Blake Nelson, Jack Allgood lead standouts at 2026 Minnesota High Performance 14U Program

SHAKOPEE, Minnesota – In the State of Hockey, the sport is an all-year-round affair. At the beginning of August, many of Minnesota’s top young players, along with a group representing Team North Dakota, gather for the Minnesota High Performance Program. The event brings players together from across the state to compete within their respective districts, providing an early opportunity to evaluate some of the region’s top emerging talent. 

At the 14U level, this year’s event offered an early look at the 2012-born class as they prepare to enter their Bantam seasons. It also provided an early glimpse of several players eligible for the 2027 WHL Prospects Draft, giving evaluators an early chance to establish a baseline before the season gets underway. 

With that in mind, here’s a look at some of the players who stood out in Shakopee and have carried that momentum into the early stages of the season.

Blake Nelson, LW, Minnesota Green Giants 

After an astonishing 69-goal season for the Andover Huskies this past season, Blake Nelson comes into the year as one of the elite players in Minnesota for his age group. His reads are where it starts. His processing ability in all three zones is highly effective. When the puck enters his vicinity, there’s little doubt that if it ends up on his stick, he can identify a gap and advance play, whether on a regroup or in transition. From end-to-end rushes to simply retrieving a puck out of a corner scramble, Blake has a knack for finding and creating open space for himself. Give him time to get a clean look at the net, and he can place shots with accuracy and deception, releasing quickly from different angles and using catch-and-shoot sequences to catch goaltenders off guard. There’s little doubt about his ability to create offence, and his combination of skill, processing, and desire gives him plenty of tools to translate to the junior level.

Jack Allgood, C/LW, Minnesota Lakers

In simplest terms, watching Jack Allgood play hockey is fun. He’s slippery, evasive, creative, and capable of producing highlight-reel moments. The pace he plays with consistently overwhelms opponents, as he processes the game quickly and reacts just as fast. Whether he’s working give-and-go sequences with linemates, retrieving pucks through the neutral zone, or creating space in what appears to be a sea of defenders, Jack keeps opponents guessing.

Entering his first season at the Bantam level, the adjustment to increased size and physicality will be an important test. Once he adapts, though, his natural skill, processing speed, and ability to manufacture space should continue to separate him. There’s legitimate game-breaking upside here when he’s given even a small amount of time and space.

Colt Cruitt, LD, Minnesota Green Giants

There’s a lot to like about Colt Cruitt. The toolbox of a modern-day defenceman requires a lot of different pieces, and Colt already possesses many of them. His combination of size, mobility, and ability to read all three zones speaks to the potential in his game. On some shifts, he plays a more passive, reliable style on the back end, closing gaps, keeping opponents to the outside, and suffocating plays along the wall before retrieving pucks and moving them to his forwards. As the game progresses, Colt becomes increasingly willing to take the space available to him and attack through the neutral zone with his head up. He uses his edges and quick feints to manipulate forecheckers, opening lanes to either carry the puck himself or distribute to a teammate in stride. His game may not have the same flash-and-dash element as some of his peers, but there’s a strong foundation of reliable, projectable attributes that could allow him to log significant minutes at the junior level.

Brycen Faul, C, Team North Dakota

The driver for Team North Dakota, Brycen Faul was a consistent creator for the lone team out of the state of Minnesota. Playing in all situations, his feet don’t stop moving in hopes of finding a lane of attack or creating a passing option. Brycen doesn’t seem to give much away with the puck on his stick; he keeps his options open and uses deceptive tactics to try and get defenders moving before reacting accordingly to their first move. A smart player who finds ways to make an impact on and off the puck, as his motor doesn’t stop in the neutral and defensive end, separating puck carriers and getting into passing lanes to intercept passes and finding quick room to attack in transition.

Marshall McKinnon, C, Minnesota Loons

Marshall McKinnon brought reliability to the Minnesota Loons. Though his team struggled to produce on the offensive side of the game, his impact was felt in all three zones, as noted in this game report:

McKinnon was around the puck all game, consistently reading bounces, disrupting lanes, and arriving around loose puck battles. His stick detail stands out; he times his pokes well, gets underneath sticks, and creates turnovers with quick, disruptive touches. McKinnon processes loose pucks quickly and is trusted at both ends, while showing the strength and control to maintain possession in tight areas and create chances for himself or his linemates. 

As the Loons' top goal scorer and point producer, Marshall was a disruptor and a key contributor to shutting down the opponents' top lines. It was a lot of responsibility, but a challenge that he faced head-on, where most of his impact was felt by the opposition.

Wyatt Irlbeck, RD, Minnesota Loons

Swagger is the name of the game for Wyatt Irlbeck, and it will immediately catch your attention. An undersized but highly mobile defenceman, Irlbeck compensates for his lack of size with quick processing, fluid movement, and an ability to manipulate pressure rather than simply escape it. On retrievals, he changes pace to draw forecheckers toward him before slipping into open ice, consistently looking to create a cleaner lane for himself or his teammates instead of forcing the first available play. What he lacks in size he makes up for in compete level, as he’s not afraid to throw in the occasional hit along the boards to close gaps and create separation. 

Pryor Mills, LD, Minnesota Green Giants

At 6-foot-3, Pryor Mills is difficult to miss, but it’s what he can do with that frame that makes him particularly intriguing. For a defender of his size and age, Mills moves quite well, showing fluid feet, clean crossovers, and enough mobility to cover significant amounts of ice without looking cumbersome. There’s still plenty of physical development ahead of him, but the combination of length and an already strong skating base gives Mills an exciting foundation to build from. The next step will be getting his processing speed to match his physical tools. Mills can occasionally take an extra second with possession to identify his next play, something he can get away with at this level but will have less time for as the pace increases. The encouraging part is that he isn’t afraid to make plays. He recognizes opportunities to activate, joins the rush as another layer of attack, and shows flashes of offensive ambition beyond simply moving pucks up ice.

Christian French, RW, Minnesota Green Giants

Christian French plays about as pure a power game as it gets at this level of hockey. His ability to combine that strength with deception and high-end playmaking is what makes him particularly intriguing. He plays through a strong skating base, accelerates into available space, and consistently looks to attack the middle, using his frame and speed to establish body position and keep defenders on his back. Off the rush, French is especially dangerous. He draws pressure toward himself while scanning for options, giving him the ability to either attack the space he creates or move defenders before finding a teammate. There’s plenty to like away from the puck as well. French keeps his hips open, scans frequently, and uses an active stick to intercept passes and disrupt lanes before transitioning the other way. There’s some snarl to his game, too. He initiates contact, battles through traffic, and doesn’t shy away when opponents attempt to engage him physically. He will be a player to watch at his upside if he is firing on all cylinders, is extremely high.

Blake Kopesky, C, Minnesota Green Giants

When Blake Kopesky establishes himself on the inside, it is hard for many to contain. A power forward with length and strength, Kopesky does much of his best work through the middle and below the dots, protecting pucks through contact, getting underneath sticks, and establishing body position around the crease. He takes ownership of the net front and has a knack for tracking loose pucks, rotating into pockets of space, and arriving around the crease for secondary opportunities. There’s plenty of finishing ability to complement that presence. Kopesky generates significant power through his release and can overwhelm goaltenders when he gets a clean opportunity. Adding more deception through hip-pocket positioning and changing his body orientation before releasing would make that shot even more difficult to read. He already has the strength to create shooting opportunities; disguising his intentions would add another layer to how he finishes them.

Connor Turner, LD, Minnesota Blue Ox

There’s a calmness to Connor Turner that stems from how effectively he uses his feet. A mobile, composed defenceman, Turner generates power efficiently through a strong skating posture and uses that mobility to close space quickly, adjust his positioning, and stay connected to attackers rather than giving away unnecessary ice. That same skating foundation gives him an answer when pressure arrives with the puck on his stick. There’s a physical element to his game as well. Turner competes through contact and finishes checks when the opportunity presents itself, but has the mobility to quickly recover and rejoin the play rather than taking himself out of position. Offensively, he shows similar awareness, identifying opportunities to activate and taking purposeful routes to become a second layer of the attack. 

Davis Granlund, RD, Minnesota Blue Ox

Davis Granlund is at his best when controlling possession. A mobile, offensively inclined defenceman, Granlund showed significant improvement in how he handled pressure throughout the event, recognizing aggressive forecheckers and using changes of pace to manipulate them rather than simply trying to outrun pressure. He’ll slow down to draw opponents toward him before accelerating into the space they leave behind, and he has the puck skill to escape the first layer before carrying play through the neutral zone. The next step is finding the balance between that creativity and the responsibilities that come with the position. Granlund will need to become more selective with his activations and ensure his offensive decisions don’t leave him chasing the play back the other way. If that structure and consistency develop alongside his deception, mobility, and puck skill, there’s an intriguing transition-oriented defenceman with the tools to influence possession from the back end.

Jake Janecke, RD/F, Minnesota Blue Ox

For the Blue Ox, natural defender Jake Janecke moved up to play centre, and he slipped right into the thick of things by playing top-line minutes for the Blue Ox. Janecke looked comfortable in the role, showing an intriguing combination of length, puck protection, and skill. His hands are particularly effective in tight spaces, where he manipulates defenders, extends the puck away from pressure, and uses his reach to maintain possession while working his way toward the middle of the ice. Janecke operates from a wider base that can affect his balance through stride recovery, while adding more lower-body flexion and extension would help him better access his strength and generate momentum. There’s enough raw power in his frame that improved efficiency could add another dimension to how effectively he transports and protects pucks. He’s an interesting project player with some raw abilities.

Kale Overocker, C, Minnesota Grey Ducks

The main catalyst for the Grey Ducks, Kale Overocker is dangerous particularly when he gets the puck around the dots and has an opportunity to attack a defender. He understands when to turn on the jets, combining short bursts of acceleration with subtle puck moves, edgework, and changes of direction to catch defenders leaning the wrong way. Rather than playing at one speed, Overocker picks his moments to accelerate, creating separation when an opening presents itself. That evasiveness becomes especially noticeable around the net. Overocker absorbs contact well, keeps defenders on his back, and can push quickly off his edges toward the middle to manufacture his own shooting lanes. His hands allow him to maintain possession through traffic, and there’s a natural feel for manipulating pressure in confined areas rather than immediately moving the puck away. Give him a little room around the scoring areas, and he has the tools to turn that space into a quality opportunity. He drove play consistently for the Grey Ducks and was lethal against teams that allowed it.

Cal Casey, RD, Minnesota Voyageurs

A dynamic, deceptive puck mover, Cal Casey wants to involve himself in possession, using his mobility, quick distribution, and offensive instincts to keep plays moving. His head stays up, he identifies seams early, and he’s comfortable connecting on one-touch passes and quick give-and-go sequences before moving into space to make himself available again. Defensively, Casey’s active stick and mobility help compensate for a smaller frame, but establishing inside body position against stronger opponents remains an area for growth. Added strength should help him defend through contact and finish more plays once he gets himself into position. The skating, deception, and processing give Casey an intriguing foundation as a puck-moving defender; learning when to attack and when to slow the game down could turn those individual tools into a much more consistent transition game.

Bobby Dolan, C, Minnesota Voyageurs

With his strength on pucks, Bobby Dolan combines his size with a powerful skating base and enough skill to create offence in more ways than simply overpowering opponents. He generates momentum through strong pushes and well-used lower-body flexion, then uses that speed and strength to get inside, shield pucks, and extend possessions below the dots. One rush sequence in particular captured that upside. Dolan pushed the puck out in front of himself to invite the defender inside, then quickly caught an edge, pulled the puck back into his hip pocket, and slipped into the space he had just created for a quality scoring chance. Rather than simply trying to power through the defender, he manipulated his opponent’s positioning and used a change of pace to attack the opening. It was an encouraging example of how his skating base, puck skill, and physical tools can work together. There are a ton of projectable traits that will come with time and more touches at this level.

Owen Olsen, C, Minnesota Lakers

Owen Olsen has a motor that is infectious to those around him. A pace-driving, physically involved forward, Olsen competes for space across all three zones and rarely waits for the play to come to him. He wants possession, and when he doesn’t have it, he actively works to get it back. Whether tracking deep on the backcheck, supporting his defencemen below the puck, tying up sticks, or initiating contact on a puck carrier, there’s a consistent purpose behind his involvement. There’s more creativity with possession than the physical profile might initially suggest. Olsen changes pace, incorporates quick feints and cutbacks, and keeps multiple options available as pressure arrives. He’s comfortable attacking through defenders when the lane is available, but he can also recognize when that route has disappeared, redirecting into space instead of stubbornly forcing the initial play. That adaptability allows him to maintain momentum through possession rather than having his pace work against him. What stood out most was how many different ways Olsen found to influence the game. The physicality and puck pursuit establish the foundation, but there’s enough deception, processing, and puck skill layered on top to make the profile especially interesting. He drove the pace of this viewing rather than simply keeping up with it, and the combination of motor, versatility, and translatable habits makes Olsen a player worth tracking closely.

Oliver Smith, F/D, Minnesota Lakers

Oliver Smith is another listed defender who made the seamless transition to forward for this event – it almost looked natural for him. He has a slippery, attacking quality that makes him difficult to contain once he gets moving. He was playing on the wing in this event, who plays with pace and creativity, Smith consistently looks to challenge the opposition rather than wait for space to develop. He’s willing to engage along the walls despite his frame and has a knack for emerging with possession, while his speed and ability to find another gear allow him to quickly turn those recoveries into transition opportunities. Time will tell which position he ends up playing this season.

Traigh O’Niell, F, Minnesota Lakers

A thick-framed, battle-oriented forward, Traigh O’Niell does much of his best work along the walls and around contested pucks, using his strength and stick positioning to extend possessions rather than allowing plays to die on contact. He consistently works underneath opponents’ sticks, times his lifts well, and establishes body position before attacking the puck, making him difficult for defenders to shake on retrievals. O’Niell isn’t an explosive skater at this stage, but his anticipation helps compensate. He reads where loose pucks are heading, arrives early enough to establish position, and stays involved after the initial battle rather than drifting away from the play. Once he wins possession, there are flashes of more than just a straight-line power game. He can change pace with the puck when space becomes available, giving him another method of creating separation rather than always trying to go directly through opponents.

Alexander Bernhardt, RD, Minnesota Lakers

Alexander Bernhardt exudes confidence with the puck on his stick. A smooth-skating, offensively inclined defenceman, Bernhardt consistently looks to engage rather than simply facilitate from the back end. He’s willing to attack difficult lanes, using quick feints, changes of pace, and subtle deception to move pressure before slipping into the space he creates. Bernhardt’s skating and posture with possession give him options. He keeps his hips open, maintains a view of the ice in front of him, and rarely locks himself into one play too early. He supports possession effectively through give-and-go sequences, moves into space after distributing, and has another gear available when a lane opens in front of him. That willingness to activate allows him to become another layer of the rush rather than remaining behind the play.

Cal Senden, C, Minnesota Walleye

While the Minnesota Walleye didn’t have the firepower of many of their opponents, Cal Senden was on the prowl whenever he stepped on the ice surface. A strong-framed forward, Senden protects possession with ease and has the strength to take defenders along for the ride when he decides to attack the net. He’s particularly effective along the walls, where he changes pace, makes quick edge adjustments, and keeps opponents on his back before pushing into whatever space becomes available below the dots. There’s another level available away from the puck as well. With his frame, Senden has an opportunity to create space even when he isn’t the player in possession, whether by driving defenders backward, working into support positions, or using his body to open lanes for linemates. Keeping his feet moving and becoming more involved after releasing the puck would make him a more consistent part of offensive sequences.

Honourable Mentions

Quinn Frederick, F, Minnesota Voyageurs

Gabe Malmberg, D, Minnesota Lakers

Mackinley Morris, D, Minnesota Moose

Cole Wedebrand, F, Minnesota Loons

Brody Kalbrener, F, Team North Dakota