Hill Murray losing another D man?

[stpaul]

I'm not saying that players leaving a school early is a good thing. But it can be. Kids that don't want to be there do make room for kids who do.

My favorite example is the 2000-2001 Pioneers. This was the only HM team since the mid-60s to have a losing record. They finished 12-14-1 and got smacked by WBL 8-0 in the regular season final game. They graduated 6 seniors. 2 players then transferred out. One was a Junior who tied as their top goal scorer. He went to Totino Grace. The other - a sophomore who tied as the top point scorer left for Junior Hockey. It looked like they had nobody coming back for 2001-2002. Garrett Regan, a sophomore with 8 goals and 6 assists was the leading scorer coming back. Tony Ciro was a junior goalie who went 9-9-1.

That 2001-2002 team turned out to be one of their all time best. They started out slow. They were 7-4 after the Schwan Cup and had been blasted by Roseville 10-1 in that tournament. They went on to win the Conference and then the Section title over WBL 4-1. They beat Lakeville and Jefferson at State before losing the championship game to Holy Angels 4-2. They finished 23-6-2. Garrett Regan scored 37 goals and Brian Kaufman had 30. A bunch of young guys had great seasons. Tony Ciro was dynamite in goal.

[Marty]

Charlie Sampair will tear it up this season. He can fly, has good hockey awareness, and is a smart kid. He is just maybe a little timid, so if he gets a fire lit under him, look out.....

With all these defections from the Great Hill, I think Charlie should come back where he played Bantams......

Which association ?
... I believe he was an A Bantam for two different neighboring associations.

[BodyShots]

With all these defections, section 4 looks to be a wide open race. Who knows, maybe it will be Moundsview's year!

[wblhcky24]

I heard herlofsky is gonna play for the Topeka roadrunners

[old goalie85]

Thank you!!!WBLHCKy24

[WHAFightingSaints]

With all these defections, section 4 looks to be a wide open race. Who knows, maybe it will be Moundsview's year!

I would still give Hill a big advantage to get to St. Paul in March, maybe Stillwater can give them a scare though.

[northwoods oldtimer]

With all these defections, section 4 looks to be a wide open race. Who knows, maybe it will be Moundsview's year!

I would still give Hill a big advantage to get to St. Paul in March, maybe Stillwater can give them a scare though.

Pulling for WBL all the way!

[Gems]

Pulling for WBL all the way![/quote]

Why? They won the section last year...pull for a new team to win the section... like Hill Murray...

[gophs1616]

With all these defections, section 4 looks to be a wide open race. Who knows, maybe it will be Moundsview's year!

I would still give Hill a big advantage to get to St. Paul in March, maybe Stillwater can give them a scare though.

Pulling for WBL all the way!

I'm a little uneasy about Stillwater this year. They just lost two stud defensemen in Goff and Corbett. Still very confident in tendy Cates though. He can steal a game

[Gems]

I would still give Hill a big advantage to get to St. Paul in March, maybe Stillwater can give them a scare though.[/quote]


It will be interesting to see what Hill can do with only 1 returning D-man and a JV team that was so-so last year. I think Stillwater and Moundsview will be right behind Hill but we've seen what Lechner has done in the past with teams that were suppose to be average at best...should be fun...seasons just around the corner.

[54fighting]

Hill is still the big favorite in 5AA, maybe even more so than last year's team which had much more talant. 5AA might be the 2nd worst section in the state this season. They may not finish in the top 2 in their conference but they should still be in St Paul come March. Although they will be weak on the blueline, the JV D were very weak last year, they still have enough up front to win 7-6 type games.

[cyclones02]

I think stillwater will be fine, they still got a couple d returning and Cates can win them a couple games

[BodyShots]

Hill is still the big favorite in 5AA, maybe even more so than last year's team which had much more talant. 5AA might be the 2nd worst section in the state this season. They may not finish in the top 2 in their conference but they should still be in St Paul come March. Although they will be weak on the blueline, the JV D were very weak last year, they still have enough up front to win 7-6 type games.

Good luck to Hill winning 5AA.

Has Hill ever not finished in the top 2 in their conference?

[54fighting]

Sorry, meant 4AA. I would think you would have to go back quite a ways to find a HIll team not either 1 or 2. STA should win the conference but the #2 spot could be a battle. Hill will probably still end up there but it won't be the cakewalk it usually is.

[WB6162]

Hat's off to the parents for teaching their son about loyalty and team first

[hockeyfan893]

[quote="WB6162"]Hat's off to the parents for teaching their son about loyalty and team first [/quote]

Who's parents are we talking about here?

[mavhock166]

[Gems]

Hill is still the big favorite in 5AA, maybe even more so than last year's team which had much more talant. 5AA might be the 2nd worst section in the state this season. They may not finish in the top 2 in their conference but they should still be in St Paul come March. Although they will be weak on the blueline, the JV D were very weak last year, they still have enough up front to win 7-6 type games.

54fighting who, besides St Thomas (who should win the conference), has a chance of finishing in front of Hill Murray?

[passthepuck38]

Hill is still the big favorite in 5AA, maybe even more so than last year's team which had much more talant. 5AA might be the 2nd worst section in the state this season. They may not finish in the top 2 in their conference but they should still be in St Paul come March. Although they will be weak on the blueline, the JV D were very weak last year, they still have enough up front to win 7-6 type games.

Good luck to Hill winning 5AA.

Has Hill ever not finished in the top 2 in their conference?

I call it now-Hill will win the section, 2-3 players leaving do not matter.

[UntouchableFlow]

Hill-Murray will be just fine. I think that Dugas is going to have a really good season in net. The Hill-Murray kids know that they have big shoes to fill for next year after losing last years senior class, Voltin, and Johnson. I predict Jake Guentzel will put up 60+ points this year, and that Sampair and Lavalle are going to have big seasons as well. Lechner gets the best out of his guys every season, and next year won't be any different. Add the senior class that White Bear lost and that only makes their chances for winning their section that much better. I don't see them being a top 5 team in the state, but they will be back at the X come March.

[nosinbin4me*]

Hmmmm - Each year they lose players, can't make State last year and now losing all their best players before the season starts. Maybe it's time for a Coaching change??? Good Luck to Jonah, Andy, Travis, Luke and all the other ones that haven't come forward yet.

I know many on this forum seem to think that Coach Lechner is "Above Reproach" when it comes to coaching. Really, he is not. In fact the man is far from it. He made some lousy decisions last year and in recent years regarding some "would be" returning players for this season and now it is coming back to bite. "You Reap what you Sow".

[codyy33]

Has Hill ever not finished in the top 2 in their conference?

Hill played in the Twin Cities Suburban conference through the 2000-2001 season and then joined the Classic Suburban where they have never finished below 2nd place.

In the last ten years its been either St.Thomas or Hill-Murray winning the conference besides 02-03 when NSP won and 04-05 when Tartan won.

[East Side Pioneer Guy]

How far back are you talking about? Just the Classic Suburban, or farther back?

[stpaul]

Hmmmm - Each year they lose players, can't make State last year and now losing all their best players before the season starts. Maybe it's time for a Coaching change??? Good Luck to Jonah, Andy, Travis, Luke and all the other ones that haven't come forward yet.

I know many on this forum seem to think that Coach Lechner is "Above Reproach" when it comes to coaching. Really, he is not. In fact the man is far from it. He made some lousy decisions last year and in recent years regarding some "would be" returning players for this season and now it is coming back to bite. "You Reap what you Sow".

How is it that these long term, very successful coaches like Bill Lechner, Curt Giles and Mike Randolph are such bad human beings and make such horrible decisions?

[12to14]

Hmmmm - Each year they lose players, can't make State last year and now losing all their best players before the season starts. Maybe it's time for a Coaching change??? Good Luck to Jonah, Andy, Travis, Luke and all the other ones that haven't come forward yet.

I know many on this forum seem to think that Coach Lechner is "Above Reproach" when it comes to coaching. Really, he is not. In fact the man is far from it. He made some lousy decisions last year and in recent years regarding some "would be" returning players for this season and now it is coming back to bite. "You Reap what you Sow".

How is it that these long term, very successful coaches like Bill Lechner, Curt Giles and Mike Randolph are such bad human beings and make such horrible decisions?

St Paul, even the best coaches reach their peek and need to be let go sometimes. My time would have been after HM's last state championship, Forest Lake, later that night. If you get the chance ask him about it.
He should have been smart enough to tell his players to keep thier mouth's shut.