Preseason Conference Player of the Year: The Mariucci
Every year, sports writers speculate on which athletes will come out on top when the season is all over, and I am no exception to this rule. While there is no way to predict any of these accolades with 100 percent certainty, it’s always fun to try. Besides, pieces like this also let me highlight some of the best players in the state, which is always a treat. Similar to the comprehensive goalie guide, this series will cover each and every conference in the state, with each winner being entered for the statewide player of the year poll that will cap off this set of articles. Today, the powerful programs of the Mariucci Conference will be featured.
The Case for Carson Pilgrim Carson Pilgrim 5'9" | Forward Warroad | 2024 State MN (Warroad)
Warroad’s puck slinging, top tier skater on the offensive end, Carson Pilgrim Carson Pilgrim 5'9" | Forward Warroad | 2024 State MN has set a bar so high for himself that he can still have an MVP caliber season if he doesn’t reach it. The 92 points he scored last year was good for fourth in the state, and came from a balanced line of 52 goals and 40 assists. Evidently, Pilgrim doesn’t hog the puck, but he still possesses the mojo a star needs to tee off on the opposing net when his team needs him. This savviness on the ice gives Pilgrim an X-Factor that came in handy for Warroad all of last postseason. He scored 16 points in the six playoff games Warroad participated in last year, including a hat trick in the State Championship, a game which ended in a heartbreaking 5-6 overtime loss for Pilgrim and his team. The University of North Dakota commit will enter his senior year with a heavy weight of expectation on his back, but either way, Warroad is likely thrilled to have him returning for another year.
The Case for Ryan Lund Ryan Lund 6'2" | Defense Warroad | 2024 State MN (Warroad)
The lone defenseman on this list, Ryan Lund Ryan Lund 6'2" | Defense Warroad | 2024 State MN has scoring numbers more akin to a top Forward on a prep team, with some solid defensive skills to boot. He put up 47 points in 2022-2023, good for fourth place on arguably the best offensive team in the state. Lund’s 18 goals and 29 assists indicates a well balanced offensive skill set in a league where most defenseman are solely pass-first players. He measures in at 6-foot-3, 200 pounds, and is not afraid to use his large frame to box out opponents on both ends of the ice, opening up lanes for streaking Forwards or stonewalling an opposing possession. The guy has a slap shot that could scare a goalie half to death, yet can still support his streaking forwards with well placed passes and physical play. His versatility on the ice makes him an asset to any team, and considering Lund is a star on one of Class A’s finest programs, he is one of my top picks to have another standout season in a Warrior uniform.
The Case for Noah Urness (Roseau)
Roseau’s leading scorer by a country mile, Noah Urness is set up nicely for a standout senior season, one in which he will be one of the Rams’ top offensive options for a third year in a row. Last season, Urness ranked eighth statewide in points with 86, fifth in goals with 45, and 15th in assists with 41, all numbers that plastered him across every offensive leaderboard Minnesota had to offer. He helped Roseau’s historically solid offense post another solid year in which they averaged nearly five goals per game, a number that propelled them to a successful 17-10-1 season complete with two playoff victories. Urness will enter his final year as a Ram flanked by Gavin Jensen Gavin Jensen 5'8" | Forward Roseau | 2024 State MN and Jake Halvorson, the second and fourth best scorers on the Rams roster last season, respectively. Together, these three should keep Roseau’s offense churning for another season, one in which Urness will look to have his best year yet.
The Case for Kai Weigel Kai Weigel 5'9" | Goalie Moorhead | 2024 State MN (Moorhead)
Unquestionably the best returning goalie in the Mariucci Conference, Kai Weigel Kai Weigel 5'9" | Goalie Moorhead | 2024 State MN will hopefully be playing another season in its entirety for Moorhead, just like he did last year. Weigel started all 30 games for the Spuds, putting up All-State caliber numbers as well as being an ironman for his team. He secured 19 wins (good for eighth in the state), a 2.03 Goals Against Average (18th), and a .930 save percentage (10th), all figures that put him among the best of the best for Minnesota net protectors. Along the way, Weigel also ended an age-old narrative regarding smaller school athletes and their inability to hang with bigger schools. Against defending Class AA State Champion Minnetonka last season, Weigel saved 43 of the 45 shots that came his way in a game that many thought Moorhead would get dismantled by their larger opponent. Although the Spuds did end up losing that game, Weigel’s stellar performance kept them in the fight through all three periods, a feat not many teams in either Class can say they pulled off against the Skippers last year. Weigel has proven time and time again that he is an elite option to protect the net, and he will be entering his senior year with plenty of hype around his name and performance thus far.
The Case for Max Arlt (Thief River Falls)
One of the few bright spots on a middling Thief River Falls squad last year, Max Arlt has been thrust into a leadership position entering his senior year after he outpaced the rest of the Prowler attack in scoring. He put up a breakout campaign in 2022-2023, posting a career high of 48 points that was over double his previous personal best on varsity. Arlt’s 22 goals and 26 assists show a desire to keep his teammates involved, a trait that keeps a locker room happy and team chemistry high. The 5-foot-9, 150 pounder will enter his senior year with an opportunity to repeat as his team’s top scorer, and his standout skills on the ice have earned him a spot at the table among the Mariucci Conference’s best.
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