Stars, Studs, and Sleepers: Mahtomedi
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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 2024 season, and today, it’s the defending state champs that get the spotlight.
The Star: Jimmy Egan, Forward
The 9th leading scorer on last season’s team and coincidentally a 9th grader himself, Jimmy Egan brings some young talent to a relatively depleted roster, and will need to take a big step forward in 2024 if the Zephyrs want to keep their statewide prominence. Through 31 games played, Egan was more of a supporter than a scorer, as he racked up 17 assists compared to only four goals. However, when he faces kids his age, he absolutely dominates. At the World Select Invitational for the 16U division, Egan cracked the top 15 in scoring thanks to the 12 points he accumulated in only seven games, two less contests than many of the people above him on that list. He’s garnered international attention thanks to these skills, and was even drafted by the Brandon Wheat Kings, a Manitoba developmental squad that plays in the WHL. He’s got a long road ahead of him in a Zephyr jersey, but a state title as a freshman was a dang good place to start for him, and the next three years should see him transform into one of the all time Zephyr hockey greats.
The Stud: Jake Hodd-Chlebeck Jake Hodd-Chlebeck 5'11" | Forward Mahtomedi | 2024 State MN , Forward
Jake Hodd-Chlebeck Jake Hodd-Chlebeck 5'11" | Forward Mahtomedi | 2024 State MN may have had a quiet 2023 season, but make no mistake, it was an effective one. On a squad that was absolutely dominated by seniors, he stepped up and was right with them in terms of scoring, playing a big role as a dependable scorer or passer that was well versed in both disciplines. He scored an even 11 goals and 11 assists in 2023, secured two game winning goals against the likes of South Saint Paul and Woodbury, and was a force to be reckoned with on the power play. However, what stuck out to me the most about Hodd-Chlebeck was his impressive plus-14 line on the ice. For those who aren’t aware of this stat, it means the Zephyrs outscored their opponents by 14 goals throughout the course of their season while Hodd-Chlebeck was on the ice. Obviously, that shows how important he is to their team’s victory. The rising senior was a big contributor this past winter, and I expect he’ll be even better when the 2024 season gets started.
The Sleeper: Sam Harris, Defenseman
Sam Harris is a dream defenseman for many coaches. He plugs up attacking players, dolls out hits when needed, and feeds the puck to his forwards, doing all of the dirty work necessary without complaint in the gruelling life of an average defenseman. The soon-to-be junior has 20 points under his belt from last season, 19 of which were assists. The 6 foot, 165 pound lefty is quick on the ice, long enough to prevent all sorts of shots, and smart enough to dish the puck out to his attack and set them up for easy goals. He has two years of varsity experience as a solid defenseman, and if his stats tell any sort of story, Harris is due for a big stride forward in 2024. Expect a lot of assists and smart hockey out of this guy from the get go once the Zephyrs drop the puck for the first game next season.
The Sleeper: Charlie Brandt Charlie Brandt 5'11" | Goalie Mahtomedi | 2024 State MN , Goalie
It’s about time a goaltender got some love on one of these lists. Dealing with fierce competition from a senior tendie who had a heckuva season in his own right, Charlie Brandt Charlie Brandt 5'11" | Goalie Mahtomedi | 2024 State MN worked his tail off throughout the year and eventually secured the starting title, which he held strong until his team hoisted their state championship trophy at Xcel Energy Center. In that state title game, Brandt was shot on 60 times by one of the best attacks in the state and held his own, posting a .917 save percentage that game and outplaying the goalie across the ice from him to notch himself and his team a title. In the game before that, Brandt played arguably the best hockey we’ve seen out of him so far. Facing elimination in the state semifinals against Hermantown, the junior goalie staved off 33 shots, only allowing one in. This insane performance in crunch time gave his team a narrow 2-1 victory, and one could argue that Brandt is a big reason for the state championship trophy that resides in Mahtomedi’s trophy room. He’s got one more season left to play, and now that he’s clearly established himself as the go-to-guy between the pipes, I’m excited to see how Brandt will take the reins and protect the net in 2024.
The Bottom Line: This team is losing a lot of talent, as they are graduating their top seven scorers from this past season. However, they still have plenty of young, hungry athletes who will look to pilot their team to the state title, not to mention the brick wall in the net that has already etched his name among the prep legends at Mahtomedi High School.