Minnesota Ice Hawks

gopherhockey21 · Post by **gopherhockey21** » Fri Mar 13, 2009 10:30 pm

Where would you rate the Ice Hawks as a junior program? Tonight against the Minnesota Owls, they scored 12 goals adding to there total of 330 heading into the game on the year. The GF now is 342 and the GA is 102. This is a physical team and fun to watch them play. Where would you rate them in all of junior hockey.

Marty McSorely · Post by **Marty McSorely** » Sat Mar 14, 2009 4:59 pm

About the middle of the pack in the NAHL.

Poolside · Post by **Poolside** » Mon Mar 16, 2009 1:29 pm

I have to disagree. I've seen hundreds of junior hockey games, mostly NAHL, but some USHL and I've seen the Ice Hawks and a couple of other MJHL teams. While the atmosphere at the Ice Hawks arena is fantastic and their fans couldn't be more supportive, the quality of hockey is no where near middle of the pack NAHL. Nor is middle of the pack NA close to middle of the pack USHL. They are different leagues. I would rate Hawk hockey defintely as the league between a strong high school program and the NA. Maybe a notch above a Blaine, Eden Prairie game only quite a bit rougher. There isn't the drop off in talent between lines one and 3 and 4 like there is in high school. Are there players on the Hawks that could play in the NAHL? Definitely. But not the team as a whole. Are there kids that are in the NA that could play in the USHL? Absolutely. Just not most of them.

With that said, the Hawks have a great program and great fans. They average more fans than any NA team in the region. If your goal is to play D3 hockey (which is very good hockey) and go to school at RCTC while having fun playing hockey, go for it. Just make sure your credits are going to transfer. Check the rosters of any NAHL teams. There aren't many kids coming from the MJ--it's an age thing. You need to be ok with the Division 3 thing before setting down somewhere around $5000 to play MJ. That goes for playing in the NA too, it just doesn't cost as much. Most of them end up playing Division 3. A few from each team make it to Div 1, but not the majority.

crash · Post by **crash** » Tue Mar 24, 2009 12:32 am

Ice Hawks cost $3000 last year.

I think they would finish in the top two or three in the division, behind NO Iowa and maybe the Bobcats.

Flat out, best jr option in the region. Not many kids in the NAHL are getting D-1 looks, and the few that are in this divison played for the Hawks.

8 Active D-1 players and over 20 active D-3 players from the Ice Hawks.

Not too many NAHL teams can boast that type of player promotion.

southernmnscout · Post by **southernmnscout** » Tue Mar 24, 2009 2:34 pm

crash wrote:Active D-1 players and over 20 active D-3 players from the Ice Hawks.

Not too many NAHL teams can boast that type of player promotion.

Just look at Ryan Goodmanson from last years Hawks team::

This year with Kenai River=average stats at best! 57 games and 33 points and an awful +-.

# PLAYERS CP P GP G A PTS +/- PIM PPG PPA SHG SHA GWG SHOTS %

8 Goodmanson, Ryan F 57 15 18 33 -13 139 5 6 2 2 3 130 .115

Last season with the Hawks 42 goals and 74 assists for 116 points and the MVP of the league.

You are crazy if you think they can compare to the quality of the NAHL. Maybe the bottom 2 or 3 teams. Here is the active list of every NAHL team and this is only DI commits.

Alexandria Blizzard2008 - 2009 College Commitments
Ryan Leets Army (Atlantic Hockey, D1)
Bryce Ravndalen St. Cloud State University (WCHA, D1)

Bismarck Bobcats2008 - 2009 College Commitments
David Bosner Air Force Academy (Atlantic Hockey, D1)
John Clark Army (Atlantic Hockey, D1)
Jason Fabian Air Force Academy (Atlantic Hockey, D1) *
Alex Gerke University of Connecticut (Atlantic Hockey, D1)
Garrett Kennedy Miami University (CCHA, D1) #

Fairbanks Ice Dogs2008 - 2009 College Commitments
Austin Block Air Force Academy (Atlantic Hockey, D1)
Phil Cook Minnesota State-Mankato (WCHA, D1)
Brandon Martell Ohio State University (CCHA, D1)
Andrew McCabe University of Nebraska-Omaha (CCHA, D1)

Kenai River Brown Bears2008 - 2009 College Commitments
Gustav Bengtson University of Alaska-Anchorage (WCHA, D1)
Patrick Sullivan Canisius College (Atlantic Hockey, D1) *

Mahoning Valley Phantoms2008 - 2009 College Commitments
Grant Blakey Mercyhurst College (Atlantic Hockey, D1) #
Michael Gunn Michigan State University (CCHA, D1)
Alex Lippincott Ohio State University (CCHA, D1)
Stefan Salituro Robert Morris University (CHA, D1)
Cole Schneider University of Connecticut (Atlantic Hockey, D1) *
Brad Smith Ohio State University (CCHA, D1)
Jordy Trottier Bentley University (Atlantic Hockey, D1)

Marquette Rangers2008 - 2009 College Commitments
James Gallagher University of Connecticut (Atlantic Hockey, D1)
Kevin Gravel St. Cloud State University (WCHA, D1) *
Jake Hauswirth Michigan Tech University (WCHA, D1) #
Cody Ikkala Army (Atlantic Hockey, D1) #
Aaron Pietila Michigan Tech University (WCHA, D1)
Chad Pietila Northern Michigan University (CCHA, D1)
Reed Rushing Bowling Green State University (CCHA, D1)

Motor City Machine2008 - 2009 College Commitments
Jon Bobb Army (Atlantic Hockey, D1)
Trevor John Tufts University (NESCAC, D3)
Ryan Misiak Mercyhurst College (Atlantic Hockey, D1) *
Joe Rogers University of Notre Dame (CCHA, D1)

North Iowa Outlaws2008 - 2009 College Commitments
Dan Durham Air Force Academy (Atlantic Hockey, D1)
John O’Neill University of Minnesota-Duluth (WCHA, D1)
Anthony Raiola University of Massachusetts (Hockey East, D1)

Owatonna Express2008 - 2009 College Commitments
Stephen Carew Air Force Academy (Atlantic Hockey, D1)
John Kruse Air Force Academy (Atlantic Hockey, D1)

Springfield Jr. Blues2008 - 2009 College Commitments
Jack Callahan Quinnipiac University (ECACHL, D1) *
Randy Cure Mercyhurst College (Atlantic Hockey, D1)
Trent Frey Mercyhurst College (Atlantic Hockey, D1) *
Darren Rowe University of Massachusetts (Hockey East, D1) #

St. Louis Bandits2008 - 2009 College Commitments
Clinton Bourbonais Air Force Academy (Atlantic Hockey, D1)
Tyler Elbrecht Minnesota State-Mankato (WCHA, D1)
Andrew Hamburg Colorado College (WCHA, D1)
Keith Kinkaid Union College (ECACHL, D1)
Mike Merrifield Michigan State University (CCHA, D1) #
Ben Miller Western Michigan University (CCHA, D1) #
Dan Weiss Niagara University (CHA, D1)

Texas Tornado2008 - 2009 College Commitments
Stephane DeCosta Merrimack College (Hockey East, D1) #
Matt Tennyson Western Michigan University (CCHA, D1) #

Topeka RoadRunners2008 - 2009 College Commitments
Eric Artman Air Force Academy (Atlantic Hockey, D1)
Jordan George Bemidji State University (CHA, D1)
Matt Hartmann Bemidji State University (CHA, D1)
Eriah Hayes Minnesota State University - Mankato (WCHA, D1) #
Bob Marx University of Alaska-Fairbanks (CCHA, D1)
Bryce Merriam Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (ECACHL, D1)
Steve Shafer Canisius College (Atlantic Hockey, D1)

Traverse City North Stars2008 - 2009 College Commitments
Kyle Jean Lake Superior State University (CCHA, D1)
David Johnstone Michigan State University (CCHA, D1)
Kory Kaunisto Northern Michigan University (CCHA, D1) #
Dan Radke Lake Superior State University (CCHA, D1) *

Wenatchee Wild2008 - 2009 College Commitments
Mac Carruth University of Minnesota-Duluth (WCHA, D1)
Mathieu Dugas Bemidji State University (CHA, D1)
Ducan McKellar Bemidji State University (CHA, D1)
Adam McKenzie Air Force Academy (Atlantic Hockey, D1)
Mitch Torrel Air Force Academy (Atlantic Hockey, D1)

Wichita Falls Wildcats2008 - 2009 College Commitments
Kyle Delaurell Air Force Academy (Atlantic Hockey, D1)
Brett Hartung Bentley University (Atlantic Hockey, D1)
Nick Hopper University of Nebraska-Omaha (CCHA, D1)
Jeff McNeil Ohio State University (CCHA, D1)
Zach Trotman Lake Superior State University (CCHA, D1)

And I took out all of the USNTDP kids with commitments.

southernmnscout · Post by **southernmnscout** » Tue Mar 24, 2009 2:41 pm

crash wrote:Ice Hawks cost $3000 last year.

I think they would finish in the top two or three in the division, behind NO Iowa and maybe the Bobcats.

Flat out, best jr option in the region. Not many kids in the NAHL are getting D-1 looks, and the few that are in this divison played for the Hawks.

8 Active D-1 players and over 20 active D-3 players from the Ice Hawks.

Not too many NAHL teams can boast that type of player promotion.

I think this years Hawks team has one DI kid and that is Sammy Hintgen, but only if he leaves which I would think there will be a USHL team that will be drafting him this year since he is only a 92 birth year.