Mr. Hockey award winner Justin Kloos of Lakeville South scored a state-best 103 points this season and 238 for his career. Photo by Helen Nelson
Justin Kloos
Lakeville South’s Justin Kloos was named Mr. Hockey on Sunday, March 11, capping a terrific season in which he scored a state-best 103 points, the 10th highest total in state history.
Kloos, who has committed to play at the University of Minnesota, received the award given annually to the state's top senior skater in an awards ceremony held at the RiverCentre in St. Paul.
The honor came a day after Kloos, a 5-foot-9, 167-pound senior, closed his career by scoring the winning goal and notching an assist in the Cougars’ 2-1 victory over Moorhead in the state Class 2A third-place game at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul.
He also scored a goal and added an assist in the unseeded Lakeville South's stunning 3-2 triumph over No. 1 seeded and No. 1 ranked Duluth East in Thursday's quarterfinals.
Kloos scored at least one point in every game this season but one, the exception being Lakeville South's 10-1 loss to eventual state champion Benilde-St. Margaret's in Friday's semifinals.
He finished his career with 238 points to rank 19th on the all-time scoring list.
The other finalists for the award were Will Merchant of Eagan, Grant Opperman of Breck, Judd Peterson of Duluth Marshall, Jake Randolph of Duluth East, Charlie Sampair of Hill-Murray, Eric Schurhamer of St. Thomas Academy, Jared Thomas of Hermantown, Dom Toninato of Duluth East and Michael Zajac of Eagan.
Michael Bitzer of Moorhead won the Frank Brimsek award given to the state's top senior goaltender. Kyle Koop of Maple Grove was the other finalist.
Bitzer played in all 30 games for the Spuds, posting a 22-8-0 record, 1.80 goals-against average and .933 save percentage.
YEAR | PLAYER | SCHOOL | POS. |
---|---|---|---|
2024 | Hagen Burrows | Minnetonka | F |
2023 | Jayson Shaugabay | Warroad | F |
2022 | Max Strand | Roseau | F |
2021 | Jack Peart | Grand Rapids | D |
2020 | Blake Biondi | Hermantown | C |
2019 | Bryce Brodzinski | Blaine | C |
2018 | Sammy Walker | Edina | C |
2017 | Casey Mittelstadt | Eden Prairie | C |
2016 | Riley Tufte | Blaine | LW |
2015 | Jake Jaremko | Elk River | F |
2014 | Avery Peterson | Grand Rapids | C |
2013 | Grant Besse | Benilde-St. Margaret's | LW |
2012 | Justin Kloos | Lakeville South | C |
2011 | Kyle Rau | Eden Prairie | C |
2010 | Nick Bjugstad | Blaine | C |
2009 | Nick Leddy | Eden Prairie | D |
2008 | Aaron Ness | Roseau | D |
2007 | Ryan McDonagh | Cretin-Derham Hall | D |
2006 | David Fischer | Apple Valley | D |
2005 | Brian Lee | Moorhead | D |
2004 | Tom Gorowski | Centennial | C |
2003 | Nate Dey | North St. Paul | F |
2002 | Gino Guyer | Greenway, Coleraine | C |
2001 | Marty Sertich | Roseville | C |
2000 | Paul Martin | Elk River | D |
1999 | Jeff Taffe | Hastings | C |
1998 | Johnny Pohl | Red Wing | C |
1997 | Aaron Miskovich | Grand Rapids | C |
1996 | Dave Spehar | Duluth East | F |
1995 | Erik Rasmussen | St. Louis Park | LW |
1994 | Mike Crowley | Bloomington Jefferson | D |
1993 | Nick Checco | Bloomington Jefferson | LW |
1992 | Brian Bonin | White Bear Lake | C |
1991 | Darby Hendrickson | Richfield | C |
1990 | Joe Dziedzic | Minneapolis Edison | LW |
1989 | Trent Klatt | Osseo | RW |
1988 | Larry Olimb | Warroad | C |
1987 | Kris Miller | Greenway, Coleraine | D |
1986 | George Pelawa | Bemidji | RW |
1985 | Tom Chorske | Minneapolis Southwest | LW |