Official Website of the Minnesota Mr. Hockey Awards
Nick Leddy, Brian Bonnin and Loren Feldkamp
2009 25th Annual
Mr. Hockey Award
Winner!
Nick Leddy, Eden Prairie
Leddy, a top defenseman and University of Minnesota recruit, has led the Eagles blueliners with 8 goals and 24 assists. He's made great strides in his overall game over the past few years and now features a strong defensive game and plenty of offensive talent. He's not afraid to join the rush and has good offensive instincts. Leddy was also named AP honorable mention All-State last year and played on the USA Hockey U18 select team.
"He's extremely gifted with the puck and he can break down teams all by himself. But he's also very unselfish. He's dynamic and very responsible defensively, even with his offensive ability." -- Eden Prairie coach Lee Smith.
2009 Mr. Hockey Nick Leddy with Ep Teamates
Top Goaltender:
O'Connor is in his first year on the Jaguars varsity and has made his initial -- and only -- season a great one. Until losing to Eden Prairie last week, Jefferson had won 22 straight games, many with O'Connor in nets. He's played in 20 games and posted a 19-1-0 record with a 1.38 GAA and .923 save %. His 19 victories are third in the state and goals against is tied for second best. O'Connor recently did a Q and A with the Star Tribune's Jim Paulsen
.
Casey O'Connor,
Bloomington Jefferson
Past Mr Hockey Winners
2009 Finalists At Mr Hockey Banquet
To PURCHASE TICKETS for the Mr. Hockey Awards Banquet
Marshall Everson, Edina
Everson, a forward and Harvard recruit, is known as a true elite-level sniper, but his game is also so much more well-rounded than that. At 6-1/190, Everson has very good size and uses it to his advantage on the ice, netting 26 goals and 24 assists for the Hornets, who have spent the entire season ranked in the top-5 in Class AA. Last year, he was honorable mention All-State."I feel like I can finish pretty well and score goals. I have to give a lot of credit to my linemates, they set me up all the time and make my job easy. I try to use my size as best I can, so I'm kind of a power forward/pure scorer." -- Edina's Marshall Everson.
Dan DeLisle, Totino Grace
DeLisle, a forward and University ofMinnesota-Duluth recruit, has led the Eagles all season with 28 goals and 22 assists. He's already a two-time All-Conference selection and is a captain for Totino this winter. His uncle, Joe DeLisle, was a 1988 UMD captain.
"Dan has all the hockey skills necessary to become a top player in high school. He also has the skills and hockey ability to do well in the WCHA at UMD, and even beyond that level. He is a hard worker on and off the ice, a real leader for his teammates and he is committed to his high school team. Dan has been a great player to coach." -- Totino-Grace coach Mark Loahr.
Ben Hanowski, Little Falls
By the end of his senior season, Hanowski should become the leading scorer in the history of high school hockey in Minnesota. The St. Cloud State recruit already holds the career goal-scoring record and is just 13 points shy of Johnny Pohl's career points record. Hanowski was an AP honorable All-State pick last season and has already racked up 50 goals and 46 assists this winter. He's built like a power forward, but has great hands and sees the entire ice. "He decided his friends were very important to him and that Little Falls hockey was very important to him. And I think he has a great supporting cast, that if it wasn't there, he might ahve changed his mind and went (to the USHL). But it means a lot to our youth hockey program, to see somebody like that. Just the success of our program." -- Little Falls coach Tony Couture.
Tyler Lapic, New Prague
Lapic, a forward and University of Wisconsin recruit, has 
powered New Prague's top line with 19 goals and 34 assists
on the season. Already a two-time All-Missota pick, he's also been chosen for the USA Hockey National 15, 16 and 17 Festivals during his career. Along with fellow senior first-liner Schyler Adams, Lapic has been called a "rink rat" by his coach, Chris Lonke, who named them both captains this winter.
"They're the two best players I have ever coached on the high school level. They're both really competitive and hard working. Bot those kids want it. I love coaching kids like that." -- New Prague coach Chris Lonke told the Rochester Post-Bulletin.
Anders Lee, Edina
Lee, an offensive force and Notre Dame recruit, is a high-scoring rugged forward for the Hornets' top line that includes fellow Mr. Hockey finalist Marshall Everson. He's posted 19 goals and 30 assists this winter as a big (6-2/200) and strong forward who is nearly impossible to push off the puck in the corners. But it's his combination of size and good hands that make him an all-around top player. Lee was also the state's Gatorade football player of the year in the fall as a dual threat quarterback for the Hornets.
Danny Mattson, Holy Angels
Mattson, a forward and University of North Dakota recruit, is one of the elite offensive players in the state. He's very fast and nearly impossible to stop one-on-one, despite standing just 5-9/165. But he isn't just a goal-scorer. Mattson is a very unselfish player who involves his teammates at all times. Last year, he earned AP honorable mention All-State honors.
"We've got a great group of guys and the young guys really bond with the older guys. This is the best team I've been a part of. Me and Connor (Reilly), my left wing, have great connections and I we find each other everywhere." -- Holy Angels' Danny Mattson.
Zach Palmquist, South St. Paul
Palmquist, a defenseman and recent Minnesota State University-Mankato recruit, is another offensive-minded defenseman who leads his team with 13 goals and 20 assists. He's already earned All-Conference mention twice and was AP honorable mention All-State last season.
"Zach is an extremely skilled defenseman who makes the game look so easy. His strengths are his skating and his vision. He is a north-south defenseman who moves the puck quickly up ice with his skating and ability to see the ice." -- South St. Paul coach Jeff Lagoo.
Tyler Pitlick, Centennial
Pitlick, also a Minnesota State University-Mankato recruit and part of the Cougars' potent top line with Willie Hess and Jordan Lovick, has tallied 26 goals and 26 assists this winter. He's put on weight and now features a well-rounded game that will translate well to the Mavericks' style of play.
"Great hands and creativity. Outstanding goal scorere and set-up guy. Should be one of the top players in the state." -- Centennial coach Erik Aus.
Max Tardy, Duluth East
Tardy, one of the best two-way forwards in the state and a University of Minnesota-Duluth recruit, leads the Greyhounds with 24 goals and 18 assists. He's the key to much of East's offensive attack, playing on the first line and the power play, but he also recognizes his defensive responsibilities for coach Mike Randolph's club, which is one of the stingiest in the state at allowing goals.
"We new Tardy was a quality player. He put on a clinic with his poise, stick handling and scoring ability." -- Mayo coach Lorne Grosso told the Rochester Post-Bulletin after Tardy had four goals against his team in late January.
Stories from the Breakdown
at the River Centre in St. Paul on March 15th at 11:30AM,
Please contact Loren Feldkamp at (612) 802-3326
Email: mrhockeybanquet@aol.com
OR
Order your Tickets ONLINE: CLICK HERE TO ORDER!
Individual tickets for the event are $25.00 each.
25th Annual Mr. Hockey
Award Banquet
The 25th annual Mr. Hockey Award Banquet will be held on March 15th. The Minnesota Wild and Acceleration Minnesota are co-sponsors of the Mr. Hockey Awards Banquet. The Mr. Hockey Award is hosted by The Minnesota Minutemen.
Back Row: Jake Gardiner, Minnetonka, Tyler Barnes, Burnsville, Justin Jokinen, Cloquet, Cory Fienage, Eastview, Jake Youso, International Falls, Drew Olson, Brainerd
Front Row: J.T.Brown, Rosemount, Zack Lehrke, Park Rapids, Aaron Ness, Roseau, 2008 Mr. Hockey, Joe Phillippi, Hill-Murray, 2008 Frank Brimsek Award Winner, Joe Gleason, Edina.
Ness first Roseau player to win Mr. Hockey Award
By Ray Richardson
Among the words that have been used to describe Roseau's Aaron Ness as a hockey player and a person, "loyal" is the one that stands out for Roseau coach Scott Oliver.
After Ness was selected the 2008 Minnesota Mr. Hockey on Sunday at St. Paul RiverCentre, Oliver immediately thought about how fortunate he has been to coach the talented defenseman.
Ness had several opportunities to leave Roseau's program to play in the United States Hockey League or participate in USA Hockey's youth development program in Ann Arbor, Mich. "No one has been as loyal to our program the past few years as Aaron," Oliver said. "He turned down a lot of things to wear the green and white."
Ness, who turns 18 in May, is the first Roseau player to be chosen Mr. Hockey. He helped lead Roseau (29-2) to the semifinals of the Class AA state tournament. The award temporarily eased the disappointment of Roseau's 6-2 loss to Hill-Murray on Friday night in the semifinals, a loss that ended the Rams' 42-game winning streak and hopes of a repeat state championship. "It still hurts, and it probably will for a while," Ness said of the loss.
But Ness was smiling as he talked about his three years in the Roseau program. Ness, a junior, will graduate in June after doubling up on required courses since the fall semester to enter college a year early. Ness, headed to the University of Minnesota in the fall, reflected on decisions to stay at Roseau for his entire high school career. "I don't have any regrets about staying," said Ness, who led the Rams with 26 goals and 41 assists. "I'm so glad I did. The people in Roseau have been so supportive of the program. We won a state title last year. That's a memory I'll always keep with me."
Ness was chosen over nine other Mr. Hockey finalists, including Burnsville's Tyler Barnes, Rosemount's J.T. Brown, Eastview's Cory Fienhage, Minnetonka's Jake Gardiner, Edina's Joe Gleason, Park Rapids' Zack Lehrke, Brainerd's Drew Olson, Cloquet/Esko/Carlton's Justin Jokinen and International Falls' Jake Youso. "Ness is a good pick," Hill-Murray coach Bill Lechner said. "For a defenseman, he has great vision and great instincts when he has the puck. He knows how to find guys when they're open."
In Friday's semifinal game, Lechner made sure his players paid extra attention to Ness. Lechner used the Pioneers' depth to shadow Ness as much as possible with different players. The scheme worked. Ness was limited to one assist. Ness, however, was a force during the regular season and sparked Roseau's 28-0 run heading into the tournament. "One of the best things about Aaron is how unselfish he is on the ice," Oliver said. "He really knows how to move the puck. He was a real joy to coach the past three years."
Ness could have stayed for his senior year at Roseau, but he believed he was at the point in his career where he needed to "progress more." Ness has assured Gophers coach Don Lucia that he intends to enroll in the fall and is not considering the USHL or Ann Arbor.
Briefly: Joe Phillippi of Hill-Murray received the goalie of the year award. Receiving coach of the year awards were Ken Essay of Mankato West in Class A and Curt Giles of Edina in Class AA.
Aaron Ness (Roseau), Brian Bonin (MN Wild) Loren Feldkamp (Minute Men/Mr. Hockey Director)
By MICHAEL RAND, Star Tribune
Last update: March 9, 2008 - 11:27 PM
Roseau's Aaron Ness joked that his speech Sunday wouldn't be as good as that of Joe Phillippi because the Hill-Murray goalie found out well in advance that he was the winner of the Frank Brimsek Award as the state's top senior netminder. While that is technically true, and Ness earns points for modesty, those in the hockey know figured that Ness being named the 2008 Mr. Hockey winner -- a distinction announced Sunday at a banquet at RiverCentre in St. Paul -- was merely a formality. That's how dominant Ness, a defenseman, was this season. He entered the state tournament with 26 goals and a reputation for being a smooth skater and an unselfish teammate. While it hardly ended the way Ness wanted -- defending champion Roseau came in undefeated as the No. 1 seed in the Class 2A state tournament before losing in both the semifinals and third-place game -- there are bigger and better things awaiting him.
Ness accelerated his academics this year, essentially cramming both his junior and senior years into one grueling year. He has eight classes at school and is also earning 3.5 credits online. The point of the fast pace is being able to join the Gophers in the fall instead of waiting another year. "I'm ready to move on and take from this season all the fun I had," Ness said. "I can't wait to get to Minnesota to get with the team and start playing."
Roseau coach Scott Oliver spoke in glowing terms of not only Ness' ability but also what he has meant to his hockey-loving community. While some have questioned why Ness would speed up his graduation to leave a year earlier than he had to, Oliver said it's a matter of a player being ready for a new challenge. "He played three years of varsity hockey and made three trips to state. He turned down the USHL, he turned down Ann Arbor," Oliver said. "Nobody has been more loyal to Roseau than Aaron. He's ready for the next level."
Phillippi received his hardware for winning the Brimsek Award on Sunday, and all 10 finalists for the Mr. Hockey award were honored at the banquet. Phillippi and Ness, per tradition, received Wild jerseys with their names and numbers on the back.
MORE PICTURES TO COME! STOP BACK
The Minnesota Wild and Acceleration Minnesota SAINT PAUL/MINNEAPOLIS, The Minnesota Minutemen also announced today that Joe Phillippi of
The Mr. Hockey Award is given to the outstanding senior high school hockey player in the state of To purchase tickets for the Mr. Hockey Awards Banquet, please contact Yvonne Feldkamp at (763) 422-9708 or mrhockeybanquet@aol.com. Individual tickets for the event are $25.00.
to co-sponsors Mr. Hockey Awards Banquet
TOP TEN CANDIDATES FOR 24th ANNUAL
MINUTEMEN MR. HOCKEY AWARD ANNOUNCED
They are: Tyler Barnes (Burnsville High School), J. T. Brown (Rosemount High School), Cory Fienhage (Eastview High School), Jake Gardiner (Minnetonka High School), Joe Gleason (Edina High School), Justin Jokinen (Cloquet High School), Zack Lehrke (Park Rapids High School), Aaron Ness (Roseau High School), Drew Olson (Brainerd High School) and Jake Youso (International Falls High).
Ryan McDonagh 2007 Mr. Hockey
2007 Mr. Hockey Award Ryan McDonagh is presented the 2007 Mr. Hockey Ring by Loren Feldkamp, Chairman of the Minutemen’s Mr. Hockey Award Program. The Mr. Hockey Championship Ring is provided by Josten’s Ring Company.
The Minnesota Wild and Acceleration Minnesota
to co-sponsors Mr. Hockey Awards Banquet
The Minnesota Wild and Acceleration Minnesota are co-sponsors of the Mr. Hockey Awards Banquet hosted by The Minnesota Minutemen and presenting the award to the outstanding senior high school hockey player in the state of Minnesota.
The finalists are selected by a panel of National Hockey League Scouts, Division One Coaches, and selected media members from around the state. Brian Lee, of Moorhead High School and the University of North Dakota, was the 2005 Mr. Hockey Award recipient. Lee was presented the first Mr. Hockey Ring in 2005.
The rings are donated and designed exclusively for Mr. Hockey by Josten’s Ring Company.
The 24th annual Minutemen Mr. Hockey Awards Banquet will be held on Sunday, March 9, 2008 at the Grand Ballroom at Rivercentre. Please contact Loren Feldkamp for information at (763) 422-9708 or email MRHOCKEYBANQUET@AOL.COM
2006 MR. HOCKEY AWARD RING PRESENTED TO DAVID FISCHER
Left to right are Don Norqual, Acceleration Minnesota, Loren Feldkamp, Minutemen Mr. Hockey Award Chairman, David Fischer, 2006 Mr. Hockey Award Winner, Brad Bombardir, Minnesota Wild Director of Community Partnerships, and Bill Moore, Acceleration Minnesota (Photo credit: Walt Barry/U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame)
