Krause Nominated As Mr. Hockey Finalist

Feb 11

Wes Vork-NSO

Adam Krause of Hermantown has been nominated as one of ten Mr. Hockey finalists for 2010. Krause, a senior for the Hermantown Hawks, leads the Lake Superior Conference in goals and assists with 29 goals and 24 assists for 53 total points.

The Mr. Hockey award is given to an outstanding senior high school hockey player in the state of Minnesota and is selected by a panel of National Hockey League scouts, Division One coaches and selected media members from around the state. The award will be announced at the 26th annual Mr. Hockey Awards Banquet, which is to be held on Sunday, March 14th at RiverCentre in St. Paul. This follows the Minnesota Boys High School Hockey Tournament, which runs March 10-13.

Joining Krause as finalists for the 26th annual award are: Mark Alt (Cretin-Derham Hall), Joey Benik (Saint Francis), Nick Bjugstad (Blaine), Cal Decowski (Andover), Max Gardiner (Minnetonka), Caleb Herbert (Bloomington Jefferson), Justin Holl (Minnetonka), Christian Isackson (Saint Thomas Academy) and Brock Nelson (Warroad).

Krause is the first to represent Hermantown High School since B.J. Radovich was nominated in 2002. The Northland was represented by Max Tardy of Duluth East in 2009 and Justin Jokinen in 2008. The last area player to win the award was Dave Spehar of Duluth East in 1995.

Other awards given out at the banquet are the Frank Brimsek Award (given to Minnesota’s top goaltender), the John Mariucci Award (given to the high school coaches of the year in Class A and AA) ,as well as the Cliff Thompson Award (given to the Old Timer Coach of the year).

This year’s Frank Brimsek Award winner is Zane Gothberg of Thief River Falls. In the last ten years, CEC goalies have represented the area well, winning the award three times. It was won by Reid Ellingson in 2007, Josh Johnson in 2002 and Adam Laaksonen in 1999.

The Frank Brimsek Award is named after Brimsek of Eveleth, who, as a rookie in 1939, posted 10 shutouts in helping the Boston Bruins win the Stanley Cup while winning the Calder Memorial Trophy as NHL Rookie of the Year along the way. Brimsek was enshrined in the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1966, the first American to do so.

Wes Vork can be reached at wes@northlandsportsonline.com