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Bugsy Seigel had a famous line from the movie Bugsy "Never sell your interest in the Flamingo" I'll add "NEVER change the theme song of the HS Podcast" That music at the beginning and end of every episode is priceless. Just a tremendous year for HS HOCKEY in MN... which Tony, Danny &'Karl do a great job chronicling & giving their perspectives on. As far as an undergraduate staying or leaving, these decisions are complex and different for every kid and family. While Riley Tufte.&'Casey M. have reignited a trend of playing USHL before and after while returning for a final HS season, which I applaud, it doesn't necessarily make ithis...the de-facto right decision for all. Wil be very interesting to see what Hain, Blake M, Sammy Walker among others decide to do... but whatever they decide, it's their decision to make and no doubt a difficult one. Lastly, the fans of 7AA are truly among the most passionate in MN. After 37'years, seeing the HALLOWEEN GANG...rise up from beings a number 4 seed in 7AA and taking down Andover, ER, DE, MG, EP & MH consecutively...is a feat few of us will ever forget. I was in attendance at Amsoil with 8 minutes remaining in the 3rd period...and arguably the best defensive team in the State up 2-0 thinking GR was finished...and now...they are STATE CHAMPS. Wow, just wow, what a run!507Ole wrote:Outstanding listen - thanks so much for doing a great job all season! Kind of sad to me that half the podcast was about determining which guys will not be coming back to play for their high school team. I know it has been discussed here so many times, but really think if my kid had a choice, I would strongly encourage to stay. That's just me.
I'm not even that optimistic about EP next year. They'll probably be a mid-tier team in the rankings as the YHH trio discussed in the podcast. Four of their top five regular season scorers are seniors. Tough to replace that kind of production in one year. Jack Jensen will definitely be the leader next year - if he stays.WestMetro wrote:Yes, good job! Gonna have to go to work and compare your 2018 picks to mine! Sounds as if you all have jumped off the Lee Smith train...
I think 7AA will be a mess again next year. Cloquet and Andover have nice Bantams joining the high school ranks next year. Elk always because they have serious numbers. Duluth East will be Duluth East always. Rapids Hain, Mc, and Stagecoach returning. Duluth Marshall: Stauber boys will be seniors and they are talented. Looks like a big mess!mnmouth wrote:I heard nothing on Duluth East in the podcast, though it was kinda tough to hear at times. Top 9 forwards and top 5 defensemen returning to a team that lost in double OT to the eventual state champion.
Stesjkal is gone- he signed with Bloomington of USHL and i could see Hain and Mcl could be gone as well now that they won it all this year.kniven wrote:I think 7AA will be a mess again next year. Cloquet and Andover have nice Bantams joining the high school ranks next year. Elk always because they have serious numbers. Duluth East will be Duluth East always. Rapids Hain, Mc, and Stagecoach returning. Duluth Marshall: Stauber boys will be seniors and they are talented. Looks like a big mess!mnmouth wrote:I heard nothing on Duluth East in the podcast, though it was kinda tough to hear at times. Top 9 forwards and top 5 defensemen returning to a team that lost in double OT to the eventual state champion.
Usthockey13 wrote:Stesjkal is gone- he signed with Bloomington of USHL and i could see Hain and Mcl could be gone as well now that they won it all this year.[/quotekniven wrote:I think 7AA will be a mess again next year. Cloquet and Andover have nice Bantams joining the high school ranks next year. Elk always because they have serious numbers. Duluth East will be Duluth East always. Rapids Hain, Mc, and Stagecoach returning. Duluth Marshall: Stauber boys will be seniors and they are talented. Looks like a big mess!mnmouth wrote:I heard nothing on Duluth East in the podcast, though it was kinda tough to hear at times. Top 9 forwards and top 5 defensemen returning to a team that lost in double OT to the eventual state champion.
No way! I don't believe it. Stagecoach maybe because Holum is very good. Mc and H I can't imagine leaving early.
kniven wrote:Usthockey13 wrote:Stesjkal is gone- he signed with Bloomington of USHL and i could see Hain and Mcl could be gone as well now that they won it all this year.[/quotekniven wrote: I think 7AA will be a mess again next year. Cloquet and Andover have nice Bantams joining the high school ranks next year. Elk always because they have serious numbers. Duluth East will be Duluth East always. Rapids Hain, Mc, and Stagecoach returning. Duluth Marshall: Stauber boys will be seniors and they are talented. Looks like a big mess!
No way! I don't believe it. Stagecoach maybe because Holum is very good. Mc and H I can't imagine leaving early.
Stej is - Tony and the guys on the podcast said the exact same thing. Im not saything they are leaving early but could see it as a higher possibility now that have won it all.
While it's clear staying isn't the right decision for all.....it's also just as clear leaving ends up being the wrong decision for a large percentage of those that choose other routes before finishing high school. Spend some time with the first few years of early departures lists that Karl has accumulated. 7-8 years is enough time to see where their careers are going. A few quick google searches will show the results are underwhelming, and that's probably being kind.hockey59 wrote:While Riley Tufte.&'Casey M. have reignited a trend of playing USHL before and after while returning for a final HS season, which I applaud, it doesn't necessarily make ithis...the de-facto right decision for all.
Who, me? Lowball East to keep them under the radar? Never!mnmouth wrote:I heard nothing on Duluth East in the podcast, though it was kinda tough to hear at times. Top 9 forwards and top 5 defensemen returning to a team that lost in double OT to the eventual state champion.
Usthockey13 wrote:Yeah all three of them are joining their USHL teams to finish out that season. Doesn't mean they won't be back in the fall. Lots of players do this all the time.kniven wrote:Usthockey13 wrote: Stesjkal is gone- he signed with Bloomington of USHL and i could see Hain and Mcl could be gone as well now that they won it all this year.[/quote
No way! I don't believe it. Stagecoach maybe because Holum is very good. Mc and H I can't imagine leaving early.
Stej is - Tony and the guys on the podcast said the exact same thing. Im not saything they are leaving early but could see it as a higher possibility now that have won it all.
I think Tony's correct, and you're underselling the Hounds. But that's OK in a pre-pre-season ranking with the drop of the first puck nearly 9 months away. As it is, I will still predict another all-North final next year - East vs. Moorhead.karl(east) wrote:Who, me? Lowball East to keep them under the radar? Never!mnmouth wrote:I heard nothing on Duluth East in the podcast, though it was kinda tough to hear at times. Top 9 forwards and top 5 defensemen returning to a team that lost in double OT to the eventual state champion.
We had them in the way-too-early preseason top 10, and I think Tony even argued top 5 in the show before the show, though I resisted. Obviously they have lots coming back, and I don't think there are any flight risks, so the chemistry should be great.
They still have some things to prove, though. Despite steady quality they had little in the way of quality wins, and never cracked the top 10 all season. They have to do something that convinces me that the ceiling is higher.
Since someone asked, here is the way-too-early top 10...I might have reversed one or two from where we had them, but it was approximately this, and assumes everyone returns until further notice:
1. GR
2. Moorhead
3. Edina
4. Minnetonka
5. STA
6. Duluth East
7. Holy Family
8. Cloquet
9. Centennial
10. WBL
Appreciate all the comments and support over the course of the year. It's been a blast, even on the mornings where Tony and Danny made me get up much earlier than I wanted to on a Sunday. I'll try to barf out the reflection essay I usually write after the Tourney in the next few days--better late than never--and after that, I am looking forward to a bit of a vacation from constant rankings and rumors...if I can ever truly get away.
north_bear wrote:I know thats what they are doing, All I am saying is I have heard Zach wont be back next year and that wouldn't surprise me is Gavin and Blake dont come back now that they have won a championship.Usthockey13 wrote:Yeah all three of them are joining their USHL teams to finish out that season. Doesn't mean they won't be back in the fall. Lots of players do this all the time.kniven wrote:
Stej is - Tony and the guys on the podcast said the exact same thing. Im not saything they are leaving early but could see it as a higher possibility now that have won it all.
Where is Hermantown on that list? Are they going to have a down year after opting up?karl(east) wrote:Who, me? Lowball East to keep them under the radar? Never!mnmouth wrote:I heard nothing on Duluth East in the podcast, though it was kinda tough to hear at times. Top 9 forwards and top 5 defensemen returning to a team that lost in double OT to the eventual state champion.
We had them in the way-too-early preseason top 10, and I think Tony even argued top 5 in the show before the show, though I resisted. Obviously they have lots coming back, and I don't think there are any flight risks, so the chemistry should be great.
They still have some things to prove, though. Despite steady quality they had little in the way of quality wins, and never cracked the top 10 all season. They have to do something that convinces me that the ceiling is higher.
Since someone asked, here is the way-too-early top 10...I might have reversed one or two from where we had them, but it was approximately this, and assumes everyone returns until further notice:
1. GR
2. Moorhead
3. Edina
4. Minnetonka
5. STA
6. Duluth East
7. Holy Family
8. Cloquet
9. Centennial
10. WBL
Appreciate all the comments and support over the course of the year. It's been a blast, even on the mornings where Tony and Danny made me get up much earlier than I wanted to on a Sunday. I'll try to barf out the reflection essay I usually write after the Tourney in the next few days--better late than never--and after that, I am looking forward to a bit of a vacation from constant rankings and rumors...if I can ever truly get away.