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BHS: Under the radar

By Kyle McLaughlin , 03/02/22, 7:30AM CST

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Five draft-eligible players not on NHL Central Scouting's latest list of North American prospects.

Wyatt Wurst
Position: Defense
Year: Senior  
Team: Edina
2021-22 Regular Season Stats: 22GP - 4G 13A – 17PTS

A senior defenseman out of Edina, Wyatt Wurst logs a ton of minutes for the Hornets and, through his steady all-around play, has the trust of Head Coach Curt Giles with his involvement in all critical situations on the ice. 

While not appearing too often on the scoresheet throughout his high school career, it is tough not to notice Wurst for his all-around strong defensive zone play. Wurst can either lead the breakout with a critical pass, win puck battles in the corners, or clear the front of the crease. One of the biggest keys to his strong defensive play is gap control, where he dictates play by keeping a close gap and often forcing the offensive player to the outside or creating a turnover with his stick.

For skills to work on for the next level, I would like to see Wyatt be more patient with the puck and increase his offensive zone involvement. Tendered by the St. Cloud Norsemen, I expect to see him in the North American Hockey League once his high school season ends. 


Wyatt Wurst, Edina

Ty Tuccitto
Position: Center/Right Wing
Year: Junior  
Team: Stillwater
2021-22 Regular Season Stats: 24GP – 14G 11A – 25PTS

Hailing from Stillwater, junior forward Ty Tuccitto is someone who stands out on the ice solely off his 6-foot-4, 200-pound frame. However, there are several components to his game that stick out in addition to his size.

A two-way center, Tuccitto often picks up essential backchecking duties while playing a very gritty game and possessing a great shot. He uses his heavy frame to his advantage, not hesitating to battle in the corners or go to the dirty areas for a greasy goal. A notable example of this was his overtime winner against Mahtomedi earlier this season, where instead of taking the puck behind the net, he cut to the net hard, scoring off his own rebound.

For improvement opportunities, Tuccitto will need to continue working on faceoffs if he wants to play center at the next level and improve his decision-making and overall vision on the ice. While possessing a strong wristshot and snapshot, there were examples where passing or being patient with the puck would have been better than shooting.

Being only a junior and on the young end of the spectrum for his draft class, Tuccitto has plenty of time to continue to develop and improve his overall game. 


Ty Tuccitto, Stillwater

Hogan Sinjem
Position: Center/Right Wing 
Year: Senior  
Team: Rogers Royals
2021-22 Regular Season Stats: 21GP – 22G 16A – 38PTS

Previously playing for Champlin Park, Sinjem made the switch to Rogers High School for his senior year and has been a big reason for the Royals' success this season.

A smooth-skating playmaker, Sinjem is a versatile forward that can line up at any forward position and positively impact the ice. One of the biggest strengths in Sinjem's game is his positional awareness, always surveying the play and constantly finding the open ice to create space for himself. While he can easily rotate between center and wing, I find he has more of an impact at center solely due to his ability to win faceoffs. Tallying his faceoffs against Maple Grove earlier this season, I only counted two faceoffs that he lost all game. So basically, if you have a crucial draw late in the game, Sinjem is your guy.

Being viewed as undersized might limit his opportunities as he moves up the ranks, but if he works hard to build strength while enhancing his overall skillset, his size should not determine his ceiling. Like Wyatt Wurst, Sinjem has been tendered by the St. Cloud Norsemen of the NAHL, and I see no reason why he should not fit in at the junior level right away.


Hogan Sinjem, Rogers

Ren Morque
Position: Defense
Year: Senior  
Team: Grand Rapids Thunderhawks
2021-22 Regular Season Stats: 25GP – 7G 23A – 30PTS

Senior left-shot defenseman, Ren Morque, is the type of defender to build a team around. Morque isn't the flashiest player, but there is little to his game not to like.

While logging a ton of minutes for Grand Rapids, Morque always seems to battle hard no matter the phase of the game or how tired he may be. He plays a physical but clean game, utilizing his size and strength to clear out the front of the crease, which is something he will need to continue to do as he moves on to the next level. The biggest strength of his play is his patience and puck control in the defensive zone, allowing the play to develop and then making a breakout pass or skating the puck out for a clean zone exit.

In addition to zone exits, Morque does not hesitate to jump up into the play to create an odd-man rush at the other end. The only caveat to this tendency is that there were examples where he got caught too deep in the offensive zone, leading to scoring chances going the other way during my viewing. But the overall technical ability and skating are there to be involved offensively and still get back into position, so if I were his coach, I wouldn't hold him back from playing this active style.

As of now, you can expect to see Morque playing in the NAHL for the Minnesota Wilderness next season. 


Ren Morque, Grand Rapids

Jake Sondreal
Position: Center 
Year: Senior  
Team: Cretin-Derham Hall
2021-22 Regular Season Stats: 15GP – 11G 12A – 23PTS

The currently top-ranked Class AA team in the state, the Cretin-Derham Hall Raiders play at a remarkably high pace with speed across the entire roster that is tough for any opponent to match. 

Leading the charge is senior captain Jake Sondreal, who centers the first line and excels on the ice through his high-end skill set. While playing at that high pace, Jake is an effortless skater who utilizes an excellent skating technique to fly around the ice. Through this skating technique, he is strong on the puck, often leading the rush and showcasing his playmaking skills in the offensive zone. Combine these skills with his physical play and faceoff win percentage, and you have a super talented center that can play in all situations.

Missing roughly 10 games this season due to an injury, Jake still ranks seventh in points on the high-powered Raiders squad, averaging over 1.5 points per game. After putting up 38 points in 20 games as a junior, I imagine he would have easily surpassed that total this season without the missed time.

One area to improve would be working towards becoming a more robust two-way center, focusing on his defensive zone coverage and involvement in corner battles to help the defense and regain possession of the puck.

Drafted in the fifth round of the 2020 USHL Futures Draft by the Dubuque Fighting Saints, I look forward to watching him at the next level to see where these high-end skills can take him.  


Jake Sondreal, Cretin-Derham Hall

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