2023 MDHL Regular Season Wrap-Up

It’s hard to believe that MDHL regular season play has already wrapped up and that this weekend’s playoffs will determine who wins the championship.  As we look forward to the remaining five games, here’s a quick breakdown of each team’s performance up to this point.

Green (1^st Place – 9W, 2L, 1L OT)
West Michigan-based Green finds themselves in a familiar spot, sitting atop the league standings with a record of 9-2-1.  With balanced scoring and solid goaltending, they could be the team to beat as they try to claim back-to-back MDHL Championships. 

Byron Center’s Jackson Froysland leads the team in scoring with 18 points (7G, 11A).  Quietly effective, he makes everyone on the ice better and is a great facilitator.  Four other players have over 10 points: Mattawan’s Brayden Lewis (12 points), Rockford’s Nathan Dixon (11 points), Grand Rapid Christian’s Joshua Hooper (11 points), and Byron Center’s Cade Pratt (11 points).  The normally senior-heavy team has gone younger this year, and they haven’t missed a beat.  Their juniors and sophomores have been impressive, led by Lewis, defensemen Jack Micus (Grand Rapids Christian) and Kallen Ray (TC West), and forward Eli Habetler (Mona Shores). 

With a quarterfinal bye, the team should be rested and ready for whoever makes it out of the White vs. Black quarterfinal on Friday night.

Orange (2^nd Place – 7W, 4L, 1L OT)
After a tough 2022 season, Orange has bounced back and is playing some great hockey heading into the playoffs.  Scoring 56 goals and only giving up 39, they’re tied with Green for the league’s best scoring differential at +17.

When their top players are scoring, they’re tough to stop.  Tied for the league lead in scoring (he was the top scorer last year as well), Brighton’s Cameron Duffany leads the team with 23 points (11G, 12A), with Stevenson junior Owen Hall close behind with 20 points.  Three other players have over 10 points each: Brighton’s Aiden Seiter (15 points), Chelsea’s Brandon Davila (14 points), and Stevenson’s Christian Lang (14 points).  On the back end, Orange is led by Graham Newton (Skyline), Jay Cormier (Trenton), and Nicholas Leiter (Catholic Central).  Newton is a great skater who sees the ice extremely well and continues to impress with his passing.  In goal, Catholic Central junior Joe Bedells leads the league in both goals against average (1.81) and save percentage (94%).

Orange awaits the winner of the Red vs. Blue quarterfinal, and we know their coaches will have them ready to go for the playoff push.

Red (3^rd Place – 7W, 5L)
Missing out on a first round bye by only one point, the Red squad will be looking to avenge last weekend’s loss to Blue when they match up again in Friday night’s quarterfinal.  Playing an unselfish game, Red’s balanced scoring is a strength, and their goalies can all be difference makers when they’re on their game.

A trio of Catholic Central teammates (Jackson Walsh, Andrew Atala, and Stefan Fonda) each have over 10 points.  Walsh’s 21 points have him in the top three in the league, and his ability to play both forward and defense makes him a dynamic player.  He has shown great chemistry with Bay City’s Gunnar Weber (8G, 6A), who, while undersized, doesn’t shy away from the hard areas on the ice and has a knack for finding the back of the net.  On defense, Brighton junior Ryan Watkins has impressed.  While not flashy, he defends well and makes a great first pass. 

If they make it out of the first round, look for them to give Orange all they can handle in the semis.

Black (4^th Place – 6W, 5L, 1L OT)
Black is trying to get back on track after a great start to their MDHL season  After going 5-1 to start the year, they’ve stumbled a bit down the stretch, going 1-5.  They’ll get a chance to turn things around on Friday night when they take on White in the quarterfinals.

Catholic Central sophomore Brooks Rogowski (2008 birthyear) leads the way for Black and is tied for the league lead in points with 23.  One of the biggest players in the league, Rogowski has opened a lot of eyes this season with his skating ability and heavy shot, and he thinks the game very well for such a young player.  Behind him, Josh Granowicz (also from Catholic Central) is second on the team in scoring with 18 points, followed by Howell’s Ben Houtari and Catholic Central’s Sebastiano Iavasile (12 points each).  On defense, Catholic Central’s Joseph Curtin plays a steady, no-nonsense game, and continues to make the right plays.

For Black to win, their goaltending will have to improve and their best players will have to carry the load.

White (5^th Place – 4W, 8L)
White has been a tough team to figure out this year.  They have a lot of ability but haven’t been able to put it all together for extended periods of times.  With only one player having more than 10 points (Howell’s Marco Wolf has 11), they rely on a balanced scoring attack to get things done.  Four players have 9 points (Catholic Central’s Reese Hemme and Peter Sanin, and Orchard Lake St. Mary’s Jack Moran and Jacob Hughes), and Hemme and Sanin are dangerous with the puck on their stick around the net. 

Defensively, they’re led by Northville’s Alexander Kasapis and Brighton’s Mason Blow, and in net, Cranbrook’s Tice Blake (2008 birthyear) has been very good, ending up third in the league in save percentage at 91%. 

If they can limit odd man rushes and get more production out of Catholic Central senior Nolan Galda, there’s a good chance they can surprise Black on Friday night and earn a shot at Green in the semifinals.

Blue (6^th Place – 3W, 9L)
It’s been a tough regular season for the Blue squad, scoring a league-low 37 goals and giving up a league-high 55 goals (-18 scoring differential).  Brighton’s Lane Petit leads to team in scoring with 15 points and is the only player with more than 10.  Only four players have played in all 12 regular season games, yet all players have at least 1 point. 

At forward, Petit, Charlie Burchfield (Brighton, 8 points), and Cole Lefere (Northville, 7 points) lead the way, while a pair of high-end senior defensemen anchor the blueline (Cranbrook’s Roman Cicco and Flint Powers’s Nolan Berner).  In net, Allen Park junior Jack Miller has been steady, with a 2.65 GAA and 92% save percentage.

To win in the playoffs, Blue needs to clean up their defensive zone play, stay out of the box, and have players like Howell’s Chad Pietila, Lakeland’s Timothy Hinkle, and Catholic Central’s Tyler O’Brien continue to raise their game like they have the last few regular season games.