Duluth East Greyhounds Named Best Class AA Hockey Program Over Last 23 Years
The Duluth East Greyhounds have been a mainstay in the list of notable names in AA Boys Hockey over the years, and that reputation was just reaffirmed by Let's Play Hockey.
The hockey website analyzed the final rankings and performance of teams in the "modern era" of Minnesota boys hockey (from the 1993-1994 season and beyond), looking to name the best AA program in the state. In the final rankings from Let's Play Hockey, the East Greyhounds claimed the top spot.
Duluth East and Hill-Murray shared a tie in overall top-20 final rankings with 23. These are the only two teams to receive top-20 rankings in each of the 23 years of this era. The tie breaking factor was East's 2 state titles, compared to Hill-Murray's 1 championship.
Top 10 Class AA Hockey Programs (see full listing here)
- Duluth East
- Hill-Murray
- Edina
- Eden Prairie
- Elk River
- Moorhead
- Bloomington Jefferson
- Blaine
- Holy Angels
- White Bear Lake
Also appearing on the list from the region are Grand Rapids (15th), Cloquet (20th), and Duluth Denfeld* (tied for 52 with Coon Rapids). *Denfeld has since moved to Class A.
What is expected for this year? In the 2016-2017 Let's Play Hockey Season Preview, Head Coach Mike Randolph offers the following outlook:
Our expectations for the coming season are to compete for a Section 7AA championship and make it to the state tournament. Our strengths this year will be our depth up front and our goaltending.