During the 2018-2019 season, Benilde-St. Margaret's won 20 games and ended its campaign with a loss to eventual Class 2A state champion Edina in the Section 6 finals. 

That's not bad for a year in which the Red Knights road-tested 13 underclassmen, many of whom were new to the fun-and-gun offense employed in St. Louis Park. 

With a year of experience and an enhanced familiarity with the system at BSM, the lineup that was talented but green at the start of last season has had a full year to grow stronger in the weight room, pick up on player tendencies, and shake off any bad habits developed during youth hockey. 

Away from the arena, the Red Knights have had a chance to develop chemistry and form friendships while sitting together at lunch in the cafeteria, during class, and while carpooling to practice or on a bus trip. Those social interactions are just as crucial to building a team as the on-ice workouts and games.

Undoubtedly, Eden Prairie has firepower. However, the Eagles also lost their leading scorer and emotional lynchpin, Mr. Hockey finalist Jack Jensen, to graduation. Twelve other players have moved on from the program, including state title game hero Clayton Shultz and three-year varsity mainstays Max Argetsinger and Sam Pajor.  

The Red Knights return virtually everybody, including their five leading scorers from last season in Blake Mesenburg, Nate Schweitzer, Adam Marshall, Jackson Bisson, and James Callahan. Both Mesenburg and Schweitzer topped 40 total points last season as juniors, while the sophomore Marshall and juniors Bisson and Callahan netted over 20. 

Defensively, Schweitzer and Callahan rated as two of the leading defenders in assists statewide at 27 and 19, respectively. Add to that duo Colorado College commit Tristan Sarsland, and you've got a defensive corps that can hang with any team in Minnesota.

If you don't like numbers or think the eye-test is still the only way to assess a team's rank or worth, skip this next section. 

Of the eight losses suffered last season by Benilde-St. Margaret's, five were delivered by teams that played in the Class 2A State Tournament in Edina (twice), St. Thomas Academy, Moorhead, and Eden Prairie. Another loss came at the hands of 2018 Class 2A state champion Minnetonka. Four of the eight losses were by two goals or less. 

The Red Knights outscored their opponents by nearly a two-to-one margin (35-18) in the third period last season, while the Eagles outgunned their counterparts 37-30. Those 30 goals represented 37 percent of the goals allowed by the Eagles throughout the regular season and were the most goals allowed in any period by the team.

Away from home? The Red Knights don't care where they play, going 6-4 in road games. Eden Prairie went 5-6-1 

"But that's because Eden Prairie's schedule is tougher," a seasoned rink veteran says while sipping coffee from the concessions stand with four creams and four sugars because they're too cheap to go to Starbucks. 

Well, friend, add a little Sweet N' Wrong because like your coffee, you're incorrect. 

Eden Prairie's road opponents finished with a combined record of 174-87-13, for a winning percentage of 63.5. For the Red Knights, a combined road opponent record of 181-80-13 and a winning percentage of 66.06.

The numbers are there, the talent is there, and the coaching staff is adept at pulling players from different associations together and getting them to play as one. 

Benilde-St. Margaret's is the preseason No. 1.