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Grand Rapids' Peart wins Reed Larson Award

04/07/2021, 9:30am CDT
By Bryan Zollman

Jack Peart eludes a Moorhead opponent as he moves up ice. Peart was named the Reed Larson Award winner Wednesday. (PHOTO BY TIM KOHELMAINEN/BREAKDOWN SPORTS MEDIA)

Peart was also recently named Mr. Hockey

Grand Rapids defenseman Jack Peart was named the Reed Larson Award winner by Let’s Play Hockey Wednesday. The award is given to the state's top senior prep defenseman.

Peart rose to the top of the strong group of senior blue liners this year that included seven players who have signed Division I tenders. Peart was also named Mr. Hockey on Monday.

The St. Cloud State commit put up impressive numbers offensively by scoring 11 goals and adding 24 assists this season in 18 games. In his high school career he has 88 points in 71 games. He is currently playing for the Fargo Force of the USHL.

Grand Rapids Head Coach Wade Chiodo said the 5’11” 180-pound Peart is “beyond his years with his game.” With a May birthday, Peart is still just 17 years old.

“Jack’s hockey IQ is off the charts,” Chiodo said. “He is always two steps ahead of everyone on the ice.”

Chiodo said Peart is like having another coach on the ice and on the bench.

“He is a multi-dimensional d-man who can play in all different types of games,” he said. “His on-ice perception is excellent. He’s very coachable and willing to listen and learn. He’s just a great kid and a great leader.”

Peart beat out other Division I defenseman Joe Palodichuk of Hill-Murray (Wisconsin), Henry Nelson of Maple Grove (Notre Dame), Joey Pierce of Hermantown (UMD), Mason Langenbrunner of Eden Prairie (Harvard), Luke Mittelstadt of Eden Prairie (Minnesota) and Nick Williams of Edina (Minnesota).

Other 2020 candidates for the Reed Larson Award included: Erik Larson (Northern Lakes), Noah Mueller (Buffalo), Carson Peters (Wayzata), Jack Keranen (Delano), Josh Kruger (Northfield), Blake Norris (Warroad), Jack Malinski (Lakeville South), and Dylan Strate (St. Francis).

Reed Larson, a native of Minneapolis, played on the blue line for Minneapolis Roosevelt High School and the University of Minnesota, followed by 904 regular season games in the NHL, most notably as a captain of the Detroit Red Wings. He finished his career with 685 points and is now enshrined in the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame.

The winner of the Reed Larson Award is based on the following criteria: academics, community/ex-tra-curricular activities, coachability and, of course, on-ice performance. The winner is chosen by a panel of Division I coaches and NHL scouts.

Past recipients include: 2020 Wyatt Kaiser (Andover), 2019 Mike Koster (Chaska), 2018 Luke LaMaster (Duluth East), 2017 Dylan Samberg (Hermantown), 2016 Wyatt Aamodt (Hermantown), 2015 Jacob Olson (Hill-Murray), 2014 Luc Snuggerud (Eden Prairie), 2013 Jake Bischoff (Grand Rapids).

 

 

Tag(s): State Of Hockey