Sawyer Fleming, from Rochester, is arguably the top in-state forward prospect for the class of ‘25. It seems like it might be between
and Ohio State (where Older sister Delaney is a freshman) with Harvard possibly in the race also.
And it’s Ohio State
Time to update links for the coming season. Links for Minnesota high school players will be available around November 9th.
2024
G Hannah Clark (Etobicoke) From Oshawa, Ontario
F Kendra Distad (Minnetonka)
D Gracie Graham (Rink Hockey Academy-Kelowna) From Kelowna, British Columbia
D Carly Humphry (Elk River)
D Kate Kosobud (Moorhead)
F Ayla Puppe (Northfield)
2025
G Layla Hemp (Minnetonka) Sister of current Gophers Payton and Josie Hemp
D Kate Manness (Burlington) From La Salle, Manitoba
F Sara Manness (Burlington) From La Salle, Manitoba
Got a new one.
https://twitter.com/NicoleHaase/status/1706461042157420561?t=k3YBvv2anSWczyGwt21qGw&s=19
First New Yorker on the women's team since Lyndsay Wall, who is also from the Rochester area.
Nice pick up. She’s from the Rochester, New York area. Made the U.S. u18 team last year as an under age. Plays now at Selects Academy who will be in town the weekend of October 20th for the Girl’s Elite League end of the year tournament. Phenomenal all around athlete growing up.
https://www.roccitymag.com/news-opinion/rochester-10-bella-fanale-11203202
I’ve seen a little of Bella, but too small of a sample size to form a strong opinion. “USA Hockey” measured her at 5’5”/160 at the Select 18 Camp this summer and looking at comments on her Instagram page it looks like her nickname is “Tank”, possibly giving us some hints as to her playing style?
2024
G Hannah Clark (Etobicoke) From Oshawa, Ontario
F Kendra Distad (Minnetonka)
D Gracie Graham (Rink Hockey Academy-Kelowna) From Kelowna, British Columbia
D Carly Humphry (Elk River)
D Kate Kosobud (Moorhead)
F Ayla Puppe (Northfield)
2025
F Bella Fanale (Selects Academy) From Webster, New York
G Layla Hemp (Minnetonka) Sister of current Gophers Peyton and Josie Hemp
D Kate Manness (Burlington) From La Salle, Manitoba
F Sara Manness (Burlington) From La Salle, Manitoba
- Of the other players mentioned in the article, keep an eye on Philly Jr. Flyers 19u forward Ava Thomas.
Thomas to Boston College
Not sure what to make of this
https://twitter.com/YouthHockeyHub/status/1710340805494235149?s=20
New commitment from forward Tereza Plosova of Djurgardens in Sweden, who played at Worlds for Czechia last year. Native of Liberec, Czechia. Probably due to come to campus in 2025.
Of note, of the five 2025 commits, only Layla Hemp is from Minnesota.
Does anyone that plays for South St. Paul actually live in South St. Paul? I personally know 2 that live in Woodbury who got recruited by Palmquist (errr... "open enrolled") to play hockey. They don't even have a girls youth program after 8U anymore. Does nobody care about the recruiting because they're Class A?https://twitter.com/TheRinkLive/status/1707472001529471249?s=20
The Plosová thing seemed to come together very quickly. She’s a taller girl (5’9”) and highly regarded (although not as highly as fellow Czech Adela Sapovalivova who is heading to Wisconsin). Both mentioned in a “Hockey News” article I posted a while back.
Top 10 U-18 Women's Players In The World
As far as lack of Minnesota products, I think recent Ohio State decommit Sawyer Fleming might be a possibility if they bring another forward. Other than that waiting on the decision of a defender who would put this seemingly very solid class over the top. I say “seemingly” because I haven’t had the chance see most of these girls much yet.
The Plosová girl is #22 in this clip
https://twitter.com/IIHFHockey/status/1612421050314416128?s=20
2024
G Hannah Clark (Etobicoke) From Oshawa, Ontario
F Kendra Distad (Minnetonka)
D Gracie Graham (Rink Hockey Academy-Kelowna) From Kelowna, British Columbia
D Carly Humphry (Elk River)
D Kate Kosobud (Moorhead)
F Ayla Puppe (Northfield)
2025
F Bella Fanale (Selects Academy) From Webster, New York
G Layla Hemp (Minnetonka) Sister of current Gophers Peyton and Josie Hemp
D Kate Manness (Burlington) From La Salle, Manitoba
F Sara Manness (Burlington) From La Salle, Manitoba
F Tereza Plosová (Djurgårdens IF) From Liberec, Czechia
Another U18 camp for “USA Hockey” at the end of October. They haven’t done this in the past, but probably a response to the rough results from the three game series with Canada in late August. Camp is at the Super Rink.
The “Tradition NIT” tournament is this coming weekend (Friday, Saturday and Sunday). It is the Girl’s Elite League end of the year showcase. Top teams from around the U.S.A. and Canada will be at the Super Rink and Fogerty Arena (FULL SCHEDULE). Really a great event if that sort of thing is your cup of tea.
recruits involved:
Empowers Performance (Kendra Distad, Ayla Puppe, Carly Humphrey, Layla Hemp*)
- Friday, 2:20 p.m. vs. BK Selects, Super Rink #2
- Saturday, 10:40 a.m. vs. Pittsburgh Penguins Elite, Super Rink #1
- Saturday, 7:20 p.m. vs. NAHA, Super Rink #2
- Sunday, 10:00 a.m. vs. Chicago Mission, Super Rink #4
- Sunday, 1:30 p.m. vs. Stanstead College, Fogerty North
BK Selects 19u (Bella Fanale)
- Friday, 2:20 p.m. vs. Empowers Performance, Super Rink #2
- Saturday, 9:20 a.m. vs. Chicago Mission, Super Rink #6
- Saturday, 7:00 p.m. vs. Shattuck (prep team), Super Rink #1
- Sunday, 8:20 a.m. vs. RHA Kelowna, Super Rink #2
RHA Kelowna (Gracie Graham)
- Friday, 12:40 p.m. vs. Shattuck (prep team), Super Rink #4
- Saturday, 9:00 a.m. vs. NAHA, Super Rink #5
- Saturday, 5:40 p.m. vs. Pittsburgh Penguins Elite, Super Rink #4
- Sunday, 8:20 a.m. vs. BK Selects, Super Rink #2
- Sunday, 2:40 p.m. vs. Tradition Mortgage, Fogerty South
* Layla hasn’t been at a game for a couple weeks, possibly injured?
Forgot one recruit in my previous post.
Northern Elite U19 (Kate Kosobud)
- Friday, 12:40 p.m. vs. Lovell Academy, Super Rink #6
- Friday, 7:00 p.m. vs. Northern Alberta Xtreme, Super Rink #3
- Saturday, 2:20 p.m. vs. Notre Dame Hounds, Super Rink #2
- Sunday, 8:00 a.m. vs. Ironbound Elite, Super Rink #1
The staff picks up a commitment from suburban Montreal (Pointe-Claire, Quebec*) forward Sienna D’Alessandro for the class of 2025. Sienna is playing this year at John Abbott College (a prep school in suburban Montreal) after playing boys hockey in the Lac St-Louis Lions program coming up.
Sienna is a left handed shot and was measured by “Hockey Canada” at 5’7” / 181.
* not to be confused with Planet Claire
Updated list with the new commitment.
2024
G Hannah Clark (Etobicoke) From Oshawa, Ontario
F Kendra Distad (Minnetonka)
D Gracie Graham (Rink Hockey Academy-Kelowna) From Kelowna, British Columbia
D Carly Humphry (Elk River)
D Kate Kosobud (Moorhead)
F Ayla Puppe (Northfield)
2025
F Sienna D’Alessandro (John Abbott College) From Pointe-Claire, Quebec
F Bella Fanale (Selects Academy) From Webster, New York
G Layla Hemp (Minnetonka) Sister of current Gophers Peyton and Josie Hemp
D Kate Manness (Burlington) From La Salle, Manitoba
F Sara Manness (Burlington) From La Salle, Manitoba
F Tereza Plosová (Djurgårdens IF) From Liberec, Czechia
I’m not certain that Sienna D’Alessandro might not be a ‘24 recruit. She is a January 2006 birthday which is a little old for a class of ‘25. The roster on the John Abbott site didn’t offer much help, but a roster I found for the recent Stoney Creek showcase did list her as a ‘25 grad. It’s not unusual for Quebec recruits to come in a year later so ‘25 is likely correct.
I'm not saying that Minnesota recruits are always the top for any class, but not having any in the pipeline past Layla Hemp...?
I'm not saying that Minnesota recruits are always the top for any class, but not having any in the pipeline past Layla Hemp...?
I’m as provincial as they come, and I think this ‘25 class locally is solid, but the truth is only two in state players in that class (Hemp and Andover’s Mackenzie Jones) were deemed good enough by the powers that be to play for the U.S. team in late August. And that team got their butts kicked by Canada. So either the class isn’t as good as I thought, or USA Hockey has scouting issues. I’m not smart enough to answer that question. I do believe the staff is seeing the recruiting has been falling behind the Wisconsins and Ohio States of the world and is trying to step it up. Time will tell if they are succeeding.
Updated list with the new commitment.
2024G Hannah Clark (Etobicoke) From Oshawa, Ontario
F Kendra Distad (Minnetonka)
D Gracie Graham (Rink Hockey Academy-Kelowna) From Kelowna, British Columbia
D Carly Humphry (Elk River)
D Kate Kosobud (Moorhead)
F Ayla Puppe (Northfield)
2025
F Sienna D’Alessandro (John Abbott College) From Pointe-Claire, Quebec
F Bella Fanale (Selects Academy) From Webster, New York
G Layla Hemp (Minnetonka) Sister of current Gophers Peyton and Josie Hemp
D Kate Manness (Burlington) From La Salle, Manitoba
F Sara Manness (Burlington) From La Salle, Manitoba
F Tereza Plosová (Djurgårdens IF) From Liberec, Czechia
I’m not certain that Sienna D’Alessandro might not be a ‘24 recruit. She is a January 2006 birthday which is a little old for a class of ‘25. The roster on the John Abbott site didn’t offer much help, but a roster I found for the recent Stoney Creek showcase did list her as a ‘25 grad. It’s not unusual for Quebec recruits to come in a year later so ‘25 is likely correct.
Quebecers usually do an extra year of high school.
The Elite League NIT tournament over the weekend was fantastic. As I told a friend, it’s like Christmas morning for me. Winnie and staff do a great job in putting on an event of this size. If they had some type of program for sale, I’d have nothing to complain about. The staff was out in force for the entire weekend as was pretty much every program in the country.
As for future Gophers that I don’t get to see all the time, Gracie Graham (class of ‘24 from Rink Academy-Kelowna) is a big strong defender who has a really nice over all game. Her skating, which I thought was fine last year, has improved to where it is a real strength. Should step in and be a real contributor from the start.
Bella Fanale (class of ‘25 from Selects Academy) is a shorter (5’5”), but solidly built forward. Her nickname of “Tank” is very applicable. For those familiar with Stillwater’s Josie St. Martin’s game, give her a couple of inches in height, and a little more speed and you’re probably pretty close to knowing how Bella plays.
The two uncommitted players that have all the coaches salivating are Rink Academy’s defender Chloe Primerano (class of ‘25) and Select Academy’s forward Nela Lopušanová (class of ‘26).
Does anyone that plays for South St. Paul actually live in South St. Paul? I personally know 2 that live in Woodbury who got recruited by Palmquist (errr... "open enrolled") to play hockey. They don't even have a girls youth program after 8U anymore. Does nobody care about the recruiting because they're Class A?
Ya, that's messed up.
Nice job with the diacritics ?The two uncommitted players that have all the coaches salivating are Rink Academy’s defender Chloe Primerano (class of ‘25) and Select Academy’s forward Nela Lopušanová (class of ‘26).
With more ?? prospects in the pipeline than usual, there is more reason to keep an eye on the 2023 NATIONAL WOMEN'S UNDER-18 CHAMPIONSHIP which kicks off on Sunday and runs through November 11th in Dawson Creek, British Columbia. Future taking part are Hannah Clark (Ontario Red), Gracie Graham (British Columbia), Sara Manness (Manitoba) and Kate Manness (Manitoba). Surprisingly, the most recent commit, Sienna D’Alessandro is not on the Quebec roster (injury?).
“Hockey Canada” is usually good with free streaming with these type of events, but I haven’t found any evidence of that for this event yet.
More here ? Team-By-Team Preview: Canadian U-18 National Championships
That’s the one we’ve been waiting on. Best player they’ve brought in since Murphy. A Cooley level commitment.
So, home from the women’s game.
Chloe Primerano: 5’8”/134 left handed shooting defender from North Vancouver, British Columbia. Electrifying, effortless skater. Excellent puck handler. Kind of a Mike Reilly type player. First female to be drafted by one of the three major junior leagues in Canada. Teammate of Gopher commit Gracie Graham at Rink Academy-Kelowna. Will play for British Columbia in the Canadian U18 national championships starting on Sunday.
I’ll link a few articles here
Chloe Primerano on being first-ever female to be selected in WHL Bantam Draft
Pioneering Primerano impresses Vancouver Giants brass on first day of camp
GIANTS GET ‘PRIME’ DELIVERY WITH SELECTION OF CHLOE PRIMERANO
Meet Canada's Next Phenom: Chloe Primerano
I think this likely finishes the class for 2025. Should have links for the local high school players by this time next week.
2024
G Hannah Clark (Etobicoke) From Oshawa, Ontario
F Kendra Distad (Minnetonka)
D Gracie Graham (Rink Hockey Academy-Kelowna) From Kelowna, British Columbia
D Carly Humphrey (Elk River)
D Kate Kosobud (Moorhead)
F Ayla Puppe (Northfield)
2025
F Sienna D’Alessandro (John Abbott College) From Pointe-Claire, Quebec
F Bella Fanale (Selects Academy) From Webster, New York
G Layla Hemp (Minnetonka) Sister of current Gophers Peyton and Josie Hemp
D Kate Manness (Burlington) From La Salle, Manitoba
F Sara Manness (Burlington) From La Salle, Manitoba
F Tereza Plosová (Djurgårdens IF) From Liberec, Czechia
D Chloe Primerano (Rink Hockey Academy-Kelowna) From North Vancouver, British Columbia
“Hockey Canada” is usually good with free streaming with these type of events, but I haven’t found any evidence of that for this event yet.
”Hockey Canada” has come through with the streaming, but not free.
Watch preliminary-round action from the 2023 National Women’s Under-18 Championship from Ovintiv Events Centre in Dawson Creek, BC.
All preliminary, quarter final, semifinal and placement games are available on a pay-per-view basis. Bronze and Gold Medal games can be viewed on TSN/RDS. Purchase this game and others here.
Surprisingly, the most recent commit, Sienna D’Alessandro is not on the Quebec roster (injury?)
Seems this must be a typo, as Ms. D’Alessandro is not only on the team, but is TEAM CAPTAIN.
So, the updated list for participants in the ?? 2023 NATIONAL WOMEN'S UNDER-18 CHAMPIONSHIP
Hannah Clark (Ontario Red)
Sienna D’Alessandro (Quebec)
Gracie Graham (British Columbia)
Sara Manness (Manitoba)
Kate Manness (Manitoba)
Chloe Primerano (British Columbia)
Grand Rapid’s Mercury Bischoff, who we’ve discussed here a bit, heading to Mankato.
Any relation to Jake?
I believe they are brother and sister.
Tact is the ability to step on a man's toes without messing up the shine on his shoes - Harry S Truman
Grand Rapid’s Mercury Bischoff, who we’ve discussed here a bit, heading to Mankato.
Any relation to Jake?
They are not brother and sister. Likely cousins, but not 100% sure on that even. Jake’s father is former Gopher Grant Bischoff. Mercury’s father’s name is Don.
Correct. She does have a brother at Augustana, though. Hunter Bischoff.
https://twitter.com/YouthHockeyHub/status/1721602011508941256?s=20
Lainey is the younger sister of forwards Ava and Sadie Lindsay.
Would that be considered a rebuild? ?
https://twitter.com/usahockey/status/1721935601547583923
Future Gophers Kendra Distad, Bella Fanale, and Layla Hemp (2nd time around for all) make the US U18 team.
Uncommitted players: Gorbatenko (2025), C. Averill, Box, Dilbone (2026), Derrenbacher, M. Averill (2027).
USA Hockey: 2024 U.S. Under-18 Women’s National Team Roster Announced
The Rink Live: Skaters from Minnesota, Massachusetts make up majority of U18 USA roster
The Hockey News: USA Announces U-18 World Championships Roster
Northfield’s Ayla Puppe signs with 
https://twitter.com/AdNorthfield/status/1722271414907253122?s=20
Kendra Distad signs
https://twitter.com/cleetweet10/status/1722249620741619722?s=20
Just waiting on the two Canadians now.
Nice words for the class of ‘25 commit from the Winnipeg area.
Manness Was Magic For Manitoba
https://twitter.com/TheHockeyNewsW/status/1722664709726335445?s=20
…….later, same game, different team and different recruit.
https://twitter.com/TheHockeyNewsW/status/1722681327072203121?s=20
Despite the ?previously posted play, Quebec storms back for a 7-3 victory behind commit Sienna D'Alessandro’s five point (3g, 2a) game. Quebec vs. Ontario Red (with future goalie Hannah Clark) tomorrow for the gold medal.
Looking at the STATS for the ?? U18 Championships. With just today’s gold and bronze medal games left to play, three players are leading the tournament with five goals scored. All three (Sara Manness, Sienna D’Alessandro & Chloe Primerano) are 
commits.