Prep Hockey Report Card: The Big Nine (Part 2)
School may be out across some districts, but over here at Prep Network, our work is just getting started. The next big series on this site will take a comprehensive look at each and every team in the state, complete…
Access all of Prep Hockey
Continue reading this article and more.
Continue ReadingSchool may be out across some districts, but over here at Prep Network, our work is just getting started. The next big series on this site will take a comprehensive look at each and every team in the state, complete with analyses, predictions, and updates on who the top dogs in the state of hockey are shaping up to be. This is a purely speculative list based on team performances from last season and returning starters, so I will surely be proven wrong by at least a handful of squads as this list continues to grow. That being said, let’s kick things off with one of the biggest conferences across prep hockey: The Big Nine.
Rochester John Marshall: B
The Rockets drew a good chunk of their firepower from the defense last year, as two of their top three scorers spent plenty of time lingering near the blue line. Jayden Veney and Mason Decker were a pair of dynamic defensemen that put up 34 and 40 points in 2022-2023, respectively. Veney will be the only one returning of the two, but Marshall has plenty of other pieces to build around. Rising junior Thor Shelly may have only logged 173 minutes in the net last season, but his 2-0 record and .918 Save Percentage both show this guy could be ready to take the reigns this coming winter. Another rising junior to keep an eye on is forward Ole Fevold, who was second on the team last season with 36 points and leads returning starters in offensive production. The Rockets went 14-11-1 last season, and if they can develop these young skaters as well as clean up their conference play, this team could be a dark horse to secure the Big Nine.
Mankato West: C+
A program that’s coming off an 8-16-3 season and struggled across the board, the Scarlets will certainly have their work cut out for them in the offseason, but potential is certainly still there on paper, mostly through the form of two budding young stars. West’s top returning scorer is Jaeger Zimmerman, a guy who logged 34 points on 14 goals and 20 assists last season as an underclassman. He’s got good size at 5-foot-11 and 175 pounds, and should only continue to add size and strength to his frame as he ages. On top of this, the Scarlets are likely set in the net for at least the next few seasons. Mason Schreiber is a kid coming off the daunting task of manning a varsity net as a freshman, a job he stepped up and did with tenacity. He started all 27 games for his team, never missing a minute and even logging two shutouts along the way. These two stars are the future of Mankato West’s program, and will both be key pieces in any potential turnaround this team could have this coming winter.
Faribault: B-
The Falcons had a lackluster offense and a middling defense last year, two factors that brought this team to a mediocre 12-14 record. Fortunately though, this Faribault team is bringing back a slew of starters that could help turn this ship around. The star will most likely be Oliver Linneman, a senior who put up 40 points on 12 goals and 28 assists last year. Aside from Linneman, other key pieces of this attack will be Logan Peroutka and Tommy Kunze, two guys who are both due for breakout seasons. Peroutka racked up 26 points last year, and is set to be one of the most seasoned returning scorers on this roster. Kunze is much younger, but this guy’s upside is likely the highest on this Falcon team. As a freshman in 2022-2023, Kunze finished with 22 points on 12 goals and 10 assists, good for fourth on the team. Faribault is bringing back a good chunk of its attack, and could notch a few more wins this coming year if this team can ignite its offense.
Winona: C+
The Winhawks will be leaning heavy on two of their stars to try and improve the 10-14-2 record they are fresh off last season, but these two guys could very well spark this team to a winning record. Forward Teis Larsen will be spearheading the Winhawk attack, as the guy scored 65 points last season, a number that was more than double the next highest scorer on the team. Only three skaters on Winona amassed over a dozen points last season, with one of them being graduated and another being Larsen himself. Simply put, the Winhawk attack will need to rely heavily on its returning star. Aside from Larsen, Winona has another X-Factor in Michael Dubek Michael Dubek 5'11" | Goalie Winona | 2024 State MN . The guy had three shutouts and a .916 save percentage across 22 starts, and should only be better as he enters his senior season. This Winona team isn’t the deepest roster in the Big Nine, but its star power is not to be trifled with.
Austin: D
This Austin team is coming off a dismal 4-20-1 season, and will likely have a hard time eclipsing this win total. There are plenty of positive skaters on this roster, but Austin also lost a handful of studs that helped keep this team afloat. Former goalie Ethan Knox was the glue of the roster, as he helped secure all four of Austin’s wins and put up a stellar .900 save percentage considering his circumstances. Now that he is graduated though, Austin will need to go back to the drawing board. Nonetheless, Gavin Schaefer is entering his junior year after leading the team with 21 points, and Grady Carney is also bringing back 15 points, good for third in scoring on his team last season. There are a few pieces to build off of, but Austin simply appears outgunned week-in and week-out.
Red Wing: D
Similar to Austin, Red Wing is a smaller school that struggles to go blow-for-blow with some of the larger programs Class A has to offer, and as a result, finished with a 1-21-4 record last season. To make matters worse, the Wingers are graduating two of their top three scorers, leaving a void inside the attack that already struggled to muster up goals last season. Ellis Petersmeyer started 25 games between the pipes, and should be a bright spot on this roster. Nonetheless, Red Wing seemed overwhelmed in the majority of its contests last year, meaning the Wingers will likely have a long road ahead of them if they want to be contenders.