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BHS: 2022 Player of the Year finalists

By YHH Staff , 02/25/22, 7:30AM CST

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Three seniors and two juniors make up this year's list of finalists.

Alex Bump

Player: Alex Bump
Team: Prior Lake
Year: Senior
College commitment: Vermont  

A toolsy senior that has exploded statistically during his final prep season, Bump leads the Lakers in goals (36), assists (29), and total points (65) through the 25 games of the regular season. Bump has recorded 61 goals and 130 points in three varsity seasons for his career. 

A Phase II selection of the United States Hockey League's Omaha Lancers, Bump spent part of the fall season with the junior club. In 14 games with the Lancers, Bump tallied six goals and 11 points before returning to Prior Lake for his senior season. 

Armed with soft hands and natural goal-scoring ability, Bump is eligible for this year's NHL Entry Draft, and is ranked as North America's No. 69 skater according to NHL Central Scouting.


Alex Bump, Prior Lake

Ben Dardis

Player: Ben Dardis
Team: Mahtomedi 
Year: Senior
College commitment: Uncommitted  

The lone goaltender on this list, Dardis backstopped Mahtomedi to the 2020 Class A state championship and has hardly slowed down in the two seasons since. 

For the 2021-2022 campaign, Dardis has posted a .938 save percentage and three shutouts, bringing his career total of clean sheets to 18. In four seasons of varsity hockey, Dardis has never had a campaign with a save percentage under .928 or played less than 940 minutes in the regular and postseasons combined. 

Dardis and the Zephyrs are the No. 1 seed in Section 4A for the 2022 playoffs.


Ben Dardis, Mahtomedi

Zam Plante

Player: Zam Plante
Team: Hermantown
Year: Junior
College commitment: Minnesota Duluth  

One of two juniors to make this year's list, Plante is truly a do-it-all forward for Hermantown. 

In 2021, Plante led an undermanned Hawks team in the Class A State Tournament quarterfinals last season, playing with essentially the Hermantown junior varsity squad after the Hawks' varsity was kept out of action due to COVID-19 protocols. 

This season, after missing a few games due to injury, Plante and the Hawks are back to 100 percent, and are the clear favorite for yet another Class A state championship. Despite missing several contests, Plante has tallied 16 goals and 48 points this season, bringing his two-year career totals to 45 goals and 109 total points. In two seasons, Plante averages 2.95 points per game. 

According to NHL Central Scouting's most recent rankings, Plante is slated as the No. 40 skater in North America.


Zam Plante, Hermantown

Sam Rinzel

Player: Sam Rinzel 
Team: Chaska
Year: Junior
College commitment: Minnesota 

Considered the most NHL-ready of all draft-eligible Minnesotans, Rinzel has experienced a steady rise among draftniks and high school hockey fans alike over the past several months. 

Rinzel's skating and stickhandling, combined with the type of length that only comes with standing 6-foot-4, has him ranked No. 26 among North American skaters, according to NHL Central Scouting.

This season, Rinzel has totaled seven goals and 32 points. His 25 assists are tops on the Hawks, and his 32 points rank second behind sophomore forward Sam Scheetz's 36 points. 

Internationally, Rinzel competed for Team USA during the 2021 Hlinka Gretzky Cup. Waterloo of the USHL owns Rinzel's junior rights, and he recorded three points in three games with the Blackhawks earlier this year. 


Sam Rinzel, Chaska

Max Strand

Player: Max Strand
Team: Roseau
Year: Senior
College commitment: Uncommitted  

A highly skilled bull on skates, Strand has long been thought of as one of the most talented players in a strong group of Rams coming up through the youth ranks. 

Strand and the Rams have secured the No. 2 seed in this year's Section 8AA playoffs, thanks in large part to Strand's statistical explosion of 35 goals and 73 points in 25 games. For his career, Strand has tallied 72 goals and 162 points in three seasons. 

Strand was selected by the Sioux City Musketeers of the USHL Draft last summer.   


Max Strand, Roseau

*ALL STATISTICS AS OF FEB. 23

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