Class of ‘27
The class of ‘27 locally, I think, has some solid talent, but eyes nationally don’t seem as impressed. Only one class of ‘27 Minnesotan (Apple Valley goaltender Finley Engfer) made the last U.S. team for the World U18 Championships. As a returner from that team, Ms. Engfer moves straight to the Select 18 National Festival. Other players will have to go through the National 16/17 Camp for the chance to move on to the Festival. Here are the Minnesota ‘27s going to the 16/17 camp:
G Vivienne Anderson (Orono)
G Ilamay Draheim (South Central*)
G Kaia Weiland (Centennial)
D Fiona Gallagher (Maple Grove)
D Addy McLay (Hill-Murray)
D Libby Moe (Edina)
D Lauryn Murray (Eagan)
D Noelle Noble (Wayzata)
D Maisy Tomlinson (Maple Grove)
D Josie Virnig (Benilde)
F Hadley Bakker (Maple Grove)
F Jaycee Chatleain (Hill-Murray)
F Audrey Davis (Edina)
F Talla Hanson (Benilde)
F Sarah Johnson (Mounds View)
F Grace Laager (Centennial)
F Jayden Miller (Elk River)
F Emily Pohl (Hill-Murray)
F Bailey Rupp (Bemidji)
F June Semling (Champlin Park/Coon Rapids)
F Kayla Starr (Edina)
F Harper Wieneke (Maple Grove)
I think the forward group here is quite strong. Defense not quite as strong as a group. Goalies I’m not as sure about at this point. Who are the most likely to be future Gophers? I think Emily Pohl is certainly the strongest possibility.
*South Central is made up of Waseca High School, New Richland-H-E-G H.S. , Janesville-Waldorf-Pemberton High School , Waterville-Elysian-Morristown H.S. , Faribault High School , Randolph High School , Medford High School , Bethlehem Academy
2027-28 will be Clark's senior year and Hemp the Younger's junior year. I'm not sure if they'll grab a goalie in this class (although they will eventually need a practice goalie for 2026-27 with Johnson graduating).
It would be nice to grab Engfer though, local product with national team experience and the ideal size at 5'11".
2027-28 will be Clark's senior year and Hemp the Younger's junior year. I'm not sure if they'll grab a goalie in this class (although they will eventually need a practice goalie for 2026-27 with Johnson graduating).
It would be nice to grab Engfer though, local product with national team experience and the ideal size at 5'11".
Finley Engfer is headed to Providence.
First commitment of the new cycle: Sydney Stoughton, a forward from the Cincinnati area now playing at Lovell Academy in metro Boston. Made the US U18 team last year as a double underager.
Go Whalers.
A little more on Sydney Stoughton. At the time of January’s World U18 Tournament she was listed at 5’9”/160 on the U.S. site. She’s a left-handed shot. In 50 games last season for the Lovell Academy U16 team she put up a 31-27-58 line.
Here’s a little from an ARTICLE I had posted last January:
“Stoughton is a high-scoring forward from Mason, Ohio. Lonergan said Stoughton — whose grandfather played in the NHL — already possessed a “very elite shot” when she arrived as an eighth grader. Stoughton scored 50 goals in her first season. Additionally, she is very protective when possessing the puck and has been a captain during her time at Lovell.
At that age, when you have a shot like that and then the size and the body type for a national team, we knew that she was someone that if she worked on her skating, that she could be there immediately,” Lonergan said. “She completely changed her stride and her explosiveness and how she skated when she got to Lovell. That was kind of the big piece that she was hoping to work on when she got here and that's been the piece that got her to the national team.”
For the casual follower of women’s recruiting this is a short, introductory read on the top Canadian (and increasingly other) supplier of talent. Gopher goaltender Hannah Clark played in this league, as do future Gophers Maddie McCullough and Rachel Piggott. Seems fairly likely that one or two players from this recruiting cycle may come from there also.
“The Junior Hockey League Every PWHL Fan Should Start Following, Now”
@iceburg If Emily Pohl doesn't end up a Gopher we need to revoke Johnny and Krissy's alumni association membership. 😉
The list of 2027 recruits that the official Gopher account follows (besides Stoughton) is:
F's Talla Hansen (Benilde), Emily Pohl (Hill-Murray), Annabelle Lovell (Lovell Academy), and Adrianna Milani (Etobicoke)
D's Maggie Averill (Phillips Academy [MA]), Avery Jones (Nepean), Aurora Matt (Durham West), and Megan Mossey (Etobicoke)
We're not getting all of them, but we'll see how many end up committing.
I was recently informed by a GPLer that I'm related to Airey
Warroad by way of Minot, ND. 5'8". Rising senior. Youth Hockey Hub's goalie of the year (which King and Johnson have also won). With Johnson set to graduate, I imagine she'll be the third goalie behind Clark and Hemp.
A little background information from her page on a recruiting site:
Hello, my name is Payton Rolli and started playing hockey at age 4. I started playing the goaltender position at age 8. I grew up in Minot, ND and played boys hockey up thru Bantams. My last three years in youth hockey I played PeeWee A, Peewee AA, and Bantam AA. In continuing my development, my family moved to Warroad in June 2023. Last year, I was the starting goalie for Warroad girls high school team and won a state championship! I enjoy school with taking advanced level courses, and plan to start taking college level courses my junior year. I also play other sports during the school year including golf and volleyball. My goal is to continue playing hockey in college.
Time to update things:
2026
D Sloane Hartmetz (Shattuck) From Phoenixville, Pennsylvania
F Maddie McCullough (Durham West) From Newmarket, Ontario
F Rachel Piggott (Etobicoke) From Richmond Hill, Ontario
G Payton Rolli (Warroad)
D Katya Sander (Holy Family)
2027
F Sydney Stoughton (Lovell Academy) From Mason, Ohio
Warroad by way of Minot, ND. 5'8". Rising senior. Youth Hockey Hub's goalie of the year (which King and Johnson have also won). With Johnson set to graduate, I imagine she'll be the third goalie behind Clark and Hemp.
https://www.youthhockeyhub.com/news_article/show/1336327
The “USA Hockey” 16/17 national camp starts on Saturday. You can follow game results HERE. With the two birth years combined we range from class of ‘26 players that have already committed to class of ‘28 players that won’t be committing until next year. A lot of player information in the PROGRAM & SCOUT BOOK (scroll down to page 18). Players of interest include 
class of ‘26 commit Katya Sander (Orange Team) and probable ‘27 targets Emily Pohl (Purple Team) and Talla Hansen (Red Team). One thing I found interesting was Katya Sander lists her 2025-2026 team as “undecided”.
Also at the U19 camp for incoming college players: Avery Hovland is participating but Bella Fanale and Layla Hemp are not. I wonder if this means they'll be at the National Festival instead.
New recruit and it looks like it's for this year: Olivia Kortan, forward from Moorhead. 22-25-47 as a senior. Was initially slated to go to Concordia Moorhead.
Roster now sits at 14F-7D-3G.
New recruit and it looks like it's for this year: Olivia Kortan, forward from Moorhead. 22-25-47 as a senior. Was initially slated to go to Concordia Moorhead.
Roster now sits at 14F-7D-3G.
Probably kind of a fill out the roster move. Smaller player, I’ve seen her listed at 5’3” and 5’4”. Seen her play a bit, not an overwhelming talent, but a very good high school player.
Seems like a high character person. Was named the Class AA Herb Brooks Award winner.
……also in the same vein, a little more on Olivia in THIS ARTICLE.
Etobicoke has a solid recruiting year picking up class of ‘26 recruit Maddie McCullough (formerly Durham West) along with Eden Prairie native, wisconsin recruit, former Shattuck and Holy Family player Haley Box.
From “The Hockey News”: “Recruiting Class: Minnesota Adding Talent From All Directions”