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 over, 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.
The list is after the jump.
Seniors
- Justin Kloos-F-Lakeville South(Minnesota)
- Michael Zajac-F-Eagan(Princeton)
- Will Merchant-F-Eagan (Maine)
- Jared Thomas-F-Hermantown(Minnesota-Duluth)
- Trevor Olson-F-Duluth East
- Jake Randolph-F-Duluth East(Nebraska-Omaha)
- Grant Opperman-F-Breck(Dartmouth)
- Eli May-D-Eagan (Minnesota State)
- Jay Dickman-F-St. Paul Johnson
- Christian Horn-Benilde-St. Margaret's
- Matt Pohlkamp-F-Brainerd(Bowling Green)
- Judd Peterson-F-Duluth Marshall(St. Cloud)
- Eric Schurhamer-D-St. Thomas Academy(Maine)
- Erik Baskin-F-Minnetonka
- Mitch McLain-F-Brainerd
- Dom Toninato-F-Duluth East(Minnesota-Duluth)
- Dylan Steman-F-Maple Grove
- Jake Horton-D-Benilde
- Sam Rothstein-F-Minnetonka
- Sam Wolfe-D-Eagan(Maine)
- Ian Janco-D-Bloomington Jefferson
- Jake Oborsky-F-Benilde
- Miles Death-D-Wayzata
- Brian Leblanc-D-Hermantown
- Phil Boje-D-Mounds View
- Joe Schuldt-D-Minnetonka(Michigan Tech)
- Aaron Dolby-D-Osseo
- CJ Franklin-F-Forest Lake
- Lucas Kohls-F-Forest Lake
- Wes Iverson-F-Breck
- Andy Faust-F-Hill-Murray
- Josh Cisar-F-Moose Lake
- Austin Rudnick-D-Breck
- Nate Repensky-D-Duluth East
- Charlie Sampair-F-Hill-Murray
- Travis Underwood-F-Grand Rapids
- Jared Kolquist-D-Hermantown
- Joe Anderson-F-Hibbing
- Zach Doerring-F-Blake
- Cory Chapman-F-Burnsville
- Jordan Stejskal-D-Grand Rapids
- Jake Larson-F-STMA
- Nate Flynn-F-Hastings
- Andrew Commers-F-St. Thomas
- Alex Harvey-F-Lakeville South
- Peter Krieger-F-St. Thomas Academy
- Joey Hanowski-F-Little Falls
- Matt Halverson-D-Wayzata
- Derek Smith-D-Apple Valley
- Zach Hnath-F-Rogers
- Charlie Heller-D-Lakeville South
- Mason Wyman-F-Burnsville
- Anders Franke-G-Elk River
- Joe Freemark-D-Lakeville South
- Spenser Bell-F-Maple Grove
- Nate Mondry-F-Grand Rapids
- Derick Kuckera-D-Eagan
- Blake Winiecki-F-Lakeville North
- Luke Dietsch-F-Cretin-Derham Hall
- Zach Lawdermilt-F-East Grand Forks
- Tate Sykes-D-Hastings
- Tyler Jokinen-F-Andover
- Adam Lovick-F-Centennial
- Tony Paulson-F-Maple Grove
- Jonah Johnson-D-Benilde
- Nick Larsen-F-Centennial
- Connor Andrle-F-Breck
- Garrett Schmitz-D-Red Lake Falls
- Joe Hess-D-Centennial
- Sam Majka-F-Wayzata
- Nick Kuchera-F-Eagan
- Riley Soderstrom-F-Thief River Falls
- Alex Mason-F-Maple Grove
- Eric Bigaouette-D-Chanhassen
- Brody Peterson-F-New Ulm
- Hayden Timm-D-Warroad
- Dylan Lambert-F-Blaine
- George Splichal-F-North St. Paul
- Mitch Morrissette-F-White Bear Lake
- Nick Auman-D-Spring Lake Park
- Andrew Herlofsky-D-Anoka
- Jake Maxson-D-Burnsville
- Steve Serratore-D-Rochester Mayo
- Tyler Tatro-D-Bemidji
- Andrew Lansing-D-Thief River Falls
- Trevor Meador-D-Holy Angels
- Michael Prochno-D-Minnetonka
- Ryan Heid-F-Elk River
- Andrew McDonald-F-Totino-Grace
- Taylor Bryan-D-Elk River
Juniors
- Grant Besse-F-Benilde-St. Margaret's(Wisconsin)
- Jake Guentzel-F-Hill-Murray
- Vinni Lettieri-F-Minnetonka(Minnesota)
- Jordan Gross-D-Maple Grove(Notre Dame)
- Matt Nelson-D-Edina
- Blake Heinrich-D-Hill-Murray
- Michael Brodzinski-D-Blaine(Minnesota)
- Jake Bischoff-D-Grand Rapids(Minnesota)
- Parker Reno-D-Edina
- Dylan Parker-G-Duluth East
- Zach Lavalle-F-Hill-Murray
- Lou Nanne-F-Edina(Minnesota)
- Connor Thie-F-Minnetonka
- Adam Johnson-F-Virginia(Minnesota-Duluth)
- Dan Labosky-F-Benilde-St. Margaret's(Colorado College)
- Meirs Moore-D-Duluth East
- Jake Zeleznikar-D-Hermantown
- TJ Roo-F-Totino-Grace
- Dylan Adler-D-Anoka
- Frankie Mork-D-Holy Angels
- Max Coatta-F-Minnetonka
- Mason Bergh-F-Eden Prairie
- Thomas Lindstrom-F-Breck
- John Dugas-G-Hill-Murray
- Conner Valesano-F-Duluth East
- Jake Ahlgren-F-Fergus Falls
- Tommy Vannelli-D-Minnetonka
- Tommy Hajicek-F-East Grand Forks
- David Horsmann-D-Grand Rapids
- T.J. Moore-F-Benilde-St. Margaret's
- Andy Jordahl-F-Edina
- Lance Carney-D-White Bear Lake
- Bo Brauer-F-Edina
- Jono Lindquist-F-Bloomington Jefferson
- Austin Swingle-D-St. Cloud Cathedral
- Matt Koch-D-Hastings
- Nick Anderson-F-Stillwater
- Bo Gronseth-F-Hermantown
- Ryan Lundgren-F-Duluth East
- Patrick Graham-D-Benilde-St. Margaret's
- Jack Pietruszewski-D-South St. Paul
- Derek Lodemeier-D-Totino-Grace
- Anthony Walsh-F-Edina
- Kris Manthey-D-Anoka
- Levi Talarico-F-Duluth Denfield
- Mario Bianchi-F-Holy Angels
- Matt Serratore-F-Bemidji
- Tanner Okeson-D-Roseau
- Jimmy Schuldt-D-Minnetonka
- Cullen Willox-F-Eagan
- John Wiitala-F-Lakeville South
- Andrew Kerr-D-Duluth East
- Alex Toscano-F-Duluth East
- Alex Thompson-F-Duluth Denfield
- Ryan Edevold-F-Crookston
- Tony Bretzman-D-St. Thomas Academy
- Blake Brazil-F-Fergus Falls
- Hunter Schneider-F-Willmar
- Cody Mann-F-Grand Rapids
- Henry Hart-F-St. Thomas Academy
- Hans Gorowsky-F-Centennial
- Ryan Hatch-D-Edina
- Thomas Delaney-D-White Bear Lake
- Alex Funk-F-Rochester Lourdes
- Joe Nathe-D-Fergus Falls
- Alex Johnson-F-St. Thomas Academy
- Jack Weiss-D-Bloomington Jefferson
- Jesse Norling-F-Blaine
- Matt Perry-F-St. Thomas Academy
- Chase Broten-F-Roseau
Sophomores
1. Tyler Sheehy-F-Burnsville
2. Connor Hurley-F-Edina
3. Jack Glover-D-Benilde
4. Chase Perry-G-Andover
5. Karson Kuhlman-F-Cloquet
6. Teemu Kivihalme-D-Burnsville
7. Alex Copa-D-Blaine
8. Zach Hale-F-Benilde
9. Phil Beaulieu-D-Duluth East
10. Tyler Nanne-F-Edina
11. Tyler Cline-F-Blaine
12. Joey Lau-F-Blaine
13. Avery Peterson-F-Grand Rapids
14. Alex Strand-F-Roseau
15. Jack Keeley-F-Eden Prairie
16. Travis Brown-D-Rogers
17. Jack Ramsey-F-Minnetonka
18. Mitch Reinke-D-Stillwater
19. Ryan Collins-D-Benilde
20. Luc Snuggerud-Eden Prairie
21. Jack Murphy-F-Prior Lake
22. Miguel Fidler-F-Edina
23. Willie Brown-F-Hill-Murray
24. Tom Muck-D-Eagan
25. Brandon Notermann-F-Blaine
26. Johnny Austin-D-Blake
27. Joseph Marooney-F-Holy Family
28. Austin Poganski-F-St. Cloud Cathedral
29. Andy Glad-D-Rosemount
30. Andrew Zerban-F-Elk River
31. Jake Cass-D-Stillwater
32. Zach Yon-F-Roseau
33. Patrick Lauderdale-F-Lakeville South
34. Ian Scheid-D-Blaine
35. Logan Sharp-D-Hill-Murray
36. Blake Hillman-D-Elk River
37. Will Hammer-F-St. Cloud Cathedral
38. Josh Passolt-F-St. Louis Park
39. Dylan Woolf-D-Holy Family
40. Sam Valerius-F-Maple Grove
Freshman
1. Shane Gersich-F-Holy Family
2. Dylan Malmquist-F-Edina
3. Jack Walker-D-Edina
4. Keegan Iverson-F-Breck
5. Paul Bittner-F-Crookston
6. Jake Wahlin-F-White Bear Lake
7. Jake Jaremko-F-Elk River
8. Tom Novak-F-St. Thomas Academy
9. Ben Newhouse-D-Benilde
10. Chase Jungels-F-Benilde