2017 - 2018 Section 8 AA preview

[elliott70]

1. Moorhead - maybe the best team in the state.

From there
Bemidji is returning 7 players with experience and 5 with limited experience.
Hunter Olson, Ryan Pogue, Josh Baker returning with 23 goals in regular season. They will get lots of time.
Also back is their strength in goalie Matt Fitzgerald.
They need some punch to have any chance. Not sure where that will come from with Bantam AA being sub-par.

Brainerd should finish near the top in 8AA. Evans Fisher And the Andres 3 returning some fire power and have at least 6 more with some playing time.
Question is who will play goalie, how strong will the defense be.

Moe to come.

[kniven]

1. Moorhead - maybe the best team in the state.

From there
Bemidji is returning 7 players with experience and 5 with limited experience.
Hunter Olson, Ryan Pogue, Josh Baker returning with 23 goals in regular season. They will get lots of time.
Also back is their strength in goalie Matt Fitzgerald.
They need some punch to have any chance. Not sure where that will come from with Bantam AA being sub-par.

Brainerd should finish near the top in 8AA. Evans Fisher And the Andres 3 returning some fire power and have at least 6 more with some playing time.
Question is who will play goalie, how strong will the defense be.

Moe to come.

The Spuds will be stacked! I've seen those boys al lot the last 5 years youth especially. Will be stacked the next 4-6 years.

[MrBoDangles]

Sounds like the Annandale players from MAML are headed to Buffalo....

I might put my money on Buffalo with the addition of Ward.

[alcloseshaver]

Sounds like the Annandale players from MAML are headed to Buffalo....

I might put my money on Buffalo with the addition of Ward.

I think Ward was the only player from Annandale on the varsity and I heard he has the option of staying at Monti for HS if he doesn't play juniors. Wouldn't put down to much cash on the Bison.

[WestMetro]

Elliott,

Agree about MH. Great returning talent! Really enjoyed watching them in metro last couple years, and caught one SPuds/Jacks game on radio each year.

With the GRHS top talent leaving, MH moves up to 3rd in my current rankings. Could go higher yet depending on early departs for Edina and HF

I believe Hockey Hub has them projected first, and Youth Hockey Hub projected them second. I think they also assumed no early departs at the time, so YHH would probably move them up to 1st with the GR departs now known.

Will the Spuds finally bring the March tourney 1st place hardware back to Moorhead? Would be very fitting, after Cullen brought the Cup home two years in a row.

[MrBoDangles]

Their local newspaper guy tweeted that he'll be skating for the Bison this season.

[alcloseshaver]

Their local newspaper guy tweeted that he'll be skating for the Bison this season.

Bo, I stand corrected, found the tweet. Good move for Ward as the 8AA gauntlet provides a much stiffer test then the M8.

[SPUDNUT]

Will the Spuds finally bring the March tourney 1st place hardware back to Moorhead? Would be very fitting, after Cullen brought the Cup home two years in a row.

Not gonna hold my breath on that one - done that too many times ! But will be at every game - Old habits hard to break . . . . .