Pre-Season Top 10

[HSHockeyFan08]

Who do you see as the Pre-Season Top 10 this year in AA and A?

[eastsideguy]

1. Edina
2. Eden Praire
3. Apple Valley
4. Hill Murray
5. Eagan
6. Minnetonka
7. Duluth East
8. Blaine
9. Moorehead
10. Benilde St Margarets

[FREDFLINTSTONE]

1. Edina
2. Eden Praire
3. Apple Valley
4. Hill Murray
5. Eagan
6. Minnetonka
7. Duluth East
8. Blaine
9. Moorehead
10. Benilde St Margarets

Move Apple Valley and Eagan out of top 5. Move Benilde and Wayzata into the top 5. Blaine is not a top 10 team going into the season. (I don't think Moorehead is either)

[mghockey18]

I am a little biased, but I believe Maple Grove could end up being a Top 5 team this season.

[Nobodyonya]

I am a little biased, but I believe Maple Grove could end up being a Top 5 team this season.

I would have to agree Maple Grove should be strong this year and next. Blaine I don't think will tap the top 10

[Hankya]

Three cheers for Cretin! I put them at #8. I agree with the Eagan and Wayzata in the top 5 however, only one of them will be there in March. I bet on Wayzata.

[hockeyfan893]

1. Edina - State champs, they've earned this spot and aren't losing many players.
2. Eden Prairie - Strong team, as everyone has said, their former "super" sophomores are now seniors and will be very good.
3. Hill-Murray - Along with East, probably one of the deepest teams in the state. Only losing 5 seniors and from what I hear have plenty of good players ready to fill their spot.
4. Wayzata - Great team last year, will continue to be. Took it to the best teams in the state last year and I agree with Hankya, I think Wayzata will be there in march.
5. Duluth East - Deep team, comparable to Hill-Murray, I predict them back in the tournament again with an even higher chance to compete.
6. Benilde St. Margarets - I'm not sure how the loss of Meyers will be in nets as I don't know their goaltending situation, but they have a very powerful top line that poses a threat to nearly every team.
7. Minnetonka - Though they lack the star-power they did last year, they still have a solid amount of talent and experience left over. They could end up being the next Edina.
8. Apple Valley - With Michaelson staying and Fasching getting older, they're going to do nothing but improve from an already solid position that they were in last year.
9. Eagan - Last years biggest surprise, I predict them being just as strong this year as last.
10. Maple Grove - As others have mentioned, Maple Grove will be strong this year as well as next year. Blaine had their run and now Maple Grove seems to be a perfect position, but will have to prove themselves.

[karl(east)]

My very, very early preseason top 10:

1. Edina
2. Hill-Murray
3. Eden Prairie
4. Wayzata
5. Duluth East
6. Minnetonka
7. Apple Valley
8. Benilde
9. Maple Grove
10. Burnsville

Eagan lands at #11. It gets messy after that.

I'll do something much more complete in November.

[hockeyfan893]

My very, very early preseason top 10:

1. Edina
2. Hill-Murray
3. Eden Prairie
4. Wayzata
5. Duluth East
6. Minnetonka
7. Apple Valley
8. Benilde
9. Maple Grove
10. Burnsville

Eagan lands at #11. It gets messy after that.

I'll do something much more complete in November.

Ours are quite similar. I had Burnsville landing at 11, was very close to putting them in though. I feel like since they are losing half their squad to graduation that they'll need to reprove themselves a little bit.

[MrBoDangles]

1. Eden Prairie
2. Maple Grove
3. Edina
4. Hill Murray
5. Apple Valley
6. Wayzata
7. Duluth East
8. Eagan
9. Minnetonka
10. Roseau.. Are the Broten boys on the varsity yet?

11. Blaine......

St. Cloud Tech will be a surprise top 20 team.

[TTpuckster]

Anybody want to take a shot at Class A?

Or maybe nobody cares?

[eastsideguy]

I will try,

1. STA
2. Hermantown
3. Warroad
4. Blake
5. Breck
6. Mahtomedi
7. Alex
8. Lourdes
9. Little Falls
10. Spring Lake Park

[karl(east)]

My very, very early preseason top 10:

1. Edina
2. Hill-Murray
3. Eden Prairie
4. Wayzata
5. Duluth East
6. Minnetonka
7. Apple Valley
8. Benilde
9. Maple Grove
10. Burnsville

Eagan lands at #11. It gets messy after that.

I'll do something much more complete in November.

Ours are quite similar. I had Burnsville landing at 11, was very close to putting them in though. I feel like since they are losing half their squad to graduation that they'll need to reprove themselves a little bit.

Great minds think alike.

Burnsville did lose quite a bit, but considering that they're a deep program and do return the real star on the team (Enghum, the goalie), I think they'll be in good shape.

[northwoods oldtimer]

I will try,

1. STA
2. Hermantown
3. Warroad
4. Blake
5. Breck
6. Mahtomedi
7. Alex
8. Lourdes
9. Little Falls
10. Spring Lake Park

Nice list but you have to find room for Denfeld/Central who can expect to have quite a solid season.

[TTpuckster]

I will try,

1. STA
2. Hermantown
3. Warroad
4. Blake
5. Breck
6. Mahtomedi
7. Alex
8. Lourdes
9. Little Falls
10. Spring Lake Park

Nice list but you have to find room for Denfeld/Central who can expect to have quite a solid season.

Agreed Northwoods.

I would put them in either 6th or 7th.

I am also very skeptical of Warroad.
If the youth program is any indication and if you look at the players they lost this year, Section 8A is going to be very wide open and I do not think there is a team that should be considered in the top 10.

[timcorbin21]

new ulm

[OGEE OGELTHORPE]

I am also very skeptical of Warroad.
If the youth program is any indication and if you look at the players they lost this year, Section 8A is going to be very wide open and I do not think there is a team that should be considered in the top 10.

Yes, it appears the recruiters may have lost their touch.

[muckandgrind]

I am also very skeptical of Warroad.
If the youth program is any indication and if you look at the players they lost this year, Section 8A is going to be very wide open and I do not think there is a team that should be considered in the top 10.

Yes, it appears the recruiters may have lost their touch.

I think the main reason is that, with the current shape of the economy, Marvin Windows can't afford anymore to offer cushy jobs to the parents of players they are recruiting for the hockey team.

[bstarr15]

I'll give class A a whirl.

1. Breck....... 2 time state champs, #1 till they get beat.
2. STA...........Have a great chance to contend and take out Breck at the X
3. Mahtomedi.....Tough 4A section to win.
4. Blake.......May give Breck a run in 2A
5. Hermantown.......anyone in 5A that can contend with them??
6. Warroad
7. Lourdes....Returning freshmen and solid D got them to state last season.
8. Little Falls.....darkhorse
9. Thief River Falls
10. Alexandria........2 visits to state in a row.

[UND]

Lakeville South should have a solid team. They return most of their scoring.

[TTpuckster]

I am also very skeptical of Warroad.
If the youth program is any indication and if you look at the players they lost this year, Section 8A is going to be very wide open and I do not think there is a team that should be considered in the top 10.

Yes, it appears the recruiters may have lost their touch.

I think the main reason is that, with the current shape of the economy, Marvin Windows can't afford anymore to offer cushy jobs to the parents of players they are recruiting for the hockey team.

Is that the deal?
Where do they get the kids from?
And how do the parents of the local kids feel about that?

[Redlight]

I'll give class A a whirl.

1. Breck....... 2 time state champs, #1 till they get beat.
2. STA...........Have a great chance to contend and take out Breck at the X
3. Mahtomedi.....Tough 4A section to win.
4. Blake.......May give Breck a run in 2A
5. Hermantown.......anyone in 5A that can contend with them??
6. Warroad
7. Lourdes....Returning freshmen and solid D got them to state last season.
8. Little Falls.....darkhorse
9. Thief River Falls
10. Alexandria........2 visits to state in a row.

While its nice to give Breck the courtesy of being #1 based on the past two years performance, there is no way they will be there as the season gets underway. Simply too hard to lose 12 highly contributing seniors plus one of their best underclassmen (going back to public school) and still be an elite team, not to mention the uncomfortable coaching situation that appears to be brewing. They will be a good, but far from great team this year.

STA, Hermantown, Lourdes and Blake are much more likely to emerge as the cream of the crop.

[wheresthepuck]

1. STA
2. Breck
3. Lourdes
4. Duluth Marshall
5. Virginia
6. Totino
7. Blake
8. Warroad
9. Hermantown
10. Central/Denfeld
Others Receiving Votes: Alexandria, Mahtomedi, Hibbing
The privates are going to occupy many of the top spots this year boys. Hermantown lost a boat load of seniors. Breck and Mahtomedi both lost key players from last years squad. Look for Lourdes and Duluth Marshall to turn some heads.

[O CANADA!]

I'll give class A a whirl.

1. Breck....... 2 time state champs, #1 till they get beat.
2. STA...........Have a great chance to contend and take out Breck at the X
3. Mahtomedi.....Tough 4A section to win.
4. Blake.......May give Breck a run in 2A
5. Hermantown.......anyone in 5A that can contend with them??
6. Warroad
7. Lourdes....Returning freshmen and solid D got them to state last season.
8. Little Falls.....darkhorse
9. Thief River Falls
10. Alexandria........2 visits to state in a row.

Breck lost all their studs to the East Coast. Their weakness will be their goaltending. I put them at #8. Warroad is my darkhorse = wait still you see the surprise they are bringing to their program this season.

[Garth]

Eden Prairie #1 - a tough schedule doesn't make a team #1 by itself but tell me a team who is testing itself better than EP with this schedule.

12/2/2010 Apple Valley 0 - 0
12/4/2010 Bloomington Jefferson 0 - 0
12/7/2010 Lakeville North 0 - 0
12/11/2010 Hermantown 0 - 0
12/16/2010 Elk River/Zimmerman 0 - 0
12/17/2010 Grand Rapids 0 - 0
12/18/2010 Edina 0 - 0
12/21/2010 Eagan 0 - 0
12/28/2010 TBD 0 - 0
12/29/2010 TBD 0 - 0
12/30/2010 TBD 0 - 0
1/6/2011 Hill-Murray School 0 - 0
1/11/2011 Burnsville 0 - 0
1/15/2011 Duluth East 0 - 0
1/20/2011 Academy of Holy Angels 0 - 0
1/22/2011 Wayzata 0 - 0
1/25/2011 Lakeville South 0 - 0
1/27/2011 Minnetonka 0 - 0
1/29/2011 Hopkins 0 - 0
2/3/2011 Edina 0 - 0
2/5/2011 Buffalo 0 - 0
2/10/2011 Wayzata 0 - 0
2/12/2011 Minnetonka 0 - 0
2/17/2011 Hopkins 0 - 0
2/19/2011 Edina 0 - 0