Minnesota Mr. Hockey 2017 Finalists Include Much UMD, Local Flavor

MINNEAPOLIS -- Greetings from the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport. Getting ready to head out to Colorado for this weekend's series. Preview coming later in the day, but for now wanted to get some other news out there.

Three UMD recruits are among ten finalists for Minnesota Mr. Hockey, given annually by the Minnesota Minute Men to the top senior boys' hockey player in the state. Two more local players not headed to UMD made the list, so half the ten finalists have a tie to our area.

(NOTE: Your humble correspondent is a proud member of the Mr. Hockey voting committee.)

Defenseman Matt Anderson (Holy Family Catholic) is signed to join UMD next season, while forward Noah Cates (Stillwater) and defenseman Dylan Samberg (Hermantown) should arrive in 2018. In addition, Hermantown forward Ryan Sandelin -- son of UMD coach Scott -- and Grand Rapids forward Micah Miller are finalists.

Here's the full list from the Minnesota Minute Men release.

MATT ANDERSON, D, HOLY FAMILY CATHOLIC (committed to UMD)
Anderson is tied for second on No. 4-2A Holy Family Catholic (19-3-1) with 18 assists and also has three goals for 21 total points. He tallied 15 points during a nine-game streak between Jan. 6 and Feb. 2 and has recorded a point or more in 12 of 18 games played.

NOAH CATES, F, STILLWATER (UMD)
Cates leads No. 5-2A Stillwater with 38 assists and 56 points. He is also tied for second on the team with 18 goals, helping guide the Ponies to a 19-3 record. He is averaging 2.55 points per game and has contributed three or more points in 14 games this season.

NICK LEIVERMANN, D, EDEN PRAIRIE (Notre Dame)
Leivermann has helped No.1-2A Eden Prairie to a 17-4-2 record this season by registering points in 14 games, including eight with two or more points. He ranks third on the Eagles with 22 assists and has nine goals for 31 points.

BEN MEYERS, F, DELANO (Maine)
Meyers ranks second in the state in goals (39) and first in assists (50) and points (89). He has registered at least one point in all 23 contests he’s played this season for No. 3-1A Delano (18-3-1) and owns a 3.87 points-per-game average. Meyers posted four or more points in 14 games and tallied five or more in each of the Tigers' first seven contests.

CASEY MITTELSTADT, F, EDEN PRAIRIE (Minnesota)
Mittelstadt ranks second in the state in assists (39) and also leads the Eagles in goals (18) and points (57). He has points in 21 of 23 games played and has four or more points in six contests.

MICAH MILLER, F, GRAND RAPIDS (St. Cloud State)
Miller leads No. 10-2A Grand Rapids (16-6-1) in goals (20), assists (32) and points (52). He started the season registering a point or more in 14 consecutive games, including a season-high six points in a 9-3 win over Warroad on Dec. 10. The forward has scored a point in 20 of 23 games.

BAUER NEUDECKER, F, ST. LOUIS PARK (Uncommitted)
Neudecker ranks third in the state in both goals (38) and points (72). He averages 3.00 points per game, helping St. Louis Park to a 17-6-1 record. The forward has a point in 22 of 24 games played, with four or more in nine contests.

NICK PERBIX, D, ELK RIVER (St. Cloud State)
Perbix has helped keep the offense rolling for No. 3-2A Elk River (18-6), recording a team-high 30 assists and 39 points. He has 13 points in his last six games and has tallied the game-winning goal in three contests.

DYLAN SAMBERG, D, HERMANTOWN (UMD)
Samberg has helped No. 1-1A Hermantown to a 21-1-1 record, posting nine goals and 17 assists for 26 points. He scored a season-high five points in an 11-2 win over Greenway on Jan. 3.

RYAN SANDELIN, F, HERMANTOWN (Minnesota State)
Sandelin leads the Hawks in goals (26), assists (32) and points (58). He began the season with an 11-game point streak, and now has a point in 21 of 23 games (a 2.52 points-per-game average). Sandelin scored a season-high six points in a 9-2 win over Mahtomedi.

It's not common for UMD recruits to make up that much of the finalist list. Going back to 2002, only once have three players committed to UMD been named Mr. Hockey finalists.

2016: Riley Tufte (won)
2015: None
2014: Nick Wolff
2013: Adam Johnson
2012: Charlie Sampair (was not committed at the time), Jared Thomas, Dominic Toninato
2011: Tony Cameranesi
2010: Cal Decowski, Caleb Herbert, Adam Krause
2009: Dan DeLisle, Max Tardy
2008: JT Brown, Drew Olson
2007: None
2006: David Grun
2005: Matt Niskanen, Mitch Ryan
2004: None
2003: None
2002: None

2013 winner Avery Peterson transferred to UMD from Omaha and is actually in this airport right now (I can vouch, saw him going through security). That's why he isn't listed. He was committed to Omaha at the time of being named a finalist.

Sampair didn't commit to UMD until May 2012 when a spot on the roster opened up. If memory serves, he didn't debut for UMD until November 2012, quite a ways into the season.

Also, Hermantown's Cade McEwen is one of two finalists for the Frank Brimsek Award, which goes to the state's top senior goaltender. Current UMD freshman Hunter Shepard won the award in 2014.

Congratulations to all this year's finalists. More on the UMD-Colorado College series once we get to Colorado Springs.

Hockey Day Minnesota on 92.1 The Fan

Saturday is Hockey Day Minnesota at Bayfront Park in Duluth. We have the event covered on 92.1 The Fan, and you can listen free on iHeartRadio.

Here's a preview of what you'll hear on the radio, besides the games, of course. Jeff Papas, Kraig Karakas, and I will be with you throughout the day. We start on the air at 9:30am Saturday.

At 9:35am, Duluth Mayor Emily Larson welcomes this wonderful event to the city and Bayfront Park.

At 9:40am, we talk with the new executive director of the Duluth Amateur Hockey Association, Jason Watt, about his new role and growing up playing on Duluth's outdoor rinks all the way to his time at UMD.

Before the 10am game between Eveleth-Gilbert and Duluth Denfeld, we'll visit with the head coaches of both teams, Jeff Torrel of Eveleth-Gilbert and Kevin Smalley from Duluth Denfeld.

After the first period, we chat with the director of the Local Organizing Committee that was instrumental in bringing Hockey Day Minnesota to Bayfront Park, Jeremy Downs. We'll discuss the challenges and the amount of work that went into this production.

In the second intermission, we'll hear from the athletic director at Duluth Denfeld, Tom Pearson, as we learn about the impact of the event on Denfeld's athletic program and community.

Between games, we have a number of interviews lined up. At around 12:20, we chat with DAHA Board President Brett Klosowski about the impact of Hockey Day Minnesota on the association.

Then around 12:30, we talk to former Duluth hockey star and UMD Bulldog Pat Francisco, who was instrumental in organizing the funding effort that led to construction of the Duluth Heritage Sports Center.

At 12:35, we talk to Dane Youngblom of the Duluth Fire Department, followed by Sgt. Ken Zwak of the Duluth Police Department, as we preview the Police vs Fire outdoor hockey game that will be played Saturday night.

Around 12:40, we visit with a representative of the Minnesota Wild and Fox Sports North, talking about the history of Hockey Day Minnesota, which is in its tenth year in 2016.

Then, before the Duluth East vs Lakeville North game at 1pm, we preview the game with Lakeville North coach Trent Eigner and Duluth East coach Mike Randolph.

After the first period of East-Lakeville North, we'll hear from Duluth East athletic director Shawn Roed. He'll discuss how this event came together for Duluth's high school hockey teams and preview his winter sports teams in upcoming playoffs.

Following the second period, we'll learn about the Duluth Area Special and Sled Hockey Program from Christian Koelling of DASSH, who is also director of hockey operations for the UMD men's program.

Hope you can join us.

Duluth Marshall Makes The Leap

This broke Wednesday night from Northland's News Center, but it has now been confirmed by Duluth Marshall. The school sent out a press release affirming its desire to move the boys' hockey program to Class AA.

Here is the press release.

Marshall School is working with the Minnesota State High School League (MSHSL) to move to AA for its boys hockey program. The move is expected to be approved by the MSHSL and take effect for the 2015-2016 school year.

“The move to AA represents a new chapter in the storied history of Marshall/Cathedral boys hockey,” said Kevin Snyder, Marshall’s Athletic Director. “It will indeed be a challenge, one I believe our coaches and players are ready to meet. Excellence in the classroom and in athletics competition can and should go hand-in-hand. The Toppers have proven that in the past, and will continue to do so in the future.”

Marshall has appeared in seven MSHSL state tournaments at the A level, including three-consecutive second-place finishes from 2006-2008. Before joining the MSHSL, the Hilltoppers won five-straight Minnesota State Catholic titles from 1965-1969 as Cathedral High School.

“We want to create an opportunity for our students to compete at the highest level, whether in the classroom or on the ice,” said Brendan Flaherty, Marshall’s head hockey coach. “This will give our hockey players the chance to display their skills on the largest stage, the same way we want all of our students to pursue great opportunities academically.”

On average, more than 98% of Marshall graduates attend a four-year college. The 66 students who graduated from Marshall in 2014 were offered more than $5 million in merit-based academic scholarships. The Class of 2015 has an average ACT score of 27, three points higher than the Minnesota state average.

“Marshall School has always been a destination for students who want to pair incredible academic opportunities with outstanding extra-curricular opportunities,” said Kevin Breen, Marshall’s Head of School. “This is another opportunity for us to tie excellence and access together for students who want to explore this caliber of experience.”

Obviously, this is a huge development for local hockey. Marshall should be able to attract more elite local players with this move. The Hilltoppers will be competitive in Section 7AA, no question about it, no matter the severe enrollment disparity with Duluth East (1,400-plus students compared to 268 at Marshall).

There are a couple logistical questions (nothing that will stop the move from happening):

1. Who comes out of Section 7AA, or will there be two play-in games? Assuming Marshall goes to Section 7 (and why would the MSHSL do anything else?), you have four local teams -- Marshall, East, Cloquet/Esko/Carlton, and Grand Rapids -- along with Andover, Cambridge-Isanti, Elk River, Forest Lake, St. Francis, and St. Michael-Albertville. Would there be any need to cut teams? Not necessarily, unless teams are falling back to Class A and they want at least eight teams in as many sections as possible. I'd imagine St. Michael-Albertville is the first to go if they're bumping teams out of the section.

2. Will anyone move to Section 7A to replace Marshall? That move leaves nine teams in the section. There's no real need to have ten, but there's a pretty good fit for Section 7 that hasn't been in it in a while.

Proctor.

The Rails haven't been in Section 7 since they won their only section title in 1996. Currently mired in a section where Moose Lake is the closest team to them, Proctor sure makes a lot of sense for a new Section 7A starting next season. In fact, it almost makes too much sense.

Either way, congratulations to Duluth Marshall. And best of luck. We'll see if it has any kind of ripple effect on other schools.

(We're all looking at you, Hermantown. Not saying you have to make the move, but now there's no one else for everyone to stare at.)

High School Hockey Musings: Playoffs Approach

By this time in two weeks, we'll be on the verge of sending teams to the Minnesota State High School Hockey Tournament.

Yes, it happened that fast.

Here are my thoughts on the local sections ahead of the upcoming playoff seeding announcements.

Section 5A
Local teams: Proctor, Moose Lake Area
Top dogs: Chisago Lakes, Princeton, Spring Lake Park

While Proctor hasn't had a great season, the Rails are actually in position for a seed as high as fourth in this section. Wins over Mora/Hinckley-Finlayson and Legacy Christian might be enough to offset a 7-17 overall record and lift Proctor to fourth. Moose Lake Area has five wins after a terrible 2012-13, but I still expect the Rebels to bring up the rear in the seedings.

1. Chisago Lakes
2. Princeton
3. Spring Lake Park
4. Proctor
5. Mora/Hinckley-Finlayson
6. Legacy Christian
7. Providence Academy
8. Pine City/Rush City
9. North Branch
10. Moose Lake Area

Section 7A
Local teams: All
Top dogs: Hermantown, Duluth Marshall

This section could be one of the more entertaining in the state. Hermantown joins this year after the MSHSL re-drew the sections. Those responsible for staging the section tournament have to be thrilled with this. While the Hawks haven't lost a section game and stand as the favorite, they haven't played great down the stretch, with ties against Duluth Denfeld and a Superior team that they beat 8-2 last month.

Of course, the Hawks also haven't lost to a Class A team all season (losses to Grand Rapids, Wayzata, Eagan, and White Bear Lake). So bet against them (figuratively) at your own peril.

Defending champion Duluth Marshall is strong again, and the section has potential darkhorses in Virginia/MIB (9-1-1 in section), Duluth Denfeld (hot lately), and Hibbing (strong defense but must score more).

1. Hermantown
2. Duluth Marshall
3. Virginia/MIB
4. Duluth Denfeld
5. Hibbing
6. North Shore
7. Eveleth-Gilbert
8. Greenway
9. Ely

Section 7AA
Local teams: Duluth East, Grand Rapids, Cloquet/Esko/Carlton
Top dogs: Duluth East, Elk River, Grand Rapids, Forest Lake

We'll save the toughest section to figure out for last.

Duluth East appears to be a lock for No. 1, even though it lost to Elk River and Cloquet/Esko/Carlton, both at home.

The fact the Elks are 3-2 against a limited section schedule doesn't help them here. Grand Rapids has a case for a high seed thanks to a 5-1 section record, but the Thunderhawks haven't helped their cause with losses to Class A foes Denfeld, Marshall, and Virginia. But Grand Rapids beat Elk River.

Forest Lake is 14-6-4 and has some nice out-of-section wins (including Tuesday over White Bear Lake), but the Rangers lost to Rapids and got pasted at home by Duluth East. Andover has been hot lately, but the Huskies lost to East and Forest Lake and split with Elk River. They also have a loss to sub-.500 Robbinsdale Armstrong.

While I'm hesitant to make final decisions based on games played in November and December, there's also a body-of-work component to this bit.

Good luck with this.

1. Duluth East
2. Elk River
3. Grand Rapids
4. Forest Lake
5. Andover
6. St. Michael-Albertville
7. Cloquet/Esko/Carlton
8. St. Francis
9. Cambridge-Isanti

Private School Problem Has Few Solutions for MSHSL

The Minnesota State High School Hockey Tournament is one of the state's great traditions. For nearly 70 years, fans have gathered to watch the best of the best in the state, and it's always a tournament that just about anyone can win.

People screamed bloody murder when the Minnesota State High School League elected to go to a two-class system for hockey. The tournament was being watered down, after all.

With two classes in place, there were more opportunities for great stories of small towns making it big. As Twin Cities schools became more and more involved in hockey, the metro area started to control the big-school class.

And as it turns out, the Twin Cities have developed a stranglehold on the smaller-school Class A.

How?

Because private schools like Breck and St. Thomas Academy have dominated Class A, which they're eligible to play in because of smaller enrollments. Their practically-blatant acquisition of top hockey talent notwithstanding, these schools come in well under the cutoff for a team to be required to play in Class AA for hockey.

STA is moving up to Class AA next season, which alleviates some of the problem. However, Breck is sticking around in Class A, and there's no reason to think the Mustangs will stop being one of the state's top programs.

Because of the private schools' dominance of the Class A tournament, a new tradition has started for hockey fans in the state, and that's the annual festival of whining about private schools during the state hockey tournament.

Most of it is justified. Class A wasn't created so private schools in the metro area could dominate it, while their hockey peers like Edina and Eden Prairie play in Class AA.

No, Class A was created so schools like St. Cloud Apollo could have a moment in the sun. The Eagles hadn't been to state in the lifetimes of the players on this squad, and earning a spot in the tournament invigorated everyone involved.

Their reward? Outshot 50-3 and outscored 12-0 by a classless St. Thomas Academy team. Not classless because they kept chasing Class A hardware when they had long since proven they had no business in Class A. Classless because of the unnecessary two-man forecheck they were employing in a 12-0 game.

Marshall had never been. The Tigers -- from southwestern Minnesota -- are probably better known for football or wrestling, but the 3A champions earned their way to state, serving as the only of 16 teams in the two classes to make a first state tourney appearance this season.

What was the prize? They got schooled 6-1 by Breck in a game that was only that close because Breck didn't lay everything on the line once it became clear the Tigers were outclassed on the ice. The Mustangs chose to respect their opponent, unlike the top seed in the tournament did a few hours later.

It's the sad reality of what Class A has become. We spend more time talking about how Hermantown or -- in most years -- Warroad should move up, or whining about the presence of dominant Twin Cities private schools in the tournament, than we do enjoying the tournament.

STA and Breck have inherent advantages. They are elite schools where kids get the best of both worlds. They get a top-notch education, along with the chance to play high-level hockey with great players and often against great teams. They are up against community-based programs, where the seeds for greatness are sown in Squirts, PeeWees, and Bantams.

Marshall didn't make a state tournament by taking the best bantam players from Luverne. St. Cloud Apollo's first trip to state since 1984 didn't happen because all the really good players from Sartell decided to transfer for a better opportunity.

(For that matter, Hermantown didn't build a program capable of making three straight state title games by poaching half the roster from Proctor, and the kids that did transfer there did so at such a young age they didn't come close to running afoul of MSHSL rules.)

Yeah, I get it. Breck and STA don't have district boundaries to draw kids from. They have to get kids for the school to make it. This is one vehicle to do that, and I'm not here to deny them the opportunity to play hockey.

But when you clearly have an advantage over everyone, not just Class A schools, and you decide to play in Class A, that's wrong.

What is the solution?

It isn't simple. Requiring all private schools to move up one class in all sports isn't fair. There are plenty of examples of private school programs that can't compete in the level they're playing at based on enrollment. Instead of punishing the majority for the actions of the minority, let's find a different way.

STA doesn't attract kids by offering Class A trophies and tourney appearances, and they also don't use the free publicity they get from the private-public debate. The Cadets get kids by playing elite competition, as evidenced by about half their schedule coming against Class AA opponents. That's how it gets done.

First step toward fixing the problem: A new rule that works for every sport and every class. Any team that plays more than, say, 30-35 percent of  their games against teams in a higher class over a rolling five-year period must move up one class for a minimum of four years. Suddenly, any school playing -- as an example -- Class A hockey loses one of its potential advantages over other Class A teams.

You can't balance the schedule so everyone plays everyone, but you can level the playing field a bit. That should be the goal, not screwing schools that are abiding by the rules and trying to do the right thing by the kids they enroll.

Minnesota State High School Hockey Tournament Schedule

Here is the schedule for the state quarterfinals, starting with Class A on Wednesday. Please note that the top five teams in voting were seeded, with the matchups for seeds No. 1-3 determined by a random draw.

Wednesday’s Class 1A Quarterfinals
#2 Breck (24-3-1) vs. Marshall (14-10-1), 11 a.m.
#3 Hermantown (23-4-1) vs. Duluth Marshall (16-12), 30 minutes after end of 11 a.m. game (Will air on The Fan 1490)
#1 St. Thomas Academy (24-2-2) vs. St. Cloud Apollo (18-10), 6 p.m.
#4 East Grand Forks (22-3-3) vs. #5 Rochester Lourdes (20-8), 30 minutes after end of 6 p.m. game

Thursday’s Class 2A Quarterfinals
#2 Duluth East (24-4) vs. Moorhead (14-11-2), 11 a.m. (Will air on The Fan 1490)
#3 Edina (22-6) vs. Lakeville North (11-16-1), 30 minutes after end of 11 a.m. game
#1 Hill-Murray (25-2-1) vs. Eastview (18-9-1), 6 p.m.
#4 Wayzata (21-7) vs. #5 Centennial (22-4-2), 30 minutes after end of 6 p.m. game

Semifinals for Class A start at 11 on Friday, while AA semifinals begin at 6. Championship games are Saturday.

Ken Pauly Puts Himself in Crosshairs of Major Junior Fight

Somehow, the fact that Benilde-St. Margaret's lost in the Section 6AA final Wednesday night is a positive for most everyone out there. Even BSM coach Ken Pauly.

Why?

Because it allows Pauly to ride off into the sunset and enter the offseason, perhaps giving him some distance from an ugly story that blew up this week involving his program and a talented freshman player he booted.

Everything started to come to a head this week, when this story was posted about BSM freshman Alec Baer and his desire to hold his options open for his hockey future. Unfortunately for Baer, one of the options he wanted open caused a pretty significant philosophical gap with Pauly, his high school coach.

The 15-year-old missed a practice earlier this month to visit Vancouver of the Western Hockey League. Three days later he found out he was no longer a Red Knight.

... Pauly said his decision to dismiss Baer "is related to Major Junior hockey" but declined to comment further because Baer remains a student.

Speaking as the president of the coaches' group, Pauly said: "A trip to a college is in keeping with the overall mission and vision of high school athletics. I don't believe the Major Junior and Minnesota high school model are complementary pieces."

Pauly doesn't win a lot of fans here. He coaches a private school team, one that isn't exactly innocent when it comes to picking top players from community-based programs. The messenger isn't exactly pristine here, which probably clouds the message.

What is the message?

Speaking on behalf of a statewide group of coaches, Pauly is saying that they want to keep players from bolting for major junior hockey, which doesn't put education first (don't get me started about their system of college scholarships that is not a lot more than a PR ploy against the NCAA system). Instead, the association wants players to stay in school, where education is supposed to always be first.

A longtime critic of major junior hockey, my friend Chris Dilks laid the wood to Pauly for his behavior here.

Pauly is basically using his position to bully other players in the state of Minnesota from even considering all of the options available to them. Players need not explore what path is best for them, because Ken Pauly has already decided what is best for them, and, shocking surprise, it's the route that most directly benefits Ken Pauly. Again, I've written a great many words about why the CHL isn't the best route for a great many players, but trying to unilaterally deny players the option of even looking into it is an incredibly selfish position to take.

I do think Pauly is using his spot to deny a player the right to do what he thinks is best, but I don't disagree with this move.

Baer had to know Pauly would be irritated with his decision to skip a practice to visit Vancouver. He had to know there would be repercussions, and he chose to take the visit. Whether or not it's fair -- kids go off to visit USHL teams and colleges all the time -- is irrelevant. Life isn't fair. If Pauly said there would be a punishment, and Baer made his decision anyway, he has to accept the consequence, however harsh. A coach has the right to lay down team rules on anything he wants -- curfew, facial hair, long hair, tattoos, and virtually anything else you can think of. That's part of the gig as a coach. Lay out rules and expect them to be followed, with punishments levied if they are not.

Part of being on a team is understanding that these rules exist and must be followed. Baer and his family made a decision to violate them. By doing so. perhaps Pauly felt they showed the commitment to the school and the hockey team just wasn't as strong as everyone else's. Yes, Pauly undoubtedly would have let Grant Besse miss a team activity to visit Wisconsin. But Pauly knew Besse wasn't going to college before he graduated high school. Same goes for any other player. They can visit USHL teams, but can't play for them during the high school season unless they leave school first. And no one is going to jump into a college team out of high school during the season. The system doesn't work that way.

But Baer can sign with the WHL virtually any time he wants. Pauly knows it, Baer knows it (he signed with Vancouver after he got the boot from the BSM team, actually), his family knows it, the major junior teams know it, and so do we. Hell, the major junior teams sign players in-season all the time, and while they can't just sign high school kids during the season without permission from USA Hockey, they could have gone hard after Baer as soon as the dagger was delivered to BSM's year. People have told me Baer was good for one more year at BSM, but minds change all the time, especially when it comes to commitments to amateur hockey versus major junior.

And this wasn't some ordinary freshman taking some playing time on a varsity team. Baer had five goals and 15 points in 19 games for the Red Knights. Pauly isn't making an example of a marginal player. He's making an example of a kid who has a real upside going forward in the sport.

Whether you appreciate Pauly's decision or not, you do have to take into account the fact that he kicked a player off his team that could make a difference in future seasons. He made a decision, stuck to his guns, and didn't care about the ability of the player.

That counts a bit, too.

Denfeld Looks to Make History

It isn't often that history is made.

I mean, technically, history is made all the time. But not this kind of history.

The last time Duluth Denfeld made a state tournament, gas was less than a dollar a gallon, and a movie starring Jessica Tandy was winning tons of awards. The tournament was a one-class affair, with Denfeld advancing by winning Section 2 before falling to eventual runner-up Rochester John Marshall in the semifinals.

Those on that team are old enough to have grandkids now, it's been so long.

Wednesday night at Amsoil Arena, it might all change.

Denfeld will battle cross-town rival Duluth Marshall for the Section 7A championship. A win will send the Hunters off to state for the first time in 24 years, though much of their work is already done. West Duluth hasn't been known for hockey in many years, but the work Kevin Smalley has done over the years has helped reinvigorate the Denfeld program, and the Hunters hit a home run with three mainstay players who are enjoying wonderful senior seasons.

Forward Levi Talarico has topped 30 goals and hit 70 points on the season. He's been the go-to offensive player for most of the season, though it isn't like he lacks help on the roster. Twin brothers Alex and Zach Thompson have been around a while, with Zach having started in goal for most of the last four years.

Alex has nine game-winning goals this season, and his 26 total goals are second on the team to Talarico. Zach has a save percentage of .901 for the season, but he's come up huge in wins like Hermantown and Duluth East, games in which Denfeld was badly outshot but still found a way to get the job done.

Denfeld's push to St. Paul will have to find a way past the experienced Hilltoppers, who don't have the dynamic players like Talarico and Alex Thompson, but have plenty of options to make Denfeld pay for an off night.

Jeremy Lopez leads the team with 35 points, and the Hilltoppers can turn to guys like Kris McKinzie, who has 18 goals, and Matt Klassen, who has 13 and scored the winner in the semifinals against Hibbing. Goalie Caden Flaherty has been good throughout the season, but he's really gotten it going as of late. Marshall has gotten healthy recently, and if the Hilltoppers can contain Talarico and Alex Thompson, they have a very good chance of pulling the upset.

Hopefully, Amsoil Arena sees a big crowd Wednesday night. It could be a huge moment for the western part of Duluth if the Hunters make state, and it certainly would be a great way for this strong Denfeld senior class to close out its time at the school.

High School Hockey: What Should Playoff Seedings Look Like?

Local high school hockey playoffs start in a little more than a week, and it's almost time for the best time on the area sports calendar.

Playoff seeds should be out by the end of next week, and there are a few things left to be decided. That said, here's a look at what teams are worth keeping a real eye on once the postseason begins.

Section 5A
Defending champion: Hermantown
Local teams: Hermantown, Proctor

Hermantown should be the No. 1 seed, as the Hawks lap the field in strength of schedule. The negative there is the Hawks don't have a ton of section games under their belt. St. Cloud Cathedral, who will draw a top three seed, beat Hermantown in St. Cloud earlier this season. Princeton (16-5-1) could be a dangerous team, too, but the Tigers lost to SCC this week. They split their season series, with each winning at home. Hermantown didn't play Princeton. Proctor hasn't had a good first season under Steve Rodberg, winning just four games out of 21 so far and dropping seven straight.

Legacy Christian has a gaudy 9-1 in-section record, but that loss came to Mora/Hinckley-Finlayson, not exactly a juggarnaut. Expect nothing better than a fifth seed for the Lions.

Section 7A
Defending champion: Duluth Marshall
Local teams: All

Looking for its first trip to state since 1989, Duluth Denfeld should have the top seed. The Hunters are 6-0 in the section, 15-7 overall, and have wins over Hermantown and Duluth East outside of section play. Look for the defending champions and Hibbing to be seeded behind Denfeld. Virginia/MIB and International Falls will fight for the last home-ice quarterfinal game, but I think VMIB has the upper hand, having won and tied in the season series.

The Broncos could be a tough out, thanks to strong defensive play and a formidable top line.

Section 7AA
Defending champion: Duluth East
Local teams: Cloquet/Esko/Carlton, Duluth East, Grand Rapids

The local representation should all be really tough. East and Rapids should be the top seeds, with the potential existing for Elk River to swipe the third seed. What would hurt CEC in that regard is -- for example -- this week's 3-0 loss to Andover, a team the Elks beat twice. Elk River doesn't have much in the way of sectional play, with the two Andover wins and a loss to Grand Rapids.

Andover is a darkhorse, floating around .500 but possessing perhaps the best goalie in the section in Chase Perry. The Huskies won two games in the section tournament last year, so there's no reason to assume they can't get to Amsoil Arena again.

Central Scouting Rankings Include Numerous UMD Recruits, Local Faces

The NHL is locked out, but the process of scouting players for the 2013 NHL Entry Draft is underway.

(Of course, if the NHL season is cancelled, we don't know when that draft will happen. Or who will pick first.)

(Then again, if they use the same lottery system they rigged so Pittsburgh could win used in 2005, Toronto will be practically a shoo-in to win. Which means someone else will. Maybe Pittsburgh.)

Anyway, NHL Central Scouting has released a preliminary list of top prospects for the 2013 draft. The players are grouped by league, and then assigned a letter grade, A, B, or C.

"A" prospects are considered potential first-round picks, while "B" players are said to be second- or third-round picks. "C" level players are believed to be candidates for selection in later rounds.

As usual, UMD and local high school teams are represented on the list. Here is a rundown.

Freshman forward Austin Farley is the only current UMD player listed. The former Fargo Force (USHL) star is a "C" skater, along with four other WCHA freshmen (two of them are from Denver).

As far as recruits go, defenseman Blake Heinrich (Hill-Murray) is a "B" skater, and fellow blue-liner Willie Raskob (Shattuck-St. Mary's) is a "C" skater, as is Hibbing forward Adam Johnson.

Waterloo defenseman Ian McCoshen is listed at the "A" level. McCoshen is uncommitted, but has listed UMD among those still in the running.

Hermantown defensemen Neal Pionk and Jake Zeleznikar are both listed as "C" level skaters.

The rankings will be updated next in November, with a final listing due out before the draft.

Karson Kuhlman Latest Local Hockey Star Headed to UMD

UMD has done quite well as of late when it comes to bringing in top local players. This year's crop of freshmen includes former Duluth East defenseman Andy Welinski, who could be the best rookie blue-liner in the WCHA. He joined UMD after two seasons with the USHL's Green Bay Gamblers, where he helped the team to a Clark Cup title.

Hibbing forward Adam Johnson committed to UMD during the 2010 state tournament, at which he helped Hibbing on a surprising run to the semifinals. Hermantown's Jared Thomas and Duluth East's Dom Toninato committed last season, and all three should be a part of the Bulldogs by 2014.

Now, you can add another local player to the stable of future Bulldogs.

Cloquet/Esko/Carlton forward Karson Kuhlman committed to UMD Tuesday afternoon, one day after receiving a scholarship offer. Kuhlman is a junior this year, and will be a big part of what should be an improved Lumberjacks team.

Kuhlman confirmed his commitment via Twitter. A source indicated he is likely a 2015 Bulldog, meaning he'll be able to finish his high school career and play a year of juniors. Kuhlman has played in the USHL already, getting five games in with the Dubuque Fighting Saints last spring (four assists).

It's another local win for Scott Sandelin and his staff. Looking at the list of recruits coming in -- a group that includes Hill-Murray defenseman Blake Heinrich, Shattuck defenseman Willie Raskob, Canadian forward Brett Boehm, and U.S. Under 18 forward Kyle Osterberg -- it seems that the future for UMD is bright.

National championships help in recruiting, no doubt. But we have to also give a nod to all those who helped make Amsoil Arena possible. It's as wonderful a venue as you're going to find in college hockey, and the opportunity to walk a kid through that place -- even if it's not a game night -- is a huge advantage.

It's also nice to see comments like the one from Kuhlman in Wednesday's Duluth News Tribune.

“When you grow up 12 minutes away, it’s always been something that I wanted to do,” Kuhlman said. “I slept on it for one night and I felt I was ready. This fit everything we were looking for.”

A kid who wants to be a Bulldog, pretty much from birth. Now Karson Kuhlman fulfills a dream. We're all looking forward to seeing what happens next.

High School Hockey Playoff Schedule

Here is the schedule for all three Northeastern Minnesota-esque boys' high school hockey sections.

SECTION 7AA
Saturday, February 18
9 St. Francis at 8 Cambridge, 7pm

Tuesday, February 21
 St. Francis/Cambridge winner at 1 Duluth East, Heritage Center, 7pm
5 Cloquet/Esko/Carlton at 4 Elk River, 7pm
6 Forest Lake at 3 Grand Rapids, 7pm
7 St. Michael-Albertville at 2 Andover, 7pm

Saturday, February 25
Amsoil Arena
St. Francis/Cambridge/Duluth East winner vs. CEC/Elk River winner, 10am
Forest Lake/Grand Rapids winner vs. St. Michael-Albertville/Andover winner, 12pm

Thursday, March 1
Amsoil Arena
Championship, 7:30pm

SECTION 7A
Tuesday, February 21
 9 Ely at 8 Silver Bay, 7:30pm
10 Two Harbors at 7 Eveleth Gilbert, 7:30pm

Thursday, February 23
 Ely/Silver Bay winner at 1 Duluth Marshall, 7:30pm
5 Virginia/MIB at 4 Duluth Denfeld, 7:30pm
6 Greenway at 3 International Falls, 7:30pm
Eveleth-Gilbert/Two Harbors winner at 2 Hibbing, 7:30pm

Saturday, February 25
Ely/Silver Bay/Duluth Marshall winner vs. Virginia/Duluth Denfeld winner, at Hibbing, 1pm
Greenway/IFalls winner vs. Eveleth-Gilbert/Two Harbors/Hibbing winner, at Grand Rapids, 7:30pm

Wednesday, February 29
Amsoil Arena
Championship, 7:30pm

SECTION 5A
Tuesday, February 21
9 Moose Lake at 8 Mora/Hinckley-Finlayson, 7pm
11 Pine City/Rush City at 6 Princeton, 7pm
10 North Branch at 7 Legacy Christian Academy, 7pm

Thursday, February 23
Moose Lake/Mora winner at 1 Hermantown, 7pm
5 Proctor at 4 Sauk Rapids, 7pm
Pine City/Princeton winner at 3 St. Cloud Cathedral, 7pm
North Branch/Legacy Christian at 2 Rogers, 7pm

Saturday, February 25
Proctor/Sauk Rapids winner vs. Moose Lake/Mora/Hermantown winner, at high seed, 7pm
Pine City/Princeton/St. Cloud Cathedral winner vs. North Branch/Legacy Christian/Rogers winner, at high seed, 2pm

Friday, March 2
Heritage Center
 Championship, 7pm

Gearing Up For High School Playoffs

The boys' high school hockey season is winding down. Most Minnesota teams have two to four games left on their schedules, which will wrap up by next weekend at the latest.

There are three sections that feature area teams, and there's a good chance we'll have three area teams in the state tournament. However, there's a lot to decide before we get to that point, and things tend to change.

Section 7A
While it might seem Duluth Marshall is the obvious favorite, we've danced this dance before in the section.

Last year, Hibbing was not the No. 1 seed and was not the section favorite. Yet, there they were, giving Hermantown everything it could handle in the state semifinals. That came after the Bluejackets blasted favored Virginia/MIB 5-0 in the section final.

This team could do that again. Guys like Josh Bestul, Adam Johnson, and Mike Pechovnik were big parts of the team last year, and they will do it again this time around. Hibbing's team goaltending numbers aren't terribly impressive, but goaltending is obviously a big part of any team this time of year. A hot goalie at the right time can make a team into a champion, but a championship-caliber team is nothing without quality big-spot goaltending.

Marshall should be the top seed. The Hilltoppers had a bit of a down year last season, hovering around .500 but then giving Virginia a heck of a tussle in the section semifinal. Star Judd Peterson (St. Cloud State commit) averages nearly three points per game, and he leads a group of six players over 20 points on the season. Marshall plays tough defense and gets quality goaltending, so the Hilltoppers should be stout.

Virginia could be a factor, with Mark Krebsbach leading the offensive charge. But the Blue Devils don't have the quality depth they've had in the past. International Falls might be a darkhorse.

In the end, though, it appears we're looking at a Marshall/Hibbing section final at Amsoil Arena Feb. 29.

Section 5A
This looks too easy. Hermantown is 22-0, is outscoring its opponents 134-34, and has more depth than virtually anyone in Class A. It's also a very well-coached team, making it even more difficult to beat.

However, the Hawks know they will see challenges in the section tournament. Hermantown will be seeded first, but right behind them will be Rogers and St. Cloud Cathedral, teams that played the Hawks very tight during the regular season (2-1 games against both).

I don't see any other serious threats in the section tournament, as the rest of 5A lacks the talent and depth to match up against anyone in the top three. If there are upsets, they will be monumental, and they'll involve goalies standing on their heads in fluky 2-1 or 1-0 games.

(I have to give the nod here to Moose Lake, though I don't see the Rebels winning more than one game in the playoffs. Josh Cisar has 52 goals, and brother Tyler has 71 points. They're a great tandem, and it's a great story, even if the team doesn't have enough to go far.)

Section 7AA
This race is four or five teams deep, potentially. Duluth East is 21-1 and the favorite, and there's no question a Greyhounds team that hits on all cylinders will not be beaten by anyone in the section.

However, there's a line of teams that would like a shot. Grand Rapids is probably the second-best team in the section, but don't discount Andover. The Northwest Suburban team has some nice wins this season, including one over Cloquet/Esko/Carlton. These teams should be seeded second and third, with CEC seeded fourth or fifth, spots they will contend with Elk River for.

I tend to think this is a two-horse race, with East and Grand Rapids. The Thunderhawks, however, have been banged up all season long, and Monday's loss to Hibbing certainly opens the prospect that they will have to deal with being the third seed. It means a tougher first-round game, and it means being the visiting team on the scoreboard for the section semifinals, in all likelihood.

East has the scoring depth and defensemen to win, but it's fair to wonder about the Greyhounds' goaltending after that Minnetonka disaster, as well as a rather uneven performance Monday night against CEC.

If someone can protect their net and catch East on a day where its own net drive isn't as good as it can be, this team is no different than any other. It can be picked off.

Central Scouting Releases Mid-Term Rankings, Including UMD Recruits

NHL Central Scouting released its mid-term rankings Wednesday morning. A number of players with local ties -- including some UMD recruits -- are included.

North American skaters are here. Follow the links to check out the other lists.

UMD recruits on the list are as follows:

100. Austyn Young, F, Sioux Falls (USHL)
139. Adam Johnson, F, Hibbing
187. Austin Farley, F, Fargo (USHL)
34 (goalies). Matt McNeely, Cedar Rapids (USHL)

Local players on the list:

132. Jake Bischoff, D, Grand Rapids
178. Trevor Olson, F, Duluth East
198. Dom Toninato, F, Duluth East

Not all these players will be drafted. For many of them, they're probably better off if they don't.

But it's nice recognition for some young players who have bright futures.

Saturday Hockey Notes and Thoughts: UMD's Slump Sufficiently Busted

We were looking for 60 minutes Friday night.

Got it.

UMD ended a 1-3-2 skid by thumping a very good Nebraska-Omaha team 4-1 at Amsoil Arena Friday night.

It was UMD's first Friday night win since Jan. 21, their first Friday night point since Feb. 4, and their first home Friday win since a 2-0 victory over Wisconsin Jan. 14.

There were enough positives in this game to fill the Bulldogs' wonderful home facility, but we'll quickly summarize.

• UMD got scoring from lines not lamely nicknamed "FCC" by homer media members. Travis Oleksuk's line scored twice, including once on the power play, and Keegan Flaherty set David Grun up for a snipe job in the high slot.
• Kenny Reiter was sharp, making 29 saves on 30 shots. More than anything, as Lee Davidson talked about in the pregame, he avoided giving up any bad goals. Bad goals can be more deflating than great saves are inspiring.
• UMD only took three penalties for six minutes, which should cut a bit into their per-game minutes average of 15.8.
• Reiter was the recipient of a solid defensive effort that featured plenty of hard skating and physical play. It was a total team effort.

The Pairwise implications -- UMD moved to eighth, a No. 2 regional seed, for the win -- matter, too. Of course, losses can send you right back in the pack, so the Bulldogs can't rest on their laurels.

The goal of an NCAA championship isn't going to be significantly helped by a high seed. Just getting in the tournament is enough, because you give yourself a chance to go all the way.

Heading into Saturday, the Bulldogs have to continue the positive strides they made Friday. You don't want to take a step back after such a nice step forward.

Before Friday's game, UNO coach Dean Blais talked about his team being able to play relaxed, now that they've clinched home ice and a top four position. There wasn't much they could do without help to aid their playoff positioning, and they're happy with the season they've had.

They appeared to be a bit too relaxed at times Friday, and one has to think that will change Saturday. Expect the Mavericks to get in some faces, especially early, and try to set a different tone for this game. UMD has to get off to another good start and build on a lead, just like they did Friday.

A sweep in this series gives UMD a chance to finish second in the league, and while the prize of playing Minnesota State might not sound enticing, it's better than the prize of playing Wisconsin if they finish fourth.

******

Courtesy of the WCHA, here are the scenarios for UMD.

Seeded 2nd with a win and a Denver loss or tie.
Seeded 2nd with a tie and a Denver loss.
Seeded 3rd with a win and a Denver win.
Seeded 3rd with a tie and a Denver win or tie.
Seeded 4th with a loss.

The following teams have a chance to finish between 11th (UMD would play if they finish second) and ninth (UMD would play if they finish fourth):

St. Cloud State
Wisconsin
Alaska-Anchorage
Bemidji State
Minnesota State

Take your pick, and root for the proper outcome. The full list of scenarios is way too long to print in this space, even though my space is technically unlimited. Check it out at wcha.com.

******

Here are the pairings for the Minnesota State High School Hockey Tournament:

CLASS A QUARTERFINALS - WEDNESDAY
(2) Hermantown vs. Alexandria, 11am
(3) Rochester Lourdes vs. Hibbing, 1pm
(1) St. Thomas Academy vs. New Ulm, 6pm
(4) Breck vs. Thief River Falls, 8pm

CLASS AA QUARTERFINALS - THURSDAY
(2) Edina vs. Blaine, 11am
(3) Duluth East vs. White Bear Lake, 1pm
(1) Eden Prairie vs. Lakeville North, 6pm
(4) Eagan vs. Moorhead, 8pm

Saturday Hockey Notes and Thoughts: You Don't Think I'm Going There, Do You?

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -- Irritating, frustrating, gut-wrenching, flat-out tough.

Those are accurate terms to describe UMD's 5-4 loss to Colorado College here Friday night.

It's a tough loss to take because UMD fell to No. 11 in the Pairwise, and they're now fourth in the WCHA. Dreams of a MacNaughton Cup are practically dead at this point. Suddenly, there's pressure to win, or the NCAA dream could find itself in peril.

It was irritating because, while the Bulldogs didn't exactly shut down the Schwartz brothers, they did contain the dynamic tandem in five-on-five play. The Tigers scored three even-strength goals, and the Schwartz line accounted for precisely none of them. It was a point of emphasis for coach Scott Sandelin in our pregame chat. He wanted to see his team avoid the penalty bug (meh, maybe one or two avoidable penalties in there, but it wasn't an epidemic at all), and he didn't want the Tigers' third- and fourth-line players to beat UMD.

In the end, that's what happened. Archie Skalbeck's line -- with Dakota Eveland and Tyler Johnson -- was out for Joe Marciano's third-period goal that gave CC a 4-3 lead. Then David Civitarese, William Rapuzzi, and Alexander Krushelnyski were on the ice 18 seconds later when the Tigers went up two.

Frustration sets in when you realize the chance squandered with the loss. UMD could have tied for second place in the standings, putting tons of pressure on North Dakota to keep winning. Instead, that's Nebraska-Omaha applying the heat, and UMD's got heat on them to stay above water in the Pairwise. Amazing how things can turn against you.

The gut-wrenching part? Well, that came with 13.5 seconds left, as Mike Connolly appeared to score the game-tying goal. From the goal line, referee Todd Anderson signaled it was a good goal. But Brad Shepherd thought he saw a hand-pass in the slot by Justin Fontaine, and from 100 feet away (or so), Shepherd waved the goal off.

UMD only had time for one single rush after that, as a hand pass means a defensive zone faceoff. Even after winning that, the Bulldogs didn't have time to set anything up in the offensive zone. Their single shot attempt was blocked, and that was the game.

******

The character or the ability of the referees will not be assailed in this space. They might be nice guys, and they aren't refereeing Division I college hockey because they're blind and stupid. Honestly, there were times Friday night where they had a good understanding of how the game was flowing, and they generally stayed out of the way. As far as I'm concerned, that's all we need sometimes, especially with up-and-down skating teams like UMD and Colorado College. Just stay out of the way and let the kids play. Put your arm in the air if something egregious happens, and make sure not to let the game get out of hand.

The unfortunate thing about a game like Friday is that there were a number of questionable calls -- and, as it were, non-calls. Mike Seidel was called for embellishment, apparently guilty of diving head-first into the boards after he got hit in the back while in a vulnerable spot near the boards. I believe we're in year five now of the "automatic major for a hit from behind near the boards" rule, and this is the first time I've seen a referee not only eschew the major penalty by calling a minor for something else (cross-checking in this case), but also call the player who was hit for embellishment.

I bring that up because when they put the rule in place, I did state that I thought some players would try to take advantage of the rule. To the credit of players nationwide, they seem to understand that diving head-first into the boards to sell a penalty is not exactly a smart tactic.

The no-goal call is tough. Anderson obviously didn't see a hand pass. He watched the play and signaled a goal. There was very little discussion between the two afterward, and Anderson could be seen on the ice defending the call to the UMD bench. So he may not have seen it, but clearly Shepherd did, and he was certain he saw a hand pass.

From what I have been told, the video is inconclusive. There was no replay shown in the arena. In Colorado Springs, most games are shot by a single camera in the press box. What you see on B2 Network if you buy the game is that single camera shooting the action. It's the feed off the arena's scoreboard. Few replays, many of them not good replays. That camera is situated approximately six feet from me, and it's not exactly high definition, if you catch my drift.

Even with its ability to zoom in on the action, it's not a good look. Obviously, the angle is different from the one Shepherd saw from, but that doesn't necessarily make it better or worse.

Any time you see an official 90-100 feet away skating in to make a crucial call that his partner on top of the play doesn't make, your reaction is likely going to be negative. The fact that Shepherd was that far away doesn't mean he is automatically wrong. The fact that Anderson didn't make the call doesn't mean he (Shepherd) is auotmatically wrong. The fact that UMD fans think Shepherd has it out for their team -- which is, to be blunt, pretty ridiculous -- doesn't mean he is automatically wrong.

It just means it's a tough pill to swallow.

Saturday is a big game. If for no other reason than the Pairwise. UMD is getting to a point where a couple more losses will have them seriously on the bubble. That's not going to sit well with a fan base that watched their team swoon last February and miss the NCAAs. But this is a different set of circumstances.

UMD generally played well on Friday, and the effort was more than there. They have to clean up some things on the penalty kill, and they have to be better at supporting the puck in the defensive zone. We knew going into the season that goaltending wasn't going to be a strength, but if this team is going to play deep into March, it has to be better than it's been lately.

******

Saturday is a big day in northern Minnesota, as all the area high school hockey sections are conducting playoff games.

In Section 7AA, Amsoil Arena is hosting the semifinals, featuring top seed Duluth East against Elk River, followed by No. 2 Grand Rapids and No. 3 Cloquet/Esko/Carlton locking horns. There have been some memorable section playoff games involving these four teams before, and this should be a great afternoon of hockey. You can listen to the games with Jeff Papas by clicking here and following the link to listen to your game of choice.

Section 7A plays semifinals, too. In Hibbing, No. 1 seed Virginia/MIB battles Duluth Marshall in an afternoon tilt. The night game is in Grand Rapids, where No. 2 Hibbing takes on Duluth Central. In Section 5A, top seed Hermantown hosts St. Cloud Cathedral, and Proctor visits No. 2 Rogers.

Denver's Jesse Martin Has Neck Surgery, Walks for First Time Since Injury

Just wanted to throw up a quick update on Denver senior forward Jesse Martin, who was seriously injured on a hit by North Dakota senior Brad Malone a couple weeks ago. Malone, as you may know, had a hard time dealing with what happened, and Martin actually called him to try to ease his mind.

All around, it's been great to see, because Malone certainly didn't mean to do what he did. While Martin was undoubtedly the victim here, no matter how you slice it, Malone also had to recover in a way. Watching him play Saturday against UMD, it didn't appear he was holding back much.

Malone was suspended for one game, missing Friday's win over UMD, while Martin may never play hockey again (the exact prognosis is still uncertain).

Monday, Martin underwent surgery in the Twin Cities to stabilize multiple C2 neck fractures. His father reports that the operation went well and Martin has a good chance to live a "real good lifestyle."

Central Scouting Hates Northeast Minnesota

The NHL Central Scouting Bureau is not the gospel when it comes to the NHL Draft.

That said, the analysis this group does is a good jumping-off point when discussing the draft's top prospects.

In January, CSB will release its mid-term player rankings, which will be heavy on detail and a good updated look at where the top players are at.

Tuesday, their first list of the year was released publicly. This one is simply a quick look at players to watch from North America.

In a rather surprising development, the breakdown of Minnesota high school players lists no one from our area.

Obviously, I'm exaggerating in the headline, as Central Scouting routinely lists players from the Northland. However, the fact that no one is listed indicates the potential for a rather rough year of high school hockey around these parts.

If things change in January, we'll certainly make note of that.

Only one UMD recruit is listed on the watch list. That is forward Tony Cameranesi, a small but highly-skilled player from Wayzata High School. He is in the group of "B" prospects, which means he is a player worth a look, but not thought at this point to be a first- or second-round draft pick.

Only teammate Mario Lucia is in the "A" grouping. Yes, he's Don's son. Oddly, he's not committed to a college yet. Hmm ...

Anyway, it's always fun to look at these lists. They don't mean much, but it's a chance to start getting excited for the upcoming high school season.

Future Bulldog Welinski Causes Stir With Move to USHL

I have a buddy in the TV business. He Who Shall Not Be Named argues with me all the time about hockey, as he used to play it and it's one of my favorite sports. I freely admit that he knows more about the actual playing of the game than I do, but some of his stances are rather odd.

One of the things he told me recently was he believes no kid from Minnesota should ever go to the U.S. National Team Development Program. The reasoning is twofold: 1) that program is better used when it's helping develop kids from non-hockey areas (i.e. Matt Donovan of Oklahoma and Jason Zucker of Vegas); and 2) the development in Minnesota high school hockey is just fine, thankyouverymuch.

I don't necessarily agree, because I don't think there is any blanket rule that can be made to govern what is best for every high school hockey player. I chose not to look down on Derek Forbort for his move to the NTDP last year. Yes, a lot of people in East Duluth were upset about it, but their loyalty is to the Greyhounds, not to Derek Forbort.

Forbort has to be allowed to do what he and his family thinks is best for his development as a hockey player and a person. If that's major junior, we have to let him go and not hate him for it. If that's the NTDP, the response has to be the same.

None of this means the kids who stay in their community or neighborhood school shouldn't be celebrated. Nothing beats a group of kids who grew up together leading their varsity team to the state tournament. Not only that, but it's a rarity these days. All the more reason to celebrate it.

Now, word has come down that another top Duluth East defenseman has chosen to spend his senior season away from home, and not helping the 'Hounds try to get back to state. This time, it's future UMD Bulldog Andy Welinski, who is going to play for the Green Bay Gamblers of the USHL this fall.

Welinski will finish high school as scheduled, attending classes while playing for the Gamblers, and he will be back at East to graduate next spring with his class. He's just going to miss the hockey season, because he'll be playing against some bigger and older players.

“If hockey’s what you want to do, then you have to make a couple decisions based on hockey,” Welinski said earlier this week. “And hockey, right now, is what I want to do.”

... “Either way, if I was going to go or stay, if I was going to get better I would need to motivate myself and improve that way,” said Welinski, who has committed to play college hockey at Minnesota Duluth. “Having other players with the same capability as me, working with them and having them challenge me, will make me that much better than staying here.”

This is what Welinski truly believes. If that's the case, he's not wrong to say it.

He downplayed any friction his father had brought up with longtime East coach Mike Randolph, who is one of the better hockey coaches you're going to find anywhere.

“I like Randolph as a coach,” he said. “He’s had tough times with some people in the past, but I’ve never had any troubles with him. He’s a great coach who knows hockey. I guess his coaching style is to be strict, and sometimes it turns out against him.

“Personally, (his return) did not influence my decision.”

Reality is that Welinski's words read like the words of a young man who made a very adult decision. There's nothing whatsoever wrong with that, even if you might not like what he decided.

But, naturally, the USHL coach who benefits from Welinski's deliberation and decision has to do the classy, dignified thing, and stick his chest out after he "wins" the player he wanted.

“USHL hockey is better than high school hockey,” (Gamblers assistant Jon) Rogger said. “It’s going to prepare you more for college and you’re playing against older and stronger kids like they will be in college. At the end of the day, it’s in the kid’s best interest — if they are good enough to leave high school early, then they should do it.”

Wrong.

This is what I expect a CHL coach or GM to say when his team poaches a kid who has already started the season with a U.S. college.

The USHL might be a level above U.S. high school hockey, but that doesn't make it automatically a better developmental option for a high school kid. Not only that, but implying that any kid should feel the need to leave high school to play in the USHL is just selfish and unnecessary.

No avenue for development is the be-all, end-all. No method is perfect, and there isn't one way that is going to work for every kid who is looking to get better.

Some kids need to leave high school because they feel the longer, more grueling USHL schedule will help them get better faster. Others do just fine developing in high school, and they don't ever really need to play in the USHL. There will be some that go from the USHL to college, but others will jump to the CHL.

Kids go from high school to the CHL. They go from high school to college. They go from high school to the NAHL, then the USHL, then college.

The last thing we need is to start chest-thumping because one or two kids do things a certain way.

More important than Rogger's need to show everyone how great his league is, it's vitally important that USA Hockey continue to churn out quality players.

After all, there are gold medals to defend, and other gold medals to win.

Good luck to Andy. He has chosen what he feels is the best developmental path for him, and at this point, my sincerest hope is that he shows up at UMD as a player prepared to make an impact and show all that potential the coaches saw in him.

2010 NHL Draft: Final Thoughts

The expectations played out in the 2010 NHL Draft. There was a little drama, some notable trades (defenseman Dan Hamhuis' negotiating rights going to Pittsburgh was the biggest, along with the deal that sent former Gopher Keith Ballard to Vancouver), and a real American feel to this year's picks.

Not only that, but it was a really good year for current and future NCAA players. Even if you take out Tyler Pitlick -- the former Minnesota State forward who has already decided to go major junior starting this fall -- you have a total of 62 players with NCAA ties who were drafted, including nine in the first round.

None of them are expected to show up in the NHL this season, but they should add to the growing influence of college hockey on the NHL.

Among the 62 players were three with ties to UMD, and a number of players from Minnesota.

We talked about the UMD players in our draft notes Friday. As expected, defenseman Justin Faulk went in the second round. No. 37 overall to Carolina. It's a good fit for Faulk and for the Hurricanes, as they could use a couple more younger defensemen who can move the puck around. Faulk sure can do that, and I think he'll really impress UMD fans with his competitiveness and drive. Don't worry about him being a really early departure, unless he has a great freshman season and the Hurricanes just can't resist.

Early in the third round, we saw former Shattuck-St. Mary's forward Joe Basaraba, another 2010 UMD recruit, come off the board. He went to the Florida Panthers, who had a great draft, loading up on big forwards (they also drafted future Gopher Nick Bjugstad in the first round). Basaraba will fill out some at UMD, and develop his skills as a two-way player while improving as an offensive threat. We saw Dan DeLisle come in straight out of high school last year, and it took him a good chunk of the season to really catch on to things. Then, naturally, as he was coming into his own, DeLisle was injured in Houghton and never really was the same. I'm not sure it's really a fair comparison, as Basaraba is maybe a bit more refined as a skater and offensive threat, while DeLisle had more, well, meat on his bones. But I think you'll see some similarity in how Basaraba really improves toward the latter part of the season.

The other UMD recruit taken was 2011 forward Caleb Herbert of Bloomington Jefferson. The former Jaguar went to the Washington Capitals. Herbert will play in the USHL this season, and he should join UMD as a better player. While a guy like Basaraba has the experience of playing at a top-flight school like Shattuck, where he traveled all over and played a lot of hockey, Herbert's experience in high school hockey doesn't quite measure up. As a smaller player of sorts, Herbert is much better-suited to play a year in the more-competitive USHL before joining UMD. It will be a help in his development.

UMD has a full roster this season, so hopefully Faulk and Basaraba are able to gain strong footing early. There will be a ton of competition for the last two or three forward spots, along with the last defensive pairing. If the new guys come in with the right mindset, captain's practices and the official start of workouts in early October should be very entertaining.

While the Bulldogs do open on the road, they took the full roster on the bus the last time they headed out to Sault Ste. Marie and Marquette for Superior Cup games. Expect the same to happen this year, and expect to see a lot of lineup tinkering over the first two weekends of play, both of which are non-conference (games at Lake Superior State and Northern Michigan, followed by a home set against Providence).

Of the NCAA players drafted, it's hard to say if any stand much of a chance of playing in the NHL before 2012. If anyone does, it could be a guy like Bjugstad, who is very strong for a kid his age and body type. He's accelerated his development and his education, so we'll see how he adjusts to the college style come October. Since he's already taking classes and working out at Minnesota, I'd say he's anxious to get started.