Offseason breakdown No. 28: Duluth Marshall

With most sports on hold and the 2020-21 season still months out, it’s time to take a look at teams from all over the State of Hockey and examine what happened this past season and what’s ahead. The next team we’re breaking down is Duluth Marshall. 

How last season went

At 3-11, the Hilltoppers were likely looking for a spark to try and salvage their regular season. There had been some signs of hope, including a 3-2 win against Moose Lake. However, that turnaround did not happen as they went on to lose their final 11 games of the regular season and finished with a 3-22 record.

Duluth Marshall’s challenges only got worse in the Section 8AA playoffs as they went up against top-seed Andover, one of the favorites to not only advance out of section play but to win the entire Class 2A state tournament. The Huskies cruised and the Hilltoppers’ postseason run concluded after just one game.

Who’s back and who’s gone

One of Duluth Marshall’s troubles last season was offensive production. Their top two scorers, Vance Johnson and Samuel Aamodt, led the team in points despite them tallying 13 and 11 points, respectively. Both players are set to return next season likely hungry to increase those numbers exponentially.

Meanwhile, Dakota Oman and Griff Pichetti each graduate after finishing as the third and fourth highest scorers on the Hilltopper roster.

In net, Duluth Marshall will also look to improve as both goaltenders return. Austin Wick returns after posting a .873 save percentage while Sam Anderson sported a .848 save percentage.

What to expect next season

The good news for the Hilltoppers is there is plenty of room for improvement. They have players returning with varsity experience and have a chance to improve on a 2019-20 season filled with struggles. The biggest challenge for Duluth Marshall comes with the fact that Section 7AA has a field of strong programs that can emerge any given year.