Back in 2008, I began keeping a Word document that ranked every Minnesota high school player I saw play by what class they were in. It's a constantly growing and changing list, and every so often, I post it to give sort of a snapshot of where I think things stand. With the high school season now fully underway, I thought I'd post it again.
Caveats always abound with this list. The list only contains players I've seen so the northern and southern parts get the shaft a little bit, and there's likely a lot of good players I missed, especially the further down you go. With the underclassmen, there's a little bit of a bias towards older juniors/sophomores/freshman because that extra half-a-year to year of development tends to make a difference(Suck on that, Malcolm Gladwell). The list is constantly changing though, so those things tend to work themselves out.
Looking back at the past four groups of graduating seniors since I started this list, the number of players that end up committing to play Division I college hockey is in the high 20s in a good year, and in the low 20s in a down year.
The list is after the jump.
Seniors
- Justin Kloos-F-Lakeville South(Minnesota)
- Will Merchant-F-Eagan
- Christian Horn-Benilde-St. Margaret’s
- Michael Zajac-F-Eagan
- Trevor Olson-F-Duluth East
- Dylan Steman-F-Maple Grove
- Jake Randolph-F-Duluth East
- Grant Opperman-F-Breck(Dartmouth)
- Eli May-D-Eagan
- Ian Janco-D-Bloomington Jefferson
- Jared Thomas-F-Hermantown
- Aaron Dolby-D-Osseo
- Eric Schurhamer-D-St. Thomas Academy(Maine)
- CJ Franklin-F-Forest Lake
- Jake Horton-D-Benilde
- Miles Death-D-Wayzata
- Austin Rudnick-D-Breck
- Lucas Kohls-F-Forest Lake
- Phil Boje-D-Mounds View
- Erik Baskin-F-Minnetonka
- Jay Dickman-F-St. Paul Johnson
- Jake Oborsky-F-Benilde
- Nate Repensky-D-Duluth East
- Dom Toninato-F-Duluth East
- Charlie Sampair-F-Hill-Murray
- Travis Underwood-F-Grand Rapids
- Jared Kolquist-D-Hermantown
- Cory Chapman-F-Burnsville
- Jordan Stejskal-D-Grand Rapids
- Nate Flynn-F-Hastings
- Matt Pohlkamp-F-Brainerd
- Peter Krieger-F-St. Thomas Academy
- Matt Halverson-D-Wayzata
- Derek Smith-D-Apple Valley
- Zach Hnath-F-Rogers
- Judd Peterson-F-Duluth Marshall
- Anders Franke-G-Elk River
- Spenser Bell-F-Maple Grove
- Tony Paulson-F-Maple Grove
- Trevor Meador-F-Holy Angels
- Andrew Commers-F-St. Thomas
- Jonah Johnson-D-Benilde
- Charlie Heller-D-Lakeville South
- Sam Rothstein-F-Minnetonka
- Nick Larsen-F-Centennial
- Connor Andrle-F-Breck
- Wes Iverson-F-Breck
- Garrett Schmitz-D-Red Lake Falls
- Sam Majka-F-Wayzata
- Alex Mason-F-Maple Grove
- Nate Mondry-F-Grand Rapids
- Eric Bigaouette-D-Chaska
- Dylan Lambert-F-Blaine
- Joe Hess-D-Centennial
- Paige Skoog-G-Duluth East
- Nick Auman-D-Spring Lake Park
- Andrew Herlofsky-D-Anoka
- Taylor Bryan-D-Elk River
- Kyle Thorpe-F-Anoka
- Nate Kotter-D-Duluth East
- Jordan Freberg-D-Maple Grove
- Grant Sattler-D-St. Thomas
- Michael Prochno-D-Minnetonka
- Brandon Jones-G-Spring Lake Park
- Max Zebro-D-Centennial
Juniors
- Vinni Lettieri-F-Minnetonka(Minnesota)
- Jake Guentzel-F-Hill-Murray
- Jordan Gross-D-Maple Grove(Notre Dame)
- Michael Brodzinski-D-Blaine(Minnesota)
- Lou Nanne-F-Edina(Minnesota)
- Dylan Parker-G-Duluth East
- Grant Besse-F-Benilde-St. Margaret’s
- Zach Lavalle-F-Hill-Murray
- Matt Nelson-D-Edina
- Connor Thie-F-Minnetonka
- Parker Reno-D-Edina
- Adam Johnson-F-Virginia(Minnesota-Duluth)
- Dan Labosky-F-Benilde-St. Margaret’s
- Blake Heinrich-D-Hill-Murray
- Jake Bischoff-D-Grand Rapids
- Dylan Adler-D-Anoka
- T.J. Moore-F-Benilde-St. Margaret’s
- Meirs Moore-D-Duluth East
- Lance Carney-D-White Bear Lake
- Tommy Hajicek-F-East Grand Forks
- Frankie Mork-D-Holy Angels
- Max Coatta-F-Minnetonka
- Bo Brauer-F-Edina
- TJ Roo-F-Totino-Grace
- Mason Bergh-F-Eden Prairie
- Thomas Lindstrom-F-Breck
- John Dugas-G-Hill-Murray
- Conner Valesano-F-Duluth East
- Jake Ahlgren-F-Fergus Falls
- Matt Perry-F-St. Thomas Academy
- Jono Lindquist-F-Bloomington Jefferson
- Austin Swingle-D-St. Cloud Cathedral
- Matt Koch-D-Hastings
- Nick Anderson-F-Stillwater
- Mario Bianchi-F-Holy Angels
- Ryan Lundgren-F-Duluth East
- Jack Pietruszewski-D-South St. Paul
- Kris Manthey-D-Anoka
- Levi Talarico-F-Duluth Denfield
- Matt Serratore-F-Bemidji
- Tanner Okeson-D-Roseau
- Jimmy Schuldt-D-Minnetonka
- Andrew Kerr-D-Duluth East
- Patrick Graham-D-Benilde-St. Margaret’s
- Alex Toscano-F-Duluth East
- Blake Brazil-F-Fergus Falls
- Hunter Schneider-F-Willmar
- Hans Gorowsky-F-Centennial
- Alex Funk-F-Rochester Lourdes
- Joe Nathe-D-Fergus Falls
Sophomores
1. Tyler Sheehy-F-Burnsville
2. Teemu Kivihalme-D-Burnsville
3. Jack Glover-D-Benilde
4. Chase Perry-G-Andover
5. Karson Kuhlman-F-Cloquet
6. Alex Copa-D-Blaine
7. Phil Beaulieu-D-Duluth East
8. Tyler Cline-F-Blaine
9. Joey Lau-F-Blaine
10. Zach Hale-F-Benilde
11. Jack Keeley-F-Eden Prairie
12. Mitch Reinke-D-Stillwater
13. Ryan Collins-D-Benilde
14. Luc Snuggerud-Eden Prairie
15. Tom Muck-D-Eagan
16. Will Hammer-F-St. Cloud Cathedral
17. Johnny Austin-D-Blake
18. Joseph Marooney-F-Holy Family
19. Ian Scheid-D-Blaine
20. Austin Poganski-F-St. Cloud Cathedral
21. Andy Glad-D-Rosemount
22. Andrew Zerban-F-Elk River
23. Jake Cass-D-Stillwater
24. Zach Yon-F-Roseau
25. Josh Passolt-F-St. Louis Park
Freshmen
1. Shane Gersich-F-Holy Family
2. Dylan Malmquist-F-Edina
3. Jack Walker-D-Edina
4. Jake Wahlin-F-White Bear Lake
5. Keegan Iverson-F-Breck