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Jake Guentzel has a great shot if he stays at HM

10) Max Coatta Minnetonka
9) Zach LaValle Hill Murray
Dan Labosky Benilde
7) Michael Brodzinski Blaine
6) Jake Bischoff Grand Rapids
5) Adam Johnson Hibbing
4) Vinni Lettieri Minnetonka
3) Jordan Gross Maple Grove
2) Jake Guentzel Hill Murray
1) Grant Besse Benilde

Other notables: Lou Nanne, Mario Bianchi, Meirs Moore

Top

1 Tyler Cisar Moose Lake Area F 11 25 40 41 81 14 0
2 Grant Besse Benilde-St. Margaret's F 11 25 40 35 75 12 2
3 Jake Guentzel Hill-Murray F 11 25 21 46 67 6 0
4 TJ Roo Totino-Grace F 11 24 19 42 61 8 2
5 Thomas Lindstrom Breck School F 11 25 29 31 60 8 2
6 T.J. Moore Benilde-St. Margaret's F 11 25 27 32 59 7 2
7 Vinni Lettieri Minnetonka F 11 25 22 36 58 9 1
8 Ben Rauschnot Simley F 11 25 20 37 57 5 1
9 Lucas Debenedet International Falls F 11 25 26 30 56 3 7
9 Zach LaValle Hill-Murray F 11 25 25 31 56 6 0
9 Dan Labosky Benilde-St. Margaret's F 11 25 14 42 56 4 2

Have to wonder if Hill doesn't have a chance for a third potential Mr. Hockey candidate with Blake Heinrich. After a tournament like that, he'll be garnering a lot of attention next year.

Here's my list of candidates...

F - Grant Besse - Benilde-St.Margaret's








Seriously, there'll be a lot of defections, and I really think Besse will be the best player returning. There are others I think could beat him, but they won't be playing MSHSL hockey.

The Exiled One wrote:Here's my list of candidates...

F - Grant Besse - Benilde-St.Margaret's








Seriously, there'll be a lot of defections, and I really think Besse will be the best player returning. There are others I think could beat him, but they won't be playing MSHSL hockey.

At the very least he's probably the current front-runner. Time will tell but he should have a monster year

How about Guentzel and Heinrich from HM? They are both extremely talented and could contend with Besse for Mr. Hockey as well as the state title.

Anyone come up with 5-10 top 2014's..

zerban elk river

Murray Chadwick wrote:10) Max Coatta Minnetonka
9) Zach LaValle Hill Murray
Dan Labosky Benilde
7) Michael Brodzinski Blaine
6) Jake Bischoff Grand Rapids
5) Adam Johnson Hibbing
4) Vinni Lettieri Minnetonka
3) Jordan Gross Maple Grove
2) Jake Guentzel Hill Murray
1) Grant Besse Benilde

Other notables: Lou Nanne, Mario Bianchi, Meirs Moore

List looks good to me. I would move Zach LaValle up, even as high as 2 or 3. Very complete player and he's been on the HM varsity for 5 years.

If Besse's production next year is anything close to last year, to me it's obvious that he'll win easily. Apart from the fact that he'd deserve it, you get the sense that, with all the kids leaving high school early, the award is perhaps more of a career award than it used to be, and that kids who stay when they obviously could have moved on and left high school hockey perhaps get additional credit for that fact.

2014 ******

Anyone venture to put 5-10 names (forwards) out there for top talent for class of 2014..

I assume you probably start with Hurley, Spinner, Sheehy ---- but from there?? And please don't put Jack Ramsey on there after these last 2 camps:)

Blake Heinrich-HM IS the obvious choice. All of the forwards you mention either disappear when he is on the ice, or they have already felt his bulldozing hits. He commands the ice like no other D in the state. There is no doubt IF he comes back HE will be the front runner. Congrats Blake on UMD

wingman wrote:Blake Heinrich-HM IS the obvious choice. All of the forwards you mention either disappear when he is on the ice, or they have already felt his bulldozing hits. He commands the ice like no other D in the state. There is no doubt IF he comes back HE will be the front runner. Congrats Blake on UMD

I have to admit, when I saw him early in the season, I was not impressed. It looked like he was always looking for the big hit and often found himself out of position. But, after watching him in the state tourney, he definately found a balance between the two.

Mr. Hockey 2014. Anyone got there crystal balls out on this yet. 2013 is fairly easy comparably, but Who can put 5-10 names out there for MR 2014...who might plateau vs who will develop, and be on the right team, surrounded by best players and coaches.

Wallyworld wrote:Mr. Hockey 2014. Anyone got there crystal balls out on this yet. 2013 is fairly easy comparably, but Who can put 5-10 names out there for MR 2014...who might plateau vs who will develop, and be on the right team, surrounded by best players and coaches.

As of right now if everyone stays, I would not be surprised to see any if not all of these players on the list.

1. Hurley-F-Edina
2. Sheehy-F-Burnsville
3. Kuhlman-F-Cloquet
4. Peterson-F-Grand Rapids
5. Alex Strand-F-Roseau
6. Johnny Austin-D-Blake

The Best in the Bizz3 wrote:

Wallyworld wrote:Mr. Hockey 2014. Anyone got there crystal balls out on this yet. 2013 is fairly easy comparably, but Who can put 5-10 names out there for MR 2014...who might plateau vs who will develop, and be on the right team, surrounded by best players and coaches.

As of right now if everyone stays, I would not be surprised to see any if not all of these players on the list.

1. Hurley-F-Edina
2. Sheehy-F-Burnsville
3. Kuhlman-F-Cloquet
4. Peterson-F-Grand Rapids
5. Alex Strand-F-Roseau
6. Johnny Austin-D-Blake

Probably should start a different thread for 2014.

I must say, I'm less sold on Besse as the runaway favorite now than I was at the beginning of the year. Obviously, he still has a good shot, but other interesting candidates have emerged. Here's a few in random order...

Zach LaValle - Best player on best AA team
Grant Besse - If it was a lifetime achievement award...
Parker Reno - Best defenseman on a strong Edina team
Zach Glienke - Sneakily having a great season
Max Coatta - Unfortunately, stronger candidate on same team
Tommy Vannelli - Team USA, Gopher recruit, AA defenseman, hmmmm
Meirs Moore - There's got to be one candidate from DE
Matt Colford - Clearly stands out on a good Breck team
Travis Koepke - Hermantown

Obviously I'm missing some candidates, but I think the winner is from this list. I hate to be a conspiracy theorist, but I do believe Vannelli has a good chance (for whatever reasons). Still though, I think I'm going to stick with Besse at this point. As long as he remains the leading scorer on a very offensively talented BSM team, he's my favorite.

Thoughts?

I know there is a separate award for goalies, but can a goalie win Mr Hockey?

BodyShots wrote:I know there is a separate award for goalies, but can a goalie win Mr Hockey?

No, Mr. Hockey is reserved for defensemen and forward seniors.

The goalie award is for seniors and is named after Frank Brimsek. I should probably save this for the Brimsek Award thread, but my favorite for that award is Dugas. Zevnik, Dingman, and Stumpf are also some of my favorites.

I certainly think Jake Jackson from Tartan should be among the nominees. A very good player. Flies under the radar because of the team he's on, but I am sure anyone else can attest to his skill.

The Exiled One wrote:I must say, I'm less sold on Besse as the runaway favorite now than I was at the beginning of the year. Obviously, he still has a good shot, but other interesting candidates have emerged. Here's a few in random order...

Zach LaValle - Best player on best AA team
Grant Besse - If it was a lifetime achievement award...
Parker Reno - Best defenseman on a strong Edina team
Zach Glienke - Sneakily having a great season
Max Coatta - Unfortunately, stronger candidate on same team
Tommy Vannelli - Team USA, Gopher recruit, AA defenseman, hmmmm
Meirs Moore - There's got to be one candidate from DE
Matt Colford - Clearly stands out on a good Breck team
Travis Koepke - Hermantown

Obviously I'm missing some candidates, but I think the winner is from this list. I hate to be a conspiracy theorist, but I do believe Vannelli has a good chance (for whatever reasons). Still though, I think I'm going to stick with Besse at this point. As long as he remains the leading scorer on a very offensively talented BSM team, he's my favorite.

Thoughts?

Pretty good list, and I tend to agree with your thoughts on Besse. As mentioned, Jackson from Tartan would be another good finalist candidate.

Because he missed so much time, I don't think Jake Bischoff should be nominated. However, there is some precedent for that, as they nominated Alt a few years ago when he only played in something like half of his team's games. Nothing against Jake, who is a fantastic player, but that shouldn't happen.

I'd also expect to see a second Benilde forward nominated. Presumably Labosky, but perhaps Moore.

I'd also expect to see a second Benilde forward nominated.

Why would you expect that.

I think that Dugas and Zevnik have to be the top 2 choices for the Frank Brimsek award. I would give a nod to Dugas because he plays on a current AA team, but I wouldn't be surprised to see Zevnik win it either.

As far as Mr. Hockey goes, I would say that Besse is probably the favorite as of now, but there's still a good amount of season left.

karl(east) wrote:I'd also expect to see a second Benilde forward nominated. Presumably Labosky, but perhaps Moore.

I think Labosky deserves to be in the finalists. I think he'll be a nice player at CC too.

As for the winner, it has always been Besse's award to lose after the state tourney. Once he decided to return to HS hockey, the tourney hype is gonna carry him over even if he doesn't do spectacular this year. He'd have to flop pretty heavily for the award not to go his way at this point.

The award is still special but it isn't like the finalist pool is as deep these days. With so much top talent playing elsewhere as seniors, winning the award just doesn't have the same prestige as 10+ years ago when almost all the best players in the state stuck with HS hockey until graduation.