Each year we try to summarize the season in one article. In theory, if you read one piece, you could read this one and get a pretty good lens on what happened in Minnesota hockey. The year 2019 saw the University of Minnesota-Duluth grab its second straight national title - with a team comprised of mostly Minnesota-born players who cut their teeth on local ice playing Squirts, PeeWees, Bantams, and High School here in the state of hockey. 

Here is a look at some players, teams and moments that caught our eye and our lens from January to December.  Our staff saw over 1,000 games, captured over 250 via live stream and countless photos, tweets, and fun interviews. Here is a squirt-sized taste.

Max Burkholder
Chaska-Chanhassen Bantam AA

Max Burkholder's performance during the 2019 Bantam AA State Tournament was enough to make him one of the best bantams we've seen in the last calendar year. The dynamic defender helped lead Chaska-Chanhassen to a runner-up finish last spring in Moorhead, and months later, played heavy minutes for the World Selects Invite U16 Division champion Blue Army.

Selected in the 2018 Western Hockey League Bantam Draft by the Portland Winterhawks, Burkholder currently suits up for the Chaska varsity. The Colorado College verbal commit has totaled four goals and 10 points this season for the Hawks. 

-PO

Honorable Mention: Landen Gunderson (OMG), Jimmy Clark (Edina), Jimmy Snuggerud (Chaska Chan), Charlie Stramel (Rosemount), Jaksen Panzer (Grand Forks Aviators) and Zam Plante (Hermantown)

Logan Hensler
Woodbury Peewee AA

From anchoring the Woodbury Peewee AA defense to stampeding through opponents during the AAA State Tournament, Logan Hensler's ability to singlehandedly take over a game isn't subtle. Hensler can skate past opposing players, weave through them, or if the situational calls for it, bulldoze over them.

Hensler and the Predators finished as 2019 Peewee AA state runners-up last season after winning it all in 2018, and the defenseman picked up MVP honors at the star studded PeeWee Challenge in September. His current Woodbury team stands at number two in the YHH Staff Rankings.

-PO

Honorable Mention: Drew Stewart (Minnetonka), Danny Nelson (OMG), Conrad Fondrk (White Bear Lake), Teddy Townsend (Eden Prairie), Andrew O'Neill (Fargo), Ben Miller (Woodbury), Zach Price (OMG)

Casper Lang, Mahtomedi

Besides his flowing blonde hair flying from the back of his helmet - the first you notice about Casper Lang is ability to skate. Skate fast, stay on his feet at the point of contact and maneuver quickly with our without the puck. Lang helped lead the Zephyrs to a Fargo International championship last February and year-end number one ranking by YHH. 

-TS

Honorable Mention: Cole Braunshausen (Stillwater), AJ Francisco (Hermantown/Great Plains), Brady Cates (Lake of the Woods), Ryland Demars (Mahtomedi), Mikey Berchild (Minnetonka/Great Plains), Nolan Fitzhenry(Andover/Team MN Brick), Dylan Dean (OMG/Great Plains), Jace Panzer (Grand Forks/True North).

Josie St. Martin, Stillwater

Josie St. Martin was born to be a hockey player. She plays with skill, passion and a very high hockey IQ.  Over the past year, she has shown off her skill at both the youth and now high school level. Last May, she won the first ever Sue Ring-Jarvi award handed out to the best girls player in the state. This season she has 18 points in 13 games as an 8th grader for the Ponies' high school team.

-TS

Honorable Mention: Berit Lindborg (Edina 15A), Grace Sadura (Minnetonka 15A), Hannah Halverson (Edina 12A), Avery Kasick (Rochester/Andover), Sophie Stramel (MN Made), Mercury Bischoff (Grand Rapids), Harper Wieneke (OMG 10A), Lorelai Nelson (MN Made).

Eden Prairie PeeWee AA

2019 brought so many great stories to our eyes, video and still cameras. But none more fun to see than a group of boys who hadn't tasted much success and sat in the background behind 6-7 teams all season long. The Eagles watched as Chaska Chan (Big Pumpkin), Edina (Spirit of Duluth), Woodbury (Founder's Cup) and Osseo Maple Grove (Roseau) all carried off impressive hardware during the season.

After a SportsCenter play of the year goal by Teddy Townsend to vault his team to the state tournament, the Eagles never looked back. They beat #1 rated Chaska Chan on day one. Knocked number three Edina out of state on Saturday and then beat second ranked Woodbury on Sunday.

And to think some only gave this team a small chance to win.

-TS

Honorable Mention: Edina HS (GHS/BHS titles), Warroad (Bantam A), Great Plains (The Show) and Mahtomedi (Fargo)

Kevin Delaney
Edina

On Nov. 29, 2018, YHH staffer Peter Odney attended a boys' high school game that included Benilde-St. Margaret's and Edina, primarily to see the Red Knights' young talent and stock up on Edina photos for the rest of the regular season. Instead, senior forward Kevin Delaney flashed brilliant, netting a goal to give him five in his first three games with the Hornets' varsity. I considered Kevin to be a pleasant surprise, a dues-paying veteran of the Junior Varsity scene taking advantage of his chance with the top group. 

Nearly four months later - and after a well-timed tweet by YHH - Kevin Delaney was written into forever Minnesota hockey history. He was profiled by every outlet from the Minneapolis Star-Tribune, State of Hockey, and WCCO, after scoring 20 goals and 35 points as the Hornets topped Eden Prairie in the Class 2A state championship game.

-PO

Greenway Boys High School 

There was blood, there were tears, and there were nearly two-dozen Greenway players and coaches milling about the Amsoil Arena ice.

The Raiders had just knocked off defending Class 1A state champion Hermantown in double-overtime, ending the Hawks' run of nine straight trips to the state tournament. Ben Troumbly exhaustedly stood in front of reporters and television cameras. Goaltender Logan Wright accepted many words of congratulations from fans for his stunning 48-save performance. Head coach Grant Clafton deflected any questions about the Hawks needing to move up to Class 2A and called for an end to that complaint from fans. 

In the days that followed, the Raiders would become Princes of the State, but that night, among friends and family, they were simply kids who'd done their community proud.

-PO

Holy Family Catholic 2, Minnetonka 1 (OT)
Class 2A, Section 2 Semifinal

After losing a heartbreaker to Minnetonka in the 2018 section final. Holy Family had several players back in 2019 that hadn't forgotten the pain of losing a late lead and then the game in overtime for a spot in the state tournament. The Fire played with a mission - holding the number one team to only a goal through two periods. Senior Bailey Huber turned away 23 shots in the first two periods for the Fire. 

Halfway through the final period, Senior Sawyer Schugel scored to tie it and Ben Reddan won it in overtime to exorcise some much needed demons to gain their third consecutive section final at Mariucci.

-TS

Honorable Mention: Edina GHS/BHS (OT State), Duluth 12A (State OT Win), Dodge County Bantam A (Region Win), Minnetonka PWAA (OT Region Win), Chaska-Chan (Squirtacular Win)

Andover 4, Forest Lake 3 (OT)
Class 2A, Section 7 Final

Choosing a section final as the best game of the season is a little bit like fishing in an aquarium. The atmosphere is already charged, the stands are packed because the games are played at appropriately-sized venues, and a trip to state is on the line. 

Last February, Andover downed Forest Lake 4-3 in overtime in the Class 2A, Section 7 finals at Fogerty Arena, with then-freshman Maddie Kaiser scoring on a severe angle to send the Huskies to St. Paul. Gabby Krause tied the game for the Huskies with just 13 seconds left in regulation.

With two groups of players that have gone head-to-head for the better part of a decade through the youth ranks, and a smattering of youth skaters from both associations watching their heroes prove what's possible, this game takes a special place in the Canon of 2019. 

-PO

Olivia King
Brainerd/Little Falls

Olivia King began the girls' state hockey tournament with mild interest from a handful of Division III programs and weeks after concluding the tourney signed a National Letter of Intent with the University of Minnesota. The Brainerd/Little Falls standout guided the Warriors to within a single goal of the Class 2A crown, falling to Edina in double-overtime after upsetting Andover in the semifinal round.

King's state tournament run was nothing short of extraordinary, highlighted by her 51-save performance against Edina. In three state tournament games, King stopped 101 of 106 shots and finished the 2018-2019 campaign with five shutouts. 

-PO

Honorable Mention: Isaiah Paulnock (Eden Prairie Youth), Uma Corniea (Breck/Edina HS), Skyler Vetter (Lakeville North Boys HS/Team USA 18), Quinn Kuntz (Warroad GHS), Brady Cates (Lake of the Woods Youth), Layla Hemp (Andover Youth), Louden Hogg (Edina HS)

Breck

If a primary measure of judging a great team is how it performs when the stakes are highest, consider the Mustangs one of the greatest. 

After going 17-8 in the regular season against high-quality programs, the Mustangs rolled to five straight postseason victories, outscoring their opponents 34-4 in that span en route to the Class 1A state title. The Mustangs' closest margin of victory in that stretch was a 2-0 win over Fergus Falls in the state quarterfinals, a contest that saw the Mustangs outshoot the Otters 33-14 and dominate for three periods.

Winning five straight games during the regular season is one thing, but accomplishing the feat in situations when a single loss drops you from contention for the ultimate prize is truly impressive.  

-PO

We see hundreds of jerseys each year. Many at the high school level are the same look every year that will grow on you. Edina pulls off the green breezer thing with a ton of style each year. If you like a lot of red, look no further than Luverne - the youth and high school teams put the cardinal in cardinal red. Our winner was unveiled less than a week before the December 31 deadline. The Moorhead boys high school team trotted out a new third jersey that rivals only caffeine to brighten your day.  Orange is a great hockey color...this uniform has lots of it. The simple script "Spuds" is complimented by a thick black stripe and thin white stripe...the unbalanced striping was nice touch.

Honorable Mention: Chaska Chan Bantam AA (State), Edina Youth (2019-20), Hermantown Youth, Breck Girls (Blue), Mora-Milaca (Boys HS).