skip navigation

Made in Minnesota

10/12/2018, 2:00pm CDT
By Let's Play Hockey

We make our preseason picks of Minnesota's top college hockey players for the 2018-19 campaign


Minnesota Duluth defenseman Scott Perunovich (Hibbing, Minn.). Let's Play Hockey photo by Mike Thill

The list of standout Minnesota natives in college hockey is long and illustrious. The 1950s had John Mayasich. The 1960s had Doug Woog and Tim Sheehy. The 1970s had Doug Palazzari, Craig Norwich, Reed Larson and Mark Johnson. The 1980s had Neal & Aaron Broten, Tom Kurvers, Pat Micheletti and Robb Stauber. The 1990s had Chris Marinucci, Matt Cullen, Brian Bonin, Mike Crowley and Jason Blake. The 2000s had Jordan Leopold, Marty Sertich, Zach Parise and Keith Ballard. And the 2010s have had Chase Polacek, Jack Connolly, Mike Reilly and Alex Lyon. 

The list of women’s hockey players is no less impressive, from pioneers like Laura Halldorson and Jeanine Sobek, to early NCAA stars like Courtney Kennedy, Ronda Curtin, Natalie Darwitz and Krissy Wendell, to the recent exploits of Hannah Brandt, Sydney Rossman, Sidney Morin and Sydney Baldwin.

Those Minnesotans – and many others – have had a significant impact on the national stage. There have been a great many All-Americans, nine winners of the Hobey Baker Award, and one winner of both the Mike Richter Award and Patty Kazmaier Award. Team accomplishments are no less impressive. In fact, since 2000, all but one men’s and women’s national championship team has had a Minnesota native on its roster. Only the 2014-15 Providence College men’s team was devoid of Minnesotans.

This season, over 350 Minnesota natives are playing men’s and women’s Division I college hockey. That total represents 14 percent of all Division I players and 22 percent of all Americans in D-I. Returning to college hockey this season are a host of accomplished Minnesotans, including a Hobey Baker finalist, two Mike Richter Award semifinalists and a trio of All-Americans.

But who among those are the best? What players from the State of Hockey will shine brightest on the college hockey stage this season? That’s what we set out to predict. Chosen by members of Let’s Play Hockey and based on previous season performances and expected roles in 2018-19, we present the inaugural Team Minnesota. 

Top Stories

All-Minnesota First Team (Men)

  • Jake Jaremko Forward, Minnesota State, Sophomore
  • Ryan Poehling Forward, St. Cloud State, Junior
  • Odeen Tufto Forward, Quinnipiac, Sophomore
  • Scott Perunovich Defenseman, Minnesota Duluth, Sophomore
  • Jimmy Schuldt Defenseman, St. Cloud State, Senior
  • Jake Kielly Goaltender, Clarkson, Junior

All-Minnesota Second Team (Men)

  • Mason Bergh Forward, Colorado College, Senior
  • Rem Pitlick Forward, Minnesota, Junior
  • Riley Tufte Forward, Minnesota Duluth, Junior
  • Phil Beaulieu Defenseman, Northern Michigan, Junior
  • Colton Poolman Defenseman, North Dakota, Junior
  • Hunter Shepard Goaltender, Minnesota Duluth, Junior

All-Minnesota Third Team (Men)

  • Max Johnson Forward, Bowling Green, Sophomore
  • Peter Krieger Forward, Minnesota Duluth, Senior
  • Tyler Sheehy Forward, Minnesota, Senior
  • Mikey Anderson Defenseman, Minnesota Duluth, Sophomore
  • Ian Scheid Defenseman, Minnesota State, Senior
  • Jake Oettinger Goaltender, Boston University, Junior

All-Minnesota First Team (Men)

POSITION PLAYER SCHOOL YEAR 2017-18 TOTALS HOMETOWN HIGH SCHOOL NHL RIGHTS
F Jake Jaremko Minnesota State So. 14-24--39, 40 gp Nowthen Elk River Free Agent
F Ryan Poehling St. Cloud State Jr. 14-17--31, 36 gp Lakeville Lakeville North Montreal (2017 round 1, #25 overall)
F Odeen Tufto Quinnipiac So. 9-32--41, 38 gp Chaska St. Thomas Academy Free Agent
D Scott Perunovich Minnesota Duluth So. 11-25--36, 42 gp Hibbing Hibbing-Chisholm St. Louis (2018 round 2, #45 overall)
D Jimmy Schuldt St. Cloud State Sr. 10-28--38, 40 gp Minnetonka Minnetonka Free Agent
G Jake Kielly Clarkson Jr. 1.82, .929 Eden Prairie Eden Prairie Free Agent

All-Minnesota Second Team (Men)

POSITION PLAYER SCHOOL YEAR 2017-18 TOTALS HOMETOWN HIGH SCHOOL NHL RIGHTS
F Mason Bergh Colorado College Sr. 18-22--40, 37 gp Eden Prairie Eden Prairie Free Agent
F Rem Pitlick Minnesota Jr. 12-19--31, 38 gp Plymouth Shattuck-St. Mary’s Nashville (2016 round 3, #76 overall)
F Riley Tufte Minnesota Duluth Jr. 16-13--28, 42 gp Coon Rapids Blaine Dallas (2016 round 1, #25 overall)
D Phil Beaulieu Northern Michigan Jr. 11-31--42, 43 gp Duluth Duluth East Free Agent
D Colton Poolman North Dakota Jr. 7-22--29, 40 gp East Grand Forks East Grand Forks Free Agent
G Hunter Shepard Minnesota Duluth Jr. 1.91, .925 Cohasset Grand Rapids Free Agent

All-Minnesota Third Team (Men)

POSITION PLAYER SCHOOL YEAR 2017-18 TOTALS HOMETOWN HIGH SCHOOL NHL RIGHTS
F Max Johnson Bowling Green So. 13-17--30, 41 gp Lakeville Lakeville North Free Agent
F Peter Krieger Minnesota Duluth Sr. 11-19--30, 44 gp Oakdale St. Thomas Academy Free Agent
F Tyler Sheehy Minnesota Sr. 12-13--25, 36 gp Burnsville Burnsville Free Agent
D Mikey Anderson Minnesota Duluth So. 5-18--23, 39 gp Roseville Hill-Murray Los Angeles (2017 round 4, #103 overall)
D Ian Scheid Minnesota State Sr. 9-17--26, 40 gp Coon Rapids Blaine Free Agent
G Jake Oettinger Boston University Jr. 2.45, .915 Lakeville Lakeville North Dallas (2017 round 1, #26 overall)

All-Minnesota Honorable Mention (Men)

POSITION PLAYER SCHOOL YEAR HOMETOWN
F Jack Becker Michigan So. Mahtomedi
F Easton Brodzinski St. Cloud State So. Blaine
F Jay Dickman Bemidji State Sr. Shoreview
F Jake Jackson Michigan Tech Sr. Maplewood
F Blake Lizotte St. Cloud State So. Lindstrom
F Reggie Lutz Minnesota State So. Elk River
F Dylan Malmquist Notre Dame Sr. Edina
F Westin Michaud Colorado College Sr. Esko
F Grant Mismash North Dakota So. Edina
F Scott Reedy Minnesota So. Prior Lake
F Matt Serratore Air Force Sr. Bemidji
F Steven Spinner Omaha Sr. Eden Prairie
F Nick Swaney Minnesota Duluth So. Lakeville
F Christiano Versich Colorado College So. St. Paul
D Ryan Black Northern Michigan Sr. Stillwater
D Wyatt Ege Ohio State Jr. Elk River
D Matt Hellickson Notre Dame So. Rogers
D Benton Maass New Hampshire So. Elk River
D Chris Pohlkamp Bowling Green Sr. Baxter
D Dylan Samberg Minnesota Duluth So. Hermantown
D Hayden Shaw North Dakota Sr. Woodbury
D Nick Wolff Minnesota Duluth Jr. Eagan
G Zach Driscoll Bemidji State So. Apple Valley
G Ryan Edquist Boston College Jr. Lakeville
G Darion Hanson Union So. East Bethel
G Peter Thome North Dakota So. Minneapolis

All-Minnesota First Team (Women)

  • Kelly Pannek Forward, Minnesota, Senior
  • Natalie Snodgrass Forward, Connecticut, Sophomore
  • Grace Zumwinkle Forward, Minnesota, Sophomore
  • Mak Langei Defenseman, Bemidji State, Sophomore
  • Mekenzie Steffen Defenseman, Wisconsin, Junior
  • Maddie Rooney Goaltender, Minnesota Duluth, Junior

All-Minnesota Second Team (Women)

  • Carly Bullock Forward, Princeton, Junior
  • Presley Norby Forward, Wisconsin, Junior
  • Nicole Schammel Forward, Minnesota, Senior
  • Patti Marshall Defenseman, Minnesota, Junior
  • Grace Bizal Defenseman, Boston College, Senior
  • Emma Polusny Goaltender, St. Cloud State, Sophomore

All-Minnesota First Team (Women)

POSITION PLAYER SCHOOL YEAR 2017-18 TOTALS HOMETOWN HIGH SCHOOL
F Kelly Pannek Minnesota Sr. 19-43--62, 39 gp* Plymouth Benilde-St. Margaret's
F Natalie Snodgrass Connecticut So. 21-17--38, 38 gp Eagan Eastview
F Grace Zumwinkle Minnesota So. 17-21--38, 38 gp Excelsior Breck
D Mak Langei Bemidji State So. 4-14--18, 38 gp East Grand Forks Shattuck-St. Mary’s
D Mekenzie Steffen Wisconsin Jr. 3-14--17, 38 gp Centerville Hill-Murray
G Maddie Rooney Minnesota Duluth Jr. 1.65, .942* Andover Andover

* 2016-17 totals as players missed 2017-18 to play for the U.S. Olympic Team


All-Minnesota Second Team (Women)

POSITION PLAYER SCHOOL YEAR 2017-18 TOTALS HOMETOWN HIGH SCHOOL
F Carly Bullock Princeton Jr. 24-8--32, 32 gp Eden Prairie Blake
F Presley Norby Wisconsin Jr. 10-19--29, 36 gp Minnetonka Minnetonka
F Nicole Schammel Minnesota Sr. 17-15--32, 38 gp Red Wing Red Wing
D Patti Marshall Minnesota Jr. 2-15--17, 38 gp Thief River Falls Shattuck-St. Mary’s
D Grace Bizal Boston College Sr. 3-11--14, 36 gp Minnetonka Hopkins
G Emma Polusny St. Cloud State So. 2.20, .934 Mound Mound Westonka

All-Minnesota Honorable Mention (Women)

POSITION PLAYER SCHOOL YEAR HOMETOWN
F Emily Bergland Bemidji State Sr. Thief River Falls
F Charly Dahlquist Ohio State Sr. Eden Prairie
F Cheyenne Harris Union Jr. Minneapolis
F Natalie Heising Penn State So. Maple Grove
F Karlie Lund Princeton Sr. Eden Prairie
F Haley Mack Bemidji State Jr. East Grand Forks
F Brooke Madsen Penn State Jr. Eagan
F Naomi Rogge Minnesota Duluth So. Eden Prairie
F Sophia Shaver Wisconsin Sr. Wayzata
F Taylor Wente Minnesota So. Maple Grove
D Grace Bowlby Wisconsin So. Edina
D Emily Brown Minnesota So. Blaine
D Kelsey Crow Penn State Sr. Minnetonka
D Paige Sorensen Merrimack Sr. Plymouth
G Lauren Bench Bemidji State So. Eagan
G Chloe Crosby Minnesota State Jr. Lakeville
G Coco Francis Union So. Maple Grove

Tag(s): State Of Hockey  News  College