Offseason breakdown No. 129: Duluth East

With 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 East. 

How last season went

The Greyhounds had a similar 2019-20 campaign to Edina. It was uncharacteristic of a program that annually competes in its section and at the state level. Duluth East struggled in part due to the fact it averaged 2.46 goals per game.

En route to a 10-12-2 regular season record, the Greyhounds endured tough stretches, including a winless streak that went from Jan. 9 to Feb. 1. 

Outside of that lull, Duluth East picked up wins against the likes of Bemidji, Blaine, Lakeville North, Minnetonka and Maple Grove. But the struggles outside of those triumphs led to the Greyhounds earning the No. 5 seed in Section 7AA.

Going up against Forest Lake, Duluth East’s offensive struggles continued in the quarterfinals as the Rangers emerged with a 1-0 win.

Who’s back and who’s gone

This step back for the Greyhounds had to come with some surprise due to the amount of seniors who were leading the way. Charlie Erickson (12 goals, 13 assists), Ryan Cummings (7G, 14A), Michael Sutherland (16A) and Finn Hoops (3G, 13A) all graduated while carrying the majority of the load for Duluth East last season.

In net, the Greyhounds relied on Konrad Kausch last season. He finished his high school hockey career with a season where he posted a .905 save percentage.

One returner sticks out amongst the rest. That is Zarley Ziemski. He had the most goals (14) of any Duluth East player last season.

What to expect next season 

Despite many senior leaders departing via graduation, this may be an opportunity for the Greyhounds to hit the reset button and try something different next season. Section 7AA is certainly a crap shoot and Duluth East is more often than not part of that conversation.