Meet six high school boys hockey prospects in Minnesota pondering college commitments

Decision time looms for these elite puck chasers, some of whom made the 2024 Team USA Hlinka Gretzky Cup roster.

The Minnesota Star Tribune
September 24, 2024 at 12:00PM
Edina forward Mason West reaches for the puck against Chanhassen during the Class AA boys hockey state tournament March 9 at Xcel Energy Center. (Nicole Neri/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

Recent Division I college hockey commitments of 2024 Elk River graduate Cooper Anderson (Quinnipiac), Edina junior Sam Peckham (Cornell) and Rogers junior forward Cole Bumgarner (North Dakota) are sure to be followed by at least six top prospects expected to return to their Minnesota high school programs this winter.

In Minnesota, however, or any state that produces a lot of hockey talent, playing for a college program right after high school isn’t always the path taken. Most players stay in a juniors program until they age out at 20, or sooner, and then attend college.

Some Minnesota products have gone on to play in United States Hockey League, North American Hockey League and North American 3 Hockey League.

Decision time looms for these elite puck chasers, who previously made the 2024 Team USA Hlinka Gretzky Cup roster:

Carter Casey, junior goaltender, Grand Rapids

Ended his sophomore season at the Xcel Energy Center in the Class 2A state tournament. Season stats featured a 10-7 record, 2.42 goals against and 91% saves. No relation to former Grand Rapids and North Stars netminder Jon Casey.

Mason Moe, junior forward, Eden Prairie

Playing for the Madison Capitols of the U.S. Hockey League but expected to return and be one of Eden Prairie’s captains. As a sophomore last season, Moe led the Eagles with 23 goals and 40 points.

Mason West, junior forward, Edina

The defending Class 2A state tournament champs will be waiting on West to rejoin the hockey program once football season ends. The 6-foot-6, 200-pound West quarterbacked Edina on a surprise odyssey to the Class 6A Prep Bowl. He already has received a pair of college football offers from Kent State and Marshall. And he joined Casey and Moe on the 2024 Team U.S.A. Hlinka Gretzky Cup roster.

Cole Bumgarner of Rogers (Provided)

Also drawing interest from a national perspective are three Under-17 Select Team selections who stood out as last season:

Nate Celski, junior defenseman, White Bear Lake

Nathaniel Pederson, junior forward, Shakopee

Casey Vandertop, junior forward, Edina.

Celski and Vandertop skated at the state tournament in March. In August, the quartet helped the Yanks defeat Slovakia for the gold medal in the Under-17 Five Nations Tournament.

Hornets forward Casey Vandertop looks to pass during Edina's game against Chanhassen in the Class AA boys hockey tournament March 9 at Xcel Energy Center. (Nicole Neri/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

The list prospects in Minnesota is certainly deep. This past summer, eight Minnesota prospects were selected to the USA Hockey’s National Team Development Program’s under-17 team.

The NTDP is a two-year residency program for high-performance players located at USA Hockey Arena in Plymouth, Mich. The under-17 team plays in the U.S. Hockey League, the only Tier I junior hockey league in the United States, as well as against select competition in the North American Hockey League and Minnesota Elite League.

Meet the 2023-24 All-Metro boys hockey team

about the writer

David La Vaque

Reporter

David La Vaque is a high school sports reporter who has been the lead high school hockey writer for the Star Tribune since 2010. He is co-author of “Tourney Time,” a book about the history of Minnesota’s boys hockey state tournament published in 2020 and updated in 2024.

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