Hockey Hub Top 100 Players

[brandy38]

He has suited up for three varsity seasons - so have others
Has won 2 state championships - ok
Led team in points all three years (52, 81, & 81) 214 total - ok
Leads Eden Prairie HS in all-time points - irreleveant, its EP hockey
All-State Junior and Senior year - ok
AP Player of the Year - ok
Mr. Hockey - ok
Minnesota Gophers Commit - so what?
3rd Round Draft Pick by Florida Panthers - so what?

Don't forget, he scored that OT goal in the state championship, which was like, the best goal ever!!!
Eden Prairie

Have to laugh at the state championship criteria. I guess Matt Cullen is going to fare worse on the list because he never won a state championship at Moorhead.

To be fair, the items in bold are pretty meaningful, IMO.

[pioneers]

He has suited up for three varsity seasons - so have others
Has won 2 state championships - ok
Led team in points all three years (52, 81, & 81) 214 total - ok
Leads Eden Prairie HS in all-time points - irreleveant, its EP hockey
All-State Junior and Senior year - ok
AP Player of the Year - ok
Mr. Hockey - ok
Minnesota Gophers Commit - so what?
3rd Round Draft Pick by Florida Panthers - so what?

Don't forget, he scored that OT goal in the state championship, which was like, the best goal ever!!!
Eden Prairie

Have to laugh at the state championship criteria. I guess Matt Cullen is going to fare worse on the list because he never won a state championship at Moorhead.

To be fair, the items in bold are pretty meaningful, IMO.

Here are the criteria from Hockey Hub. While state championships are considered, they would only account for 10 points.

Each player on the Minnesota's 100 Greatest Players list was ranked according to a scoring system. Players could earn a possible 200 points, with 185 points possible for high school career, 10 points for state championships and 5 points for post-high school.

Below are detailed explanations of how each category breaks down:

..High School Career
Points awarded on players’ overall impact and how he compared to other players from the same era. Was he a leader both on the ice and off? Did he make the players around him better? How many seasons did he play on the varsity? How tough was his competition? How did he perform in the playoffs? Was he able to raise his level of play in the postseason? If he was a defenseman, how did he perform against the state’s top teams and forwards? Did he add anything offensively? If he was a forward, was he skilled at both ends of the ice?

Points possible: 185

..State Championships
More points awarded for one-school titles in the 70s and 80s, when there were the most teams competing for championships. Class 2A titles worth more than Class 1A titles.

Points possible: 10

..Post-High School Career
How did the player perform in college, in the pros, in international play? How long was his career?

Points possible: 5
..

[green4]

Personally I don't think Kyle Rau should be top 10 or even top 20. I think he should be some where around 25. Yes, he had a fantastic overtime winning goal for the State Championship but that doesn't make him better than all the others...

MNpuckfanatic77,

He has suited up for three varsity seasons.
Has won 2 state championships
Led team in points all three years (52, 81, & 81) 214 total
Leads Eden Prairie HS in all-time points
All-State Junior and Senior year
AP Player of the Year
Mr. Hockey
Minnesota Gophers Commit
3rd Round Draft Pick by Florida Panthers


This is a list of a handful of things he has accomplished in HS alone. He will be top 12 guaranteed.

eden prairie has not been a great team untill up of these last couple of years. they only got two state championships and both in 3 years so there getting good now but that means the record of all time points wassent that hard to break. plus 3rd round pick seems alittle risky. he is not very big or strong, he got knocked around by a 5'7 10th grader ya he has great effort and gives it his all but when he starts playing guys who are better than him who will care about his effort cause he wont be good enough.

[Zamman]

Personally I don't think Kyle Rau should be top 10 or even top 20. I think he should be some where around 25. Yes, he had a fantastic overtime winning goal for the State Championship but that doesn't make him better than all the others...

MNpuckfanatic77,

He has suited up for three varsity seasons.
Has won 2 state championships
Led team in points all three years (52, 81, & 81) 214 total
Leads Eden Prairie HS in all-time points
All-State Junior and Senior year
AP Player of the Year
Mr. Hockey
Minnesota Gophers Commit
3rd Round Draft Pick by Florida Panthers


This is a list of a handful of things he has accomplished in HS alone. He will be top 12 guaranteed.

eden prairie has not been a great team untill up of these last couple of years. they only got two state championships and both in 3 years so there getting good now but that means the record of all time points wassent that hard to break. plus 3rd round pick seems alittle risky. he is not very big or strong, he got knocked around by a 5'7 10th grader ya he has great effort and gives it his all but when he starts playing guys who are better than him who will care about his effort cause he wont be good enough.

EP has been to the tourney previously than the last couple of years. They are in a section that is extremely tough, cut them some slack.

[green4]

MNpuckfanatic77,

He has suited up for three varsity seasons.
Has won 2 state championships
Led team in points all three years (52, 81, & 81) 214 total
Leads Eden Prairie HS in all-time points
All-State Junior and Senior year
AP Player of the Year
Mr. Hockey
Minnesota Gophers Commit
3rd Round Draft Pick by Florida Panthers


This is a list of a handful of things he has accomplished in HS alone. He will be top 12 guaranteed.

eden prairie has not been a great team untill up of these last couple of years. they only got two state championships and both in 3 years so there getting good now but that means the record of all time points wassent that hard to break. plus 3rd round pick seems alittle risky. he is not very big or strong, he got knocked around by a 5'7 10th grader ya he has great effort and gives it his all but when he starts playing guys who are better than him who will care about his effort cause he wont be good enough.

EP has been to the tourney previously than the last couple of years. They are in a section that is extremely tough, cut them some slack.

yeah there in a tough section but to be the best you have to beat the best so im not gonna give them too much slack

[starmvp]

Rau is a great player and he was a great high school player! But, I do not think he deserves a top ten spot..... I can name at least ten guys who could be ahead of him.

[old goalie85]

Gino Guyer, NO I'm not from the range!!!!

[Sats81]

Gino guyer was a good pick. Great hs player and put together a nice career at u.

Rau was excellent hs player as well, top 10? Not so sure about that...housely, broten, bouchea, antonivich, spehar, crowley, pohl,matt cullen, players off top of my head I can think of that were better.

[O-townClown]

Aaron Broten is going to be ahead of Neal Broten, right?

[Slap Shot]

Aaron Broten is going to be ahead of Neal Broten, right?

Why, because he scored more points at UM? One could argue that their HS accolades are very similar, but Neal has an NCAA NC, a Hobey Baker (even if Aaron should have won it) plus a gold medal and Stanley Cup. Also he dwarfed Aaron in the NHL in regular season and playoff points scored, including being the first American to score 100+ points in a season and he had 22 points in 23 games during the '91 playoff run. Unless Aaron's hs career was remarkably better in a way I am not familiar with I can't see this argument having merit, and I say that has having been a huge fan of his as I was lucky enough to have season tickets to the Gophers from '74 to '89.

[O-townClown]

1. Why, because he scored more points at UM?
2. One could argue that their HS accolades are very similar,
3. but Neal has an NCAA NC, a Hobey Baker (even if Aaron should have won it) plus a gold medal and Stanley Cup. Also he dwarfed Aaron in the NHL in regular season and playoff points scored, including being the first American to score 100+ points in a season and he had 22 points in 23 games during the '91 playoff run.
4. Unless Aaron's hs career was remarkably better in a way I am not familiar with I can't see this argument having merit,

1. No. Because Aaron scored more in HS and in 1978-79 played in the Minnesota State HS hockey tournament. They finished 3rd, losing to eventual champion Edina East in the semis.

2. I don't think they were. Aaron should be on top with more points and more state tournament appearances, and more points at the state tournament.

3. Great. So Neal gets all 5 of those points. How many does Aaron get? He still gets 3 probably. One of the more productive Minnesotans ever in the NHL and college. So these wonderful accolades mean Neal has a 2 point edge out of 200.

4. Hey, I didn't set the criteria. Applying them, I don't see how Neal finishes ahead.

Unless there is some, "hey, that doesn't look right," hand of God. Aaron Broten finishes ahead of Neal. Right?

[keepyourheadup]

While ranking Kyle Rau in the top ten is too lofty IMO, this is for you Green4....last year at the elite league training camp he benched 150 pounds 20 times, he was one of the top 5 in the whole camp. No he is not big but pound for pound you're not likely to find too many stronger.

[mulefarm]

1. Why, because he scored more points at UM?
2. One could argue that their HS accolades are very similar,
3. but Neal has an NCAA NC, a Hobey Baker (even if Aaron should have won it) plus a gold medal and Stanley Cup. Also he dwarfed Aaron in the NHL in regular season and playoff points scored, including being the first American to score 100+ points in a season and he had 22 points in 23 games during the '91 playoff run.
4. Unless Aaron's hs career was remarkably better in a way I am not familiar with I can't see this argument having merit,

1. No. Because Aaron scored more in HS and in 1978-79 played in the Minnesota State HS hockey tournament. They finished 3rd, losing to eventual champion Edina East in the semis.

2. I don't think they were. Aaron should be on top with more points and more state tournament appearances, and more points at the state tournament.

3. Great. So Neal gets all 5 of those points. How many does Aaron get? He still gets 3 probably. One of the more productive Minnesotans ever in the NHL and college. So these wonderful accolades mean Neal has a 2 point edge out of 200.

4. Hey, I didn't set the criteria. Applying them, I don't see how Neal finishes ahead.

Unless there is some, "hey, that doesn't look right," hand of God. Aaron Broten finishes ahead of Neal. Right?

You are totally correct if they use their criteria, but I'd bet Neal finishes ahead of Aaron. I would have to say Rau is a top 10, I don't think too many hs players have the stats and team accomplishments he has.

[green4]

While ranking Kyle Rau in the top ten is too lofty IMO, this is for you Green4....last year at the elite league training camp he benched 150 pounds 20 times, he was one of the top 5 in the whole camp. No he is not big but pound for pound you're not likely to find too many stronger.

oh why thank you for this interesting information but i think 150 20 times isint quite as impressive as say 215 10 times which is what i know probably 3 to 5 guys on a high school team can do if not more so when he gets to college and the nhl they will probably be benching him across the ice.

[keepyourheadup]

My point is what he did do, not what someones opinion of what others might be able to do. Projecting Kyle in the nhl is a stretch at best but this topic is top 100 high school players and Kyle's record speaks for itself. This kid has learned to be extremely effective while playing undersized, if you look at the results many colleges are getting with small players and the success he had at Sioux Falls last spring I see no reason he won't do well in college.

[green4]

My point is what he did do, not what someones opinion of what others might be able to do. Projecting Kyle in the nhl is a stretch at best but this topic is top 100 high school players and Kyle's record speaks for itself. This kid has learned to be extremely effective while playing undersized, if you look at the results many colleges are getting with small players and the success he had at Sioux Falls last spring I see no reason he won't do well in college.

i get your point and he is a good player but its taking 100 best high school player and also throwing in there college and nhl careers and since he hassent been to either of those levels i dont think he will make the top 10

[Gopher Blog]

i get your point and he is a good player but its taking 100 best high school player and also throwing in there college and nhl careers and since he hassent been to either of those levels i dont think he will make the top 10

I think that is a fair response. Just being in the top 100 is a pretty big honor. I'd guess he'll be in the Top 40. But we'll see.

[keepyourheadup]

I mentioned that in my first post, hard to see him in the top 10 but I think top half is about right.

[Neuuman]

While ranking Kyle Rau in the top ten is too lofty IMO, this is for you Green4....last year at the elite league training camp he benched 150 pounds 20 times, he was one of the top 5 in the whole camp. No he is not big but pound for pound you're not likely to find too many stronger.

oh why thank you for this interesting information but i think 150 20 times isint quite as impressive as say 215 10 times which is what i know probably 3 to 5 guys on a high school team can do if not more so when he gets to college and the nhl they will probably be benching him across the ice.

Oh, green4, thank you for this interesting information. I probably agree that benching 215 lbs. 10 times might be more impressive than benching 150 lbs. 20 times (on a strength test). Of those 3-5 guys "on a high school team" that can bench 215 lbs. 10 times, how much did that help their team? How many of your "3-5" guys got past high school hockey, were named Mr. Hockey, and received scholarships to a D1 school? It seems you are a youth jealous of Kyle - tread lightly here - you are not equipped to respond intelligently to a discussion of Kyle's merits as a superior high school hockey player. Saying he got "knocked around" by a 5'7" 10th grader is laughable. Who is this 5'7" 10th grader who knocked him around? You? lol Stick to what you know - playing sub-par hockey and whining. Wherever Kyle ends up in this ranking, he ends up. I have no idea if that should be 1, 10, 25, 50 or 90. He should be somewhere on the list, probably 10-20 IMHO.

BTW - When Kyle is getting "knocked around" in college and pro hockey, you'll be fighting for ice time on some men's "D" league team wondering why life is so unfair.

[green4]

While ranking Kyle Rau in the top ten is too lofty IMO, this is for you Green4....last year at the elite league training camp he benched 150 pounds 20 times, he was one of the top 5 in the whole camp. No he is not big but pound for pound you're not likely to find too many stronger.

oh why thank you for this interesting information but i think 150 20 times isint quite as impressive as say 215 10 times which is what i know probably 3 to 5 guys on a high school team can do if not more so when he gets to college and the nhl they will probably be benching him across the ice.

Oh, green4, thank you for this interesting information. I probably agree that benching 215 lbs. 10 times might be more impressive than benching 150 lbs. 20 times (on a strength test). Of those 3-5 guys "on a high school team" that can bench 215 lbs. 10 times, how much did that help their team? How many of your "3-5" guys got past high school hockey, were named Mr. Hockey, and received scholarships to a D1 school? It seems you are a youth jealous of Kyle - tread lightly here - you are not equipped to respond intelligently to a discussion of Kyle's merits as a superior high school hockey player. Saying he got "knocked around" by a 5'7" 10th grader is laughable. Who is this 5'7" 10th grader who knocked him around? You? lol Stick to what you know - playing sub-par hockey and whining. Wherever Kyle ends up in this ranking, he ends up. I have no idea if that should be 1, 10, 25, 50 or 90. He should be somewhere on the list, probably 10-20 IMHO.

BTW - When Kyle is getting "knocked around" in college and pro hockey, you'll be fighting for ice time on some men's "D" league team wondering why life is so unfair.

to tell you the truth im just a fan of the game and i love to watch high school hockey and i watched the championship game and i think multiple people saw the duluth east soph hit rau multiple times. and i just think he might be alittle small for the nhl. not saying he coudn't be great but i think most smaller players in the nhl (like st.louis) have more talent

BTW-life is treating me pretty fair in my "D" league i just managed to sneak onto the last spot, thanks for addressing it

[pioneers]

Can they get any more Jefferson players on the list?

[MnMade-4-Life]

Can they get any more Jefferson players on the list?

Haters gonna hate!

[Puckguy19]

Can they get any more Jefferson players on the list?

Haters gonna hate!

Not gonna hate on Jefferson, but could they get any higher. Bianchi ahead of Christoff, McClanahan, Christian, Casey, etc. Come on! Yes, he belongs, but not in the mid-30's.

[northwoods oldtimer]

Can they get any more Jefferson players on the list?

Haters gonna hate!

Not gonna hate on Jefferson, but could they get any higher.
Bianchi ahead of Christoff, McClanahan, Christian, Casey, etc. Come on! Yes, he belongs, but not in the mid-30's.

Some folks completely missed a great era of hockey players, In my opinion the best. These guys were all developed before USA hockey killed Minnesota hockey.

[Goldy Gopher]

While ranking Kyle Rau in the top ten is too lofty IMO, this is for you Green4....last year at the elite league training camp he benched 150 pounds 20 times, he was one of the top 5 in the whole camp. No he is not big but pound for pound you're not likely to find too many stronger.

Did I miss where they say they're taking into account benching ability?