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Battle of the MN Birth Years

By Touchpoint Media , 06/28/22, 9:15AM CDT

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Do you ever hear a Minnesota hockey name from the past and wonder, ‘Where are they now?’

Just for fun and a trip down memory lane, we decided to take a look back at three birth years — 1993, 1994, and 1995 — and fill out some All-MN boys and girls rosters based on previous participants in the CCM High Performance (formerly Advanced) programs.  

Which team(s) are you picking? Who’d we miss?

BOYS

1993 Birth Year

Forward

Jonny Brodzinski (Blaine) - Travis Boyd (Hopkins) - Tony Cameranesi (Plymouth)
Joseph Labate (Eagan) - Steven Fogarty (Edina) - Peter Krieger (Oakdale)
Mario Lucia (Wayzata) - Justin Kloos (Lakeville) - Matt Pohlkamp (Baxter)
Bryant Christian (Moorhead) - Judd Peterson (Duluth) - Tyler Heinonen (Delano)

Defense

Mike Reilly (Chanhassen) - Nick Seeler (Eden Prairie)
Kevin Schulze (White Bear Lake) - Andy Welinski (Duluth)
Eric Schurhamer (St. Paul) - Max Everson (Edina)

Goalie

Charlie Lindgren (Lakeville)
Matt McNeely (Burnsville)

The 1993 boys’ birth year has skill, grit and goaltending. In other words, a team you don’t want to meet in the playoffs.

Travis Boyd and Mike Reilly lead the way in terms of NHL experience and point production. Boyd is coming off a career year in the NHL, tallying 34 points in 75 games for the Coyotes. He was a member of the Washington Capitals when they won the Stanley Cup in 2018. Reilly has now played in seven NHL seasons and is approaching the 100-point milestone.

With Steven Fogarty and Justin Kloos anchoring the second and third lines, depth is certainly a calling card of the 1993 group, which features nine players who played in the NHL.

Reilly and Nick Seeler pair up nicely on the blue line, as do Kevin Schulze and Andy Welinski. Schulze has carved out an impressive pro career in Europe, while Welinski has seven AHL seasons and nearly 50 NHL games under his belt.

The 1993 roster would also have no shortage of leadership as it includes nine former college captains, including Schulze (Wisconsin), Welinski (UMD), Kloos (Minnesota), Bryant Christian (American International), Fogarty (Notre Dame), Cameranesi (UMD), Max Everson (Harvard), Judd Peterson (St. Cloud) and Eric Schurhamer (Maine).

Former Lakeville North and St. Cloud State star Charlie Lindgren gets the start in net and gives the 1993 squad an edge at the most important position.

1994 Birth Year

Forward

Dom Toninato (Duluth) - C.J. Suess (Forest Lake) - Jake Guentzel (Woodbury)
Jared Thomas (Hermantown) - Tyler Vesel (Rochester) - Blake Winiecki (Lakeville)
Jake Horton (Oakdale) - Kyle Osterberg (Lakeville) - Grant Besse (Plymouth)
Max Coatta (Minnetonka) - Dylan Steman (Maple Grove) - Jake Randolph (Duluth

Defense

Brady Skjei (Lakeville) - Jake Bischoff (Grand Rapids)
Dillon Eichstadt (Bemidji) - Steve Johnson (Excelsior)
Matt Nelson (Edina) - Vince Pedrie (Apple Valley)

Goalie

Collin Olson (Apple Valley)
Brock Kautz (Maple Grove)

From youth to the pros, star power makes a big difference, and that’s the hallmark of the 1994 team as Jake Guentzel and Brady Skjei are two of the best Minnesotans playing in the NHL today.

Guentzel just posted his second 40-goal season for the Penguins and he’s a proven playoff performer with one Stanley Cup ring already. Skjei has cemented himself as a top defenseman for Carolina, scoring a career high 9 goals and 30 assists for the Metropolitan Division winning Hurricanes this season.

Former Bulldog Dom Toninato established himself as a regular for the Winnipeg Jets, playing in 77 games this season, and Forest Lake’s C.J. Suess is challenging for a regular spot in the same lineup.

Tyler Vesel, Blake Winiecki and Jared Thomas make up the point-producing ECHL line. Kyle Osterberg, Jake Horton and state tournament legend Grant Besse are all playing professionally in Europe, giving Team 1994 lots of offensive firepower. Max Coatta is coming off a huge year for Rapid City in the ECHL, where he registered just under a point per game.

Grand Rapids’ Jake Bischoff earned playing time for the Vegas Golden Knights before dealing with injuries. Former Bemidji State captain Dillon Eichstadt is now playing professionally in Britain. Former Division I goalies Collin Olson (Western Michigan) and Brock Kautz (Minnesota) will battle for the start in net.

Team 1994 has the star power up front and on defense to take control of games.

1995 Birth Year

Forward

Vinni Lettieri (Minnetonka) - Karson Kuhlman (Esko) - Hudson Fasching (Apple Valley)
Westin Michaud (Esko) - Tyler Sheehy (Burnsville) - Spencer Naas (St. Louis Park)
Mason Bergh (Eden Prairie) - Avery Peterson (Grand Rapids) - Derek Lodermeier (Brooklyn Center)
John Wiitala (Lakeville) - T.J. Moore (Edina) - Tyler Cline (Blaine)

Defense

Neal Pionk (Hermantown) - Colton Poolman (East Grand Forks)
Jimmy Schuldt (Minnetonka) - Jordan Gross (Maple Grove)
Luc Snuggerud (Eden Prairie) - Michael Brodzinski (Blaine)

Goalie

Hunter Miska (North Branch)
Hunter Shepard (Cohasset)

Team 1995’s core is built with Bulldogs so it should be no surprise their recipe is character up front, depth on defense, and two very capable goalies.

Esko’s Karson Kuhlman reached the 100 NHL games milestone this season with the Seattle Kraken, who clearly valued his potential by selecting him in the expansion draft. There’s a reason UMD’s Scott Sandelin called Kuhlman one of the best captains he’s ever had.

Neal Pionk leads the defensive corps with 151 points in 303 NHL games; Hunter Miska and Hunter Shepard will take the cage. Miska has earned some NHL games and Shepard has two NCAA National Championships to his name.

Former Gophers Vinni Lettieri and Hudson Fasching are getting NHL games with their consistent AHL production. Tyler Sheehy had a huge year in Germany, potting a team-high 25 goals in 49 games for Nurenberg.

The defensive pairings should complement each other throughout the lineup — all six of them are still playing pro hockey. Jimmy Schuldt and Jordan Gross have both seen time in the NHL.

GIRLS

1993 Birth Year

Forward

Karley Sylvester (Warroad) - Hannah Brandt (Vadnais Heights) - Kalli Funk (Roseville)
Layla Marvin (Warroad) - Abby Ness (Roseau) - Sami Reber (Edina)
Allie LaCombe (Eden Prairie) - Taylor Kuehl - (Minnetrista) - Morgan Fritz-Ward (Lakeville)
Shannon Kaiser (Crookston) - Leah Jensen (East Grand Forks) - Sara Carlson Earley (Hutchinson)

Defense

Milica McMillen (St. Paul) - Emma Stauber (Proctor)
Jessie Ryan (Cloquet) - Caitlin Hewes (Stillwater)
Molly Byrne (Plymouth) - Brittany Huneke (Hastings)

Goalie

Shelby Amsley-Benzie (Warroad)
Julie Friend (Minnetonka)

With stars in every position group, elite hockey minds and the type of 218 cast that would make them the crowd favorite in any Minnesota tournament, the 1993 group would be a fun one to watch compete.

Hannah Brandt led the University of Minnesota to three NCAA National Championships and was named a Patty Kazmaier Award finalist an astonishing four times. She is No. 1 on the Gophers’ list of all-time scorers with 285 points in 158 games. Oh, and she is a two-time Olympic medalist, including Gold in 2018.

Karley Sylvester and Layla Marvin won a state championship together at Warroad, and both went on to play at two of the nation’s top D-I programs, North Dakota and Wisconsin. Former St. Cloud State Husky Kalli Funk is currently a member of the U.S. women’s bandy team, adding an intriguing wrinkle to the attack.

Team 1993 also happens to have head coaches from two of the top high school programs in the state right now. Sami Reber and Emma Stauber have helped Edina and Proctor/Hermantown capture state titles.

Patrolling the blue line is the minute-munching Milica McMillen, who won state titles and national championships at Breck and the University of Minnesota. Caitlin Hewes was a captain at UConn.

In net, Warroad’s Shelby Amsley-Benzie — now an assistant coach at Concordia Moorhead — was an All-American and two-time Patty Kaz finalist at the University of North Dakota. Julie Friend was a state champ and Goalie of the Year at Minnetonka and starting goalkeeper for St. Cloud State and the Minnesota Whitecaps.

1994 Birth Year

Forward

Laura Bowman (Minnetonka) - Amy Petersen (Minnetonka) - Jonna Curtis (Elk River)
Kayla Gardner (Warroad) - Audra Richards Morrison (Maplewood) - Courtney Kukowski (Apple Valley)
Lisa Marvin (Warroad) - Hanna Brodt Prow (Roseville) - Megan Lushanko (Chisago Lakes)
Molly Illikainen (Grand Rapids) - Maddie Peake (Mounds View) - Emily Erickson (Pequot Lakes)

Defense

Lee Stecklein (Roseville) - Sara Bustad (Stillwater)
Sam Lashomb (South St. Paul) - Lexi Slattery (Hugo)
Liv Halvorson (Richfield) - Alexandra Austin (Edina)

Goalie

Allie Morse (Cottage Grove)
Erika Allen (Roseville)

Every year there are teams you may not be quite as familiar with the players, but you find out quickly they’re sneaky good. With many of the top players in the 1994 class playing their college hockey out east, this team definitely fits that category.

Team 1994 also has the luxury of Lee Stecklein, arguably the world’s best defenseman over the past decade. The three-time NCAA National Champ and three-time Olympic medalist (including gold in 2018) is as steady as they come.

Up front, the inseparable Laura Bowman and Amy Petersen provide the offensive punch. The two starred together first at Minnetonka and then at Penn State. Bowman and Petersen are all over the Nittany Lion record books.

Audra Richards Morrison has been a staple for the Minnesota Whitecaps the past three seasons after a four-year career at Maine. The unstoppable Jonna Curtis, who starred at New Hampshire in college, led the Whitecaps in points last year. Former Warroad teammates Kayla Gardner and Lisa Marvin give Team 1994 plenty of depth and firepower.

Park-Cottage Grove star and Providence netminder Allie Morse takes the cage with Erika Allen, who was Goalie of the Year at Roseville and had a stellar college career with Bethel and Augsburg.

1995 Birth Year

Forward

Dani Cameranesi (Plymouth) - Kelly Pannek (Plymouth) - Amy Menke (Shakopee)
Kate Flug (Roseville) - Kate Schipper (Brooklyn Park) - Megan Wolfe (Eagan)
Dani Sibley (Monticello) - Caitlin Reilly (Chanhassen) - Lauren Hespenheide (Shakopee)
Emilie Brigham (Anoka) - Christi Vetter (Lakeville) - Lindsay Roethke (Buffalo)

Defense

Sidney Morin (Minnetonka) - Anna Keys (Cottage Grove)
Paige Haley (Red Wing) - Kelsey Cline (Bloomington)
Hannah Behounek (Minnetonka) - Savannah Quandt (Mankato)

Goalie

Sydney Rossman (Minnetonka)
McKenzie Johnson (Eden Prairie)

If there are two words to describe the 1995 squad, it’s championship pedigree.

Not one, not two, but three Olympic gold medalists grace Team 1995’s lineup. Dani Cameranesi and Kelly Pannek were key offensive cogs on the 2018 team in PyeongChang, and the late addition of Sidney Morin to that lineup proved to be shrewd for the Americans.

Former North Dakota captain Amy Menke slots in on the top line with Pannek and Cameranesi to form a dangerous front three. Kate Flug, Kate Schipper, Megan Wolfe, Caitlin Reilly, Paige Haley and Kelsey Cline all won National Championships for the Gophers, giving this team some serious hardware.

Monticello’s Dani Sibley was a two-time All American at UW-River Falls and earned 2017 NCAA Division III Player of the Year honors, scoring 65 points in 29 games.

Two-time state high school champion and former Goalie of the Year Sydney Rossman gets the start in net. Rossman had a stellar four-year career at Quinnipiac, where she holds the program record for career shutouts with 26. McKenzie Johnson helped Clarkson to a National Championship in 2017.

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