Best Forward Listed As Defenseman 

Whether running the breakout or breaking free from his defensive zone for a rush up the ice, Ty Hanson proved adept at both sequences throughout the week at both Mariucci and the LumberYard.  

Best Off-Ice Competition

Ping-pong. Losing on the ice never carried as much of a sting as losing at the table. Just ask the ball that mysteriously exploded on Saturday night.

Best Bench Boss

The Den Father was equal parts Bobby Knight,  Bobby Hurley, and Bobby Bowden.

Best Fashion Design  

Zam Plante's DIY Minnesota-Duluth jersey (crafted out of black tape and contempt for all things Golden Gopher) may not have lasted a full game, but the statement was made.

Best Number-Crunchers

The LumberYard staff did a fantastic job all weekend, tracking every goal by every player, maneuvering through tiebreakers on Saturday night, and logging every player's testing results into an impressive spreadsheet.

Best Team

Taking the five-on-five and three-on-three championships solidifies White's place as the overall top squad.  

Best Atmosphere

After spending the Minor Combine at Ridder Arena, the lighting and wide open ice of Mariucci were a welcome sight(line). 

Best Breakaway Move

Dropping the shooting shoulder, leaning to the non-shooting side, and popping the puck over the outstretched goaltender was certainly en vogue during the past few days.

Best Costume Change

Minutes after stopping his final puck of the week, Kamden Carlson swapped his pads and blocker for a baseball jersey and cleats, just in time for his ball club's last two tournament games.

Best Background Noise

Having the NHL Entry Draft coverage prattling on, with 18-year olds learning their professional fates at the LumberYard provided a sentimental juxtaposition with the young players on the ice.

Best Connections

The assorted skaters from Hermantown and Woodbury are all too familiar, having created a tradition of playing each other at the end of each season, including a battle in this year's Peewee AA state championship game. 

The Hawks and Predators wandered the LumberYard together, debating past games, cracking jokes, and strengthening a bond forged by a puck and a sheet of ice. 

Best Speech

"Be the one that's resilient. Be the one that's coachable. Be the one that wants to get better."

--Robb Stauber