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Anyone have any thoughts of who the top teams will be next year?

1. Edina

ehshockey wrote:1. Edina

That's rather arrogant, but probably accurate.

ehshockey wrote:1. Edina

Amen Brotha

Edina is the frontrunner, Centennial should improve, Hopkins could do very well, then there's Hill-Murray (of course). I guess I'd pick the Hornets first, then the others 2-4 in no particular order.

Hill Murray is the front runner going in. They have a strong group of talented players that are evolving and have greater depth than Edina. Their coach seems to get more out of his players and utilizes them more effectively.

However, losing Sova and Dolan will be hard to make up. Johnson and company will have to play bigger roles and fill in the gap.

breakout wrote:However, losing Sova and Dolan will be hard to make up. Johnson and company will have to play bigger roles and fill in the gap.

I woud think the loss of Joe Phillippi, hands down the best goalie in the state last year, would hurt them more than anything else. Cecka and Furne are big losses, too. Edina is my front-runner going in.

Pre-season AA rankings from Geocities.com


MN Boys Hockey Website
Class AA Rankings

2008-2009 Season

1. Edina
Eden Prairie
Hill-Murray
Academy Of Holy Angels
Bloomington Jefferson
Duluth East
Hopkins
Benilde-St. Margaret's
White Bear Lake
Roseau
Centennial
Blaine
Minnetonka
Moorhead
Burnsville
Cretin-Derham Hall

breakout wrote:Hill Murray is the front runner going in.

Don't bogart that joint my friend

Pass it over to me...

wbmd wrote:Pre-season AA rankings from Geocities.com


MN Boys Hockey Website
Class AA Rankings

2008-2009 Season

1. Edina
Eden Prairie
Hill-Murray
Academy Of Holy Angels
Bloomington Jefferson
Duluth East
Hopkins
Benilde-St. Margaret's
White Bear Lake
Roseau
Centennial
Blaine
Minnetonka
Moorhead
Burnsville
Cretin-Derham Hall

Where is the Academy of Minnesota Made ranked?

Good signs again for the Pioneers: Neutron dismissing and most the rest are ranking Hill below a couple of other teams.

pistol wrote:Good signs again for the Pioneers: Neutron dismissing and most the rest are ranking Hill below a couple of other teams.

Agree

breakout wrote:Hill Murray is the front runner going in. They have a strong group of talented players that are evolving and have greater depth than Edina. Their coach seems to get more out of his players and utilizes them more effectively.

However, losing Sova and Dolan will be hard to make up. Johnson and company will have to play bigger roles and fill in the gap.

I would not say hill has greater depth then edina this season. Edina is going to have more depth this season considering that is main reason why they couldn't win state last year. Giles is going to find three solid lines this year and there is plenty of talent in edina to make three solid lines.

ehshockey wrote:

breakout wrote:Hill Murray is the front runner going in. They have a strong group of talented players that are evolving and have greater depth than Edina. Their coach seems to get more out of his players and utilizes them more effectively.

However, losing Sova and Dolan will be hard to make up. Johnson and company will have to play bigger roles and fill in the gap.

I would not say hill has greater depth then edina this season. Edina is going to have more depth this season considering that is main reason why they couldn't win state last year. Giles is going to find three solid lines this year and there is plenty of talent in edina to make three solid lines.

Depth was not the reason Edina lost last year. JOE PHILLIPI was.

Also, Edina had 3 solid lines that they skated and then moved to 2 toward the end of the game. Another reason Edina lost was that Hill had a great strategy against Roseau and they came out and had the game won very early and skated 3 lines the whole game. Edina played a very tight game against Benilde and they had to skate 1 and a half lines for a very long period of time against Benilde and they were physically and emotionally drained by the end fo the game.

I think Giles needs to give Lee his own line and return Co. Gaarder to the line with Budish and Everson.

ehshockey wrote:

breakout wrote:Hill Murray is the front runner going in. They have a strong group of talented players that are evolving and have greater depth than Edina. Their coach seems to get more out of his players and utilizes them more effectively.

However, losing Sova and Dolan will be hard to make up. Johnson and company will have to play bigger roles and fill in the gap.

I would not say hill has greater depth then edina this season. Edina is going to have more depth this season considering that is main reason why they couldn't win state last year. Giles is going to find three solid lines this year and there is plenty of talent in edina to make three solid lines.

Teams are about chemistry. One could argue that moving Lee to the #1 line and dropping Gaarder was a mistake. Availability of a 3rd line? Not sure about that.

One thing I learned when Clem Haskins was basketball coach for the Gophers is that you "play your depth". Year in, year out the Gophers had a 'deep' team. Compare that to Duke that never seems to have any depth despite recruiting far more top players. Krzyzewski doesn't play them much during the year and they can't be counted on when the chips are down.

I'm guessing Giles learned from last year and won't become overly reliant on one line. A friend tells me Charlie Taft is great and is the kind of player that can be used more. Gaarder, Everson, Budish, and Lee are the ones everyone expects. I figure there will be contribution from guys like Taft, Chapman, Cutshall, Sit, and others...some of whom may not even play Varsity to start the year.

Edina should be fine.

scoreboard33 wrote:

ehshockey wrote:

breakout wrote:Hill Murray is the front runner going in. They have a strong group of talented players that are evolving and have greater depth than Edina. Their coach seems to get more out of his players and utilizes them more effectively.

However, losing Sova and Dolan will be hard to make up. Johnson and company will have to play bigger roles and fill in the gap.

I would not say hill has greater depth then edina this season. Edina is going to have more depth this season considering that is main reason why they couldn't win state last year. Giles is going to find three solid lines this year and there is plenty of talent in edina to make three solid lines.

Depth was not the reason Edina lost last year. JOE PHILLIPI was.

Also, Edina had 3 solid lines that they skated and then moved to 2 toward the end of the game. Another reason Edina lost was that Hill had a great strategy against Roseau and they came out and had the game won very early and skated 3 lines the whole game. Edina played a very tight game against Benilde and they had to skate 1 and a half lines for a very long period of time against Benilde and they were physically and emotionally drained by the end fo the game.

I think Giles needs to give Lee his own line and return Co. Gaarder to the line with Budish and Everson.

Agree on the Gaarder observation.

Disagree on the 3 line observation. Edina played the snot out of the top two lines. They were drained toward the end of the tournament.

breakout wrote:

scoreboard33 wrote:

ehshockey wrote: I would not say hill has greater depth then edina this season. Edina is going to have more depth this season considering that is main reason why they couldn't win state last year. Giles is going to find three solid lines this year and there is plenty of talent in edina to make three solid lines.

Depth was not the reason Edina lost last year. JOE PHILLIPI was.

Also, Edina had 3 solid lines that they skated and then moved to 2 toward the end of the game. Another reason Edina lost was that Hill had a great strategy against Roseau and they came out and had the game won very early and skated 3 lines the whole game. Edina played a very tight game against Benilde and they had to skate 1 and a half lines for a very long period of time against Benilde and they were physically and emotionally drained by the end fo the game.

I think Giles needs to give Lee his own line and return Co. Gaarder to the line with Budish and Everson.

Agree on the Gaarder observation.

Disagree on the 3 line observation. Edina played the snot out of the top two lines. They were drained toward the end of the tournament.

The major issue last year was finding two lines that could score consistently. Gaarder played with Everson and Budish for 3/4 of the season. Lee was placed on every possible line combination including 2 first year players for half the year and scored regardless of who he played with. The one combination they did not try had Lee and Co. Gaarder together. Lee can play left or off wing but is best suited at Center. Taking your top four forwards and creating two lines makes much sense. Gaarder is under utilized playing with Budish and Everson and could be more productive playing with Lee. Giving Lee his own line is like saying "lets slap whoever is left over and have them play with Lee is short-sighted at best. Creating two significant scoring lines, Budish-Everson, Lee-Gaarder, and adding another very capable forward make much more sense. Scoreboard33 for an Edina guy you need to cheer for the whole team if you get my drift...

The bigger question is what teams will be able to shut both of those lines down. In my opinion, physically those two lines have no equal..The USHL has also lured away many of the remaining top players.

any class A rankings?

.Marshall wrote:any class A rankings?

1. STA
2. Warroad
3. Duluth Marshall
4. Little Falls
5. Rochester Lourdes
6. South St. Paul
7. International Falls
8. Mahtomedi
9. St. Cloud Cathedral
10. New Prague

.Marshall wrote:any class A rankings?

You can be the FIRST! Can hardly wait?

O-townClown wrote:One thing I learned when Clem Haskins was basketball coach for the Gophers is that you "play your depth". Year in, year out the Gophers had a 'deep' team. Compare that to Duke that never seems to have any depth despite recruiting far more top players. Krzyzewski doesn't play them much during the year and they can't be counted on when the chips are down.

I'm guessing Giles learned from last year and won't become overly reliant on one line. A friend tells me Charlie Taft is great and is the kind of player that can be used more. Gaarder, Everson, Budish, and Lee are the ones everyone expects. I figure there will be contribution from guys like Taft, Chapman, Cutshall, Sit, and others...some of whom may not even play Varsity to start the year.

Edina should be fine.

Clem Haskins is an idiot. Your comparing the Gophers and Duke
Enough Basketball comparisons ..........Big O

O-townClown wrote:One thing I learned when Clem Haskins was basketball coach for the Gophers is that you "play your depth". Year in, year out the Gophers had a 'deep' team. Compare that to Duke that never seems to have any depth despite recruiting far more top players. Krzyzewski doesn't play them much during the year and they can't be counted on when the chips are down.

I'm guessing Giles learned from last year and won't become overly reliant on one line. A friend tells me Charlie Taft is great and is the kind of player that can be used more. Gaarder, Everson, Budish, and Lee are the ones everyone expects. I figure there will be contribution from guys like Taft, Chapman, Cutshall, Sit, and others...some of whom may not even play Varsity to start the year.

Edina should be fine.

Only thing Clem learned is how to cheat for his players in the classroom!

My top five:
1. Adriana Lima
2. Marisa Miller
3. Alessandra Ambrosio
4. Jessica Biel
5. Jessica Alba

Oops wrong poll!

scoreboard33 wrote:
Depth was not the reason Edina lost last year. JOE PHILLIPI was.

Also, Edina had 3 solid lines that they skated and then moved to 2 toward the end of the game. Another reason Edina lost was that Hill had a great strategy against Roseau and they came out and had the game won very early and skated 3 lines the whole game. Edina played a very tight game against Benilde and they had to skate 1 and a half lines for a very long period of time against Benilde and they were physically and emotionally drained by the end fo the game.

I think Giles needs to give Lee his own line and return Co. Gaarder to the line with Budish and Everson.

You are correct Sir.

Hills hot goalie won the Tourney.

Putting Lee with Budish and Everson was a decision applauded by opposing coaches.

Coach Giles; See basket, insert eggs.

sticksuphigh wrote:

breakout wrote:

scoreboard33 wrote: Depth was not the reason Edina lost last year. JOE PHILLIPI was.

Also, Edina had 3 solid lines that they skated and then moved to 2 toward the end of the game. Another reason Edina lost was that Hill had a great strategy against Roseau and they came out and had the game won very early and skated 3 lines the whole game. Edina played a very tight game against Benilde and they had to skate 1 and a half lines for a very long period of time against Benilde and they were physically and emotionally drained by the end fo the game.

I think Giles needs to give Lee his own line and return Co. Gaarder to the line with Budish and Everson.

Agree on the Gaarder observation.

Disagree on the 3 line observation. Edina played the snot out of the top two lines. They were drained toward the end of the tournament.

The major issue last year was finding two lines that could score consistently. Gaarder played with Everson and Budish for 3/4 of the season. Lee was placed on every possible line combination including 2 first year players for half the year and scored regardless of who he played with. The one combination they did not try had Lee and Co. Gaarder together. Lee can play left or off wing but is best suited at Center. Taking your top four forwards and creating two lines makes much sense. Gaarder is under utilized playing with Budish and Everson and could be more productive playing with Lee. Giving Lee his own line is like saying "lets slap whoever is left over and have them play with Lee is short-sighted at best. Creating two significant scoring lines, Budish-Everson, Lee-Gaarder, and adding another very capable forward make much more sense. Scoreboard33 for an Edina guy you need to cheer for the whole team if you get my drift...

The bigger question is what teams will be able to shut both of those lines down. In my opinion, physically those two lines have no equal..The USHL has also lured away many of the remaining top players.

I'm not sure I really catch your drift, but the point I was making is that Gaarder fit with Budish and Everson, more than Lee fit with them. This year giving Lee his own line would mean Charlie Taft and a top 20 sophomore in Michael Sit. I don't see how that is not cheering for the whole team. Moving Gaarder would also work, but I don't see a replacement for him who is capable. Last year, Lee was on a solid line at first with Leer and Ca. Gaarder, but Leer didn't start hot and took a while to recover, so it threw that Line off, however, it probably would have worked with those 3 and Gleason offensive presense on the blue line. But sometimes plans dont work and adjustments must be made.

Actually, Clem Haskins was a great coach who consistently had winning teams. He may not have been very moral, but he took the U of M basketball team far which is pretty good considering what some others have done. Also, Tubby Smith has talked about playing depth quite a lot both at Kentucky and here, so its not just Haskins.