The Minnesota high school season is still weeks away from getting underway. That means we are still months away from crowning state champions in March 2020 and naming a Mr. Hockey award winner for 2020.
However, it’s never too early to speculate. After seeing the performances of these now-seniors in past seasons and during the offseason, we take a look at seven players who may hear their name called in March as the 2020 Mr. Hockey winner.
Blake Biondi
School: Hermantown
PrepHockey rank: No. 4
College commitment: Minnesota-Duluth
Blake Biondi didn’t get another shot to star at Xcel Energy Center with Hermantown as the Hawks lost in the section final. But Biondi put on a show when he was on the ice as the forward tallied 34 goals and 29 assists in 34 games with Hermantown. Expect another strong season as the Hawks look to return to the state tournament.
Jake Braccini
School: Buffalo
PrepHockey rank: No. 8
College commitment: Minnesota
Similar to a few others on this list, Jake Braccini is headed for Dinkytown to play for the Minnesota Golden Gophers. The forward showed his offensive prowess this past year for Buffalo as he tallied a team-best 35 goals and 29 assists. He will put his skills on display against even tougher competition this year as the Bison join the Lake Conference and have the chance to face off against one of the state’s top conferences on a regular basis.
Garrett Pinoniemi
School: Holy Family Catholic
PrepHockey rank: No. 12
College commitment: Minnesota
Though Holy Family Catholic is still on the up-and-up as a program, the Fire have pushed traditional powers such as Minnetonka and Eden Prairie to the brink in postseason play. Pinoniemi has starred for Holy Family in past years. His best chance to shine will likely come this season.
Carsen Richels
School: Blaine
PrepHockey rank: No. 18
College commitment: New Hampshire
Blaine has produced a number of top talents such as Nick Bjugstad over the years. Carsen Richels is no different. The New Hampshire commit racked up 35 goals as a junior and caught plenty of attention as the Bengals made a run at the 2019 state tournament. He’ll look to do that again as one of Blaine’s senior leaders this season.
Teddy Lagerback
School: Minnetonka
PrepHockey rank: No. 23
College commitment: Arizona State
The Arizona State commit will likely be happy to see warmer climates after a frostbite scare at Hockey Day Minnesota 2019. Teddy Lagerback will be a leading force for Minnetonka. Prior to a shocking loss to Holy Family in the Section 2AA playoffs, Lagerback led the Skippers with 15 goals.
Ben Troumbly
School: Greenway
PrepHockey rank: No. 13
College commitment: St. Cloud State
Ben Troumbly was a key part of Greenway’s miraculous run to the Class 1A championship game. This year, don’t expect anyone to sleep on the Raiders and Troumbly. He’s already earned a scholarship offer from St. Cloud State. He’ll look to build upon a junior season where he tallied 15 goals and 16 assists.