Might the Gophers have a first-round selection among its recruits in the 2021 NHL draft? If the preliminary list of players to watch from the NHL's Central Scouting Service is an indication, it could happen.
Chaz Lucius, who verbally committed to the Gophers as a 14-year-old in 2017, received an 'A' rating, indicative of a first-round draft candidate, in the Central Scouting list. A center playing for USA Hockey's National Team Development Program in Plymouth, Mich., Lucius had 31 goals and 19 assists in 46 games for the U.S. National Under-17 Team in 2019-20. That followed his 39-goal, 23-assist season in only 13 games for the Gentry Academy Under-15 AAA team in 2018-19.
Lucius is one of four players committed to the Gophers on the watch list. Receiving 'B' ratings as potential second- or third-round candidates were center Tristan Broz (Blake, Fargo of the USHL), left winger Matthew Knies (Phoenix, Tri-City of the USHL) and defenseman Luke Mittelstadt (Eden Prairie). Rosemount's Jake Ratzlaff, who has committed to the Gophers in hockey but is considering playing football at either Minnesota or Wisconsin, received a 'C' rating as a possible fourth- through sixth-round pick.
Rosemount's Luke Levandowski, a Wisconsin commit, also received a 'B' rating.
Minnesotans receiving 'C' ratings were: Cade Ahrenholz, Lakeville South (Colorado College commit); Jackson Blake, Eden Prairie (North Dakota); Kyle Kukkonen, Maple Grove (Michigan Tech); Griffin Ludtke, Lakeville South (Nebraska Omaha); Henry Nelson, Maple Grove (Notre Dame); Joe Palodichuk, Hill-Murray (Wisconsin); Landon Parker, East Grand Forks; Jack Peart, Grand Rapids (St. Cloud State); Joey Pierce, Hermantown (Minnesota Duluth); Jack Reimann, Blaine; and Bennett Schimek, Gentry Academy (Providence).
Women's evaluation camp in Blaine
The National Sports Center in Blaine is playing host to 53 of the nation's best women's hockey players in the U.S Women's National Team Evaluation Camp, an event that will be used as part of the selection process for the U.S. team that will play in the 2021 IIHF Women's World Championship from April 7-17 in Halifax and Truro, Nova Scotia.
The camp, which began Monday and runs through Saturday, includes 18 players from Minnesota, 14 members of the 2018 Olympic gold medal-winning team and 17 players from the 2019 world champions. Minnesotans from the 2018 Olympic team include forwards Hannah Brandt and Dani Cameranisi, defender Lee Stecklein and goalie Maddie Rooney.
