The Mr. Hockey Award, presented annually by the Minnesota Minute Men to the state’s most outstanding senior boys’ high school hockey player, is a badge of honor that has been donned by such State of Hockey all-time greats such as Paul Martin, Brian Bonin and Tom Chorske (the first award winner in 1985). The list of past winners includes collegiate stars, Stanley Cup winners and even a current Minnesota Wild coach.

Last year’s honoree, Blaine’s Riley Tufte, who led the metro area with 49 goals, was a first-round pick by Dallas in the 2016 National Hockey League Draft and is currently skating for the University of Minnesota-Duluth.  

So, it should be no surprise that this year’s group of finalists, identified by a panel of NHL and junior scouts and coaches and college coaches, is again loaded with high-end talent who are leaders both on and off the ice.  

This year’s finalists include:

• Matt Anderson, D, Holy Family Catholic
• Noah Cates, F, Stillwater
• Nick Leivermann, D, Eden Prairie
• Ben Meyers, F, Delano-Rockford
• Casey Mittelstadt, F, Eden Prairie
• Micah Miller, F, Grand Rapids
• Bauer Neudecker, F, St. Louis Park
• Nick Perbix, D, Elk River
• Dylan Samberg, D, Hermantown
• Ryan Sandelin, F, Hermantown

Also announced were the two finalists for the 2017 Frank Brimsek Award, given to the top senior goaltender in Minnesota. This year’s finalists are Jake Begley of Hill-Murray and Cade McEwen of Hermantown. The 2016 winner was Nick Althaus of St. Cloud Apollo.

The 2017 Mr. Hockey Awards Banquet will be held on March 13 at the St. Paul RiverCentre.