Hockey gods against hermantown

[grandmeadowhockeyfan]

Read in the youth forum that the hockey gods were against a program. The only program that can even consider saying that is Hermantown. Any other program has no basis. Have power plays the whole first period in 2014. Never score only to be destroyed in the second. Then there was st Thomas getting a phantom call in the last minute to score the winning goal. Having a two goal lead against st Thomas another year in the third only to lose in ot. Then how about the goal off the defense mans leg and in the net against breck to give them the win. Then of course this year . Have to come back from two two goal deficits only to lose the d...m. Thing in ot. No one else can compare.

Anyone want to try to match a teams bad luck, curse, or choke from this team.

[Roy01]

With the exception of the Breck game back in 2010, Hermantown has given up at least five goals in every championship game. That's not exactly a winning recipe... The St. Thomas game in particular demonstrated a huge inability to close out a game. I'd consider their shortcoming to be the result of defensive lapses.

Ultimately, whatever teams make the championship more often than not will have players that can score. What separates them is from the rest of the field is that their defense does not give up a lot of goals.

Fix the defense and you fix the problem. You'll be able to close out a game.

[Froggy Richards]

With the exception of the Breck game back in 2010, Hermantown has given up at least five goals in every championship game. That's not exactly a winning recipe... The St. Thomas game in particular demonstrated a huge inability to close out a game. I'd consider their shortcoming to be the result of defensive lapses.

Ultimately, whatever teams make the championship more often than not will have players that can score. What separates them is from the rest of the field is that their defense does not give up a lot of goals.

Fix the defense and you fix the problem. You'll be able to close out a game.

Has to be #3. First team in the History of MN High School hockey to make a Championship Game 6 times in a row. And to lose all of them? That is a record that will never be broken. Something bigger is going on here. Looks like the Hockey Gods will not let them win in Class A. Coach Plante even acknowledged them in his Post Game Presser.

[rainier]

What's scary is that it could easily grow to 7 next year. If Jack Becker returns for Mahtomedi, that team will bring back a ton of scoring and will add kids from a top A bantam team. Add to that Hermantown's offense will likely not be as potent next year (although their defense may be improved), and it sets up once again as the Hawks facing a team in the title game just as good or slightly better than they are. This recipe has not worked out well in the past for the Hermantonians.

Every year the pressure to win will keep growing. Either they opt up to AA or just keep trying until they finally meet a team in the final that is so inferior that even the "nobody believes in us" type of boost can't keep the Hawks from winning it all.

Smartest thing they can do (other than opting up) would be to boost their schedule as much as possible. Right now they can autopilot too many of their games during the regular season. If they can try to follow the East model where your schedule is so tough that your team has to bring their A game almost every night, then they might find it easier to shift into that next gear come playoff time.

[bemused]

What's scary is that it could easily grow to 7 next year. If Jack Becker returns for Mahtomedi, that team will bring back a ton of scoring and will add kids from a top A bantam team. Add to that Hermantown's offense will likely not be as potent next year (although their defense may be improved), and it sets up once again as the Hawks facing a team in the title game just as good or slightly better than they are. This recipe has not worked out well in the past for the Hermantonians.

Every year the pressure to win will keep growing. Either they opt up to AA or just keep trying until they finally meet a team in the final that is so inferior that even the "nobody believes in us" type of boost can't keep the Hawks from winning it all.

Smartest thing they can do (other than opting up) would be to boost their schedule as much as possible. Right now they can autopilot too many of their games during the regular season. If they can try to follow the East model where your schedule is so tough that your team has to bring their A game almost every night, then they might find it easier to shift into that next gear come playoff time.

Yeah..that will happen.

[fastncrash]

Might be good to back off the 6 times "Bridesmaid", Buffalo Hockey Bills of Class A, Time to "Pony-Up" to AA talk, as TENSION is apparently pretty thick right now.

http://www.northlandsnewscenter.com/new ... 34871.html

[Nevertoomuchhockey]

Might be good to back off the 6 times "Bridesmaid", Buffalo Hockey Bills of Class A, Time to "Pony-Up" to AA talk, as TENSION is apparently pretty thick right now.

http://www.northlandsnewscenter.com/new ... 34871.html

I don't think it's really fair to accuse Coach Plante of this without more hard evidence.
KIDDING. I joke I joke I kid I kid.
Glad no one was hurt.

[fastncrash]

Might be good to back off the 6 times "Bridesmaid", Buffalo Hockey Bills of Class A, Time to "Pony-Up" to AA talk, as TENSION is apparently pretty thick right now.

http://www.northlandsnewscenter.com/new ... 34871.html

I don't think it's really fair to accuse Coach Plante of this without more hard evidence.
KIDDING. I joke I joke I kid I kid.
Glad no one was hurt.

I wasn't even THINKING of Plante (of course I was) but when I heard they had to shuttle the kids to the Hockeyrink... WELL, then it really does look like a Grass-roots recruiting deal.

******KIDDDING also.
Glad it's all safely over with.

[ted2you]

Sadly, Hermantown may be the best Minnesota A team over the last 6 years, they haven't been the best team in any of those years. Call it luck, curse or whatever. This season, they won their last 25 before the final. But EGF was better in March. Neither Mahtomedi or Hermantown could match up with EGF's first line (I'm not sure if any team in the state could, LN's 1st line is probably as good). If the tournament was held on January 1st, Hermantown probably would have been the state champs. I'm not convinced Hermantown would have beaten Mahtomedi had the Zephyr's advanced. This season was crazy in the sense there were 3 A teams that could have made the Semi's or finals in the AA tournament. IMHO, Hermy is guilty of bad timing. And yes, I don't see it getting easier next year.

[HShockeywatcher]

Smartest thing they can do (other than opting up) would be to boost their schedule as much as possible. Right now they can autopilot too many of their games during the regular season. If they can try to follow the East model where your schedule is so tough that your team has to bring their A game almost every night, then they might find it easier to shift into that next gear come playoff time.

Honestly, their schedule continues to be one of the best Class A schedules around and their issue is that they are simply the best Class A school. If they were to just load up their schedule with AA teams, they'd be doing exactly what Plante says he is against. So, it seems like a lose/lose for them. My guess is there are few teams in the state who wouldn't schedule them.

To be fair, getting in the Hilltopper Classic was a good step in the right direction this year effectively adding 2 quality games to their schedule this year. Anyone know anything more about next year? Most of their push over games happen to be section/conference games unfortunately.

Their 1, 2, 5, 7, 10 and 11 scorers from this year were season.
They are returning 2 with over 30 regular season points, another 3 with 20 regular season points and their goalie.
Mahtomedi is graduating their 3, 5, 9, 10, and 11 scorers and also returning their goalie as well.
Is it too late for these two to play next season? They could do it on a Saturday somewhere halfway between the two...

[green4]

I just saw the bantam player of the year finalists and Hermantown has a representative. I think they will be very talented next year with some of the people that are returning and with their ability to reload.

[Section 8 guy]

With all due respect to Hermantown's woes, I still don't think this string is in the same league as White Bear Lake being 0-17 in first round games. If WBL came out of section 1 every year, sure. But they don't. They come out of a section that is plenty tough most years. The only thing that even makes it any kind of a comparison is the fact that Hermantown's chip losses are all in a row. While the coin coming up tails 6 times in a row is highly unlikely, the coin coming up tails 17 times in a row is a statistical impossibility.

They really aren't even close.

[Froggy Richards]

I just saw the bantam player of the year finalists and Hermantown has a representative. I think they will be very talented next year with some of the people that are returning and with their ability to reload.

Yes, this kid is a great player, fun to watch. He was a move-in from Colorado and should be one of their best forwards next year.

[kniven]

I just saw the bantam player of the year finalists and Hermantown has a representative. I think they will be very talented next year with some of the people that are returning and with their ability to reload.

Yes, this kid is a great player, fun to watch. He was a move-in from Colorado and should be one of their best forwards next year.

Great news for Hermantown. They should win A championship next year...

[pekyman]

I just saw the bantam player of the year finalists and Hermantown has a representative. I think they will be very talented next year with some of the people that are returning and with their ability to reload.

Yes, this kid is a great player, fun to watch. He was a move-in from Colorado and should be one of their best forwards next year.

Great news for Hermantown. They should win A championship next year...

'15 Bantam Player of the Year Finalists
03/12/2015, 5:00pm CDT
By Tony Scott

Tyler Watkins, Hermantown

Hermantown speedster Tyler Watkins
Just west of Duluth sits the hockey hotbed of Hermantown. Hermantown has a population of just over 9,000. It is quickly becoming the next big producer of great players from the 218 area code. Over the past 10 years the Hawks high school team has advanced to state eight times and produced several Division I players and '13 Hobey Baker winner Drew LeBlanc.

Ninth grader Tyler Watkins looks to be one of the next great Hermantown skaters. A finalist for the Wiz Wyatt Player of the Year award in 2013, Watkins has continued to get better and make a name for himself each time he takes the ice. Last Summer while playing in the Bantam Elite League he lead the prestigious league in points and was named the League MVP.

This year as a second year player, Watkins tallied 32 Goals and 41 Assists in 44 for games for the Hawks. A comment we often heard about Watkins this year was, "man, that 18 can really fly...if you stop him, you stop Hermantown." Hermantown coach Patrick Andrews was quite effusive when talking about Watkins and his future. "Tyler is a special player and even a better person. All you can ask for as a coach is to be lucky enough to coach a kid like Tyler once in your coaching career. The sky is the limit for him in hockey and in life."

[nahc]

"Bantam of the Year"? I didn't know this even existed....... is it state wide? Is there a Pee Wee and Squirt of the year? How about Mite?!

[green4]

"Bantam of the Year"? I didn't know this even existed....... is it state wide? Is there a Pee Wee and Squirt of the year? How about Mite?!

Yes it is statewide and I think they have one for peewees. I heard about it last year for the first time

[Froggy Richards]

"Bantam of the Year"? I didn't know this even existed....... is it state wide? Is there a Pee Wee and Squirt of the year? How about Mite?!

Youth Hockey Hub named a Squirt Player of the year in 2013, a kid from Warroad if I remember correctly. They took a lot of heat for it though, and I don't think they did it last year but I could be wrong.

[kniven]

"Bantam of the Year"? I didn't know this even existed....... is it state wide? Is there a Pee Wee and Squirt of the year? How about Mite?!

ice mite of the year was a kid from silver bay last year. "Learn to skate" player of the year was from Mora. This kids going to be lights out in 12 years. There is already talk of a private school transfer for this future NHL first round pick.

[Wet Paint]

"Bantam of the Year"? I didn't know this even existed....... is it state wide? Is there a Pee Wee and Squirt of the year? How about Mite?!

ice mite of the year was a kid from silver bay last year. "Learn to skate" player of the year was from Mora. This kids going to be lights out in 12 years. There is already talk of a private school transfer for this future NHL first round pick.

I heard the ice mite player actually went for an entire week without loading a diaper up on the ice. Pretty impressive work or not working I guess depending on how you look at it.........

[Froggy Richards]

"Bantam of the Year"? I didn't know this even existed....... is it state wide? Is there a Pee Wee and Squirt of the year? How about Mite?!

ice mite of the year was a kid from silver bay last year. "Learn to skate" player of the year was from Mora. This kids going to be lights out in 12 years. There is already talk of a private school transfer for this future NHL first round pick.

The Mite winners and one runner up from 2011-2014 were all from Piedmont and Proctor. All five of them are playing for Hermantown now.

[warriors41]

"Bantam of the Year"? I didn't know this even existed....... is it state wide? Is there a Pee Wee and Squirt of the year? How about Mite?!

Youth Hockey Hub named a Squirt Player of the year in 2013, a kid from Warroad if I remember correctly. They took a lot of heat for it though, and I don't think they did it last year but I could be wrong.

Grant Slukynsky I think the Warroad kid's name was.

[kniven]

"Bantam of the Year"? I didn't know this even existed....... is it state wide? Is there a Pee Wee and Squirt of the year? How about Mite?!

ice mite of the year was a kid from silver bay last year. "Learn to skate" player of the year was from Mora. This kids going to be lights out in 12 years. There is already talk of a private school transfer for this future NHL first round pick.

I heard the ice mite player actually went for an entire week without loading a diaper up on the ice. Pretty impressive work or not working I guess depending on how you look at it.........

HAHA!! LMAO!! Good stuff.

[Nevertoomuchhockey]

Yes, this kid is a great player, fun to watch. He was a move-in from Colorado and should be one of their best forwards next year.

Great news for Hermantown. They should win A championship next year...

'15 Bantam Player of the Year Finalists
03/12/2015, 5:00pm CDT
By Tony Scott

Tyler Watkins, Hermantown

Hermantown speedster Tyler Watkins
Just west of Duluth sits the hockey hotbed of Hermantown. Hermantown has a population of just over 9,000. It is quickly becoming the next big producer of great players from the 218 area code. Over the past 10 years the Hawks high school team has advanced to state eight times and produced several Division I players and '13 Hobey Baker winner Drew LeBlanc.

Ninth grader Tyler Watkins looks to be one of the next great Hermantown skaters. A finalist for the Wiz Wyatt Player of the Year award in 2013, Watkins has continued to get better and make a name for himself each time he takes the ice. Last Summer while playing in the Bantam Elite League he lead the prestigious league in points and was named the League MVP.

This year as a second year player, Watkins tallied 32 Goals and 41 Assists in 44 for games for the Hawks. A comment we often heard about Watkins this year was, "man, that 18 can really fly...if you stop him, you stop Hermantown." Hermantown coach Patrick Andrews was quite effusive when talking about Watkins and his future. "Tyler is a special player and even a better person. All you can ask for as a coach is to be lucky enough to coach a kid like Tyler once in your coaching career. The sky is the limit for him in hockey and in life."

Congrats Tyler and Hermantown.
But the article is crediting that association for "producing" great hockey talent (which it undoubtedly does) - a statement that seems to conflict with the above mention that he's from Colorado?
Regardless, now I have to go find the entire list.

[pekyman]

Great news for Hermantown. They should win A championship next year...

'15 Bantam Player of the Year Finalists
03/12/2015, 5:00pm CDT
By Tony Scott

Tyler Watkins, Hermantown

Hermantown speedster Tyler Watkins
Just west of Duluth sits the hockey hotbed of Hermantown. Hermantown has a population of just over 9,000. It is quickly becoming the next big producer of great players from the 218 area code. Over the past 10 years the Hawks high school team has advanced to state eight times and produced several Division I players and '13 Hobey Baker winner Drew LeBlanc.

Ninth grader Tyler Watkins looks to be one of the next great Hermantown skaters. A finalist for the Wiz Wyatt Player of the Year award in 2013, Watkins has continued to get better and make a name for himself each time he takes the ice. Last Summer while playing in the Bantam Elite League he lead the prestigious league in points and was named the League MVP.

This year as a second year player, Watkins tallied 32 Goals and 41 Assists in 44 for games for the Hawks. A comment we often heard about Watkins this year was, "man, that 18 can really fly...if you stop him, you stop Hermantown." Hermantown coach Patrick Andrews was quite effusive when talking about Watkins and his future. "Tyler is a special player and even a better person. All you can ask for as a coach is to be lucky enough to coach a kid like Tyler once in your coaching career. The sky is the limit for him in hockey and in life."

Congrats Tyler and Hermantown.
But the article is crediting that association for "producing" great hockey talent (which it undoubtedly does) - a statement that seems to conflict with the above mention that he's from Colorado?
Regardless, now I have to go find the entire list.

http://www.youthhockeyhub.com/news_arti ... _id=967187