0:56Blaine forward Riley Tufte received the Mr. Hockey award Sunday at the St. Paul RiverCentre. The award goes to the top senior skater in Minnesota.
Tufte, a projected first-round pick in the upcoming NHL draft, is a 6-5, 220-pound wing often compared to Nick Bjugstad, a budding star with the Florida Panthers. Both were tall, blonde forwards who wore No. 27 while at Blaine. The friends are both Mr. Hockey winners as well. Bjugstad got the award in 2010.
Tufte led the metro area this season with 49 goals, added 36 assists and relished taking a leadership role. A top scorer and model teammate, Tufte was previously named the Star Tribune Metro Player of the Year. He committed to Minnesota-Duluth.
In its 32nd year, the Mr. Hockey award is presented by the Minnesota Minute Men. The selection was made by a committee of NHL scouts and junior hockey scouts and coaches plus media members.
Tufte was chosen ahead of finalists Wyatt Aamodt (Hermantown), Chase Ellingson (Breck), Will Garin (Holy Family Catholic), Cade Gleekel (Benilde-St. Margaret's), Michael Graham (Eden Prairie), Tyler Jette (Farmington), Mitchell Mattson (Grand Rapids), Luke Notermann (Blaine) and Casey Staum (Hill-Murray).
Nick Althaus of St. Cloud Apollo won the Frank Brimsek Award, which honors the state's top senior goalie. The other finalist was River Alander of Duluth Denfeld.
