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Minnesota's PeeWee Elite 8

By Tony Scott, 08/11/17, 4:00PM CDT

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OMG, one of 8 top teams headed into '17-'18 season

PeeWees will be a big deal this year


St. Cloud State commit Henry Enebak in 2011 scoring for Lakeville South.

The 2017-18 youth season promises another great several months of hockey on both sides of the puck in boys and girls. YHH thinks the PeeWee AA division will be extremely competitive with several teams loaded to for a deep run to the state tournament.

Not since the 2011-12 season has there been this much balance heading into a PeeWee A/AA season. 

That year, stars like Henry Enebak (Lakeville South), Scott Reedy (Prior Lake) and Casey Mittelstadt (Eden Prairie) all made their way to Alexandria for the final eight. Prior Lake led by Kevin Fellows' four-goal effort beat Hermantown, a team bolstered by their top player Matt Valure. 

We suspect there may be as many as four or five number-one teams as the year will see some ebbs and flows. Here is a look eight teams we think will have a thing or two to say about the rankings come October.


Hermantown's Zam Plante at the 2016 Big Pumpkin.

Andover Huskies

District: 10
Key Returners: Cooper Conway, Gavyn Thoreson
New faces: N/A
Why #1: Were dominant at times two years ago, very deep up front.

Chaska Chanhassen Stormhawks

District: 6
Key Players: Matthew Magnuson, Blake Markwell and Carter Wishart
New Faces: Adam Kleber, Javon Moore, Sam Scheetz
Why #1: Very deep team, great defense and lethal forwards including Brodie Ziemer.

Edina Hornets

District: 6
Key Returners: Jimmy Clark, Tommy Cronin
New Faces: Eddie Revenig
Why #1: Why not? They are always a top-five team. Two years ago, one of their Squirt A teams won Fargo International.

Hermantown Hawks

District: 11
Key Returners: Ty Hansen, Max Plante, Zam Plante
New Faces: N/A
Why #1: Not since the '11-'12 team has a H-town PeeWee squad been so loaded.


Tommy Cronin two years ago in Squirts against Rosemount.

Osseo-Maple Grove Leafbirds

District: 3
Key Returners: Landen Gunderson, Luke Marenau, Wyatt Olson
New Faces: N/A
Why #1: An association this deep will produce another great PWAA team. Two years ago nearly ran the table as Squirt A.

Rosemount Irish

District: 8
Key Returners: Charlie Stramel, William Whitelaw
New Faces: Lucas Kickhofel
Why #1: Stramel and Whitelaw are the best 1-2 punch in Minnesota.

Stillwater Ponies

District: 2
Key Returners: Brayden Houge, Daniel Roeske, Ty Tuccitto
New Faces: Cole Jackson
Why #1: Ty Tuccitto will take over games this year for Ponies - a team that was suffocating two years ago as Squirts.

Woodbury Predators

District: 8
Key Returners: Trey Gnetz, Simon Houge, Grant "Harry" Kohnen
New Faces: Tanner Henricks, Ty Henricks, Will Skahan
Why #1: Could be pre-season #1, so much talent coming in from Squirts and PeeWee A team...this group will be fun to watch. Circle your calendar (and bring ear plugs) for Rosemount/Woodbury D8 games.


William Whitelaw, Rosemount

Others to keep an eye on

Champlin Park: Won District 10 two years ago at Squirt A

Grand Rapids: Very good team as Squirts two years ago...deep team this year.

Moorhead: Spuds team two years ago had some spark.

 

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