What If: A Hockey Rountable Discussion

EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn - Welcome to the first installment of “What If” a friendly (or not so) back and forth between your MyFOXHockey crew. Sometimes we'll agree, sometimes we'll argue...what we know is that we love the game, the teams and the players that create the memories we talk about for years.

Okay. Here goes! “What If #1”.

Q: If Zach Budish does not get injured during football, do the 09 Hornets win the state championship?

Pete Waggoner: The odds of the Hornets winning the 2009 as a 'healthy' team that included Zach Budish would have increased ten fold. No team likes to make excuses, and in the culture of teams, it is almost taboo to toss that excuse out there. Yet, the question does beg to be addressed and will always linger when discussions of the 2009 season comes up. The presence of Budish would have given the Hornets the depth they felt they lacked that year as they shortened their bench through the State Tournament and essentially ran out of gas. Budish is a legitimate first round NHL player and it is a shame that the High School Hockey world did not get to see him display what would have been a career year. A patient player on the puck with hulking size and yes, speed, he is a fantastic set up man with vision who makes those around him better. It is hard to say that they would not have won the title with Budish in the lineup. Not to take away anything from the Eden Prairie Eagles who won the title, it most likely would have landed in Edina. If that were the case, would the Hornets have won it in 2010?

Doug Erlien: The odds would have increased, but I am going to say nada. The trio of Lee, Everson and Gaarder tallied 224 points between them (Lee and Everson 80+ each). Depth was the issue two years ago without him and depth still would have been the issue with him. You would have been able to roll two lines and the power play might have been the best ever, but as we say in the ball business, there is still only one puck. With a healthy Budish, the numbers look similar to those during their junior seasons. The stars were shining on EP in 2009 that wouldn’t have changed as Nick Leddy would have still been the states top player.

So we agree to disagree. Nice. Time for “What If #2”

Q: We watched Edina win a state title a year after they were the fashionable selection. Could it be possible that this could be Minnetonka’s year in 11?

DE: I’ll go first on this one Wags. Possible absolutely! Their section is beastly so the road they will travel will be a rough one. I love the fact that Derek Frawley’s 51 points are back. As a matter of fact, this edition of the Skippers will return many key cogs. Watch for Max Coatta to have a HUGE sophomore season to follow up his 24 goal, 24 assist opening act. I’ll give one final reason as to why I believe the Skippers will be in the conversation. That is head coach Brian Urick. I absolutely believe he is one of the best overall coaches in the state. He knows the game, is young which I believe allows him to relate better with his players.

Wags, the floor is yours.

PW: For Minnetonka to pull off a 2011 version of Edina in 2010 will be difficult. They will have to get through a section that is loaded once again. The Eden Prairie Eagles, Benilde-St. Margaret's Red Knights, and Wayzata Trojans all are legitimate contenders to win the brutally tough section 6AA. For the second straight season, the 6AA is the deepest and most difficult in High School Hockey making the journey even tougher. That does not rule the Skippers out yet, they will have to have a number of players step up and contribute that were underclassmen on the 3rd and 4th lines, in JV or transfers. With that said, for the Skippers to advance, they will have to have the likes of Derek Frawley lead this team. He is in position to have a monster season and will captivate the eyes of many a scout this season.

Time to wrap this version 1.0 of “What If” up Wags. Before we do, let’s give them one more into the future.

Q: As we gaze into the crystal ball, who is the favorite this season?

PW: The 2011 State Championship runs through Eden Prairie as they have the best player in the State with Kyle Rau and will be playing in the revised super conference known as the Lake that houses Edina, Hopkins, Minnetonka, and Wayata. That conference alone can't help but make a team better. Keep in mind, the core of this Eden Prairie Eagle team that won the 2009 State Title is still in tact and they were the team to beat in Pee Wees and Bantams. Of course history states that success at the youth level does not always translate, although, they already refuted that as a group hanging the 2009 banner in the rafters of the EP Community Center. Apple Valley is poised to make a legitimate run at the State Title this season and is considered to be a legitimate contender. One can not rule out Edina. Hill Murray is often not discussed until it is too obvious. They will be a deep team again with players