The Three Key Door for Mahtomedi
Every team in the state, whether it is a defending state champion or a struggling squad, starts their season out with a door that stands between them and success. Nonetheless, every team is just as capable of unlocking their potential…
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Continue ReadingEvery team in the state, whether it is a defending state champion or a struggling squad, starts their season out with a door that stands between them and success. Nonetheless, every team is just as capable of unlocking their potential through an interwoven combination of skill, strategy, leadership, and coaching. In this new series kicking up here for Prep Hockey, I will be taking a look at the three keys each and every team in the state needs to open up the door that stands between them and a great year by their unique standards. The Class A state champion Mahtomedi will step up to the plate as today’s feature.
Key #1: Statement Seasons
A “statement season” can be simply defined as a year in which an athlete, usually on the verge of stardom, finally breaks through the preexisting walls that held them back and has a terrific season in the process. The Zephyrs have two rising seniors that I think will put the Minnesota hockey hemisphere on notice. Forward Jake Hodd-Chlebek is one of these guys due to the role he played last year, and the one he is set to receive this coming season. Buried under a slew of senior scoring options in 2022-2023, Hodd-Chlebek still made a name for himself thanks to settling into a sporadic support-and-score role that saw him notch 11 goals and 11 assists, both solid figures considering his circumstances. The 5-foot-11, 165 pounder notched two game winning goals against both South Saint Paul and Woodbury, and was overall just a dependable guy on the ice. This year though, Hodd-Chlebek is one of the top returning scorers for the team, and will need to step up and play like it, an opportunity I’m sure the guy has been waiting for. Aside from Hodd-Chlebek, soon-to-be senior goalie Charlie Brandt Charlie Brandt 5'11" | Goalie Mahtomedi | 2024 State MN is another interesting prospect that will finally have his time to be uninhibited between the pipes. Brandt was caught in a position battle with senior Andrew Reister, a guy who had a great season in his own right. Brandt ended up seceding seven games to his older teammate, but still put up a 16-8 record to go with a rock solid .912 save percentage. Now with no more competition to worry about, Brandt is poised to put up incredible numbers during his upcoming senior campaign, a season that will see many new faces suit up for the Zephyrs.
Key #2: A Sizeable Senior Sendoff
A big part of Mahtomedi’s success last year was its senior class, a group that showed out in both the team’s state title run last year and its third place finish the year prior. Led by 59-point scorer Charlie Drage, the Zephyrs went deep into the postseason with their senior core, a group that put up many memorable moments along the way. Drage’s game winning goal with less than a minute left in the state semifinal game lifted his team to victory, then the guy promptly followed up this performance with a hat trick in the state title game. Even with Drage’s heroics though, the Zephyrs were tied 5-5 with Warroad heading into overtime. After one period of stifling defense from both programs, senior Johnny Grove finally buried the game winning goal thanks to an excellent pass from fellow senior Seth Nelson, and just like that, the Zephyrs were state champs. It’s probably quite evident now that the Zephyr senior class was a huge factor in bringing the hardware home, but just in case there are any more doubters, let me elaborate on the fact that Mahtomedi’s top seven scorers from last season’s roster were all in their senior campaigns. Naturally, this will pose numerous challenges to a program freshly drained of star power, and for the Zephyrs to succeed this upcoming year, the younger guys will need to collectively step up.
Key #3: Jimmy Egan
Speaking of younger guys, Jimmy Egan is a name on this roster that piques my interest, and for good reason. Already sticking out last season due to his freshman status on a varsity program, Egan showed out nonetheless, appearing in all 31 games for the Zephyrs and putting up four goals and 17 assists in the process. The kid took on more of a supporting role last season, but with the first through seventh place scorers all gone from last year’s roster, it looks like it will be Egan’s time to shine. He will be entering his sophomore campaign with varsity experience far beyond the vast majority of kids his age, and this should allow him to develop at an even further accelerated rate. Egan already has good size, being listed at 6-foot flat and 160 pounds, and he should only continue to grow stronger, faster and smarter on the ice as he ages. Arguably one of the best Class of 2026 skaters out there, Egan has an excellent chance to continue to set himself apart from other skaters his age, as he should be one of Mahtomedi’s most depended on scorers entering this winter season.
What Lies Behind the Door: This team has a very interesting case to be made in terms of succeeding this year. They won it all last season, got third the year before that, and have made the state tournament seven of the last 10 years. Clearly, no matter who the Zephyrs put out on the ice, they will still find a way to compete. That being said, losing seven superstar seniors is a big hit to this team, and it will be an uphill battle if they want to repeat as back-to-back champs.