Hermantown's Blake Biondi chosen Minnesota's Mr. Hockey

Hermantown senior Blake Biondi took the podium as the freshly-minted Mr. Hockey Award winner Sunday afternoon and told his teammates, "Without you guys, I'd obviously have nothing."

The gathered Hawks players felt the same about Biondi, the catalyst of a Hermantown team that finished an overtime goal short of the Class 1A state championship. He scored 47 goals and added 48 assists for 95 points.

"He takes games over with his physicality," Hawks coach Patrick Andrews said. "He uses his body so well in the way he initiates contact and protects the puck. Away from the play, his mind for the game really comes through. He is on all the time."

Biondi also learned the subtleties of what it takes to be an effective captain and grew into a leader.

"With his maturity as a player from his sophomore season through his senior season, it dramatically changes the expectations we have from him and even our conversations," Andrews said. "This year, it was like he was a coach on the bench."

Pushing and shoving and a few tackles to the ice after the first period of Friday's state tournament semifinal against St. Cloud Cathedral led to a combined 11 penalties called on the teams.

Andrews said that while he talked with referees for about 10 minutes to sort out the aftermath, "Blake was in the locker room, and my assistant coach said that Blake was just saying, 'Everybody just breathe. We had a great first period. Let's refocus and keep playing our game in the second period.' That's a leader."

"During all those TV timeouts at the state tournament — the kids don't want to keep hearing from us," Andrews said. "But Blake was talking them through things."

Biondi, who is committed to Minnesota Duluth, is the first Mr. Hockey Award winner from greater Minnesota since 2014, when Avery Peterson of Grand Rapids was chosen.

The other finalists were Jake Boltmann (Edina), Star Tribune Metro Player of the Year Matthew Gleason (Cretin-Derham Hall), Luke Gramer (Moorhead), Wyatt Kaiser (Andover), Blake Perbix (St. Cloud Cathedral), Carsen Richels (Blaine), Nate Schweitzer (Benilde-St. Margaret')s, Grant Slukynsky (Warroad) and Ben Steeves (Eden Prairie).

Hudson Hodges of Moorhead won the Frank Brimsek Award, which recognizes Minnesota's top senior goaltender. The other finalists were Carter Clafton (Grand Rapids) and Remington Keopple (Hill-Murray).

Hodges, undecided on his college plans, went 19-7-1 this season with a 2.08 goals-against average and a .922 saves percentage and four shutouts. He was the Spuds' rock in goal and helped them reach the Class 2A state tournament.

"We nerd it up all the time," Andrews said. "I'm going to miss seeing him at the rink."

Biondi said: "We're going to keep sending stuff to each other. That relationship isn't ending."

The 10 Mr. Hockey finalists for the Mr. Hockey Award, founded in 1985, and the three finalists for the Frank Brimsek Award are selected by a group of National Hockey League scouts, Junior scouts, coaches and media members.