Stars, Studs, and Sleepers: Minnetonka
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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 defending 2A state champions will be getting the spotlight.
The Star: Hagen Burrows Hagen Burrows 6'1" | Forward Minnetonka | 2024 State MN , Forward
Any avid Minnesota hockey fan likely knows Hagen Burrows Hagen Burrows 6'1" | Forward Minnetonka | 2024 State MN ‘ name at this point. A quick Google search of his name shows a slew of highlights, achievements, and news about the Minnetonka forward, and his dominant play has caught the eyes of college coaches from all over. The University of Denver commit had a stellar junior season for Minnetonka, one in which he had 26 assists, 24 goals, and an even 50 points. To top that off, Burrows was the key piece of a state championship winning team, and scored a goal in the title game for his squad. As a hockey player, he is a sniper through and through. His highlights include goals from some crazy angles, spots that 99 percent of players could barely get a shot off from, much less score. When he actually gets a chance to square up the puck and rip off a straight on shot, it’s usually game over. Burrows seems like he has the puck on a string, and his ability to paint the corners of the net keeps goalies from ever knowing where the puck will end up. Considering he did all of this as a junior, it will be exciting to see what Burrows and his team can do for his senior season.
The Stud: John Stout John Stout 6'2" | Defense Minnetonka | 2024 State MN , Defenseman
It’s a relatively rare occurrence to see a defenseman in the top five on his team for scoring, but then again, John Stout John Stout 6'2" | Defense Minnetonka | 2024 State MN is not like most defensemen. A first team All-State selection by the Minnesota Associated Press, Stout is as his name implies, a tough and strong defensive presence that supports his goalie and uplifts his offense. The University of Minnesota Duluth commit had 27 points off 8 goals and 19 assists in 2022-2023, including a game winner in overtime that brought Minnetonka to the state semifinals. Offensively, he is clearly a threat, but defensively, he is just as good. His 6 foot, 180 pound build is adept at keeping the attack in front of him and communicating with his teammates, and this mistake free hockey was a big reason the Skippers only allowed 1.16 goals per game last season. The lefty has another year to play for Minnetonka, and although it will be hard to top last year in terms of accolades, it will still certainly be a memorable season for Stout and the defense.
The Stud: Gavin Garry Gavin Garry 6'0" | Forward Minnetonka | 2024 State MN , Forward
For the first time in this series, I am picking two studs rather than one. To be honest, it was simply too hard to decide between these two guys, who were both key players in their own right for Tonka’s title run. Gavin Garry Gavin Garry 6'0" | Forward Minnetonka | 2024 State MN was nipping at his teammate Burrows’ heels all season to be the top scorer, and both athletes clearly pushed each other to be better. In 31 games, Garry had 45 points off of 20 goals and 25 assists, all impressive numbers based on how spread out the scoring was for the Skippers this last season. The 6-foot-2, 185 pounder is a big forward by any standard, and he uses his size to keep the neutral zone plugged up for his defense and harass any opponent with the puck, which eventually allows his team to retaliate in full force once they have shut down any form of opposing offense. As much as I could rave about his defense, Garry’s offense is just as polished, and this multifaceted forward play was a big reason Minnetonka went all the way in 2022-2023. If he plays as good as he did last year, Minnetonka will be in a very good position to win back-to-back state titles.
The Sleeper: Hunter Bauer, Goalie
Hunter Bauer didn’t get an insane amount of playing time in 2022-2023, but when he was in the net, he was a dominant presence that I believe will come into his own and have a breakout season this winter. By the looks of it, Bauer spent last season quietly getting better and learning behind senior starter Kaizer Nelson. In five games for the Skippers, Bauer had a stellar .973 save percentage, three shutouts, allowed a razor thin 0.40 goals per game, and most importantly, went 5-0. This stat-line is about as good as it gets for a reserve, which makes me think Bauer is ready to anchor the net and be the guy for the Skippers.
The Bottom Line: The more I combed through this team’s roster, the more I realized just how loaded this squad is. Minnetonka has some incredibly high standards to live up to and a target on their backs to match, but they are also bringing back all sorts of talent from their 2022-2023 championship roster, as eight of their top 10 scorers are returning for another year. If they can keep themselves grounded and work like they haven’t won anything yet, this team should be back for another state tournament appearance.