Stars, Studs, and Sleepers: St. Thomas Academy
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 for this installment, the St. Thomas Academy Cadets will be leading the charge. A team that sat atop the Metro East this past season, the Cadets are bringing back a handful of talented players come 2023-2024, but are also losing many of the key pieces that made their team so dangerous.
The Star: Brody Deitz Brody Deitz 5'10" | Defense St. Thomas Academy | 2024 State MN , Defenseman
It’s not everyday you see a defenseman as the projected star of a team, but Brody Deitz Brody Deitz 5'10" | Defense St. Thomas Academy | 2024 State MN fits the mold of a pass first player that elevates whatever line he’s on, and the impact he has on the ice is too apparent to deem him as anything short of a star. In 26 games for the Cadets, Deitz had 4 goals and 11 assists, tallying an average of just under 0.6 points per game, an impressive number for a defenseman. His role was primarily support from the blue line, but he excelled at just that, feeding the triad of St. Thomas seniors who led the way in goals scored. The 5-foot-10, 175 pound leftie is quick and lithe on the ice, allowing him to be in a constant state of motion that opens up opportunities on offense, and stifles opposing chances when he’s on defense. Deitz brings a lot to the table as an agile and offensively skilled defenseman, and his skillset is only going to get better as he keeps at it this offseason. Expect Deitz’s senior year to be a monster one.
The Stud: Max Candon, Forward
The fourth leading scorer for the Cadets as just a sophomore, Max Candon is clearly adept at possessing the puck and punishing opponents for letting that happen. During his 2022-2023 campaign, Candon had 17 points off of 7 goals and 10 assists, showcasing an ability to be either the scorer or the slinger when it comes to puck handling. After the Cadets graduated their top three forwards though, my guess is Candon will have to be the former. Luckily for him though, he is used to change at this point. During the early parts of his career, Candon was primarily a defenseman for his travel teams until he eventually switched to forward for the Cadets, a position in which he has excelled at so far. The 6-foot-1, 180 pounder has a defenseman’s size, and he still utilizes this on the offensive end of things to bring some physicality in the opposing zone. While a number like Tommy Cronin’s 27 goals won’t need to be emulated for the Cadets to have a great season, Candon will still need to step up and put some points on the board for his team in 2023-2024, as he is the most seasoned scorer of the returning guys. This guy is no stranger to adjustments though, and I bet he steps into his new role with enthusiasm. After all, who wouldn’t want to be the top scoring threat on a winning team?
The Sleeper: Gus Olson, Defenseman
I know next to nothing about this guy, but what I am aware of is that Gus Olson was listed on the Cadet varsity roster as a reserve defenseman. While this initially seems like nothing out of the ordinary, when I saw he was in eight grade, I realized this kid could be something special. The 5-foot-11, 160 pounder is already a good deal larger than most of his middle school counterparts, and he will have his upcoming freshman year to both put on some pounds and continue to familiarize himself with how St. Thomas Academy does things on the ice. Olson may not even see any shifts on varsity next year, but the fact that he was on the roster in eighth grade goes to show how ahead of his class this guy is. I have a feeling in a few years, Olson’s name will be known all across the prep hockey hemisphere, but until then, he’ll keep silently and steadily improving his game.
The Bottom Line: The Cadets 19-8 season will be hard to replicate considering they graduated their top three scorers and goalie Tyler Magozzi, who was one of the best in the state. Nonetheless, they have some young guys they can work into more prominent positions, and experienced players who will need to both lead and get ready for their own roles to expand. All that being said, this team should have themselves another successful season.