Every year, YHH selects five finalists for the Wiz Wyatt Player of the Year Award. This year's PeeWee class was loaded with several great players, several great leaders and students. Choosing just five kids of the over 100 nominations was a difficult task. The five players chosen, all are outstanding hockey players, great students and very well respected by their coaches and teammates. All very important characteristics for the award, all characteristics of who Wiz Wyatt was when he was a player as a youth and into college. This year's final five are Ben Brinkman from Edina, Ben Doherty from Alexandria, Ethan Frisch from Moorhead, Trevor Janicke from Osseo Maple Grove, and Landon Langenbrunner from Cloquet.

Ben Doherty is another big and very athletic kid who exhibited great size and skill at the rink. YHH got a chance to see Ben at the beginning of the year and the end. In the beginning, Ben and his teammates won the Burnsville Tournament. A tournament with a majority of AA teams involved. As the season progressed, the legend of the Cardinals grew as did the reputation of Doherty as a game changer. 

Leading his team to state along with linemates Jack Westlund and Caleb Strong...the Cardinals really made a name for the city of Alexandria. Prior to the stretch run for the Cardinals, Doherty fractured his elbow and it was unlikely he would be able to play a major role. Despite some obvious pain, Doherty played. And did he ever impress. In a game YHH broadcasted, Doherty had a goal and two assists including the GWG in their 3-2 win over East Grand Forks. Not bad considering he could barely shoot the puck. 

Ben is coached by his dad, Jeff, who played in the glory years of the Burnsville program and Todd Westlund who is a former Gopher. Doherty is the second cousin to NHLer Matt Cullen and the nephew of former St. Cloud State star Jon Cullen. 

On top of being a great hockey player, Ben is a standout Pitcher and Shortstop for Alexandria in baseball. Ben also loves to Golf, Hunt and Fish in his sparetime. He is the oldest of four kids, with three little sisters - Anna (11), Julia (7), and Emily (4).

Ethan Frisch is an outstanding two way player for the Spuds. His position is listed as Defense, but don't let the position fool you. He lead Moorhead in points and he was their team Captain this past season. Ethan has a great feel for the game, he will rush the puck when his team needs a goal and he will lock down the front of the net when the puck is in their zone. One District 15 coach said of Frisch, "you always need to account for 18 (Frisch) when he was on the ice."

Besides being a great hockey player, Ethan carries a 3.9 GPA at Horizon Middle School in Moorhead. He has been on the Dean's List every term. His favorite subject is Math/Algebra.

In the offseason, Ethan plays baseball, golf, and football. Last Summer, Ethan finsished second in the Fargo/Moorhead Jr. Golf Tour. Ethan has two little brothers, Grant (11) and Andrew (3).

If you are looking for a speedster, look no further than Trevor Janicke from Osseo Maple Grove. Rumor has it he has jet packs attached to his skates. Trevor was the leader of his OMG team that qualified for state in Lakeville beating Lakeville South, CC, and Rochester en route to the number 1 East seed in Thief River Falls. Trevor did more than lead his team in scoring, he was a leader off the ice as well.

Until recently, Trevor was the "other" Janicke. His dad and coach, Curtis, was an all state high school player and former Notre Dame player. His little brother Justin has his own library of photos on YHH. That all changed this year. First Trevor caught our eye this Summer in AAA hockey. Then we saw him as the leading scorer in the Velocity 3 v 3 tournament. But when I thought I hadn't heard enough, I got a chance to watch him lead his team to a second place finish in Duluth. To which my good friend Jim Dahline who covered the event for Sport NGIN said to me, "that Janicke kid is amazing..."

Off the ice, Trevor is almost as versatile as he is on the ice. A straight A student at Maple Grove Junior High, he also participates in the 7th Grade Choir. His singing talents earned him an invite to the Guys of the Grove singing group.

In addition to hockey, Trevor played baseball for the Osseo Maple Grove 12AAA team last Summer. He still holds the record for the mile at his elementary school with a time of 5:26. 

Landon Langenbrunner is a special talent. The state of Minnesota is lucky to have him. Being the son of now retired Minnesota hockey legend, Jamie Langenbrunner, his family could live anywhere. They chose "home". Cloquet is home now for Landon and his brother Mason (his sister Laine attends Shattuck St. Mary's). In his first season as a Lumberjack, he took Minnesota by storm. Leading his team to the PeeWee AA state tournament. Sweeping the North Regional in Grand Rapids on their way to future glory in Thief River Falls this weekend.

An interesting note about Landon is he never has played Tier I AAA hockey when living New Jersey, Dallas or St. Louis. The travel schedule it required didn't fit as well as the Tier II model of staying home.  

Landon is a big strong kid who can take over a game with his size and speed. Grit and determination are characteristics that stood out when watching number 15. When his team needed a loose puck, he got it. When his team needed a goal, Landon was there.  My first memory of Landon was in the Spirit of Duluth Tournament in early December. A friend called me and said, "this Langabooster kid from Cloquet is AWESOME." To which I laughed and recalled hearing the same thing in the early 90's about another kid from Cloquet with a similar funny last name.

When not playing hockey, Landon is an A student at Cloquet Middle school. In the offseason Landon plays Lacrosse and enjoys just about every outdoor sport there is.

About Wiz Wyatt: Wiz was an All Conference and All Metro hockey player at Minneapolis West High School in 1972, where he also played and lettered a combined 9 times in Football, Hockey and Baseball. In his Senior year, he was named captain of all three teams. He went on to attend Harvard University where he played hockey. In his Junior season, his team lost to the University of Minnesota in the NCAA Final Four. After graduating with Honors and serving as Class Marshall at Harvard, Wiz eventually returned to Minneapolis and was a volunteer coach both as a non-parent and parent in the Minneapolis and Edina youth programs. Wiz lives in Edina with his wife of 30 years Jane, where they raised four children – now adults – Susan, Mary, Mike, and Jessie.