Hermantown

[RalphCox]

Admittedly I have not seen many HS hockey games this year, and I usually don't give single A hockey any credit at all. But I've heard this team is loaded, and taking care of D-Marshall proves that.

I am not trolling, just asking out of curiosity, would this be a top 5 team in AA this year?

[YearbookWontClose]

Admittedly I have not seen many HS hockey games this year, and I usually don't give single A hockey any credit at all. But I've heard this team is loaded, and taking care of D-Marshall proves that.

I am not trolling, just asking out of curiosity, would this be a top 5 team in AA this year?

Definitely could be. They lost their first game of the season to Wayzata 4 3 and a few games later lost their second to Hopkins 2 1. They haven't lost since then and have beaten some quality AA teams since then including Bemidji 6-1 (headed to state), Grand Rapids 10-2 and White Bear 4-2. They have also handled a lot of really good single A teams quite handily. They definitely fit the single A definition, but the large amount of people calling them to move up is not that ridiculous especially since seasons like this one are not all that uncommon for them in the past few years. I think Bruce just wants to get one more before he either retires or they jump up because he's been teased too many times in the last few years with the constant 2nd place finishes.

[northwoods oldtimer]

No, they are the perennial runner ups in single A.

[Mite-dad]

They'll probably win the A tourney this year and come up with some lame excuse for staying at the A level.

[Mouse in the corner]

Hermantown would probably not even been the top team in 7AA this year. I think that both DE and ER could beat them if they played and I think that the GR game would be better if GR actually had something to play for when they played. Hermantown follows the same script year after year. Play a stupidly soft schedule where they aviod too much of a challenge, blowing up cupcakes along the way and then walz into the late season "on a roll". They have 1 line they play constantly and lines 2 and 3 do see soem ice time but not much, if they were AA they would need at least 2 very strong lines maybe 3 to compete consistently. Their D are pretty consistently solid year to year and for that reason their goal tending tends to not really get challenged and if/when they do they tend to not fair well under the pressure. Their goalies always have high numbers and look good through out the year when they are not under pressure but as STA and EFG have found out in the final games of the year when you get in on them they are relatively easy to beat. This year will be no different until they run into either EFG or Mah at some point in the tourney and then they will get beat again.

[rainier]

Hermantown would probably not even been the top team in 7AA this year. I think that both DE and ER could beat them if they played and I think that the GR game would be better if GR actually had something to play for when they played. Hermantown follows the same script year after year. Play a stupidly soft schedule where they aviod too much of a challenge, blowing up cupcakes along the way and then walz into the late season "on a roll". They have 1 line they play constantly and lines 2 and 3 do see soem ice time but not much, if they were AA they would need at least 2 very strong lines maybe 3 to compete consistently. Their D are pretty consistently solid year to year and for that reason their goal tending tends to not really get challenged and if/when they do they tend to not fair well under the pressure. Their goalies always have high numbers and look good through out the year when they are not under pressure but as STA and EFG have found out in the final games of the year when you get in on them they are relatively easy to beat. This year will be no different until they run into either EFG or Mah at some point in the tourney and then they will get beat again.

I think Hermantown would beat East for sure and would give ER all they could handle. As for GR, it would likely be closer than last game, but GR just doesn't have the defense to hang with the Hawks.

GR had nothing to play for? I don't believe this for a second. They absolutely want to come out and beat Hermantown, a Class A team that has had the better of them most of the time over the last several years. It has become a good rivalry between the two and I guarantee the Rapids players want to beat Hermantown badly.

I agree about the goaltending. It is difficult to gauge how good your goalie is when most of the teams on your schedule don't have the talent to get past your blue line very often. There should be some good tests at the tourney though.

I think LN and Edina are the only teams that would be heavy favorites over Hermantown. Teams like STA and ER would be favored, but it wouldn't be a shock for this Hawk team to beat them.

[hshockeyfan53]

Hermantown would probably not even been the top team in 7AA this year. I think that both DE and ER could beat them if they played and I think that the GR game would be better if GR actually had something to play for when they played. Hermantown follows the same script year after year. Play a stupidly soft schedule where they aviod too much of a challenge, blowing up cupcakes along the way and then walz into the late season "on a roll". They have 1 line they play constantly and lines 2 and 3 do see soem ice time but not much, if they were AA they would need at least 2 very strong lines maybe 3 to compete consistently. Their D are pretty consistently solid year to year and for that reason their goal tending tends to not really get challenged and if/when they do they tend to not fair well under the pressure. Their goalies always have high numbers and look good through out the year when they are not under pressure but as STA and EFG have found out in the final games of the year when you get in on them they are relatively easy to beat. This year will be no different until they run into either EFG or Mah at some point in the tourney and then they will get beat again.

You make a good point about the goalie situation but there's not much else they can do. They aren't going to intentionally loosen up defensively just so their goalie gets more work.

As for the comments about East and Grand Rapids, Hermantown is way ahead of both those teams this year. At least give them credit where it's due.

For some reason, people in northern MN put East on this magical pedestal and try to convince everyone that no matter what their record, they are always going to be better than the local class A teams. It's not 1996 anymore. This theory just simply doesn't work. If Hermantown had been in 7AA the past 5 or 6 years I bet they would have 2 or 3 section championships while East would also have 2 or 3. The top end talent these two programs has produced over the past 5 years has been very similar.

[doghockey]

Hermantown would probably not even been the top team in 7AA this year. I think that both DE and ER could beat them if they played and I think that the GR game would be better if GR actually had something to play for when they played. Hermantown follows the same script year after year. Play a stupidly soft schedule where they aviod too much of a challenge, blowing up cupcakes along the way and then walz into the late season "on a roll". They have 1 line they play constantly and lines 2 and 3 do see soem ice time but not much, if they were AA they would need at least 2 very strong lines maybe 3 to compete consistently. Their D are pretty consistently solid year to year and for that reason their goal tending tends to not really get challenged and if/when they do they tend to not fair well under the pressure. Their goalies always have high numbers and look good through out the year when they are not under pressure but as STA and EFG have found out in the final games of the year when you get in on them they are relatively easy to beat. This year will be no different until they run into either EFG or Mah at some point in the tourney and then they will get beat again.

GR has nothing to play for against Hermantown? What? Did you ever play sports? Players at any level have something to play for every time they lace 'em up. A stupidly soft schedule? Are you aware that Wayzata, Hopkins, Eden Prairie, Bemidji, Cloquet, Hastings, Eagan, Brainerd, along with Grand Rapids, have been on the schedule that past few years? And that those teams are all AA? I'm a Hermantown grad and wish they would opt up, but if you are going to complain, at least know your facts before you start posting.