Fluid AA Offseason Top 25

[Brodziak Fan Club]

While we wait for Karl's official rankings in November, I'll be posting a fluid offseason top 25. This will be updated semi-regularly based on transfers, early departures etc. I may not be aware of all player moves. The information I have is based on what I've learned from this board and my own half-hearted internet research. Discuss away and be kind

Updated 10-25-21
1. Cretin-Derham Hall
2. Moorhead
3. Andover
4. Edina
5. Wayzata
6. Maple Grove
7. Lakeville South
8. Prior Lake
9. Hill-Murray
10. Benilde-St. Margaret's
11. St. Thomas Academy
12. Gentry Academy
13. Eden Prairie
14. Roseau
15. Minnetonka
16. Grand Rapids
17. Rogers
18. Chaska
19. Stillwater
20. White Bear Lake
21. St. Michael-Albertville
22. Shakopee
23. St. Cloud
24. Blake
25. Lakeville North

Honorable Mention: Elk River, Blaine, Totino-Grace, Holy Angels, Rochester Mayo, Centennial, Buffalo, Duluth East

[bardown27]

Lakeville South, MG, and BSM too low, Gentry, PL, Wayzata too high

[ironranger2]

Grand Rapids is too low
Andover is too high
Roseau is too high
Duluth East should not even be an honorable mention

[WestMetro]

CDH full of maturing stars - just wish they’d had chance to play more tougher competition as a team last year. ( no fault of their own of course ).

I mean compare their schedule last year to the Pios for example

[better late]

Rochester Mayo might surprise a few.

[goldy313]

Rochester Mayo should be a top 20 team.

Cretin plays in a terrible conference, no way they should be #1.

[Brodziak Fan Club]

Admittedly, I didn't even consider Rochester Mayo when I did this. I think maybe because I was looking at section playoffs results for my initial list... did they have to sit out due to covid? I will definitely factor them into the next set of rankings.

As for Cretin, we can agree to disagree. They weren't tested much last year, and the playoff exit was disappointing, but boy are they talented. They have an outstanding non-conference schedule this year.

[edgeless2]

Eden Prairie all depends on the recruiting class. Does anyone have that ranking?

[InThePipes]

Lakeville South, MG, and BSM too low, Gentry, PL, Wayzata too high

It's summer hockey, so take it for what it's worth, but to Bardown's point, MG took Gentry to the woodshed yesterday 5-0

[WestMetro]

Watched a little of that one . Crimson looked good out there , couldn’t quite tell if any top kids were missing . Was closer to Gentry bench , spotted Hall , Reim and Brown but lots of returning varsity missing .

Andover looked really solid against Prior Lake , crisp passing in Ozone especially impressive . Huskies had almost a full complement of elites .I only spotted Schumacher and Anderson for the Lakers , so they were missing several top kids and Boschee didn’t play in goal .

[Schotzy]

CDH playing in the title game of the Lakeview Summer Hockey Festival up here in Duluth. Knocked off Mahtomedi and Benilde on their way.

[thefatcat]

CDH playing in the title game of the Lakeview Summer Hockey Festival up here in Duluth. Knocked off Mahtomedi and Benilde on their way.

BSM was up 3-0 until midway thru the game when they swapped out to the backup goalie...wheels fell off after that.

With that said, CDH is going to be good this year.

[Slap Shot]

What did Edina do to make such a jump? Not saying it's illegitimate at all but was their Bantam AA, JV, transfers...?

[Brodziak Fan Club]

What did Edina do to make such a jump? Not saying it's illegitimate at all but was their Bantam AA, JV, transfers...?

7 of top 9 forwards back, including Clark and Fechko who were perceived flight risks. Caden Morgan transfers from Breck which is a big pickup for the blue line. Have to mention Wyatt Wurst on D as well. Throw in a quality returning goaltender and that's how I have them at #3. I had them at #5 before the news of the Morgan transfer.

[goldy313]

Mankato East/Loyola took out a few schools in a couple of sports due to contract tracing , Mayo was just one of them.

Cretin may be the best team, I just have trouble with a team from the SEC being #1 given their conference schedule, that is the only beef I have with them.

[Stang5280]

What did Edina do to make such a jump? Not saying it's illegitimate at all but was their Bantam AA, JV, transfers...?

7 of top 9 forwards back, including Clark and Fechko who were perceived flight risks. Caden Morgan transfers from Breck which is a big pickup for the blue line. Have to mention Wyatt Wurst on D as well. Throw in a quality returning goaltender and that's how I have them at #3. I had them at #5 before the news of the Morgan transfer.

Edina fans are going to love Morgan. His skating is outstanding, and he is a true two-way threat from the blue line. Morgan played with many of the current varsity roster through 8th grade and should fit right in.

[Brodziak Fan Club]

What did Edina do to make such a jump? Not saying it's illegitimate at all but was their Bantam AA, JV, transfers...?

7 of top 9 forwards back, including Clark and Fechko who were perceived flight risks. Caden Morgan transfers from Breck which is a big pickup for the blue line. Have to mention Wyatt Wurst on D as well. Throw in a quality returning goaltender and that's how I have them at #3. I had them at #5 before the news of the Morgan transfer.

Edina fans are going to love Morgan. His skating is outstanding, and he is a true two-way threat from the blue line. Morgan played with many of the current varsity roster through 8th grade and should fit right in.

I remember watching him a few times as a bantam and was bummed when he chose Breck. Glad to have him back. Sorry it comes at your team's expense.

[Brodziak Fan Club]

Rankings updated in the first post.

Changes:
-Grand Rapids moves up slightly due to a transfer from Duluth East I learned about on the YHH podcast. Duluth East barely hanging on to honorable mention status.
-Roseau nudged down slightly because, frankly, they don't have a coach yet.
-Rochester Mayo moves into honorable mention status.

[InThePipes]

Lakeville South, MG, and BSM too low, Gentry, PL, Wayzata too high

I'm not entirely sure about PL being too high, but I'm in agreement with the rest of this.

[mrchips]

Maple Grove feels like last year's version of Andover, where they lose a ton of seniors and people think they'll fall quite a bit, but they're so deep that they don't fall nearly as much as expected.

Unless Totino is bringing in A LOT of talent, I think they'll struggle. They lost too many seniors and kids to USDT. Centennial seems quite a bit better than Totino in the NWSC.

EP doesn't seem like quite as much of a "reload" scenario as MG unless some kids move in.

[Brodziak Fan Club]

Benilde may very well put the pieces together and play to their level of talent, but that would go against the trend of recent seasons. They have the ability to be ranked higher than #12, but I'm going to have to see it to believe it.

I agree with some of the points being made about Maple Grove. They have a ton of depth, and will be good. I think the top of the state is really deep and somewhat interchangeable this year. I don't see much of a gap between Edina at #3 and Maple Grove at #10.

edit: I flipped Lakeville South and Prior Lake. When I did my first set of rankings, I knocked South a bit for the instability of the Janne situation. Now that things have settled down, I think #8 is where they belong.

[norcon]

Rankings updated in the first post.

Changes:
-Grand Rapids moves up slightly due to a transfer from Duluth East I learned about on the YHH podcast. Duluth East barely hanging on to honorable mention status.
-Roseau nudged down slightly because, frankly, they don't have a coach yet.
-Rochester Mayo moves into honorable mention status.

Rapids should be a top ten team this coming season. Pretty big void with the graduation of Jack Peart, but 3 of the top 4 defenseman return along two others who got some ice time last season. Two of the top three forward lines return, along with a transfer from Duluth East, who I know little about. Goaltending should be very solid with junior Miles Gunderson taking over the net minding. He had very impressive tournament out in Philadelphia a couple weeks ago where he went 5 - 0 with very good stats. Hopefully we are allowed back in the rinks!

[thefatcat]

Benilde may very well put the pieces together and play to their level of talent, but that would go against the trend of recent seasons. They have the ability to be ranked higher than #12, but I'm going to have to see it to believe it.

I agree with some of the points being made about Maple Grove. They have a ton of depth, and will be good. I think the top of the state is really deep and somewhat interchangeable this year. I don't see much of a gap between Edina at #3 and Maple Grove at #10.

edit: I flipped Lakeville South and Prior Lake. When I did my first set of rankings, I knocked South a bit for the instability of the Janne situation. Now that things have settled down, I think #8 is where they belong.

BSM has top 5 individual talent but they need to find some grit / physicality to make a playoff run.

[Brodziak Fan Club]

Benilde may very well put the pieces together and play to their level of talent, but that would go against the trend of recent seasons. They have the ability to be ranked higher than #12, but I'm going to have to see it to believe it.

I agree with some of the points being made about Maple Grove. They have a ton of depth, and will be good. I think the top of the state is really deep and somewhat interchangeable this year. I don't see much of a gap between Edina at #3 and Maple Grove at #10.

edit: I flipped Lakeville South and Prior Lake. When I did my first set of rankings, I knocked South a bit for the instability of the Janne situation. Now that things have settled down, I think #8 is where they belong.

BSM has top 5 individual talent but they need to find some grit / physicality to make a playoff run.

Do they have some quality transfers/JV players? I see the high-enders (Marshall, Stewart, Sarsland, Yakesh), but don't notice a ton of depth.

[WestMetro]

agree with earlier comments about parity 1-15, random thoughts:

suspect MG will emerge as months go by

Edina - remember Clark and Fechko were there together all last year . Things have to gel better this year

CDH - have the kids , but will have to earn their way into top 5
by beating some quality teams

BSM- BAA chip star Wayzata goalie will be there . conceivably could get lots minutes

Tonka - Schultz should make varsity , has been really good last night and today . Has developed a physical side to his game also , in addition to points

PL- should be competitive in 2AA . Best goalie in that section ?
Good returning forwards . One NatCamp D

Never count out the Pios