2023-24 Season Transfers

[BSUBeaver]

Connor Maruska, Crookston to NorthStar Academy 16U

[Puckguy19]

Connor Maruska, Crookston to NorthStar Academy 16U

The Cullen Connection

[WarmUpTheBus]

Have been waiting for a Tonka forum rep to report

Sophomore-to-be Chaska varsity 6.1" Dman Zack Markwell has
moved to Tonka . Zack has a good future. Tonka is loaded with talent .Will be interesting to see how this works out this first season .

Minnetonka Westside Stars sounds better than the Minnetonka Skippers.

Are there any updates on the transfers to my favorite team, Minneapolis?

We can all agree MN kids are raised to dislike Edina. That got me thinking...do players transfer to Edina? It probably happens, but I never see reports on this board about it. Does a kid growing up in Chaska/Chan, EP, Bloomington, etc., ask their parents to send them to Edina?

Clayton Phillips from Shakopee was one example of a player going to Edina.

[CakeScout17]

Great pull on Phillips. That transfer occurred in 2012 during his PeeWee years, correct?
Played up on 'Var a bit as 9th grader, full season as 10th grader then left early for USHL.

Only player who 'transferred in fresh' during HS years was G - Louden Hogg, as incoming sophomore
via the AAA circuit Nashville Jr Press via Colorado T-Birds. Then I recall a player from North
Carolina, Christian Roble, for one season in '16-'17? Returned to North Carolina playing for the
Rush in USPHL. However, on his EP page? Edina, MN is listed as his birthplace. So, unless any
other deep pulls out there, its (seemingly) quite rare for blind transfers into Edina without
previous connectivity to the Edina Assoc, etc. Venture to guess 4-5 kids over 10 year period?
And all but 1, Hogg, had some previous connectivity, e.g., Anders Lee? Born in Edina.

[WestMetro]

Do our Cretin friends have anything additional to report ?

[bardown27]

Do our Cretin friends have anything additional to report ?

Jackson Rudh PCG -> CDH

[ClassAGuy]

Carter Bakeberg from STMA to St Cloud Cathedral

The STMA to Crusader pipeline has been huge for the Crusaders in recent years and key to their recent rebuild!

[rainier2]

Carter Bakeberg from STMA to St Cloud Cathedral

The STMA to Crusader pipeline has been huge for the Crusaders in recent years and key to their recent rebuild!

Awesome, a team already located in a metro area with multiple AA programs is now also being fed by a pipeline from an outside AA program...and yet they compete in Class A.

[ClassAGuy]

Carter Bakeberg from STMA to St Cloud Cathedral

The STMA to Crusader pipeline has been huge for the Crusaders in recent years and key to their recent rebuild!

Awesome, a team already located in a metro area with multiple AA programs is now also being fed by a pipeline from an outside AA program...and yet they compete in Class A.

Wait a minute St. Cloud is considered the metro area now

All kidding aside I understand your point and sentiment. This new powerhouse version of SCC would look much different if you took away Gillespie & Dwinnell (STMA) 2/3 of their top line, Wood (Princeton), and Hansen (River Lakes) 3 year starter in net.... However, as has been discussed they are not the only Class A power that benefits from kids coming in from surrounding areas to make a good team a great team in A.

Just was more noting the recent wave of STMA defections the last few years and the Crusaders benefitting well.

Cathedral will be a Top 5 team in Class A all year this coming winter.

[bardown27]

Carter Bakeberg from STMA to St Cloud Cathedral

The STMA to Crusader pipeline has been huge for the Crusaders in recent years and key to their recent rebuild!

Awesome, a team already located in a metro area with multiple AA programs is now also being fed by a pipeline from an outside AA program...and yet they compete in Class A.

Wait a minute St. Cloud is considered the metro area now

All kidding aside I understand your point and sentiment. This new powerhouse version of SCC would look much different if you took away Gillespie & Dwinnell (STMA) 2/3 of their top line, Wood (Princeton), and Hansen (River Lakes) 3 year starter in net.... However, as has been discussed they are not the only Class A power that benefits from kids coming in from surrounding areas to make a good team a great team in A.

Just was more noting the recent wave of STMA defections the last few years and the Crusaders benefitting well.

Cathedral will be a Top 5 team in Class A all year this coming winter.

I believe he said a metro area, which it definitely should be considered a metro area with St Cloud’s population alone being close to 70k. Add in Sartell around 20k, Sauk Rapids around 15k and Waite Park close to 10k, and yeah, that’s a metro area.

[ClassAGuy]

Awesome, a team already located in a metro area with multiple AA programs is now also being fed by a pipeline from an outside AA program...and yet they compete in Class A.

Wait a minute St. Cloud is considered the metro area now

All kidding aside I understand your point and sentiment. This new powerhouse version of SCC would look much different if you took away Gillespie & Dwinnell (STMA) 2/3 of their top line, Wood (Princeton), and Hansen (River Lakes) 3 year starter in net.... However, as has been discussed they are not the only Class A power that benefits from kids coming in from surrounding areas to make a good team a great team in A.

Just was more noting the recent wave of STMA defections the last few years and the Crusaders benefitting well.

Cathedral will be a Top 5 team in Class A all year this coming winter.

I believe he said a metro area, which it definitely should be considered a metro area with St Cloud’s population alone being close to 70k. Add in Sartell around 20k, Sauk Rapids around 15k and Waite Park close to 10k, and yeah, that’s a metro area.

Ahhh... That makes sense thanks for the quick correction. I misread it as saying St Cloud was the metro area now in MN and I was thinking wait a minute.

Again, I understood rainier's point and sentiment 100%

Thanks as always for the quick information bardown appreciated.

[BSUBeaver]

Carson Wendorff from Litchfield/Dassel-Cokato to Northstar Academy 18U

[ClassAGuy]

Connor Maruska, Crookston to NorthStar Academy 16U

Another good outstate Bantam nabbed away by Nothstar

Jaxon Johnson from Rochester AA Bantams to NorthStar Academy 16U

[Hockeywatcher123]

Hearing Lakeville South may have brought a goalie in.

[bardown27]

Hearing Lakeville South may have brought a goalie in.

Carson Hauger from Hopkins

[WestMetro]

Connor Crowley to Holy Family

[SpreadOut!]

With today being the first day of school for most Minnesota schools, today we get to determine which coach did the best job recruiting this past offseason. Who wins? Rogers? Tonka again? Maybe Holy Family? What’s wrong in Eden Prairie? Are EP parents mad that they have a coach now who doesn’t recruit? Do they want to bring back the Lee Smith way, where basically one line plays the whole game, with half of them being recruits? What gives?

[headsupsticksdown]

With today being the first day of school for most Minnesota schools, today we get to determine which coach did the best job recruiting this past offseason. Who wins? Rogers? Tonka again? Maybe Holy Family? What’s wrong in Eden Prairie? Are EP parents mad that they have a coach now who doesn’t recruit? Do they want to bring back the Lee Smith way, where basically one line plays the whole game, with half of them being recruits? What gives?

It’s obviously not a recruiting issue. I’m almost positive Twig will take whoever he can get. The problem seems to be more around his system and I heard last season mostly the FW group just was not feeling his assistant who runs that group. Take it for what it’s worth, but it’d kinda explain a few of the kids who left. Admittedly Crowley was a surprise, but I guess you gotta do what you gotta do as it’s his Sr. year although I thought he’s been struggling with injuries for a good few seasons. Hope it works out for him as Mike’s a solid guy and great overall asset to the EP community.

[SpreadOut!]

With today being the first day of school for most Minnesota schools, today we get to determine which coach did the best job recruiting this past offseason. Who wins? Rogers? Tonka again? Maybe Holy Family? What’s wrong in Eden Prairie? Are EP parents mad that they have a coach now who doesn’t recruit? Do they want to bring back the Lee Smith way, where basically one line plays the whole game, with half of them being recruits? What gives?

It’s obviously not a recruiting issue. I’m almost positive Twig will take whoever he can get. The problem seems to be more around his system and I heard last season mostly the FW group just was not feeling his assistant who runs that group. Take it for what it’s worth, but it’d kinda explain a few of the kids who left. Admittedly Crowley was a surprise, but I guess you gotta do what you gotta do as it’s his Sr. year although I thought he’s been struggling with injuries for a good few seasons. Hope it works out for him as Mike’s a solid guy and great overall asset to the EP community.

Thanks for explanation on EP. Question: How can Crowley, who played last year for EP, transfer for his senior year to Holy Family and just step in and play immediately? I’m by no means an expert at all on MSHSL transfer rules, but don’t you lose a year of eligibility by switching to another school, even if it’s a private school? Or is that something that’s way in the past now, and it’s totally okay to hop from one high school to another now if the one you hop to is a private school or if you move to another public school district?

[bardown27]

With today being the first day of school for most Minnesota schools, today we get to determine which coach did the best job recruiting this past offseason. Who wins? Rogers? Tonka again? Maybe Holy Family? What’s wrong in Eden Prairie? Are EP parents mad that they have a coach now who doesn’t recruit? Do they want to bring back the Lee Smith way, where basically one line plays the whole game, with half of them being recruits? What gives?

It’s obviously not a recruiting issue. I’m almost positive Twig will take whoever he can get. The problem seems to be more around his system and I heard last season mostly the FW group just was not feeling his assistant who runs that group. Take it for what it’s worth, but it’d kinda explain a few of the kids who left. Admittedly Crowley was a surprise, but I guess you gotta do what you gotta do as it’s his Sr. year although I thought he’s been struggling with injuries for a good few seasons. Hope it works out for him as Mike’s a solid guy and great overall asset to the EP community.

Thanks for explanation on EP. Question: How can Crowley, who played last year for EP, transfer for his senior year to Holy Family and just step in and play immediately? I’m by no means an expert at all on MSHSL transfer rules, but don’t you lose a year of eligibility by switching to another school, even if it’s a private school? Or is that something that’s way in the past now, and it’s totally okay to hop from one high school to another now if the one you hop to is a private school or if you move to another public school district?

Go to page 1 of this thread and you can see the transfer rules and how you can become immediately eligible

[ryguyMN]

With today being the first day of school for most Minnesota schools, today we get to determine which coach did the best job recruiting this past offseason. Who wins? Rogers? Tonka again? Maybe Holy Family? What’s wrong in Eden Prairie? Are EP parents mad that they have a coach now who doesn’t recruit? Do they want to bring back the Lee Smith way, where basically one line plays the whole game, with half of them being recruits? What gives?

It’s obviously not a recruiting issue. I’m almost positive Twig will take whoever he can get. The problem seems to be more around his system and I heard last season mostly the FW group just was not feeling his assistant who runs that group. Take it for what it’s worth, but it’d kinda explain a few of the kids who left. Admittedly Crowley was a surprise, but I guess you gotta do what you gotta do as it’s his Sr. year although I thought he’s been struggling with injuries for a good few seasons. Hope it works out for him as Mike’s a solid guy and great overall asset to the EP community.

Agree 100% it's the system. Didn't see many players transfer out under Lee Smith, and now it's a revolving door. If Casey Mittelstadt came up through EP hockey now, I have a hard time believing he would have stuck around for all four years. The kids truly liked playing for Smith from accounts I have come across, it's the parents that messed it all up. If it wasn't for Jefferson, EP would be the doormat for Section 2AA with the majority of the talent gone or rumored to be out. The program is now a shell of its former self.

[SpreadOut!]

It’s obviously not a recruiting issue. I’m almost positive Twig will take whoever he can get. The problem seems to be more around his system and I heard last season mostly the FW group just was not feeling his assistant who runs that group. Take it for what it’s worth, but it’d kinda explain a few of the kids who left. Admittedly Crowley was a surprise, but I guess you gotta do what you gotta do as it’s his Sr. year although I thought he’s been struggling with injuries for a good few seasons. Hope it works out for him as Mike’s a solid guy and great overall asset to the EP community.

Thanks for explanation on EP. Question: How can Crowley, who played last year for EP, transfer for his senior year to Holy Family and just step in and play immediately? I’m by no means an expert at all on MSHSL transfer rules, but don’t you lose a year of eligibility by switching to another school, even if it’s a private school? Or is that something that’s way in the past now, and it’s totally okay to hop from one high school to another now if the one you hop to is a private school or if you move to another public school district?

Go to page 1 of this thread and you can see the transfer rules and how you can become immediately eligible

So, if I’m reading what you pointed to correctly, Crowley would have had to move out of EP school district to be eligible to play this year for Holy Family, correct? And this could be accomplished by renting an apartment outside school district boundaries, correct?

[headsupsticksdown]

Thanks for explanation on EP. Question: How can Crowley, who played last year for EP, transfer for his senior year to Holy Family and just step in and play immediately? I’m by no means an expert at all on MSHSL transfer rules, but don’t you lose a year of eligibility by switching to another school, even if it’s a private school? Or is that something that’s way in the past now, and it’s totally okay to hop from one high school to another now if the one you hop to is a private school or if you move to another public school district?

Go to page 1 of this thread and you can see the transfer rules and how you can become immediately eligible

So, if I’m reading what you pointed to correctly, Crowley would have had to move out of EP school district to be eligible to play this year for Holy Family, correct? And this could be accomplished by renting an apartment outside school district boundaries, correct?

I believe most of those points relate to kids transferring in to public schools. In this situation when transferring to a private, I don’t think a lot of that applies. Earl to Chan would definitely apply so I’m not privy to what their situation was..

Back on the topic of EP. Most would agree that Twig is a good guy. Great with kids of all ages and not a lot can question his character. The problem with EP is you totally need someone who’s not going to get pushed around and can deal with what living in EP entails with some parents and families acting like they never pass gas, ego’s, etc. That’s why Coach Smith was such a good fit. Unfortunately a few parents got what they wanted and are now starting to see what that produces on the ice.

My prediction is EP goes the route so many communities have gone with the likes of BVille, Jefferson, etc. and they’ll be really struggling number wise in 3-5 years. It’ll be sad to see, but the last thing they need is to turn into a dumpster fire that’d accelerate their demise.

I hope Twig works out, but he’d have to bring in outside help and he’s been hesitant to do so thus far…

[SpreadOut!]

Go to page 1 of this thread and you can see the transfer rules and how you can become immediately eligible

So, if I’m reading what you pointed to correctly, Crowley would have had to move out of EP school district to be eligible to play this year for Holy Family, correct? And this could be accomplished by renting an apartment outside school district boundaries, correct?

I believe most of those points relate to kids transferring in to public schools. In this situation when transferring to a private, I don’t think a lot of that applies. Earl to Chan would definitely apply so I’m not privy to what their situation was..

Back on the topic of EP. Most would agree that Twig is a good guy. Great with kids of all ages and not a lot can question his character. The problem with EP is you totally need someone who’s not going to get pushed around and can deal with what living in EP entails with some parents and families acting like they never pass gas, ego’s, etc. That’s why Coach Smith was such a good fit. Unfortunately a few parents got what they wanted and are now starting to see what that produces on the ice.

My prediction is EP goes the route so many communities have gone with the likes of BVille, Jefferson, etc. and they’ll be really struggling number wise in 3-5 years. It’ll be sad to see, but the last thing they need is to turn into a dumpster fire that’d accelerate their demise.

I hope Twig works out, but he’d have to bring in outside help and he’s been hesitant to do so thus far…

In all honesty, if it doesn’t work for Twigs—a man I understand is of absolute first-class integrity who is trying to do things the right way—it’s sad and just another sign of the times with the way things are heading—not a good way—with high school hockey in Minnesota.

What was the Lee Smith “system”…? To me, certainly with his last state championship team, it was having 5-6 really talented players—whether they are from Eden Prairie or recruits from elsewhere—and playing them 80-90 percent of the game. Oh, and if you are the best player, go ahead and spend the first half of the season playing with Shattuck and then just join us right before the eligibility deadline rules you out for the season. Because, hey, team-first, right? This may be great for those 5-6 players, but it sucks for everyone else and, quite frankly, is just flat-out gross.

[bardown27]

Go to page 1 of this thread and you can see the transfer rules and how you can become immediately eligible

So, if I’m reading what you pointed to correctly, Crowley would have had to move out of EP school district to be eligible to play this year for Holy Family, correct? And this could be accomplished by renting an apartment outside school district boundaries, correct?

I believe most of those points relate to kids transferring in to public schools. In this situation when transferring to a private, I don’t think a lot of that applies. Earl to Chan would definitely apply so I’m not privy to what their situation was..

Back on the topic of EP. Most would agree that Twig is a good guy. Great with kids of all ages and not a lot can question his character. The problem with EP is you totally need someone who’s not going to get pushed around and can deal with what living in EP entails with some parents and families acting like they never pass gas, ego’s, etc. That’s why Coach Smith was such a good fit. Unfortunately a few parents got what they wanted and are now starting to see what that produces on the ice.

My prediction is EP goes the route so many communities have gone with the likes of BVille, Jefferson, etc. and they’ll be really struggling number wise in 3-5 years. It’ll be sad to see, but the last thing they need is to turn into a dumpster fire that’d accelerate their demise.

I hope Twig works out, but he’d have to bring in outside help and he’s been hesitant to do so thus far…

Doesn’t matter if it’s to a public or private. Would still have to move outside current school districts boundaries.