Ty Frank 
Northfield 

Frank returned to the Northfield lineup from injury in late December, and immediately began handing out crisp breakout passes and racking up assists. The three-year contributor to the Raider varsity has 19 assists in 18 games played this season, and likely would have set a career-high in scoring had he not missed 10 games. 

Rylan Schultz 
Orono

Schultz may not rank among Orono’s leading scorers, but he’s currently tied for second with three game-winning goals and has maintained a solid role on the Spartans’ second power-play unit. If this were the NHL, Schultz would be the type of defenseman a contender trades for - steady, plays a ton of minutes, and blocks shots.  

Brock Wellman 
New Ulm

A quiet leader and consistent presence for New Ulm in the locker room, Wellman goes about his work on the ice the same way. Wellman prefers substance over flash, and has a knack for producing in big moments, exemplified by his four points in three Section 3A playoff games. 

Wyatt Tarnowski 
Mahtomedi

It’s easy to notice the towering Tarnowski, who stands on the Mahtomedi blueline like Paul Bunyan at 6-foot-8, 215 pounds. But his numbers make it clear that Tarnowski is a tenacious defender. His 30 penalty minutes rank second among all Zephyrs, with zero of those minutes stemming from a major penalty, and his 44 blocked shots lead the team. Tarnowski also assisted on Sam Harris’s game-winning goal in the Section 4A finals. 

Cole Hwang 
St. Cloud Cathedral

I can hear the Analytics Tinfoil Hats now: “AlMoSt HaLf HiS gOaLs CoMe FrOm ThE pOwErPlAy.” 

And? Do those goals somehow count less than the ones scored five-on-five? 

The State Tournament, especially in the semifinals and championship games, is when special teams play their most significant part. Having a weapon with the man advantage like Hwang, who has 12 goals and 27 points this season, is something every coach wants in March. 

Kasen Muscha
Alexandria

Muscha is lightning in a Gatorade bottle. The senior forward flies around the ice with jets on his feet, crashing the net and banging into anything that slides into his path. Muscha recorded a goal and two assists in the Cardinals’ win over Northern Lakes in the Section 6A final, and has totaled two goals and six points in three postseason contests. 

Weston Bohlman
Hermantown

On a crowded and talent-laden Hermantown blueline, Bohlman has seemingly saved his best for the postseason. The senior assisted on three of the Hawks’ four goals in last week’s Section 7A championship win over Hibbing/Chisholm, marking his fifth game with multiple points.  

Kyler Lien 
Warroad 

Last season, Lien appeared in four games for Warroad, a depth piece on a team that didn’t need much behind its headliners. 

This year, Lien has been a steadying presence up front for the No. 2 seed Warriors, recording eight points and bullying his way into the lineup with his tireless, physical play. While he’s not the only one, Lien is a prime example of earned playing time by being willing to throw checks, dig in corners, and always being ready for more.