1. Edina (27-4)

Through three seasons, Edina head coach Sami Reber is perfect. The Hornets have captured three consecutive Class 2A state championships while playing one of the state’s toughest schedule. The program has sent dozens of players to the Division I ranks during Reber’s tenure, and the trend doesn’t appear to be slowing as we enter the 2019-2020 season. 

Like every successful program, the Hornets lose quality players to graduation, with CC Bowlby, Annie Kuehl, Mallory Uihlein, and goaltender Elli Strittmater moving on to the college ranks. To soften the blow, reinforcements have arrived in the form of transfers Emma Conner and Uma Corniea. Conner, a Penn State verbal commit, comes to the Hornets from the Selects Academy at Bishop Kearney (NY), while Corniea returns to her roots as a former Edina youth standout after winning two Class 1A state titles at Breck. 

Returning for the Hornets is diminutive senior forward and Harvard verbal commit Katie Davis (25 goals, 7 assists, 32 points), along with fellow forwards and Division I verbal commits Tella Jungels (10-20-30) and Hannah Chorske (13-11-24). Jungels is verbally committed to Minnesota while Chorske has verbally committed to Harvard. Defensively, Vivian Jungels (10-27-37) is back after a fantastic freshman season. The Minnesota verbal commit posted three goals and nine points during the Hornets’ run during the Class 2A State Tournament.

2. Andover (25-5)

A loss to Brainerd/Little Falls in overtime of the Class 2A State Tournament semifinals dashed Andover’s hopes for a state title. Still, the Huskies return virtually every critical piece of last year’s group for 2019-2020.

Junior forward and Minnesota verbal commit Peyton Hemp (33-30-63) would be a Ms. Hockey frontrunner this year if she was eligible, and senior forward Jamie Nelson (19-39-58) is a part of the postseason award conversation. Junior forward and Minnesota-Duluth verbal commit Gabby Krause (27-22-49) and sophomore Maddie Kaiser (7-18-25) could both jump into the Huskies’ growing 50-point club this season.

Despite the returning power on offense and defense, the Huskies do lose starting goaltender Cassidy Stumo to graduation, and will likely rely on senior Amanda Pelkey between the pipes.

3. Blake (25-3)

Back-to-back trips to the Class 2A, Section 6 finals have ended in disappointing defeat for Blake, with both season-ending losses coming against Edina while both teams were ranked among the top three teams in the state. 

Senior forward and Cornell verbal commit Lily Delianedis (35-34-69) enters the final year of her decorated high school career as a Ms. Hockey favorite, with career totals of 78 goals, 95 assists, and 173 points in four varsity seasons for the Bears. Senior forwards Adelaide Burton (25-31-56) and Audrey Wethington (13-15-28), both Minnesota verbal commits, help Delanedis anchor the Blake offense.

All-world defender and 2018 Ms. Hockey winner Maddie Wethington and varsity mainstay Izzy Daniel are both gone, but sophomore defenders Kate Kasica (6-6-12) and Rilee Winters (13-24-37) should help make up for those losses. Winters is verbally committed to Minnesota. Starting goaltender Ava Christie also returns after recording a 15-1 record with a 2.18 goals-against average last year. 

4. Forest Lake (25-3)

After playing every minute last season (over 1,400), goaltender Allyn Goehner is back for Forest Lake and on the preseason Goalie of the Year shortlist. The Rangers flow from the net outward, with Goehner as the backbone. The senior went 25-3 last season with a 1.75 GAA, and a save percentage of .912 along with six shutouts. 

A trio of senior forwards powers the Forest Lake offense in Brooke Remington (16-26-42), Ashley Mills (19-22-41), and Minnesota-Duluth verbal commit Brieja Parent (17-16-33). Junior defender Rachel Golnitz (15-15-30) is verbally committed to Colgate, and senior defender Ellen Nelson (4-18-22) has verbally committed to Minnesota State.

5. Minnetonka (16-14-1)

So begins another season in the curious life of Minnetonka. 

Longtime head coach Eric Johnson retired after 15 seasons with the Skippers and will be replaced by Tracy Cassano. Cassano spent the past five years guiding the Burnsville program. The former Golden Gopher inherits a team that started last season 0-3 and then bookended the regular season campaign with four straight losses. 

The Skippers made the most of their trip to the state tournament, finishing third with a win over Andover. East coast verbal commits dot the Minnetonka roster, with junior goaltender Brynn DuLac headed for Cornell, senior forward Lacey Martin slated for Boston University and junior forward Kayley Crawford pegged for Harvard. Martin paced the Skippers in scoring last season with 30 goals and 52 points, with 19 of those points coming during the postseason. 

Defensively, the Skippers have a pair of Division I verbal commits patrolling the blue line in junior Rory Guilday and senior Maggie Nicholson. Nicholson has won a goal and silver medal while competing for the United States at two International Ice Hockey Federation Women’s Under-18 Championships and is committed to Minnesota. Guilday has also suited up for Team USA and is verbally committed to Cornell. 

6. Wayzata (21-7)

Wayzata is another Lake Conference program with a new coach at the helm, as the father-daughter tandem of Taylor Williamson and Dean Williamson take over for Jess Scott. The Trojans have a talented roster, but lose valuable experience on the back end in the graduations of Emily Wisnewski and three other senior defenders. Junior forward Gretchen Branton (21-27-48) and sophomore forward Sloane Matthews (22-14-36) have already broken out in a big way, and the Clarkson verbal commits should build on highly promising performances last season.

Senior forward and Quinnipiac verbal commit Sophie Urban (11-18-29) adds a third legitimate scoring option for the Trojans, who lost five of their seven losses by a single goal and four times to state tournament teams.

The Trojan power play should be a strength like it was last season when the unit clicked along at a 38% success rate. 

7. North Wright County (22-6)

Almost everybody’s back for North Wright County, as the Riverhawks look to take the next step after moving into a loaded Section 7-2A and potentially going up against Forest Lake and Andover during the postseason. 

The Riverhawks enter the daunting Lake Conference for the first this year after realignment, and the difficult schedule could provide dividends as the season wears on. Senior forward and St. Cloud State verbal commit Mackenzie Bourgerie returns as last year’s leading scorer with 31 goals and 71 total points, followed by fellow senior Sydney Lemke with 35 goals and 52 points. Sophomore defender Chloe Finnerty provides more than enough scoring from the defense after totaling 14 goals and 53 points.

Add to those tantalizing totals transfer senior forward, and Vermont verbal commit Maddy Skelton (27-28-55), and the Riverhawks have as robust an offense as any team in the state. 

8. Brainerd/Little Falls (25-5-1)

Last year’s surprise runner-up loses emotional leaders and Division I players Cheyenne Abear (Bemidji State) and goaltender Olivia King (Minnesota), but there’s enough talent remaining in the program for the Warriors to make noise all season.

Senior forward Lindsey Booth (12-24-36) is back, as is senior forward and Bemidji State verbal commit Gabbie Smith (20-19-39) and senior defender Sophie Robinson (6-19-25). Robinson has verbally committed to Dartmouth. A big step from senior forward Josie Kramer (4-13-17) could give the Warriors an extra edge in a crowded Section 8-2A. 

9. Roseau (20-5-1)

Roseau last made its way to St. Paul for the state tournament in 2017, and if the Rams intend on trekking south again, they’ll have to do it without goaltending mainstay Kiana Flaig. Junior Josie Johnson was the other goaltender on the roster last season, facing just four shots on goal in 68 minutes in action.

On offense, Kayla Santl (25-28-53) and Anika Stoskopf (19-19-38) are game-breakers. Both players are verbally committed to Bemidji State. Kate Helgeson tallied 12 goals and 31 points as a sophomore, and Memphis Mertens posted eight goals and 16 points in her freshman campaign. Both players could step forward this year for the Rams. 

10. Hill-Murray (21-6-1)

Hill-Murray had its streak of six consecutive state tournament trips snapped last season, running into goaltender Calla Frank in the Section 4-2A finals in a loss to White Bear Lake.

Multiple pieces, including two of the team’s highest-scorers Katie Kaufman and Haylee Blinkhorn, have moved on from the program. Senior forward Nina Steigauf (26-23-49) is verbally committed to Quinnipiac, while sophomore forward and Minnesota verbal commit Allie Franco scored 12 goals and dished out 28 assists as a freshman last year.

Senior goaltender Rachel Kennedy offers some stability, having played the majority of the games last season en route to a 16-6-1 record and a GAA of 2.06.