This is much like the Eagles teams we’ve seen in recent seasons, only perhaps a bit more experienced. Drew Holt and Carter Batchelder, now the veterans, will lead the offense, and the defense, with Luke Mittlestadt and Mason Langenbrunner and Kam Langefels, is perhaps the best they’ve had since their last state title. The offensive depth remains a question, especially when compared to the teams right below them, but this team is a proven commodity that knows how to ride its stars, and for now, that’s enough for me to give them preseason #1. The big Lake Conference tests will start in week two.
First week: Sat at St. Michael-Albertville

2. Maple Grove
-Through early departures and dramatic losses, the story of Maple Grove over the past decade has been one of almosts what-could-have-beens. Now, though, they may finally have the core they need to get over the top. Blessed with incredible depth, they should be able to control play against just about anyone, and Henry Nelson and Cal Thomas lead a dynamic defense while Kyle Kukkonen gives them a Mr. Hockey candidate up front. No team is more complete top to bottom; now, can they finally break through?
First week: Thurs vs. Elk River, Sat at Champlin Park

3. Hill-Murray
-The defending champs lose a couple of their biggest offensive weapons, but beyond that there’s a lot to like here. The defense, led by Joe Palodichuk and Matthew Fleishhacker, is right up there with Eden Prairie’s, and Dylan Godbout will headline a reasonably deep offense. The biggest question will be one of turning quality depth into goals, but under Bill Lechner’s steady hand, the Pios are well-built for a repeat. They open with a battle between last year’s two champions.
First week: Sat at Mahtomedi

4. St. Thomas Academy
-This has a chance to be one of the most explosive offenses the Cadets have put on the ice. Jackson Hallum is one of the most lethal weapons out there, while Jarod Wright gives him a supporting actor, and there’s good scoring depth beyond that. They also have the perk of a paper-thin section that makes a Tourney trip as safe a bet as anyone has ever had. Their title hopes, however, will hinge on a new blood defense that is undergoing a total makeover from the group that led the way on last season’s semifinal run. They open with a couple of mildly interesting opponents, but will have to wait a few weeks before a serious test.
First week: Thurs at Hastings, Sat at Holy Family

5. Prior Lake
-The Lakers return the top four scorers off a team that surged into the top ten for much of last season, including the junior trio of Will Schumacher, Alex Bump, and Sam Rice. They have a healthy core of defensemen returning as well, so if they can generate any offensive depth, they’ll have a good crack at Eden Prairie. Will their South Suburban-exclusive schedule, in which their only real front-line opponent is Lakeville South, be a hindrance?
First week: Thurs vs. Lakeville North, Sat at Farmington

6. Lakeville South
-The Cougars bring back a host of forwards from a quality team a season ago and will be among the deepest teams in the state offensively. If their star sophomores can contribute in big ways, they’ll be tough to beat, though last year’s Tourney performance does show they still have some ways to go before they’re a true front-line contender. We may not know if they’ve made there until if and when they return to State. We’ll get a sense of just how far they are ahead of two mid-tier conference teams promptly.
First week: Thurs at Eagan, Sat at Eastview

7. Cretin-Derham Hall
-Even in the post-Matt Gleason era, there’s a ton to like about what the Raiders are building—and not only that, they’re still very much on the young side, with a heap of talented juniors and sophomores. The Sondreals and Fishers lead the way, and Marko Belak gives them experience in net, too. They may still be a season away from being a true title contender, but if they can bring it all together in a tough 6AA, they could arrive a season early. Running the table is very much a possibility with their Suburban East-only schedule, and will be a fascinating sidebar to the seeding battle.
First week: Thurs at Mounds View, Sat at Irondale

8. Benilde-St. Margaret’s
-The Red Knights have stockpiled some decent talent for a program that, for all its skill, hasn’t been to State in nine years now. They’ve got a potential Brimsek Award winner in Carson Limesand, and good depth across the board; if stars like Adam Marshall and Trig Sarsland can step up and carry the load, they’ll have everything they need to win 6AA. The schedule is a tale of two halves, with no real high-end competition during the first five weeks of the season and a bunch toward the end.
First week: Thurs vs. St. Michael-Albertville, Sat vs. Bloomington Jefferson

9. Edina
-While the Hornets don’t return a ton of players, the ones they do have coming back, like Nick Williams and Jimmy Clark and Jackson Borst, are worth the price of admission, and they add Trey Fechko to the mix, too. This program never has much trouble filling out the depth positions, though goaltending will be a question. Their schedule is predictably difficult, but not so much in week one.
First week: Thurs vs. St. Louis Park, Sat vs. Buffalo

10. Wayzata
-This has the chance to be a different sort of Wayzata team: for the first time in a while, they return some legitimate offensive talent in the likes of Gavin O’Connell and Jake Keller. Can this program that stakes its reputation on defense provide the back-end coverage that will allow the offensive stars to shine, or does the system snuff out some of their firepower? The answer could be the difference between a State Tournament berth and getting buried in the ever-tough 6AA. There’s little rest for the Trojans out of the gate, and they open with a game that could assure them a top-4 seed with a win, or make things very complicated with a loss.
First week: Fri at Blake

11. Minnetonka
-The Skippers return a bunch of well-established players, but few Eden Prairie or even Prior Lake-style stars at this point. What they do have, however, is remarkable organizational depth, and they also have some fun young talent that will come on to the stage. They have no glaring weaknesses, and if they can get some players to step up and carry the load, they could join the Eagles and Lakers in contention for the section.
First week: Thurs vs. Bloomington Jefferson

12. Grand Rapids
-Jack Peart’s return gives the Thunderhawks a controlling presence on the blue line and makes them clear favorites in an otherwise sleepy 7AA. Beyond that, they have some interesting pieces at forward, but need them to take the next step at the high school level; their flat finish to the end of last season is why I’m still a mild skeptic here. If they can find some offense and stability in goal—a bit of a question for one of the few times in the past decade-plus—they should be in good shape for a State trip. Their schedule is a who’s who of northern contenders, though they do make two trips south that will give us some valuable crossover games.
First week: Thurs at Cloquet, Sat at Moorhead

13. Roseau
-Behind a great junior class headlined by Max Strand and Gavin Gunderson, the Rams are primed to retake 8AA. They’ve got passable depth up front and experience in goal; if the defense can hold up, this can be a top ten team. The section is open for the taking, too. The schedule is exclusively 218 teams; that isn’t that unusual for them, but it doesn’t make things easier, either. 2021 is the season when most teams have Roseau-style schedules.
First week: Thurs vs. Bemidji, Sat vs. Grand Forks Red River (ND)

14. Centennial
-After a momentary fall from serious section contention, the Cougars should be back in the picture this season. AJ Carls and Henry Bartle give them some good offensive juice, and there are enough supporting pieces to leave them looking pretty well-rounded, even if not quite on the level of the teams in front of them. Elk River gives them their first thing resembling a test in the early going.
First week: Thurs at Anoka, Sat at Elk River

15. Totino-Grace
-Is it time for the Eagles to arrive in AA? They return six of their top seven scorers from a season ago, with sophomores Oliver Moore and leading the way, and have some respectable depth on defense and a returning goaltender. Upending Maple Grove will be a tall order, but a 2-seed in a strong 5AA would be a step forward, and the future certainly looks bright. Their opening night tilt with Champlin Park is one of the more interesting early games and will help set the tone for the section.
First week: Thurs vs. Champlin Park

The Next Ten

Champlin Park
-Want a good dark horse in 5AA? The Rebels fill the bill, losing only one of the top eight scorers off a decent team from a season ago, and junior Hunter Sinjem is an emerging star. If that junior class can continue to progress, they’ll be right there with Centennial and Totino in scrapping for a chance to take down Maple Grove. They start with a bang, playing both Totino and Maple Grove in week one.

Holy Family
-The Fire are down from their talent peak a couple seasons ago, but they’re now a bit of a sleeper in 2AA: while they lost their top two scorers from a season ago, they bring back pretty much everyone else. They could be a nasty draw for someone in 2AA come sections. Their game with St. Thomas in the season’s opening week is one of the most interesting of the early going.

Blake
-Without the top line of a season ago, the Bears will struggle to defend their 6AA title. Still, there are enough quality stray pieces here, a number of them still pretty young, that this team is still worth watching in 2021. They could be a very tough out for someone in sections in the 4/5 game. They still manage to play a bunch of Metro-area contenders, including an opener with Wayzata.

Stillwater
-The Ponies are one of several teams in this part of the rankings that don’t return any particularly eye-popping talent, but program depth should allow them to remain a factor, especially in a 4AA where the 2-seed is there for the taking. Their Suburban East schedule should help, too, with only Cretin really on a higher level than them.

Rosemount
-Having Luke Levandowski back in the fold gives the Irish a real offensive weapon; unlike last season, they’ll be built around offensive talent. They lost so many pieces in back, though, that it’s hard to see this team coming together in the way it would need to in order to test St. Thomas in 3AA.

Moorhead
-The Spuds suffer heavy losses off the core that took them to a couple of Tourneys, but they’re one of those programs that should reload without great discomfort. They did one of the best jobs of building a schedule that looks like their usual one, and they will open with a test against Grand Rapids.

Hastings
-Beating Lakeville South would be a daunting task, but a season after breaking through to make a competitive section final, the Raiders return enough to do it again, including a battle-tested goaltender. The biggest question marks: can one of their decent returning forwards come close to matching Chase Freiermuth’s production, and can their defense hold up against Lakeville depth? Their conference schedule will be challenging for a seeding discussion, but they do play enough big games to give us a sense of where they stand, including their opener against St. Thomas.

St. Michael-Albertville
-The dynamic duo that carrier the Knights to contention over the past three seasons is gone now, but they do return Casy Laylin plus a decent number of people from the supporting cast. With no one else besides Roseau really on track to jump up in 8AA yet, that keeps them in the hunt.

White Bear Lake
-Another team that lost a lot but has enough program depth to remain relevant in 4AA, and they’re not too far off from a coin flip with Stillwater for home jerseys in the likely section semifinal between the two. Roseville and Mounds View are up first for them.

Elk River
-My pick for second-best in 7AA are the Elks. While down the two stalwarts who carried their offense the past two seasons, they return a decent number of players from a team that finished well, including a star in the making in Cayden Casey. The defense looks respectable, and if they can find some goaltending, they could be right back in the section final again.

And now, sections.

1AA
6 Lakeville South
22 Hastings
Lakeville North
Rochester Century
-The Cougars are the prohibitive favorites here, with North in rebuilding mode. Hastings continues to hover as the best of the potential spoilers; Rochester Century still has one of its three big guns from a season ago too, but if they couldn’t break through with several of them, I’m not sure they can this season.

2AA
1 Eden Prairie
5 Prior Lake
11 Minnetonka
16 Holy Family
-Eden Prairie has been to State in six of the past seven seasons, so until someone knocks them off, they’re the favorites again. Could the changing of the guard come a year early, though? With Minnetonka and Prior Lake looking strong into the future, there’s a bit more urgency for the Eagles this season. Holy Family, meanwhile, lurks as a potential spoiler.

3AA
4 St. Thomas Academy
20 Rosemount
Burnsville
Bloomington Jefferson
-Alright, we know who number one is. After that? Well, it’s a total mystery. The Irish probably have enough to outgun the other South Suburban teams in this section, but beyond that, it’s a bit of a free-for-all, and a section that normally does a pretty good job of filling out the lower section of the rankings doesn’t have a whole lot to offer there this year.

4AA
3 Hill-Murray
19 Stillwater
24 White Bear Lake
East Ridge
-The relative positions shift, but this section remains remarkably steady over the years: Hill as the frontrunner, Stillwater and White Bear chasing, and no one else really in the picture. The Pioneers seem to be in particularly strong position this season, but the Ponies have enough horses in the stable and White Bear could reload quickly, which keep this one from being as much of a foregone conclusion as 3AA. The Suburban East teams won’t get to play the Pioneers this season, making a potential section championship meeting a bit of a mystery.

5AA
2 Maple Grove
14 Centennial
15 Totino-Grace
16 Champlin Park
-This section is on the upswing, and changing as well. Maple Grove is trying to take its game to the next level, while Blaine, after years at or near the top, is on its way down. That creates an opening for one of three potential newcomers to jump into a section championship and take cracks at the Crimson. This section has the benefit of aligning well with the Northwest Suburban Conference, meaning they all play each other and we should have a pretty straightforward idea of where they all stand.

6AA
7 Cretin-Derham Hall
8 Benilde-St. Margaret’s
9 Edina
10 Wayzata
18 Blake
-As with last season, this is an open race between a lot of very good teams, though none of them quite make the very top tier on paper. With Blake down some, it’s probably more of a four-team race, and with Cretin not playing anyone out of the Suburban East, the seeding process could be very subjective. Wayzata and Edina play three times, while Benilde plays the two Lake teams late in the season.

7AA
12 Grand Rapids
25 Elk River
Andover
Duluth East
-Rapids, simply by virtue of returning respectable talent, is the default frontrunner here, and it’s really a bit of a mystery beyond that. I’m bullish on Elk River but they’re not so great that they couldn’t still be the 4- or 5-seed. Andover has enough program depth to stay relevant in a thin section, while Duluth East is in year two of a rebuild but has some young pieces that could start to make things interesting. Weak sections can lend themselves to surprise results, and the lack of games between the northern and southern powers only adds to the mystery.

8AA
13 Roseau
21 Moorhead
23 St. Michael-Albertville
Rogers
-If ever a team had a window, it’s Roseau this season. Moorhead, owners of 8AA in recent history, lost a lot, as did St. Michael-Albertville, the only team to interrupt the Spuds’ reign over the past four seasons. Nor is anyone else really primed to jump in: Brainerd and Buffalo lost major pieces, St. Cloud is decent but needs more, and Rogers’ leap to contention probably needs another year or two before it starts coming together.

So, off we go. First in-season rankings will be January 17.

[WestMetro]

Nice writeup as usual

Thinking the Rams and T Hawks have upside potential

I like your Centennial pick for top 15 . Kids were really impressive in Elite League , and I think they all went on to Nahl for a while

.

[Fightinghawklover]

At long last, welcome to the 2021 high school hockey season. I don’t need to tell anyone that this is going to be a challenge this year, with limited schedules and the inevitable postponements and cancellations that will descend upon us, to say nothing of the new challenges in simply watching games. But the rankings go on, and will as long as there are games to play. Here’s my preseason take:

1. Eden Prairie
-This is much like the Eagles teams we’ve seen in recent seasons, only perhaps a bit more experienced. Drew Holt and Carter Batchelder, now the veterans, will lead the offense, and the defense, with Luke Mittlestadt and Mason Langenbrunner and Keegan Langefels, is perhaps the best they’ve had since their last state title. The offensive depth remains a question, especially when compared to the teams right below them, but this team is a proven commodity that knows how to ride its stars, and for now, that’s enough for me to give them preseason #1. The big Lake Conference tests will start in week two.
First week: Sat at St. Michael-Albertville

2. Maple Grove
-Through early departures and dramatic losses, the story of Maple Grove over the past decade has been one of almosts what-could-have-beens. Now, though, they may finally have the core they need to get over the top. Blessed with incredible depth, they should be able to control play against just about anyone, and Henry Nelson and Cal Thomas lead a dynamic defense while Kyle Kukkonen gives them a Mr. Hockey candidate up front. No team is more complete top to bottom; now, can they finally break through?
First week: Thurs vs. Elk River, Sat at Champlin Park

3. Hill-Murray
-The defending champs lose a couple of their biggest offensive weapons, but beyond that there’s a lot to like here. The defense, led by Joe Palodichuk and Matthew Fleishhacker, is right up there with Eden Prairie’s, and Dylan Godbout will headline a reasonably deep offense. The biggest question will be one of turning quality depth into goals, but under Bill Lechner’s steady hand, the Pios are well-built for a repeat. They open with a battle between last year’s two champions.
First week: Sat at Mahtomedi

4. St. Thomas Academy
-This has a chance to be one of the most explosive offenses the Cadets have put on the ice. Jackson Hallum is one of the most lethal weapons out there, while Jarod Wright gives him a supporting actor, and there’s good scoring depth beyond that. They also have the perk of a paper-thin section that makes a Tourney trip as safe a bet as anyone has ever had. Their title hopes, however, will hinge on a new blood defense that is undergoing a total makeover from the group that led the way on last season’s semifinal run. They open with a couple of mildly interesting opponents, but will have to wait a few weeks before a serious test.
First week: Thurs at Hastings, Sat at Holy Family

5. Prior Lake
-The Lakers return the top four scorers off a team that surged into the top ten for much of last season, including the junior trio of Will Schumacher, Alex Bump, and Sam Rice. They have a healthy core of defensemen returning as well, so if they can generate any offensive depth, they’ll have a good crack at Eden Prairie. Will their South Suburban-exclusive schedule, in which their only real front-line opponent is Lakeville South, be a hindrance?
First week: Thurs vs. Lakeville North, Sat at Farmington

6. Lakeville South
-The Cougars bring back a host of forwards from a quality team a season ago and will be among the deepest teams in the state offensively. If their star sophomores can contribute in big ways, they’ll be tough to beat, though last year’s Tourney performance does show they still have some ways to go before they’re a true front-line contender. We may not know if they’ve made there until if and when they return to State. We’ll get a sense of just how far they are ahead of two mid-tier conference teams promptly.
First week: Thurs at Eagan, Sat at Eastview

7. Cretin-Derham Hall
-Even in the post-Matt Gleason era, there’s a ton to like about what the Raiders are building—and not only that, they’re still very much on the young side, with a heap of talented juniors and sophomores. The Sondreals and Fishers lead the way, and Marko Belak gives them experience in net, too. They may still be a season away from being a true title contender, but if they can bring it all together in a tough 6AA, they could arrive a season early. Running the table is very much a possibility with their Suburban East-only schedule, and will be a fascinating sidebar to the seeding battle.
First week: Thurs at Mounds View, Sat at Irondale

8. Benilde-St. Margaret’s
-The Red Knights have stockpiled some decent talent for a program that, for all its skill, hasn’t been to State in nine years now. They’ve got a potential Brimsek Award winner in Carson Limesand, and good depth across the board; if stars like Adam Marshall and Trig Sarsland can step up and carry the load, they’ll have everything they need to win 6AA. The schedule is a tale of two halves, with no real high-end competition during the first five weeks of the season and a bunch toward the end.
First week: Thurs vs. St. Michael-Albertville, Sat vs. Bloomington Jefferson

9. Edina
-While the Hornets don’t return a ton of players, the ones they do have coming back, like Nick Williams and Jimmy Clark and Jackson Borst, are worth the price of admission, and they add Trey Fechko to the mix, too. This program never has much trouble filling out the depth positions, though goaltending will be a question. Their schedule is predictably difficult, but not so much in week one.
First week: Thurs vs. St. Louis Park, Sat vs. Buffalo

10. Wayzata
-This has the chance to be a different sort of Wayzata team: for the first time in a while, they return some legitimate offensive talent in the likes of Gavin O’Connell and Jake Keller. Can this program that stakes its reputation on defense provide the back-end coverage that will allow the offensive stars to shine, or does the system snuff out some of their firepower? The answer could be the difference between a State Tournament berth and getting buried in the ever-tough 6AA. There’s little rest for the Trojans out of the gate, and they open with a game that could assure them a top-4 seed with a win, or make things very complicated with a loss.
First week: Fri at Blake

11. Minnetonka
-The Skippers return a bunch of well-established players, but few Eden Prairie or even Prior Lake-style stars at this point. What they do have, however, is remarkable organizational depth, and they also have some fun young talent that will come on to the stage. They have no glaring weaknesses, and if they can get some players to step up and carry the load, they could join the Eagles and Lakers in contention for the section.
First week: Thurs vs. Bloomington Jefferson

12. Grand Rapids
-Jack Peart’s return gives the Thunderhawks a controlling presence on the blue line and makes them clear favorites in an otherwise sleepy 7AA. Beyond that, they have some interesting pieces at forward, but need them to take the next step at the high school level; their flat finish to the end of last season is why I’m still a mild skeptic here. If they can find some offense and stability in goal—a bit of a question for one of the few times in the past decade-plus—they should be in good shape for a State trip. Their schedule is a who’s who of northern contenders, though they do make two trips south that will give us some valuable crossover games.
First week: Thurs at Cloquet, Sat at Moorhead

13. Roseau
-Behind a great junior class headlined by Max Strand and Gavin Gunderson, the Rams are primed to retake 8AA. They’ve got passable depth up front and experience in goal; if the defense can hold up, this can be a top ten team. The section is open for the taking, too. The schedule is exclusively 218 teams; that isn’t that unusual for them, but it doesn’t make things easier, either. 2021 is the season when most teams have Roseau-style schedules.
First week: Thurs vs. Bemidji, Sat vs. Grand Forks Red River (ND)

14. Centennial
-After a momentary fall from serious section contention, the Cougars should be back in the picture this season. AJ Carls and Henry Bartle give them some good offensive juice, and there are enough supporting pieces to leave them looking pretty well-rounded, even if not quite on the level of the teams in front of them. Elk River gives them their first thing resembling a test in the early going.
First week: Thurs at Anoka, Sat at Elk River

15. Totino-Grace
-Is it time for the Eagles to arrive in AA? They return six of their top seven scorers from a season ago, with sophomores Oliver Moore and leading the way, and have some respectable depth on defense and a returning goaltender. Upending Maple Grove will be a tall order, but a 2-seed in a strong 5AA would be a step forward, and the future certainly looks bright. Their opening night tilt with Champlin Park is one of the more interesting early games and will help set the tone for the section.
First week: Thurs vs. Champlin Park

The Next Ten

Champlin Park
-Want a good dark horse in 5AA? The Rebels fill the bill, losing only one of the top eight scorers off a decent team from a season ago, and junior Hunter Sinjem is an emerging star. If that junior class can continue to progress, they’ll be right there with Centennial and Totino in scrapping for a chance to take down Maple Grove. They start with a bang, playing both Totino and Maple Grove in week one.

Holy Family
-The Fire are down from their talent peak a couple seasons ago, but they’re now a bit of a sleeper in 2AA: while they lost their top two scorers from a season ago, they bring back pretty much everyone else. They could be a nasty draw for someone in 2AA come sections. Their game with St. Thomas in the season’s opening week is one of the most interesting of the early going.

Blake
-Without the top line of a season ago, the Bears will struggle to defend their 6AA title. Still, there are enough quality stray pieces here, a number of them still pretty young, that this team is still worth watching in 2021. They could be a very tough out for someone in sections in the 4/5 game. They still manage to play a bunch of Metro-area contenders, including an opener with Wayzata.

Stillwater
-The Ponies are one of several teams in this part of the rankings that don’t return any particularly eye-popping talent, but program depth should allow them to remain a factor, especially in a 4AA where the 2-seed is there for the taking. Their Suburban East schedule should help, too, with only Cretin really on a higher level than them.

Rosemount
-Having Luke Levandowski back in the fold gives the Irish a real offensive weapon; unlike last season, they’ll be built around offensive talent. They lost so many pieces in back, though, that it’s hard to see this team coming together in the way it would need to in order to test St. Thomas in 3AA.

Moorhead
-The Spuds suffer heavy losses off the core that took them to a couple of Tourneys, but they’re one of those programs that should reload without great discomfort. They did one of the best jobs of building a schedule that looks like their usual one, and they will open with a test against Grand Rapids.

Hastings
-Beating Lakeville South would be a daunting task, but a season after breaking through to make a competitive section final, the Raiders return enough to do it again, including a battle-tested goaltender. The biggest question marks: can one of their decent returning forwards come close to matching Chase Freiermuth’s production, and can their defense hold up against Lakeville depth? Their conference schedule will be challenging for a seeding discussion, but they do play enough big games to give us a sense of where they stand, including their opener against St. Thomas.

St. Michael-Albertville
-The dynamic duo that carrier the Knights to contention over the past three seasons is gone now, but they do return Casy Laylin plus a decent number of people from the supporting cast. With no one else besides Roseau really on track to jump up in 8AA yet, that keeps them in the hunt.

White Bear Lake
-Another team that lost a lot but has enough program depth to remain relevant in 4AA, and they’re not too far off from a coin flip with Stillwater for home jerseys in the likely section semifinal between the two. Roseville and Mounds View are up first for them.

Elk River
-My pick for second-best in 7AA are the Elks. While down the two stalwarts who carried their offense the past two seasons, they return a decent number of players from a team that finished well, including a star in the making in Cayden Casey. The defense looks respectable, and if they can find some goaltending, they could be right back in the section final again.

And now, sections.

1AA
6 Lakeville South
22 Hastings
Lakeville North
Rochester Century
-The Cougars are the prohibitive favorites here, with North in rebuilding mode. Hastings continues to hover as the best of the potential spoilers; Rochester Century still has one of its three big guns from a season ago too, but if they couldn’t break through with several of them, I’m not sure they can this season.

2AA
1 Eden Prairie
5 Prior Lake
11 Minnetonka
16 Holy Family
-Eden Prairie has been to State in six of the past seven seasons, so until someone knocks them off, they’re the favorites again. Could the changing of the guard come a year early, though? With Minnetonka and Prior Lake looking strong into the future, there’s a bit more urgency for the Eagles this season. Holy Family, meanwhile, lurks as a potential spoiler.

3AA
4 St. Thomas Academy
20 Rosemount
Burnsville
Bloomington Jefferson
-Alright, we know who number one is. After that? Well, it’s a total mystery. The Irish probably have enough to outgun the other South Suburban teams in this section, but beyond that, it’s a bit of a free-for-all, and a section that normally does a pretty good job of filling out the lower section of the rankings doesn’t have a whole lot to offer there this year.

4AA
3 Hill-Murray
19 Stillwater
24 White Bear Lake
East Ridge
-The relative positions shift, but this section remains remarkably steady over the years: Hill as the frontrunner, Stillwater and White Bear chasing, and no one else really in the picture. The Pioneers seem to be in particularly strong position this season, but the Ponies have enough horses in the stable and White Bear could reload quickly, which keep this one from being as much of a foregone conclusion as 3AA. The Suburban East teams won’t get to play the Pioneers this season, making a potential section championship meeting a bit of a mystery.

5AA
2 Maple Grove
14 Centennial
15 Totino-Grace
16 Champlin Park
-This section is on the upswing, and changing as well. Maple Grove is trying to take its game to the next level, while Blaine, after years at or near the top, is on its way down. That creates an opening for one of three potential newcomers to jump into a section championship and take cracks at the Crimson. This section has the benefit of aligning well with the Northwest Suburban Conference, meaning they all play each other and we should have a pretty straightforward idea of where they all stand.

6AA
7 Cretin-Derham Hall
8 Benilde-St. Margaret’s
9 Edina
10 Wayzata
18 Blake
-As with last season, this is an open race between a lot of very good teams, though none of them quite make the very top tier on paper. With Blake down some, it’s probably more of a four-team race, and with Cretin not playing anyone out of the Suburban East, the seeding process could be very subjective. Wayzata and Edina play three times, while Benilde plays the two Lake teams late in the season.

7AA
12 Grand Rapids
25 Elk River
Andover
Duluth East
-Rapids, simply by virtue of returning respectable talent, is the default frontrunner here, and it’s really a bit of a mystery beyond that. I’m bullish on Elk River but they’re not so great that they couldn’t still be the 4- or 5-seed. Andover has enough program depth to stay relevant in a thin section, while Duluth East is in year two of a rebuild but has some young pieces that could start to make things interesting. Weak sections can lend themselves to surprise results, and the lack of games between the northern and southern powers only adds to the mystery.

8AA
13 Roseau
21 Moorhead
23 St. Michael-Albertville
Rogers
-If ever a team had a window, it’s Roseau this season. Moorhead, owners of 8AA in recent history, lost a lot, as did St. Michael-Albertville, the only team to interrupt the Spuds’ reign over the past four seasons. Nor is anyone else really primed to jump in: Brainerd and Buffalo lost major pieces, St. Cloud is decent but needs more, and Rogers’ leap to contention probably needs another year or two before it starts coming together.

So, off we go. First in-season rankings will be January 17.

Thanks for the great write up!! Good luck to everyone!! Stay Healthy Boyz!!

[HSLinemaker]

Karl, I waited a long time for your preseason picks. You did not disappoint. I look forward to see your updates every Sunday during the High School hockey season.
You do a great job ! Keep up the great work.

[MNHockeyFan]

Karl, I waited a long time for your preseason picks. You did not disappoint. I look forward to see your updates every Sunday during the High School hockey season.
You do a great job ! Keep up the great work.

Seconded!

[goldy313]

Discount the Tradition Rich Metro East at your own peril. The TRME has your #3 and # 4 teams. Hastings plays in the top conference in the state and in a bad section. The South Suburban is down this year.

Hastings was a horribly officiated game away from a state tournament berth last year.

It won’t happen twice.

[bardown27]

Discount the Tradition Rich Metro East at your own peril. The TRME has your #3 and # 4 teams. Hastings plays in the top conference in the state and in a bad section. The South Suburban is down this year.

Hastings was a horribly officiated game away from a state tournament berth last year.

It won’t happen twice.

You’re right. Because they won’t make the section final.

[East Side Pioneer Guy]

Karl, I waited a long time for your preseason picks. You did not disappoint. I look forward to see your updates every Sunday during the High School hockey season.
You do a great job ! Keep up the great work.

Seconded!

Enough sucking up you two.