For the past few years we have written a "not too early" article about PeeWee hockey in Minnesota. The article points out a few teams that we think will take a seat in the top ten and have a hard time leaving. Last year, we took a different spin and added in some girl teams for a little extra flavor. The problem this year is the Andover 12A team will be so good, the list of teams to threaten them will be short.

So, we are back to just boys...for this year. 

Many say it's a crap shoot to project PeeWee hockey. In craps, you are literally rolling dice and hoping. We actually watch these teams and study how their teams have fared as Squirts and PeeWees. But even the best minds can be fooled once in a while (insert Eden Prairie's magical title run last March).

Here are seven teams and seven or more words why each could be hoisting a state title trophy in St. Michael next March. 

Cottage Grove - Winners of the Fargo Squirt International in 2018 tells you they had talent. YHH saw them dismantle District 8 all season. This group led by Owen Corkish will have some major league fire power top to bottom.

Edina - With only one returning skater from last year's state fourth place team, coach Jeff Johnson will have his work cut out for himself early in the year. Before you feel sorry for him, shed no tears...the talent pool coming in from the state runner-up PeeWee A team is very strong. Watch out for Quintin Schaefer and Tucker Johnson...these two are dynamic with puck and play the game the right way.

Minnetonka - Two years ago Minnetonka went deep into the Squirtacular and Fargo brackets. This year, they add Holden Pajor and potentially Tyler Hess (St. Louis Park), Danny Klaers (Orono) and Tre Peck (Orono). Any combination of those four means trouble for the rest of the state.

Moorhead - The Spuds were another team that was top ten as Squirts two years ago, losing in the Fargo semifinals. They add Brooks Cullen from Pittsburgh and Mason Kraft from Lakeville. These two legacies will add both skill and depth to an already strong group. 

Osseo Maple Grove - No PeeWee article in Minnesota can be written without Edina or OMG. Two years both Squirt teams were in the hunt everywhere they turned. The Leafbirds don't have any major additions, but merging two solid Squirt A teams into one PeeWee AA will mean pay dirt for OMG head coach Scott Alexander.

Stillwater - Any team who returns everyone from a Fargo or Squirtacular championship team must be taken seriously. The 2018 Squirtacular team was very deep - Luke Myers and Cole Braunshausen are special players that when given time and space will hurt you.

White Bear Lake - If you check the records closely, you will find the Bears won the District 2 post season title in Forest Lake in 2018. A very good tournament with a ton of close games. The Bears were a bubble top-10 team coming into the season and then the news of Conrad Fondrk playing for the Bears hit and this writer had to edit the article from Super 6 to Super 7.  Add Jack Stanius as a PWAA returner who was not on the team in 2017-18 and the Bears will be a major factor.

Here are seven teams and a player you don't want to see on your schedule this year.

1. St. Louis Park (Junior Podein)
2. Woodbury (Logan Hensler)
3. Mahtomedi (Bode Sampair)
4. Hermantown (River Freeman)
5. Rogers (Mason Jenson)
6. STMA (Bode Laylin)
7. Rosemount (Will Dosan)