The Mid-Michigan Hockey Conference expanded from four teams to five last winter. Yet, even after adding eventual 2023-24 league champion Tawas to the mix, the MMHC is still the smallest conference in Michigan high school hockey. Undefeated in MMHC action, Tawas was the conference’s highest ranked team in the state at 101st overall. But it was the Bay Area Thunder and Tri-Valley Titans representing the conference well in the Michigan high school hockey state playoffs, both advancing to the second round last season.

League members Tri-Valley Titans and Bay Area Thunder merged over the offseason, but the addition of Gladwin will keep the conference’s numbers at five programs for the ‘24-25 season.

Gladwin — a first-year program last winter — went 18-4-1 as an independent. Could they continue the ‘Tawas trend’ and see another first-year MMHC member win the conference title? Flying G’s forward Isaac Wheeler scored a goal in all but two games last season, including nine in six games against MMHC opponents. Wheeler and Gladwin could very well factor into the championship equation.

Last Season’s Champion: Tawas

A 12-12-2 record overall, but a 7-0-1 resume in MMHC action. The newest member of the conference wasted no time in making their mark during the ‘23-24 season. But leading scorer Gage Maxfield has departed after scoring 36 goals and 63 points, and other key contributors Kyle Indreica (20 points) and Ethan Wood (17 starts) have since graduated. So the smallest conference in hockey could be wide open for the taking.

Returning Players to Watch

Tristan Pohl, FNV Junior Forward

A pretty smooth skater who showed real good jump at times last season. Pohl led the Griffins in scoring as a sophomore, with 27 goals and 42 points in 26 games. He has 65 points in his high school career.

Cade Doud, FNV Senior Forward

I love this kid’s motor and effectiveness. He stops and starts on pucks, is around and involved in the play constantly and influences the game a lot. Doud is a four-year guy for the Griffins with 74 career games on his resume. 

Devin Grathoff, Tawas Senior Forward

Had the best season of his three-year career for the Braves as a junior with 39 points in 26 games. Grathoff will likely be counted on to produce at an even greater clip in ‘24-25 after the team’s most recent departures. 

Jake Rau, Tri-Valley Thunder Sophomore Defenseman

Led the Bay Area Thunder defense group in scoring as a freshman in ‘23-24, and has only gotten better this offseason. Reports coming out of Michigan Hockey Advancement (MHA) fall hockey suggest Rau is really rounding out his game in Year 2.

Drew von Matt, Gladwin Senior Defenseman

Among some of the highest scoring defensemen in the state last season with 33 points. The 2007-born von Matt led the Flying G’s with 28 assists in 24 games as a junior. 

Noah Wakefield, Tri-Valley Thunder Senior Goalie

A compact net minder, listed at 5-foot-8, but Wakefield is a battler and competes well. He’s 8-2-0 when his team scores three or more goals, and got better and better as his junior season wore on.

Petey’s Prediction: FNV Griffins

The Griffins stand a great chance of going from worst to first in the MMHC this winter. They went 8-17-0 last season, which was the worst overall record among conference teams. Now, they still went 4-4-0 in conference play, so it wouldn’t technically be going from last to first but hear me out. 

One thing that sets FNV apart from its fellow MMHC members is its strength of schedule. Ranked 113th in the state according to MyHockeyRankings, they took on some tough opponents like Bay City (26th), Jenison (48th), Portage (53rd) and Birmingham Unified (65th). Only Tri-Valley played a game against a higher ranked opponent; one meeting against No. 13 Flint Powers. I don’t read into that overall record much because they played against some stiff competition. That experience coupled with a bevy of returning talent at all three levels of their lineup spells a big ‘24-25 season for FNV.

Check out Petey’s Picks on Instagram for complete conference standings projections!