2025-26 Early Departure Watch List

[dueling21]

With West Metro passing on, no one started up the early departure watch list, so figured I'd through it up on the board and see what sticks.

[bardown27]

Confirmed:
Mason Minor - BSM (Cedar Rapids USHL)
Mason West - Edina (Fargo USHL)
Freddie Schneider - Edina (NTDP U17)
Ben Geiger - Northfield (NTDP U17)
Carson Scott - Hill-Murray (NTDP U17)
Gunnar Conboy - Lakeville North (Green Bay USHL)
Luca Jarvis - Stillwater (Tri City USHL)

Potential to do B/A, on USHL/NAHL roster right now:
Carter Ernst - Lakeville South (Cedar Rapids USHL)
Nate Chorlton - Cretin (Chicago USHL)
Ryland Rooney - Gentry (Des Moines USHL)
Riley Zupfer - Hill-Murray (Des Moines USHL)
Becker Wenkus - Edina (Des Moines USHL)
Zac Zimmerman - Moorhead (Fargo USHL)
Jack Kultgen - Shakopee (Green Bay USHL)
Casey Vandertop - Edina (Lincoln USHL)
Nate Pederson - Shakopee (Lincoln USHL)
Tyden Bergeson - Moorhead (Madison USHL)
Caleb Pittsley - Edina (Madison USHL)
Cash Cruitt - Andover (Madison USHL)
Nate Celski - WBL (Muskegon USHL)
Max Anderson - Cretin (Sioux City USHL)
Caz Carlson - Rock Ridge (Waterloo USHL)
Connor Schubert - Rosemount (Youngstown USHL)
Carson Steinhoff - Shakopee (MN Mallards NAHL)

[CakeScout17]

West Metro is missed. A true character and love of the game/community.
Thanks for starting this and the update!

[BP]

Confirmed:
Mason Minor - BSM (Cedar Rapids USHL)
Mason West - Edina (Fargo USHL)
Freddie Schneider - Edina (NTDP U17)
Ben Geiger - Northfield (NTDP U17)
Carson Scott - Hill-Murray (NTDP U17)
Gunnar Conboy - Lakeville North (Green Bay USHL)
Luca Jarvis - Stillwater (Tri City USHL)

Potential to do B/A, on USHL/NAHL roster right now:
Carter Ernst - Lakeville South (Cedar Rapids USHL)
Nate Chorlton - Cretin (Chicago USHL)
Ryland Rooney - Gentry (Des Moines USHL)
Riley Zupfer - Hill-Murray (Des Moines USHL)
Becker Wenkus - Edina (Des Moines USHL)
Zac Zimmerman - Moorhead (Fargo USHL)
Jack Kultgen - Shakopee (Green Bay USHL)
Casey Vandertop - Edina (Lincoln USHL)
Nate Pederson - Shakopee (Lincoln USHL)
Tyden Bergeson - Moorhead (Madison USHL)
Caleb Pittsley - Edina (Madison USHL)
Cash Cruitt - Andover (Madison USHL)
Nate Celski - WBL (Muskegon USHL)
Max Anderson - Cretin (Sioux City USHL)
Caz Carlson - Rock Ridge (Waterloo USHL)
Connor Schubert - Rosemount (Youngstown USHL)
Carson Steinhoff - Shakopee (MN Mallards NAHL)

Some more to add:

Owen Lunneborg - Shakopee (Vancouver - WHL)
Caden Zasada - Hill-Murray (Spokane - WHL)
Phoenix Cahill - CDH (Prince Geroge - WHL)
Carter Casey - Grand Rapids - (Medicine Hat - WHL)
Luke Christopherson - Two Rivers (Portland - WHL)
Brandon Mickelson - Moorhead (Wenatchee - WHL)
Caden Lindsay - Minnetonka (Minot - NAHL)
Issak Kalis - Little Falls (St Cloud - NAHL)
Cooper Siegert - Shakopee (Fairbanks - NAHL)
Jackson Knight - Orono (Minnesota Wilderness - NAHL)
Grady Suchy - Alexandria (Northstar Christian U16)
Nate Garski - Grand Rapids (Bismarck - NAHL)
Joe Erickson - Blake (Wisconsin - NAHL)
Grady Schmidt - Mankato West (Austin - NAHL)

[ClassAGuy]

Just got through all the Class A Team Previews below is what was found (Sure some are missing)

Early Departures
Ben Geiger - Northfield (NTDP U17)
Jackson Knight - Orono (Minnesota Wilderness - NAHL)
Luca DeCubellis - Orono (Salmon Arm Silverbacks - BCHL)
Ryker Rehm - MN River (Shattuck U18)
Brandon Wright - Mahtomedi (Northstar Christian U16)
Mitchell Haase - Mora/Milaca (Granite City- NA3HL)
Keaton LeGrande - St Cloud Cathedral (Rock Springs Miners - NCDC)
Ethan Wise - Hermantown (Northstar Christian U16)
Carter Nash - Hermantown (Honeybaked U15)
Mason Deraney - Detroit Lakes (Sioux Falls U16)
Parker Deraney - Detroit Lakes (Fox Motors U15)

Before and After (Been told coming back for HS Hockey)
Issak Kalis - Little Falls (St Cloud - NAHL)
Joe Erickson - Blake (Wisconsin - NAHL)
Grady Schmidt - Mankato West (Austin - NAHL)
Tucker Lovejoy - East Grand Forks (Austin - NAHL)

[BSUBeaver]

Joey Cullen (Moorhead) Honeybaked 15U
Easton Dozark (Moorhead) Honeybaked 15U
Henry Buttwieller (Moorhead/Alexandria??) Honeybaked 15U

[oldmaverick]

Is there a date that players have to be back to be eligible for the HS season?

[oldmaverick]

Is there a date that players have to be back to be eligible for the HS season?

[Sparlimb]

Is there a date that players have to be back to be eligible for the HS season?

Yes. I forget what it is, but something like 5 weeks after the season starts, or something close to that. I recall a player from WBL missing the deadline a couple years ago and not getting to play his senior year.

[BSUBeaver]

Seeing reports on X that Joey Cullen is coming back to Moorhead for the HS season. Kind of interesting since his dad is a coach with Honeybaked, if true.

[mnpuckster]

Is there a date that players have to be back to be eligible for the HS season?

Yes. I forget what it is, but something like 5 weeks after the season starts, or something close to that. I recall a player from WBL missing the deadline a couple years ago and not getting to play his senior year.

This was covid related.

[East Side Pioneer Guy]

Is there a date that players have to be back to be eligible for the HS season?

Yes. I forget what it is, but something like 5 weeks after the season starts, or something close to that. I recall a player from WBL missing the deadline a couple years ago and not getting to play his senior year.

Five weeks??? Good Lord, why not just make the 3rd Friday of February? Or the first intermission of the section quarterfinals?

[bardown27]

Players have to be rostered by the third Monday after tryouts start.

[BSUBeaver]

Brooks Suter returning to Edina, according to X.

Also reading that Cullen would be eligible to go back to Honeybaked after the HS season for the Michigan District playoffs and possible Nationals (have Fox Motors and Little Caesars in there). All Honeybaked has to do is have him taking up a roster spot on January 1.

I know the MSHSL allowed HS kids to do the "before and after" with Junior teams, but didn't realize it could also be used with AAA teams. Is this the first time this aspect is being tested?

[smhockey77]

"Returns to Edina" is funny given he played for Moorhead last season.

[BSUBeaver]

"Returns to Edina" is funny given he played for Moorhead last season.

Yeah, leave it to Minnesota Hockey to allow a free for all in youth hockey.

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The MSHSL and Minnesota Hockey at this point should just come out and publicly admit that there are no eligibility rules based on where you live or where you played last year (or earlier this year). You can live wherever you want to now and play for whoever you want to. There are zero rules being followed or enforced regarding residency. It’s getting so bad that, pretty soon, you’ll probably be able to play for a high school team if you don’t even go to the high school. It’s a joke.

[SpreadOut!]

Sorry on the multiple same posts. I got a message after posting saying the post didn’t post but then when I looked afterwards it did? My apologies.

[headsupsticksdown]

Why was Suter up in Moorhead anyways? After Dallas, the fam said f it and didn't go to STL and instead settled on a one year lease in Moorhead??

[BSUBeaver]

Why was Suter up in Moorhead anyways? After Dallas, the fam said f it and didn't go to STL and instead settled on a one year lease in Moorhead??

Well, they did get a Bantam AA State Title out of the deal, so there is that.

It is a free for all right now. He played in Moorhead last year for Bantams (District 15), them played HP Spring with District 6 (Edina). Ends up getting a trip to the USA Hockey combine in Buffalo, NY in the summer, and then goes to the Madison Capitals 15U AAA for the fall, now is coming back to Edina for HS.

[elliott70]

"Returns to Edina" is funny given he played for Moorhead last season.

Yeah, leave it to Minnesota Hockey to allow a free for all in youth hockey.

This is not a Minesota Hockey controlled event.
And MH (at least most directors) work very hard at regulating movement.
It is discussed frequently.