COLE CHRISTIAN ANDY LARSON

Duluth East Senior forward

Christian is the leading returning scorer for a revamped Greyhound squad, with 14 goals and 30 points last season. Duluth East struggled to just eight wins in 2021-22, but coach Steve Pitoscia believes the team will be much-improved this season. As always, Duluth East faces a brutal Section 7AA schedule that gives it few nights off. If they are to improve significantly on last season’s win total, Christian will be at the center of the Greyhounds’ resurgence.

Duluth Denfeld

Senior forward

Larson will lead the Hunters’ top line and was second on the team last season with 53 total points. A 2022 All-Area team member, Larson has great hockey sense and awareness across zones and is “just on the verge of becoming something really special,” according to Denfeld coach Dale Jago. If the Hunters are to advance to a fourthstraight section final, Larson will be a big part of the campaign.

Peterson, a senior captain for the Hawks, will be stepping into a top line that returns just one player from the state championship squad. Peterson finished the season with 10 goals and 12 assists, but Hermantown will need him to lead a defense that lost Beau Janzig and Ty Hanson. Coach Pat Andrews called him a “phenomenal defenseman” who will be important to the Hawks as they work to get back to the state tournament after arguably losing more talent than any team in the state.