Final AA Rankings 2013

[karl(east)]

2012-2013 has come and gone. One last time:

(As always, these rankings put extra emphasis on playoff performance)

1. EDINA
-The Hornets got hot at the right time, rolling to an eleventh state title in solid fashion. The depth and talent up front were always there, and come March, Curt Giles had his team playing to its strengths. No matter who stays or goes, Minnesota’s most decorated program will be right back in the thick of things next winter.
2. Hill-Murray
-The Pioneers had yet another strong season, earning the #1 tag for much of the second half and returning to the state title game despite some major losses off last season’s squad. In the end they were overpowered by Edina, but their run over the past few season has been one of the strongest in a school with a stellar hockey history.
3. Duluth East
-The Hounds performed admirably at State, as they gave Edina its toughest test of the Tourney and pounded Wayzata to finish third. It was a redemptive finish for a team that was supposed to be down some from the previous year, though a sixth straight trip to State next season will not come easily.
4. Wayzata
-The Trojans’ fine defense carried their program to new heights this season, as they went on a stellar run through 6AA and came within one period of a trip to the championship game. Though their last four periods of the year were not ideal, they were one of the biggest success stories in 2013, and this program should be on its way up.
5. Benilde-St. Margaret’s
-The Red Knights’ title defense had its flashes of greatness, but in the end, their issues on defense caught up with them. Next year’s Red Knights will have a very different look, as they bid farewell to Mr. Hockey winner Grant Besse and his talented linemates, but they should still be among the leading contenders.
6. Minnetonka
-The Skippers’ season was highlighted by a perfect run through the Lake Conference, though they ran into the start of the Wayzata surge in the playoffs. They have a lot of parts to replace, but the depth of their program should keep them relevant.
7. Eagan
-After a solid regular season, the Wildcats’ playoff run came to a crashing halt in the section final against Eastview. It was an unfortunate end to a strong run for the Wildcats, and though they will look different next season, they aren’t going to fall off the earth, either.
8. Grand Rapids
-The Thunderhawks gave Duluth East an excellent run in the 7AA championship, but as has been the case in recent years, they came up one goal short. They may not have the depth of the other programs in the top ten, but they never stop churning out star players.
9. Centennial
-The Cougars were a pleasant surprise this season, racking up over twenty wins and taking advantage of Blaine’s upset loss to slip into the State Tournament, where they very nearly beat Wayzata. They should continue to be in the mix in 5AA, as always.
10. Moorhead
-The Spuds had a very strong Tourney showing, as they held Duluth East to one goal and marched through the consolation bracket to claim fifth place. It was an impressive run after a middling regular season, and as always, they’ll be back.
11. Eastview
-The Lightning got themselves noticed during their playoff run, knocking off Eagan in sections and Centennial in the consolation round at State. While they didn’t quite have the consistency of a top team, as shown in the losses to Hill and Moorhead, their run deserves some major recognition.
12. Burnsville
-More of the same for the Blaze, who gave Edina a competitive 2AA championship before going down.
13. Eden Prairie
-The Eagles did not live up to their preseason hype and ended up with a mediocre record, but they also turned it on down the stretch and were a dangerous team by the end of the season. If they can keep their top players around, they’ll be a big threat next season.
14. Bloomington Jefferson
-This season’s Jaguars reminded us how one little play can change the tenor of the season: with a different result on a controversial call, Jefferson could easily have sent Edina packing in the section semifinals. Instead, it winds up as a good-but-not-great season for the Jaguars, who were always in the 2AA and South Suburban pictures, but never quite broke through.
15. Blaine
-The Bengals had a strong regular season, but were taken down by Champlin Park in the section semifinals.

Also of note (not necessarily in a serious order):

Prior Lake
-The Lakers took further steps in the right direction this past season as they continue to build up their program, but could not quite break through past Burnsville and into a section final.
Elk River
-The Elks took Grand Rapids to the limit in a 7AA semi, but couldn’t slip through into the final. As a very young team, they will certainly be a factor next year.
White Bear Lake
-Had a strong close to the season and gave Hill-Murray a one-goal game in the 4AA final, but could go no further.
Holy Family
-Showed flashes of relevance, but didn’t have the depth to quite stack up with the four 6AA powers.
Lakeville North
-Made it to the Tourney with relative ease, albeit out of a very weak section.
Tartan
Cretin-Derham Hall
Brainerd
Maple Grove
Roseau

In retrospect, the preseason rankings were further off than they normally are; this might have something to do with increased player movement, and perhaps with too much focus on Elite League roster spots and performance as well. But once the season began, I think the necessary adjustments came smoothly and easily. In a subjective ranking like this one, there’s always room for improvement, and I think I’ve picked up on a few more things over the past four months.

Many Thanks To…
-My friends over at mnhockeyprospects.com for picking up these rankings and giving me another press box experience at the State Tourney
-MNHockeyHub and FollowThePuck for continued excellent coverage of high school hockey on a daily basis.
-The various computerized rankings that I have weighed against my rankings this season, including Lee’s PS2, Mitch’s system, KRACH, and myhockeyrankings.com.
-MNHockeyCenter, FSN and FSN PrepZone, Prep45, and MSBN for widespread coverage that allowed me to keep up on teams far away from home. There was also a pleasant increase in local feeds of games this season, and I hope that continues to grow in the coming years.
-The various websites that collect historical information on high school hockey that enriches our knowledge of the sport.
-Finally, and most importantly, my readers on this forum, whose insights, criticism, and continued interest make this all worthwhile. I appreciate being able to interact with all of you, and as crazy as this forum can seem at times, I have learned a lot here. Thanks again for continuing to follow. I do not know where life will take me or if I will always be able to devote as much time to this forum as I did this past season. But given the level of interest and respect these rankings seem to have, I don’t plan to abandon them anytime soon, and I hope you’ll be back to follow along next year.

[BlueLineSpecial]

Thank you Karl! Sunday morning rankings were and are a highlight of the season for me and I always looked forward to them. The love of this sport drives us and at times gets us pretty heated, but at the end of the day we are a community of Minnesota high school hockey lovers and its great to be a part of it.

[almostashappy]

2012-2013 has come and gone. One last time:

(As always, these rankings put extra emphasis on playoff performance)

1. EDINA
-The Hornets got hot at the right time, rolling to an eleventh state title in solid fashion.....

An excellent recap that I hope isn't a valedictory address. Thanks for all of your hard work and entertaining posts...hope to see more of the same in the coming year.

[northwoods oldtimer]

Thanks Karl for all the time and effort you have put into the rankings, as always they are a great read. Enjoy the off season.

[O-townClown]

Well done, as always.

[HappyHockeyFan]

Thanks Karl, great job as always, I look forward to next season! Any chance we could get a glance at what you see for next season ?? I realize its a long ways away but its hard to not start thinking about next season already..lol

[Ogie]

Great job for a great season.

Watched more than 30 games this season and the weekly report always played into my decisions on where to go next.....Right behind the food.

[Hershaw09]

No STA on this list yet? Haha in all seriousness though thanks for all the time and effort once again!

[MNHockeyFan]

The No. 1 reason for visiting this Forum - thanks!

[alcloseshaver]

Thanks Karl for providing a great and subjective place to follow HS hockey. The time you put in for our entertainment is appreciated.

[GoldenBear]

Thanks Karl! Your effort and attention to detail is very much appreciated. I appreciate the time you put into this to make many of us excited about High School Hockey. GB

[bemused]

Well Done!

[norcon]

Another fun season on Minnhock. Terrific insight!

[karl(east)]

Thanks Karl, great job as always, I look forward to next season! Any chance we could get a glance at what you see for next season ?? I realize its a long ways away but its hard to not start thinking about next season already..lol

I can give you a (rather uncreative) list of likely favorites: Edina, Wayzata, STA, Benilde, Hill-Murray, perhaps Eden Prairie, perhaps Burnsville. After that, Blaine, Prior Lake, maybe White Bear, maybe Elk River.

Though I'm going to try not to think about it too much until next fall. There is so much player movement these days that a list made now would make too many assumptions, so it's probably better just to wait until after the free agency period winds down. Part of the problem with this past year's preseason rankings may have been me trying to make adjustments to individual teams after ever transfer or early departure.

Thanks again for all the support.