The Minnesota Magicians announced their 2013-2014 roster Sunday.  Twenty four players made the September 1 cutoff.  Fifteen players are from Minnesota, four are from Europe, two are from North Dakota, and three players are from Califorinia.

Three players are 1993ers, 13 players are 1994ers, 5 players are 1995ers, and 2 players were borne in 1996.  Thirteen players are 6 foot or taller and four players weight 200lbs or more.

A big gamble by the Magicians in the NAHL June draft paid off when both Nick and Derick Kuchera, brothers who played for Eagan High School two years ago, made the roster.  The Magicians had traded their #1 draft choice (and a tender) to the Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees (formerly the Wenatchee Wild) for the NAHL rights to the Kucheras.

Nick and Derick Kuchera played for the Wennatchee Wild last season after graduating from Eagan MN high school.  Derick played solid hockey at defense at the Magician’s main camp.  He looks to gain control of the puck in his defensive zone and looks for the breakout first.  He will often take that extra time to let his forwards work to break free in the neutral ice.  He is a good passer in traffic.

Nick Kuchera played forward for Wenatchee posting 23 points/4 goals in 50 games.

The Kucheras are not the only brothers on the Magicians.  Nick and Tony Uglem will play for the Magicians this season.  Both played on Moorhead’s Class AA state tourney team last March at the Xcel.

Four Europeans made the team, Eetu Karvinen (Vantaa, Finland), Alexander Konnov (Khabarovsk, Russia), Denis Shevyrin (Krefeld, Germany) and Kalle Moisio (Turke, Finland).  All are 6 foot or taller and all are expected to play forward for the Magicians.

Karvinen played NAHL hockey last season for Brookings and was acquired in a trade.  He played for the Finish U20 national team in 2012.  At Brookings he played 24 games posting 11 points/2 goals.

Alexander Konnov played last season for the Mytischi Atlanti.  The team took second place in Russia’s 33 team MHL (Minor Hockey League).  Konnov has played 99 games in two seasons for the Mytischi Atlanti team.  As a 17 year old, he was skating against teams dominated by players that were two to three years older.  He plays a physical forward game using his size (6’1” 195lbs) well.

Denis Shevyrin played for the German National U18 team for two years.  Shevyrin was picked up in a trade a month ago with the Wilderness.  This past two seasons, he was a high scoring forward for the Krefelder U18 team in Germany. Shevyrin played on Germany’s U18 National team last April in the world championships.  His national team teammate, Parker Tuomie, was drafted #1 by the Wenatchee Wild.  The two could be facing each other when the two teams play Friday, September 20 in the NAHL showcase held at the Super Rink in Blaine.

Kalle Moisio has played junior A and junior B hockey in Finland.  Last season, Moisio played in the Finish U20 league-Jr. A SM-liiga. He played for the Jokipojat Joensuu team scoring 16 points/10 goals in 31 games.  Moisio played on Finland’s U17 team in 2010-2011.

Bryan Niles who played last season for the NAHL’s Bismarck Bobcats, is expected to be the starting goalie for the Magicians.  Jordan Moran and Jackson Germaine are expected to be back-up goalies.  Moran played for Prior Lake last season; Germaine played for the California Titans in the NAPHL last season.

The Magicians drafted 11 players last June; only three players, Logan Von Ruden, Morgan Martelle, and Kyle Gonzalez, made the team.  Logan Von Ruden skated well at the camp sessions and is no surprise that he is a Magician.  He will pass his final year at Northfield to skate in the NAHL and will be a fun player to watch develop over the long season.  He has size and good game awareness.

Martelle played North Dakota High School hockey last season.  Gonzalez played the Cleveland Jr. Stars in the NA3PL last season.

There were some disappointments.  Alex Funk/Rochester Lourdes and Charlie Curti/Mound-Westonka made the Cedar Rapids USHL team and will not join the Magicians.

One surprise is Kris McKinzie/Duluth Marshall being on the roster.  McKinzie has been a consistent performer for the Hilltoppers and their #2 scorer the past two seasons.  He posted 58 points/42 goals in 74 games for Marshall over the past three seasons.

McKinzie will join Mario Bianchi (MN High School-Holy Angels) on the Magicians’ forward lines.  Bianchi was a high scoring center for the Holy Angels but has been slowed by injury this summer.

New Magician, Matt Colford (Breck High School), generates a lot of offense but has yet to hit that final growth spurt.  He will be playing his first year in the NAHL.  Can his lean frame with stand a tough 60 game NAHL schedule?  Travis Koepke (MN High School-Hermantown) joins Colford and Bianchi on the forward lines.

The Magicians play the Wilderness in an exhibition game this Friday at the Bloomington Ice Arena.  The game starts at 7:00 PM.  The Magicians have three more exhibition games scheduled.  They play the NAHL Austin Bruins in Austin’s Riverside Arena Saturday, September 7.  Return matches are scheduled with the same two teams.  September 13 the Magicians will be at Cloquet and September 14 Austin will be at Richfield for the first NAHL game in the newly re-modeled Richfield Arena.  All games start at 7:00 PM.