I used three categories from the stats available via Point Streak, the Star Tribune, and some online newspapers to rank the best defenses in Class A. I ranked the Top 20 teams and teams 'on watch' only from the FollowThePuck.com Class A rankings. If you'd like me to work on another team to see how they would compare to the Top 20, email me and I'll figure it out for you.
As a disclaimer, this is NOT an exact science, some Class A teams play a weaker schedule, and it is VERY early in the season. I'll keep track of this throughout the season and give updates throughout to compare.
Remember, this is DEFENSE/GOALTENDERS COMBINED ONLY. I am going to work on a similar system with each offense and rank them as well. After that is done, I'll combine the two and see how the rankings would look simply from the stats so far this season.
Top Defenses/Goaltenders: Class A
| 1 | Warroad (missing info vs. Greenway) |
| 2 | Thief River Falls |
| 3 | St. Thomas Academy |
| 4 | Hermantown |
| 5 | Alexandria |
| 6 | Rochester Lourdes |
| 7 | Duluth Denfeld |
| 8 | Breck School |
| 9 | Mahtomedi |
| 10 | Red Wing |
| 11 | Little Falls |
| 12 | Hutchinson |
| 13 | South St. Paul |
| 14 | Totino-Grace |
| 15 | Mankato West |
| 16 | Virginia/Mountain Iron-Buhl |
| 17 | Albert Lea |
| 18 | St. Cloud Cathedral |
| 19 | Mound-Westonka |
| 20 | International Falls |
| 21 | Duluth Marshall |
| 22 | Hibbing/Chisholm |
| 23 | East Grand Forks |
| 24 | Bemidji |
| 25 | Orono |
| 26 | New Prague |
Warroad led two of three categories and third in the other. Thief River Falls led one category, second and seventh in the other two. Top-ranked Little Falls 11th, 12th, and 12th in all three categories.
