It’s been 1,708 days since Flint Powers has suffered defeat at the hands of a Saginaw Valley League (SVL) opponent. The Chargers are 24-0-1 dating back to February, 2020, and have been one of the most dominant teams in all of Michigan high school hockey. Last season’s leading scorer Ayden Cook is set to return, and may be one of the best forwards in the state. He’ll have Powers geared up to extend the program’s 25-game unbeaten streak in SVL play. 

But don’t let the Chargers’ dominance gloss over the fact that the SVL is a significantly deep league. Midland and Saginaw Heritage both won Regional Championships last season. Bay City won 18 games and propelled itself into the Top-25 discussion as well. And let’s not forget, Midland Dow is just three years removed from a Division-III state title. This league is stacked, with elite-level coaches and top prospects across the board.

Last Season’s Champion: Flint Powers

Chargers were a perfect 7-0-0 in SVL action, winning their fourth consecutive league championship. They out-scored opponents 44-8, fueled by a senior class that anchored the lineup at all three levels. They’ll have some significant holes to fill, with the departures of Brendan Sly, Nolan Berner and Blake Zloto. But this isn’t the first time that coach Travis Perry has had to reload; they’ve successfully defended their league championship three years in a row now..

Returning Players to Watch

Ayden Cook, Flint Powers Junior Forward

Arguably the best player for Michigan Hockey Advancement (MHA) this fall, after having a breakout sophomore season where he led the Chargers with 49 points. Cook’s development has really taken off in the last 12 months and I expect that trend to continue this winter.

Nolan Harris, Midland Dow Senior Forward

A top producer in the Michigan Developmental Hockey League (MDHL) this fall. Harris is a bull in a china shop around the net, and impressively effective. Led the Chargers in goals (23) and points (42) last season as a junior.

Lucas Mankoff, Midland Senior Forward

Led the MDHL in scoring this fall with 18 points, and looked good doing it too. He showed some real top speed with the puck on his stick, has good size and nice puck skills. Mankoff and Cade Sanborn could put the Chemics in a position to really contend this season.

Logan Boettcher, Saginaw Heritage Senior Defenseman

He’s a really nice skater who doesn’t panic under pressure. Boettcher is steady on the back end and moves pucks with ease. Solidified himself as a top defender in the state after his performance in the Final Four last March. 

Andrew Burny, Flint Powers Senior Defenseman

Burny is big, listed at 6-foot but looks even more imposing on the ice. He maintains a good gap from his defensive spot and anticipates well, playing passing lanes and taking away space. His 26 points in 26 games last season ain’t too bad either. 

Nash Leonard, Bay City Senior Goalie

The four-year senior has played more games than any other active goaltender in Michigan high school hockey. Many people said Leonard was the reason for Bay City’s recent rise. Can he and the Wolves continue the climb this winter?

Petey’s Prediction: Midland

I’m gonna go out on a limb here and take Midland to snap Flint Powers’ run at the top of the SVL. This league is a bit odd in that there’s eight member teams and they only play each other once all season. That’s some pretty high stakes every night you go out. All it takes is one slip up, one off night from the champ, and now someone else is in the driver’s seat. The Chemics’ top guys Mankoff and Sanborn are legitimate threats. Goaltender Andrew Partipilo should return with a year of experience under his belt as well. Might not be pretty, definitely won’t be easy, but I do see the league as a whole competing much better all around, with Midland being at the forefront.

Midland Dow has some horses as well, and beat cross-town rival Midland 4-1 last season too. Top guys like Harris, Caden Nemeth and Zane Rastello could all be back so expect the Chargers to factor into the SVL race quite a bit. Only problem is, I believe both Midland and Dow will have to go on the road and knock off Powers in its own barn in order to dethrone the champ. Not an easy thing to do.

Bay City was the Gunnar Weber show last season. Even with his departure, I still feel like guys like Lucas Nieman, Sean Daily and Andrew Kaczmarczyk go invaluable experience playing alongside Weber. It’s up to that trio to carry the torch and continue Bay City’s rise amongst the state ranks. Can they make the Wolves a legitimate title contender? 

Saginaw Heritage didn’t have a ton of depth last season. Yet, they still managed to beat not one, not two, but all three previously mentioned teams. Logan Boettcher may be the best defenseman in the league, and he could very well keep the Hawks in the hunt as well. Plus, Landon Hayward in net is still a kid I like a lot. His numbers weren’t great, but I really believe the skill set is there. We’re talking about a freshman last season who played eight games against Top-25 teams. It’s hard for anyone to put up great numbers against that slate, let alone a first-year freshman. He continues to develop and Heritage will have something to say in this sprint to an SVL title as well.

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