Grand Rapids Thunderhawks
Head coach: Wade Chiodo, fourth season
Key departures: Sr. F Joey DelGreco (25-43—68); D Easton Young (13-37—50); F Kaden Nelson (19-30—49); Garrett Drotts (23-25—48); D Ren Morque (8-26—34); F Hayden DeMars (15-18—33); F Henry Sterle (8-12—20)
Returning starters: Sr. G Myles Gunderson (2.19 GAA, .899 save percentage); Sr. D Will Stauffer (6-16—22); Jr. D Bauer Murphy (3-11—14); Sr. F Kyle Henke (1-5—6); Sr. F Blayne Mortenson (5-10—15); Sr. F Hayden Davis (4-7—11); Jr. F Gus Drennen (1-4—5)
Outlook: The Thunderhawks were among the top Class AA teams in Minnesota 2021-22, but ran into eventual state champion Andover in the section championship game .
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Grand Rapids lost more than 300 points of offense this year, including Joey DelGreco, who scored at least one point in 26 of 28 games last season.
The Thunderhawks will be stout defensively with Myles Gunderson, Will Stauffer and Bauer Murphy all returning for coach Wade Chiodo. Gunderson, in particular, is among the top returning goaltenders in the state.
“Our goaltending and our defense is a big strength of our team,” Chiodo said. “We’ve got a lot of opportunity up front for guys to gain a position or a role on the team. It’ll be fun to see how that unravels as we go through the tryouts and into the beginning of the season.”
Chiodo isn’t concerned about the lost offensive production as he is about getting all the new players up to speed before the season kicks off against Duluth East Nov. 29.
“Our biggest challenge is going to be just getting everybody on the same page within our team,” Chiodo said. “We have some new faces and some folks are going to have some new roles on the team.”
GRAND RAPIDS
(home games in ALL CAPS)
Nov. 29 — DULUTH EAST, 7 p.m.
Dec. 1 — DULUTH MARSHALL, 7 p.m.
Dec. 3 — FOREST LAKE, 3 p.m.
Dec. 6 — at Proctor, 7 p.m.
Dec. 9 — ROSEAU, 7 p.m.
Dec. 10 — WARROAD, 2 p.m.
Dec. 15 — at Edina, 8 p.m.
Dec. 16 — Eden Prairie (@Edina), 6 p.m.
Dec. 17 — Elk River/Zimmerman (@Edina), 6 p.m.
Dec. 20 — at Cloquet-Esko-Carlton, 7 p.m.
Dec. 22 — DULUTH DENFELD, 7 p.m.
Dec. 28 — MINNETONKA, 2 p.m.
Jan. 6 — at Duluth East, 7:30 p.m.
Jan. 10 — SUPERIOR, 7 p.m.
Jan. 14 — at Moorhead, 6 p.m.
Jan. 17 — CLOQUET-ESKO-CARLTON, 7 p.m.
Jan. 20 — at White Bear Lake, 7 p.m.
Jan. 21 — at Hill-Murray, 2:15 p.m.
Jan. 24 — BRAINERD, 7 p.m.
Jan. 27 — at Maple Grove, 7 p.m.
Feb. 3 — at Andover, 7 p.m.
Feb. 4 — at Wayzata, 2:30 p.m.
Feb. 11 — BENILDE-ST. MARGARET’S, 2 p.m.
Feb. 14 — at Hermantown, 7 p.m.
RECORD: 20-7-1
Nov. 27 — HIBBING/CHISHOLM, W, 11-0
Nov. 30 — at Duluth East, W, 4-3
Dec. 2 — at Duluth Marshall, W, 12-0
Dec. 4 — FOREST LAKE, W, 6-2
Dec. 7 — PROCTOR, W, 7-0
Dec. 10 — at Roseau, L, 4-3
Dec. 11 — at Warroad, L, 4-3
Dec. 16 — at Edina, L, 5-1
Dec. 17 — Eden Prairie, W, 4-3
Dec. 18 — Elk River/Zimmerman, W, 6-3
Dec. 21 — CLOQUET-ESKO-CARLTON, W, 6-0
Dec. 29 — at Minnetonka, W, 3-0
Jan. 6 — DULUTH EAST, W, 6-2
Jan. 11 — at Superior, W, 7-0
Jan. 13 — at Duluth Denfeld, W, 8-1
Jan. 18 — at Cloquet-Esko-Carlton, W, 10-1
Jan. 21 — MOORHEAD, L, 5-4
Jan. 22 — HILL-MURRAY, T, 4-4
Jan. 25 — at Brainerd, W, 3-1
Jan. 28 — MAPLE GROVE, L, 8-4
Jan. 29 — WHITE BEAR LAKE, W, 9-2
Feb. 5 — WAYZATA, W, 5-3
Feb. 8 — ANDOVER, W, 2-1
Feb. 11 — ST. THOMAS ACADEMY, W, 3-2
Feb. 15 — HERMANTOWN, L, 3-2
Feb. 23 — DULUTH EAST, W, 6-1
Feb. 26 — Blaine, W, 9-1
March 3 — Andover, L, 3-1
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