This. This piece of content right here is the reason I do what I do. 

My first list of the Top 100 Names to Know in Michigan High School Hockey was assembled back in 2019. I was a hockey nerd that stepped away from coaching for a brief period, but wanted to stay involved in the game in some capacity. I was at the rink all the time, watching Michigan Developmental Hockey League (MDHL) games. Scoreboard watching results of games on the Michigan High School Hockey Hub. I was constantly on the phone with my network of coaches just talking shop about the game. Getting the details on how a certain prospect landed a tender agreement with a North American Hockey League (NAHL) team. Hearing about Division-I college commits before they went public. Tons of great stories that illustrated just how good the product of high school hockey was in the state of Michigan… and no one was telling that story.

A LOT has happened since 2019, and the game has never been covered more than it has today. State Champs! coverage has erupted via social media, producing hockey content that does millions of views each season. Local beat writers, elite-level photographers, podcasters and even team-specific broadcast crews that stream on YouTube and local radio. 

My goal when I started was to cover youth hockey the way the pros get covered; media scrums, highlights, fancy graphics, bold predictions, rankings… Five years later, here it is! And we’re only getting started.

Now I’d never claim to be the sole reason — or even the main reason — for this level of coverage. But I do believe passion breeds passion. Seeing the dedication Sean Baligian and Jon Kidd put into their product on SC! inspires me to make better content. Seeing Casey Campbell’s creativity and energy inspires me to be creative in my own ways too. The diligence and commitment of local beat writers like Bill Khan motivates me to show up every day and do what I do. Photographers like Tim Arrick and Mike Caples are iconic in youth hockey, capturing once-in-a-lifetime moments through the camera lens. Matt Gajtka, Brian Johnson… There’s so many more out there who help elevate this game in a variety of ways. We are truly blessed to have this many impactful people in our sport.

These guys, and many others like them, keep me motivated each winter to be better this season than I was last season, and strive towards new ideas for next season too. And, hopefully, I’m returning the favor to them while also inspiring others to follow their passion.

This season is an interesting one for Michigan high school hockey. Looking at this list of 100 names, I’m not convinced the best player in the state is even on this list. Huh?! There’s a ton of great names, don’t get me wrong. But I’m very confident there will be some first-year guys that are going to have monster seasons for state title contending teams. First-year players, as you may or may not know, are not eligible for the Top 100 as it only focuses on returning players in Michigan high school hockey. With that, let me remind you of the criteria I use for compiling this list:

1. Returning players only
2. Impact and importance to their respective team
3. Overall skill and ability
4. Prospect potential to play beyond high school hockey

What’s important to keep in mind is what I mentioned earlier. These are not necessarily the 100 best players in high school hockey. Brooks Rogowski, 2024 OHL Draft pick, was not on the list last season. Not my finest moment, but this list is meant to highlight the various players around the state, their importance to their team, their production value and their prospect potential. Some may be more skilled than others, while others may be more crucial to their team’s success. There’s a ton of great players in our game. That’s a good problem to have. Top prospects unintentionally get omitted from this list every year. But let this list serve as a baseline; a starting point for productive conversations around those players and teams.

Without further adieu, it’s time to unveil the Top 100 Names to Know returning to Michigan High School Hockey for the 2024-25 season.