Stars, Studs, and Sleepers: Edina
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A star is the go to guy on the team, more times than not their best all around player. A stud usually supports the star, and has plenty of fine tuned skills in their own right. A sleeper is a…
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Continue ReadingA star is the go to guy on the team, more times than not their best all around player. A stud usually supports the star, and has plenty of fine tuned skills in their own right. A sleeper is a guy you might not hear the student section fawning over, but his coaches and teammates are well aware of how much he contributes. In this new series here at Prep Hockey, I’ll be predicting each team’s star, stud, and sleeper heading into the 2023-2024 season, and today, the Edina Hornets get the feature, a town and team synonymous with success when it comes to hockey.
The Star: Jackson Nevers Jackson Nevers 6'0" | Forward Edina | 2024 State MN , Forward
If you’re going to the University of Minnesota to play hockey, odds are, you’re pretty dang good. Jackson Nevers Jackson Nevers 6'0" | Forward Edina | 2024 State MN is no exception to this rule, as the Gopher commit earned his maroon and gold uniform after a 40 point junior campaign for Edina where he scored an even 20 goals and 20 assists. A larger forward who stands 6 feet tall and weighs 180 pounds, Nevers uses his superior size to wedge himself in the opponent’s zone, framing defenders off of him thanks to his strong upper body. Despite being the top scorer for his team, Nevers also shows a grit that is usually reserved for scrappy defenders or unproven underclassmen. He is always fighting for the puck, and he is not afraid to get his hands dirty if it means winning possession for his team. To top off his impressive size and physicality, Nevers is adept at handling the puck and has great vision that allows him to almost always find the open guy. This makes him dangerous in practically every offensive facet of the game, and this guy still has one more season left at the prep level. If he takes another stride forward in his development this offseason, Edina could be poised for another deep postseason run.
The Stud: Bobby Cowan Bobby Cowan 5'11" | Forward Edina | 2024 State MN , Forward
Edina’s star and stud were numbers one and two on their team for scoring, respectively, and they have one more year together to carve out a name for themselves among the great Edina hockey duos. Bobby Cowan Bobby Cowan 5'11" | Forward Edina | 2024 State MN is right up there with Nevers in terms of both skill and stats, and these two wreaked havoc on opposing defenses all year for the Hornets. In 30 games this past winter, Cowan scored 38 points off of 21 assists and 17 goals during a breakout season that a select few saw coming. Cowan was a limited varsity participant as a sophomore, and scored 0 points that year, much less goals. This 38 point junior campaign is even more impressive when one considers Cowan’s lack of varsity experience up until the 2022-2023 season. Thanks to that impressive year, Cowan picked up an offer to play at Saint Thomas, and committed soon after. He’s a force on the power play, as nearly a quarter of his goals on the year came when the opposing team was short handed. Cowan can start and stop on a dime, accelerating and decelerating at his own discretion in order to dictate the pace of play in the offensive zone. This gives him the option to either dish the puck off, go for a goal, or even just skate circles around defenders until someone gets open. Cowan’s athleticism and shooting ability mesh very well with a rapid style of play, and the Hornets should be excited to have him back for one last winter.
The Stud: Mason West, Forward
I couldn’t call this guy a sleeper, not when he’s sitting at third in points on a State Tournament team as a freshman. Mason West is a young guy who has already proven himself as one of the premier players to watch in the Class of 2026. In 30 games, West put up 27 points that was spread out through nine goals and 17 assists, making him one of the primary passers to high flying teammates Cowan and Nevers. The 6-foot-5, 195 pounder is gargantuan for any hockey player, especially a freshman, and he utilizes this size well to assert his will on the opposing defense. He’s only set to get bigger, faster, and better on the ice throughout his next three seasons, but for now, the rising sophomore has a fall of football to focus on, as he will be in the running to take over quarterbacking duties for the Hornets varsity team.
The Sleeper: Joe Bertram, Goalie
He admittedly didn’t play much in 2022-2023, but when backing up a Mr. Hockey finalist like Robbie Clarkowski, you’re bound to learn a thing or two on how to play goalie. Joe Bertram may have only played in two full games this past season, but to his credit, he practically mirrored Clarkowski’s numbers. Against Buffalo and Elk River/Zimmerman, Bertram posted 40 saves, a .930 save percentage, and most importantly, won both of these games. Will his competition inevitably get more challenging as he plays more games this coming season? Odds are, yes. But as it stands right now, it seems that Bertram has seized the opportunity to learn behind one of the greats, and should enter 2023-2024 as someone ready to fill one of the few voids in Edina’s roster and lead his team back to the State Tournament.
The Bottom Line: Edina is bringing back loads of talent from their 2022-2023 squad, a team that already went to the Class AA State Championship as is. There are certainly some key pieces like Clarkowski who they will miss, but if these roles get filled by promising backups like Bertram, Edina could be raising their 14th state title banner up into the rafters once the 2023-2024 season is all said and done.