I’ve saved the best — and toughest — team for last! Wrapping up this week’s series of articles of All-Freshman, All-Sophomore and All-Junior Teams, we finish with top players from the Class of 2020. I fully anticipate this to be the most polarizing team, as there’s close to 40 or 50 names that are worthy of being in the mix. With just 20 roster spots at my disposal — and maybe a couple honorable mentions — I’ve got my lineup set from the Senior Class. My top 12 forwards, six defensemen and two goalies from the Class of 2020 are...
*NAHL Shreveport Tender 28G, 25A, 53P |
*NAHL Aberdeen Tender 8G, 27A, 35P |
17G, 27A, 44P |
*NAHL Austin Tender 15G, 29A, 44P |
*NAHL Aberdeen Tender 16G, 19A, 35P |
16G, 26A, 42P |
37G, 40A, 77P |
11G, 28A, 39P |
15G, 38A, 53P |
29G, 15A, 44P |
19G, 30A, 49P |
15G, 19A, 34P |
5G, 11A, 16P |
*NAHL Jamestown Tender 10G, 17A, 27P |
14G, 19A, 33P |
9G, 19A, 28P |
8G, 17A, 25P |
16G, 34A, 50P |
15W, 1.80 GAA, .937 SV% |
14W, 2.08 GAA, .916 SV% |
TAXI SQUAD
D, Dominic Rossi, Howell
G, William Strickler, Grosse Pointe South
Boom. Twenty-five players. Probably could’ve listed 25 more with little to no drop-off. Also worth noting Dylan Dooley, Daniel Juzych and Enzo Tarducci who all have NAHL Tenders for next season. Look, there’s so many talented seniors in the Mitten State. This lineup is a couple of my favorites but I am well aware that there are still plenty of fantastic players still out there.
I thoroughly enjoyed what Jake Onstott was able to accomplish this season. He was regularly the best player on the ice and never let his foot off the gas, taking a good GRCC team and elevating them to D-III contenders with his performance and leadership. D.J. Dixon was personally, my favorite player from the No. 3-ranked Warriors. He’s dynamic and dangerous, can create offense on his own or use his hockey smarts to utilize teammates and exploit opportunities.
Brendan Miles only played a partial season but I think there’s little doubt that he’s the most talented player in the state and most ready for the next level out of this group. A great skater, phenomenal distributor, stellar defender, smart shooter and a locker room leader to top it all off.
Finding new prospects were some of the most exciting moments for me this season. So when I stumbled upon guys like Shane Romback and Isaac Lippert, even my own eyes were opened and I was reminded of the motto #TheresMoreHere. Maybe a little rougher than some other prospects out there, but the intangibles are definitely there. One scout even said Lippert was, “The best kid on the ice by far” in Skyline’s 3-1 loss to Trenton in Round 1 of the playoffs. I’d be curious to see how Romback holds up to a faster-paced game with less space to operate but he’s big, skates well and makes smart plays regardless of the competition he’s up against.
Looking at his body of work, and his numbers with the schedule of opponents he faces, I don’t think there’s much of an argument against Joey Cormier being the best goalie in the state. He’s certainly the most decorated in the game today and his senior year may be his finest work too.
I couldn’t put Matthew Babinski into the Top 12, but it’s to no fault of his own with an injury-shortened season. He did in 11 games what most players couldn’t do in a complete season, posting 14 goals and 30 points, and producing against everyone including No. 11 Saginaw Heritage and No. 17 Traverse City Central. If he stays healthy, Babinski could have been in the running for Dream Team.
That’s 92 players from 51 different programs across my four Freshman, Sophomore, Junior and Senior teams this week. I try to be fair, I try to be balanced, I’m open and honest about a lot of my opinions on teams and players. Who were your top players from this season? Connect with me on Twitter and let’s talk about it.
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