Each year in Squirt hockey, there are a few kids that really stand out. In 2011 it was Tyler Madden from Edina, in 2012 it was Brendan McFadden from Sibley, and in 2013 it was Kyle Heffron from Rosemount and Grant Slukynski from Warroad. At the Squirt level, birth year is always very important. This year the younger 2002 kids will be Squirt eligible, making those kids physically stronger and potentially more experienced.

Last year, Heffron was a very skilled player, but his size was a difference make and Slukynski was dominant between the dots like very few Squirts can be, shooting the puck like a rocket.

This year, there is a player that most would pay to see (and I’m not talking the $5 tourney fee kind of pay)  His name is Chaz Lucius from White Bear Lake.

We first saw Chaz at the Eden Prairie Tournament last winter.  In this article we note that Chaz was electrifying to watch, which is rare for a smallish first year Squirt playing against arguably the best Squirt team in Minnesota.  But Chaz just played with a  sixth sense about him, almost as if he had a second pair of eyes in his helmet.

This Summer, Chaz lead Team Minnesota to the final four of The Brick Invitational in Edmonton. Not only did he lead his team in scoring, but he made the all tournament team, too. He made sensational plays all over the ice both scoring and assisting on pivotal goals all tournament, but more important he created problems for opposing defense in their zone and he was master of getting the puck out of his team’s zone.

Despite being undersized, Lucius never seems to be overpowered by larger players and always seems to be in the right place at the right time.  His ability to score and his ability to pressure the other team’s best is a perfect combination for a big season in Squirt hockey next year for Chaz and his little brother Cruz, who also can score in bunches. As a second line player last year Lucius had a 30+ point season going into the year end YHH Squirtacular.

We look for the Bears to be a top end team Squirt A team this year. They have several top end players returning, including Leyton Roed (a third year Squirt), and several great second year Squirt B players returning.