Oliver Moore will take the ice for Great Plains this Summer
The Great Plains team hosted its first of three training sessions last weekend at the Chaska Community Center as they prepare for The Show in late June. Coaches Dave Snuggerud and Dave Christian lead the team in on-ice and off-ice preparation for the week long tournament held in Bloomington.
In the morning, the boys from all over Minnesota and North Dakota skated for 90 minutes practicing methods of puck control and movement. After practice, they spent time outside playing team handball and getting to know one another. Over the lunch hour on the site of Breakaway Academy, the boys spent more time learning everyone on the team and watching videos. After lunch, the boys had some free time in the gym where they played more handball and some basketball.
In the afternoon, coach Christian mentored the boys in a controlled scrimmage. Stopping the scrimmage after 10 minutes to point out the good plays made by each player, with most of the concentration on who was good at finding the open man with quickness and precision.
Former Olympian Dave Snuggerud leads the Great Plains team again this year.
In the Fall, the team's leadership chose 14 of their 17 skaters - leaving room for three more positions to be filled this Spring. The team invited 10 practice players to tryout as part of the camps. These players showed amazing skill, any of them will be great additions to the team.
Here is a list of rostered players and what they will bring to the ice this Summer.
Cooper Conway (Andover) - one of the most productive players on the team, Conway has tremendous skill with the puck, his stat sheet usually has more A's than G's.
Grant LeNeau (Osseo Maple Grove) - defenseman with great speed and poise - great defender who will be great a asset to the team.
Matthew Magnuson (Chaska Chan) - big defenseman who is very mobile with the puck - has the ability to take over a game at any time.
Javon "Diesel" Moore (Minnesota Made) - a fantastic kid who does everything well - but puck movement and playmaking is what stands out the most. Two lucky line mates are going to love Diesel.
Oliver Moore (Mounds View Irondale) - voted to the all tournament team last year at the Brick, Moore is a special player that will likely ink the scoresheet a lot for Great Plains come June.
Zach Nehring (Minot Wolves) - Zach is the lone player from outside the state of hockey. Another power forward that starred for the Winnipeg Junior Jets in the Brick last Summer. Nehring's speed and shooting ability will be important to the team.
Matthew Magnuson, Great Plains defenseman
Danny Nelson (Osseo Maple Grove) - hard worker with size and big shot, Nelson will create problems for the other teams below the hashmarks.
Wyatt Olson (Osseo Maple Grove) - a pure goal scorer who has great speed and a high hockey IQ, Wyatt is very hard to stop when given time or space.
Charlie Owens (Sibley) - a great leader who knows the game well. Coaching staff will likely use him at both forward and defense.
Sam Stockman (Elk River) - athletic goalie that knows the game well, has flair for making highlight reel saves.
Eddie Revenig (Minneapolis) - another player with great ice presence, great skill - moves the puck very well.
Joey Sylvester (Sibley) - fantastic skater and great competitor - fits the mold of puck moving defenseman coach that coach Snuggerud likes.
William Whitelaw (Rosemount) - dynamic player whose skill and will to win will make this team very hard to beat this Summer.
Carter Wishart (Chaska Chan) - goalie with great footwork and technical skill, Wishart competes hard and loves the game.
The final three players will be chosen after this weekend. The team will break until late May where they have one more day of camp prior to a few exhibition games. Those games include an out of town exhibition with Team Manitoba in Fargo-Moorhead, a game against a local AAA team and a matchup against last year's Great Plains team prior to the tournament.
William Whitelaw showing Carter Wishart his filthy mitts