Section 7AA Preseason Prediction
| Team | Regular Season Wins in '10-'11 | More or Less Wins in '11-'12 | Section Rank |
| Duluth East | 19 | More | 1st |
| Grand Rapids | 21 | Less | 2nd |
| Elk River/Zimmerman | 11 | More | 3rd |
| Cloquet/Esko/Carlton | 16 | Less | 4th |
| Forest Lake | 9 | More | 5th |
| Andover | 8 | More | 6th |
| St. Michael-Albertville | 11 | More | 7th |
| St. Francis | 7 | More | 8th |
| Cambridge-Isanti | 11 | Less | 9th |
1. Duluth East
F Trevor Olson (12) - 55 pts (20g, 35a)F Jake Randolph (12) - 52 pts (25g, 27a)
F Dom Toninato (12) - 51 pts (24g, 27a)
- The Hounds have almost everyone back from their runner-up finish to Eden Prairie in the Class AA state tournament. It was the best state tournament title game that I have ever seen.
- Duluth East returns 110 of 128 regular season goals from last season.
- Goaltender Jo Jo Jeanetta graduated but Paige Skoog transferred in from Forest Lake and goaltender Dylan Parker played in the Upper Midwest High School Elite League and did well.
2. Grand Rapids
F Travis Underwood (12) - 47 pts (17g, 30a)
F Nate Mondry (12) - 34 pts (20g, 14a)
D Jake Bischoff (11) - 23 pts (5g, 18a)
- The Thunderhawks are returning after a heartbreaking loss to Duluth East in the Section 7AA championship game last season, 2-1 in overtime.
- Grand Rapids returns 57% of their goal scoring during the regular season, 79 of 138 goals.
- Goaltender Dom DeGuiseppi graduated. A new puck-stopping technician will need to step up.
3. Elk River/Zimmerman
G Anders Franke (12) - 10 wins, 2.78 GAA, .898 save percentage
F Mitch Kierstad (12) - 24 pts (12g, 12a)
D Nick McCormack (12) - 20 pts (9g, 11a)
- I like the overall depth that the Elks are returning.
- They were not a great scoring team last season. They will need to improve on last year's 3.48 goals per game.
- The defense was pretty solid last season and should be again.
- Anders Franke is the center point of this team.
- If Franke has another solid season, the defense is better than last year, and the Elks can average over 4 goals per game, I think they should see over 14 wins during the regular season.
4. Cloquet/Esko/Carlton
F Karson Kuhlman (10) - 50 pts (16g, 34a)
F Adam Hanson (12) - 21 pts (12g, 9a)
F Beau Michaud (11) - 15 pts (8g, 7a)
- After Kuhlman, Hanson, and Michaud, the Lumberjacks only have two other players returning that scored goals.
- The defense returns five with experience, Max Reinertsen, Justin Hammann, Drew Dincau, Tanner Robideaux, and Eric Peterson.
- Senior John Scheuer should be fine in goal. He had 7 wins, 3.09 GAA, .890 save percentage and he was not the starter.
- Cloquet/Esko/Carlton should be decent but I do not expect them to exceed last year's 16 regular season wins.
5. Forest Lake
F Lucas Kohls (12) - 39 pts (15g, 24a)
F CJ Franklin (12) - 33 pts (23g, 10a)
F Tommy Tyson (12) - 21 pts (10g, 11a)
- I really like Kohls-Franklin-Tyson and they alone should help guide this team to a top-five finish in the Section.
- The Rangers do not have much depth in scoring or defense.
- A new goaltender will take over with Paige Skoog transferring to Duluth East.
- The Rangers do not have much depth in scoring or defense.
- A new goaltender will take over with Paige Skoog transferring to Duluth East.
6. Andover
G Chase Perry (10) - 4 wins, 3.70 GAA, .895 save percentage
F Davis Tollette (12) - 22 pts (4g, 18a)
F Nick Manney (11) - 16 pts (5g, 11a)
- The Huskies will need to find more scoring. Perry will be one of the best goaltenders in the Section.
7. St. Michael-Albertville
F Jake Larson (12) - 44 pts (26g, 18a)
F Jordan Norton (12) - 28 pts (12g, 16a)
F Jon Gibbs (11) - 22 pts (10g, 12a)
- This is the first year in Class AA for the Knights.
- St. Michael-Albertville should be at or towards the top in the Mississippi 8 Conference.
- Jake Larson should have another great season.
- I am looking forward to the Knights' meeting with Forest Lake on December 6th to get a better indication of where this team might be.
- St. Michael-Albertville should be at or towards the top in the Mississippi 8 Conference.
- Jake Larson should have another great season.
- I am looking forward to the Knights' meeting with Forest Lake on December 6th to get a better indication of where this team might be.
8. St. Francis
D Zach Foesch (11) - 28 pts (11g, 17a)
F Cameron Kaehler (11) - 28 pts (18g, 10a)
F Ryan Mohar (11) -24 pts (7g, 17a) - transfer from North Branch
- The Saints were a very young team last season so they will have most of their team back.
- St. Francis will have to vastly improve on their three goals per game and they cannot give up 5.92 goals per game again if want to be competitive in the Section.
- St. Francis will have to vastly improve on their three goals per game and they cannot give up 5.92 goals per game again if want to be competitive in the Section.
9. Cambridge-Isanti
F Jordan Locken (12) - 29 pts (9g, 20a)
D Sam Renier (12) - 21 pts (3g, 18a)
D Ryan Epsen (12) - 16 pts (3g, 13a)
- The Bluejackets lost more to graduation than St. Francis and they will have a new goaltender. Like St. Francis, they need better defense and better goaltending.
