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Hensler leads MN natives in NHLCS Midterm Rankings

By Peter Odney , 01/14/25, 2:45PM CST

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Woodbury native Logan Hensler is one of two Americans in NHLCS's top-10, and one of two Minnesotans in the top-40.


Shakopee's Cooper Simpson is the highest-scoring Minnesota high school player to be ranked by NHL Central Scouting.

Matthew Schaefer takes top spot at the midterm 

Ultra-mobile defenseman Matthew Schaefer is ranked No. 1 in the midterm rankings despite suffering a broken collarbone during the IIHF World Junior Championships. The injury is expected to sideline Schaefer for approximately three months. In 17 games with the OHL's Erie Otters, Schaefer had totaled seven goals and 22 points. 

CHL dominates premium prospects 

Eight of the top 10 prospects listed by NHLCS come from the CHL ranks, with four players from the OHL, three from the WHL, and one from the QMJHL. Out of the top 20, the CHL is represented by 17 players. All but one of the seven defensemen listed come from the CHL, with Logan Hensler being the lone exception.

Hensler lone Minnesotan in NHLCS top-10 

Wisconsin defenseman Logan Hensler (ranked No. 10) is the lone Minnesota native in NHL Central Scouting's top 10 and has the distinction of being only one of two collegiate players to crack the first ten players listed. The other is second-ranked James Hagens, who currently plays for Boston College.

Hensler is listed as 6-foot-2 and nearly 200 pounds, according to the Elite Prospects database. He currently has seven assists in 17 games for the Badgers. 

Cullen Potter is the second-highest ranked Minnesotan at the midterm, coming in at No. 22. Potter has seven goals and 11 points in 20 games with Arizona State this season. His seven goals rank third among all Sun Devil skaters. 

Five Minnesota high school player crack rankings 

Mason West of Edina ranks highest out of the Minnesota prep players on the midterm list. West has 13 goals and 22 points so far for the Hornets.

The other high school players ranked include Shakopee's Cooper Simpson (23G-13A-47P), Champlin Park's Brent Solomon (24-13-37), Brooks Cullen of Moorhead (8-13-21), and Rogers defenseman Nolen Geerdes (4-20-24). 


Brooks Cullen has helped Moorhead to a current No. 1 ranking in Minnesota's Class AA.

Minnesotans in NHL Central Scouting Midterm Rankings


White Bear Lake native Nolan Roed is one of two Tri-City players listed by NHL Central Scouting.

Rank Player Position 2024-2025 Team League
10 Logan Hensler Defense Wisconsin NCAA
22 Cullen Potter Forward Arizona State NCAA
43 Conrad Fondrk Forward NTDP U18 USHL
49 Maceo Phillips Defense NTDP U18 USHL
50 Mason West Forward Edina HIGH-MN
51 Jacob Rombach Defense Lincoln USHL
54 Mason Moe Forward Madison USHL
59 Ashton Schultz Forward Chicago USHL
63 Sam Laurila Defense Fargo USHL
67 Cooper Simpson Forward Shakopee HIGH-MN
127 Brendan McMorrow Forward Waterloo USHL
129 Jacob Kvasnicka Forward NTDP U18 USHL
148 Nolan Roed Forward Tri-City USHL
157 Poul Andersen Forward Sherwood Park BCHL
158 Bobby Cowan Forward Madison USHL
161 Brent Solomon Forward Champlin Park HIGH-MN
165 Brooks Cullen Forward Moorhead HIGH-MN
168 Nolen Geerdes Defense Rogers HIGH-MN
29 (North American Goalies) Kam Hendrickson Goaltender Waterloo USHL

St. Thomas commit Bobby Cowan currently has 15 goals and 28 points for the USHL's Madison Capitols this season.

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