Each year YHH watches hundreds of games, hosts tournaments all over the state, and collects some great information on thousands of players. There are so many great stories of so many great kids. 

In 2013, we began handing out the Wiz Wyatt Player of the Year Award as a way to recognize players for athletic, academic and leadership achievement. Our criteria for the award is pretty simple. 

• The player must be an outstanding player (top 1%)
• The player must be a great student and leader.
• The player must be a multi-sport athlete.

The award is NOT given to the best player in the state. When you read the accomplishments of Wiz Wyatt, you will see that he was a rare and talented athlete who was respected both on the field, in the locker room and in the classroom. I was fortunate to have been coached by Wiz, and he was a tremendous balance of teacher, mentor and friend. 

Wiz Wyatt was a highly-decorated three-sport star at Minneapolis West in the early 1970's. After graduating from West, he went on to Harvard and played hockey for the Crimson for his collegiate career. Post-graduation, Wiz coached youth hockey in Minneapolis and Edina both as a non-parent and parent volunteer. He currently lives in Edina with his wife Jane and is the father of four adult children Susan, Mary, Michael, and Jessie.

Player: Brayden Dean
Hometown: Maple Grove
Birthyear: 2011
School: Breakaway Academy
GPA: 3.75 (4.0 Scale)
Team:  Osseo Maple Grove Hockey Association
Position: Forward
Sports: Hockey, Baseball, Golf
Parents: Rich and Dana

This season, Dean accumulated an impressive amount of points and trophies. 

First came the Big Pumpkin, where Dean totaled 11 points en route to being named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player after the Leafbirds staged a dramatic comeback to claim the championship. After a runner-up finish at the Spirit of Duluth in early December, Dean and the Leafbirds found themselves tourney champs again at the Lumberjack Cup. After another tournament crown at the Roseau Dick Johnson Memorial event, OMG eased through Region play and find themselves one of the top dogs at the Peewee AA State Tournament. 

According to GameSheet contests, Dean has amassed an absurd 93 goals and 157 points during the 2024-2025 season.

Dean is also a standout player in baseball, playing multiple positions for the powerhouse Triple-A OMGAA Storm program. 

Player: CJ Dornfeld
Hometown: Woodbury
Birthyear: 2011
School: Lake Middle School
GPA: 4.0 (4.0 Scale)
Team:  Woodbury Predators
Position: Forward
Sports: Hockey, Baseball, Football
Parents: Matt and Katie

You’d be hard-pressed to miss Dornfeld when he’s on the ice. The hulking power forward for the Predators is tall, rangy, and more than capable of bullying an opposing player away from the puck in all three zones. 

Dornfeld has ranked as one of the leading scorers in each tournament in which the Predators have participated, including a sparkling seven-goal, 10-point performance during the high-powered Moose Goheen Tournament. 

In addition to his prowess on the ice rink, Dornfeld is a nationally recognized baseball player, who was clocked at throwing a fastball at 79 MPH last July. Dornfeld is also a standout football player in the East Ridge youth football system. 

Player: Jace Magner
Hometown: East Grand Forks
Birthyear: 2011
School: East Grand Forks Central
GPA: 4.0 (4.0 Scale)
Team:  East Grand Forks
Position: Forward
Sports: Hockey, Baseball, Soccer
Parents: Ashley and Garrett

It’s been quite the season for Magner, the lone outstate player to be named a Wiz Wyatt finalist. 

He began the season with 54 goals and 74 points during MN Hockey Districts Exhibition play, according to GameSheet. Magner then totaled 11 goals and 22 points during the Spirit of Duluth tourney in December and reached the 20-point mark for a tournament at the Moorhead Peewee AA/A event. In Moorhead, Magner accounted for 14 of the team’s 47 goals, and finished with 25 points. 

During Region play, Magner scored the most points of any player who skated in three games, piling up 15 points on eight goals and seven assists. The Green Wave advanced to the Peewee AA State Tournament with three victories. 

Magner is a tri-sport athlete who also participates in baseball and soccer. He maintains a perfect 4.0 GPA at East Grand Forks Central. 

Player: Jackson May
Hometown: Farmington
Birthyear: 2011
School: Boeckman Middle School
GPA: 3.5 (4.0 Scale)
Team:  Farmington
Position: Forward
Sports: Hockey & Lacrosse
Parents: Dave and Lauren

May is the ultimate team player, playing big minutes on the power play, penalty kill, five-on-five, four-on-four, three-on-three, or in any other scenario. May played well for the PWA Tigers this season, helping the team go 36-13 for the season. May helped pilot an offense that scored 248 goals this season, and scored 10 or more goals in a single game five times.

May reached double-digit points in all three tournaments the Tigers played, highlighted by a runner-up finish at the MVI Super Rink Spectacular. May totaled eight goals and twelve points as the Tigers posted a 3-1 record in that event. He recorded seven goals and 10 points during the New Hope Invitational. His highest point total came during the Hopkins Raspberry Jam. May led the Peewee A division with nine goals and 14 points.