sailor. mnsun. com Lake Conference Hockey • Thursday, December 11, 2025 Page 19
EDINA HORNETS BOYS HOCKEY
Lake Conference Hockey
Key seniors organize underclassmen for new season
JOHN SHERMAN john. sherman @ apgecm. com
Through a combination of circumstances, and possibly a Domino effect, as well, the Edina High boys hockey team opened the 2025-26 season without any of the top four scorers from last season’ s State Class AA Tournament squad.
The most unusual thing about the situation is that none of the top four scorers graduated last spring. They could have come back but, instead, chose other hockey options this season. In leaving, those players took 71 goals with them from last year’ s 22-7-2 team.
If there is a silver lining for coach Curt Giles and the Hornets, it is that the next six scorers who played on last year’ s team are all back. Those players accounted for 41 goals last season, which is about the average number a Lake Conference team brings back.
Three of those players – senior defenseman Sam Peckham and senior forwards Tucker Johnson and Brady Peterson – talked about the challenges Edina faces following a recent 4-3 loss to Maple Grove in the Turkey Trot at Plymouth Ice Center.
“ The Edina program has high standards no matter who we have,” Peckham said to open the discussion.“ I really like our defensive corps. We want everyone on the team to
( SUN PHOTO BY JOHN SHERMAN)
Three key seniors for the Edina High boys hockey team are, from left to right: Brady Peterson, Sam Peckham and Tucker Johnson.
have a defense-first mentality.”
The way that Giles teaches the game will almost guarantee a strong defensive presence every game.
“ It’ s early, but you can see that we have a group of skilled, smart defensemen,” Peckham said.
In addition to starring as a defensive stopped, Peckham, who made All- Lake Conference last season, was a 25-point man in the offensive scheme with three goals and 22 assists.
Tucker Johnson, the top returning Hornet scorer, was also assist-minded last season. He put eight pucks in the net and added 21 assists for 29 points. Peterson, a strong two-way forward, had 15 points on four goals and 11 assists.
Other returning point producers from last season’ s top 10 are junior forward Bode McConnell( 16-3-19), senior forward Alex White( 7-12-19) and sophomore defenseman Becker Wenkus( 3-10-13).
“ We have a lot of young guys,” Johnson said.“ It was fun to be part of a core group who made it to state last year. My high school hockey career has gone by fast.”
“ When I was growing up in youth hockey, I always dreamed of being out here,” Peterson said.“ I looked up to the captains and saw how they were leaders on and off the ice – with Hornet pride, maturity and good sportsmanship.”
With the four leading scorers gone from last year’ s team, Edina’ s seniors don’ t see a bare cupboard. They see potential.
“ I remember how proud I was to wear the Hornet uniform the first game of my sophomore year,” Peckham said.“ I want to win state this year. We will work to get better each day.”
“ We are working on the system and getting our passing down,” Peterson said.
Johnson affirmed that the team goal is to“ win state.”
There are games on the schedule that Edina players circle every year. They include two games against Wayzata, two against Minnetonka and two against Eden Prairie.
Last season’ s Edina-Eden Prairie games were front and center as the two teams tied for the Lake Conference championship with 7-1-2 records. For one of the rare times in recent years, Edina scored two wins over arch rival Minnetonka.
“ Every single year, we
MEET THE
Hornets
1 – Senior goalie Chase Bjorgaard 2 – Senior defenseman Brady Mullmann 3 – Junior defenseman Drew Botts 4 – Sophomore forward Randy Dunn 5 – Senior defenseman Dylan Dubuc 6 – Sophomore forward Nash Paine 7 – Senior defenseman Sam Peckham 8 – Senior forward Tucker Johnson 9 – Sophomore forward Dylan Donnay 10 – Junior forward Bode McConnell 12 – Senior forward Alex White 11 – Junior forward Patrick Minotti 14 – Sophomore defenseman Becker Wenkus 15 – Sophomore defenseman Miller Wenkus 16 – Senior forward Brady Peterson 17 – Senior defenseman Evan Gilder 18 – Sophomore defenseman Zach Spurgeon 20 – Senior forward Jack Fitzgerald 21 – Senior forward David Varecka 22 – Freshman defenseman Brooks Suter 23 – Junior forward Blake Miller 24 – Sophomore forward Ben Varecka 30 – Senior goalie Wyatt Spindler
have a lot of hard games,” Peckham said.“ We have to keep our focus on the next game.”
Coach Giles was encouraged with the Hornets’ effort in the first tournament of the season even though Edina lost to Moorhead 6-3 and Maple Grove 4-3 in the Turkey Trot.
Building from the back is one of Edina’ s themes for the 2025-26 season. Back-stopping the defense are two senior goalies, Chase Bjorgaard and Wyatt Spindler.
Bjorgaard, who played the big games down the stretch in 2024-25, finished with a goals-against average of 1.81 and an 11-1-1 record. Spindler also provided quality play with a goals-against average of 2.01 and an 11-4-1 record.
“ Our top four defensemen all played varsity last season,” Giles said, referring to Peckham, Becker Wenkus and seniors Brady Mullmann and Dylan Dubuc.