Player: John Hirschfeld
Team: St. Cloud Cathedral
Year: Senior
College commitment: Vermont

John Hirschfeld just so happens to be the only skater competing in Class A hockey to be a finalist for the YHH BHS Player of the Year award this season.

The senior forward won a state championship with St. Cloud Cathedral after securing a 3-1 victory over Hermantown in 2024. Hirschfeld had two assists in the title match and led the Crusaders in goals (27), assists (56) and total points (83) that season. Cathedral also made a state tournament appearance the year prior and won the consolation bracket during Hirschfeld’s sophomore year.

The Vermont commit has racked up over 215 career points throughout his four years on varsity and led his team in overall scoring in three of those four seasons. The captain of the Crusaders has also shown success in the USHL as he registered a handful of points with the Lincoln Stars prior to the start of the 2024-25 high school season.

Player: Mason Jenson
Team: Rogers
Year: Senior
College commitment: Ohio State 

Mason Jenson has been the engine behind a talented Rogers squad over the past few years. 

The senior forward has netted over 150 career points for the Royals during his three seasons on varsity. He’s had a personal best 37 goals and 40 assists for 77 total points in 2024-25, which leads Rogers in both goal-scoring and overall points scored. Jenson plays a disciplined game and only has 16 career penalty minutes - the least out of all of the Player of the Year finalists. 

The Ohio State commit has yet to make an appearance at the state tournament with the Royals, but they’ll look to change that fact this spring as one of the top teams in the Class AA rankings with a 19-3-1 overall record. Jenson’s USHL rights are to Tri-City and he suited up for a handful of games with the Storm prior to the start of his senior season at Rogers. 

Player: Mason Kraft
Team: Moorhead
Year: Senior
College commitment: Minnesota State

Moorhead’s Mason Kraft is making his senior season his best one yet. 

The senior forward leads the Spuds in goals (27), assists (41) and overall points (68) this year and has helped push Moorhead to the top of the Class AA standings with a current record of 22-1. Kraft made a state tournament berth as a sophomore but the team is looking to get back to the Xcel Energy Center this season and to win it all as the current top-ranked team in all of Minnesota. 

Kraft is likely to hit the 150 career point marker any day now and is committed to play Division I hockey at Minnesota State in the future. His USHL rights were recently traded from Sioux Falls to Cedar Rapids.

Player: Henry Lechner
Team: Academy of Holy Angels
Year: Senior
College commitment: St. Thomas

Senior forward Henry Lechner has broken just about every record there is to break at the Academy of Holy Angels. The record for goals in a single season, points in a single season, all-time points scored at the school - you name it, and he has likely broken it. 

The captain of the Stars has the most career points (274 and counting) out of all the finalists for the YHH BHS Player of the Year award along with the most varsity games played (101). He leads all finalists with the most game-winning goals (9), shorthanded goals (5), points on the powerplay (18) and the highest point-per game average (3.46) this season, too.

The University of St. Thomas commit has yet to make an appearance at the Class AA state tournament with Holy Angels. Lechner and the Stars will look to change that this spring. 

Player: Mason West
Team: Edina
Year: Junior
College commitment: Uncommitted

Don’t let his lack of college commitment fool you - Mason West is an elite hockey player and a top prospect for the 2025 NHL Draft. 

The Edina forward is the only junior to make the list of finalists for this year’s award. At just 17-years-old, the 6-foot-4, 207-pound skater has already been to two state tournaments with the Hornets, won one Class AA championship (2024), and been listed at No. 50 in the NHL Central Scouting Midterm Report. He’s a captain of the Hornets squad, too. 

West just recently hit the 100 career points milestone and currently leads Edina in goal-scoring (20). Now, the talented multi-sport athlete has a big decision ahead of him in whether to commit to playing college football or college hockey in the future.