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Does it seem strange to anyone that Carsen Richels was not on any of the all-metro teams? Had 35 goals and 69 points against elite competition. I would've figured 3rd team at least.

Cougaralumni14 wrote: ↑Mon Mar 04, 2019 3:43 pm Does it seem strange to anyone that Carsen Richels was not on any of the all-metro teams? Had 35 goals and 69 points against elite competition. I would've figured 3rd team at least.

He was the best player on the ice in their section final game. I went to the game having no knowledge of him, and he stood out right away. The more I watched, the more I liked his game.

I'd take Richels, Pino, Schoen over a few of those guys.

TheNightman wrote: ↑Mon Mar 04, 2019 4:17 pmI'd take Richels, Pino, Schoen over a few of those guys.

Not enough room for all the standout players. Liam Malmquist also deserving.

Meet the 2019 Star Tribune All-Metro teams
DAVID LA VAQUE, Star Tribune 03/04/19, 3:30PM CST
https://www.mnhockeyhub.com/news_article/show/1000889

All-Metro first team

Bryce Brodzinski
School: Blaine
Position: Forward
Year: Senior
College Committed: Minnesota
Complete player who battles every game. Sparked Blaine, the No. 2 seed in the Class 2A state tournament, with 35 goals and 49 assists.

Charlie Glockner
School: Minnetonka
Position: Goaltender
Year: Senior
College Committed: Undecided
Anchored the Skippers’ stingy defense. Finished the season 21-2-3, stopped 94 percent of shots faced and earned four shutouts.

Jack Jensen
School: Eden Prairie
Position: Forward
Year: Senior
College Committed: Minnesota
Considered the top forward in a loaded Lake Conference. Leads the Eagles to state with 34 goals and 25 assists.

Mike Koster, Star Tribune Metro Player of the Year
School: Chaska
Position: Defense
Year: Senior
College Committed: Minnesota
Elite offensive defenseman selected Star Tribune Metro Player of the Year. Tallied 20 goals and 41 assists.
Read David La Vaque's feature story on Koster: https://www.mnhockeyhub.com/news_article/show/1000856

Josh Luedtke
School: Minnetonka
Position: Defense
Year: Senior
College Committed: Denver
Competed hard at both ends every night for the defending Class 2A state champions. Finished with 11 goals and 25 assists.

Mason Nevers
School: Edina
Position: Forward
Year: Senior
College Committed: Minnesota
No. 1-ranked Edina’s top-line center plays all 200 feet of the ice. Put up 19 goals and 33 assists.

All-Metro second team

FORWARDS
Jack Bayless, Minnetonka, senior: The defending champion’s top forward had 11 goals and 24 assists. Committed to UMass Lowell.
Matthew Gleason, Cretin-Derham Hall, junior: Compete level is off the charts. Netted 34 goals. Verbally committed to Colorado College.
Jett Jungels, Edina, senior: A blur on skates. Takes 29 goals and 28 assists into the state tournament. Committed to Northern Michigan.

DEFENSE
Grant Docter, Minnetonka, senior: Scary-good defenseman finished with 10 goals and 26 assists. Committed to Michigan Tech.
Mike Vorlicky, Edina, senior: Runs the power-play and rarely makes mistakes. Tallied four goals and 21 assists. Committed to Wisconsin.

GOALTENDER
Ben Fritsinger, Andover, senior: Got the Huskies within an overtime goal of the state tournament for a second consecutive year. Won 21 games, allowed 1.31 goals per game and posted eight shutouts.

All-Metro third team

FORWARDS
Rhett Pitlick, Chaska, junior: Dangerous every time he touches the puck. Posted 30 goals and 34 assists. Verbally committed to Minnesota.
Jake Braccini, Buffalo, junior: Always noticeable on the ice. Scored 35 goals, added 29 assists. Verbally committed to Minnesota.
Jackson Jutting, Prior Lake, senior: Competed hard all season. Contributed 14 goals and 28 assists. Committed to Colorado College.

DEFENSE
Tommy Bergsland, Wayzata, senior: Great shutdown defender added 11 goals and 34 assists.
Wyatt Kaiser, Andover, junior: Incredible skater tallied 10 goals and 22 assists. Verbally committed to Minnesota-Duluth.

GOALTENDER
Brennan Boynton, Champlin Park, senior: Frank Brimsek Award finalist won 17 games, allowed 2.10 goals per game and registered four shutouts.
Nathan Mueller, Buffalo, senior: Technically sound and competitive. Stopped 94 percent of shots faced and blanked eight opponents.

Lake Conference domination.

4 First teamers, 4 Second teamers & 1 Third teamer.

TheNightman wrote: ↑Mon Mar 04, 2019 4:17 pm I'd take Richels, Pino, Schoen over a few of those guys.

Exactly. Strib definitely NOT 'The Hockey News'.

Looks to be a super strong class for the Gophers - 4 of the 5 skaters on the first team.

Just remember the Strib is very lazy when it comes to high school hockey. In the past their writers just look at who is committed to the Gophers and start the metro team based on that list.

DanFromWoodbury wrote: ↑Tue Mar 05, 2019 6:11 am Just remember the Strib is very lazy when it comes to high school hockey. In the past their writers just look at who is committed to the Gophers and start the metro team based on that list.

Not how it works. They have 10 or so metro area head coaches all vote on the All-Metro teams after every coach in metro sends in nominations.

DanFromWoodbury:

Stick to something you know, like golf, or ripping pro athletes, or 80’s music; me boy. #1314

Good to know guys. Thanks for the education. I would still argue that group of coaches favors the Gopher recruits, and you know I love ripping the Gophers when I can!

I'm having trouble biting my tongue because I really do not want to slight the deserving players mentioned. Without getting nitpicky, I'm just going to point out that Liam Malmquist has gone through his HS hockey days being the most underappreciated player you could ever imagine. He led the Elite League in scoring and put up bonkers points for Edina during the season.

His omission is even worse than Aaliyah Lance not making the ATT last year when she was the one scoring big goals for Edina Girls. In both cases, crowded out by their own teammates. Who are also great HS players.

MNHockeyFan wrote: ↑Mon Mar 04, 2019 9:21 pm Looks to be a super strong class for the Gophers - 4 of the 5 skaters on the first team.

Of course, that kind of recruiting is at least part of what led to Woog’s demise, focusing more on high school production than potential for growth. I think this group fits both criteria, but just pointing out that bringing in a stack of All-Metro players doesn’t automatically translate to success.

DanFromWoodbury wrote: ↑Tue Mar 05, 2019 12:10 pm Good to know guys. Thanks for the education. I would still argue that group of coaches favors the Gopher recruits, and you know I love ripping the Gophers when I can!

No.

At least for me, unless an underclassman absolutely has a season where he blows the door off it hinges (like Bobby Brink or Josh Leudtke) last year, or Carson Richels this year, I think All Metro nods should go to seniors.

Stang5280 wrote: ↑Tue Mar 05, 2019 2:21 pm

MNHockeyFan wrote: ↑Mon Mar 04, 2019 9:21 pm Looks to be a super strong class for the Gophers - 4 of the 5 skaters on the first team.

Of course, that kind of recruiting is at least part of what led to Woog’s demise, focusing more on high school production than potential for growth. I think this group fits both criteria, but just pointing out that bringing in a stack of All-Metro players doesn’t automatically translate to success.

It's quite a bit different now compared to the Wooger days in that nearly all high school grads today play at least one year of juniors. But you make a very good point that "potential for growth" should outweigh "high school production" when evaluating recruits.