Who were the 10-best high school athletes in Duluth area history?

DULUTH – I’m working on a new sports column for HowieHanson.com, asking a classic Northland barstool question:

Who were the 10-best high school athletes in Duluth area history?

It’s the kind of list that’s half fact, half folklore — and all fun to argue about. I’ve already pulled together some incredible names like Bobby Daniels, Ernie Nevers, Bud Grant, Wally Gilbert, Chet Anderson, Terry Egerdahl, Phil Hoene, Dave Spehar, Steve Anderson, Jamie Langenbrunner, Bud Grant, Pokey Trachsel, C.J. Ham and Greg Downing, among many others. But I know I’ve probably missed a dozen more deserving legends.

So I’d love to hear your thoughts.

• Who absolutely has to be on this list?
• Who’s the most underrated athlete in our local history?

And if you were building your own Top 10, how would it shake out.

Shoot us a quick email reply when you have a minute. Would love to weave some community picks into the final piece. And if you have any great stories, even better — send them along.

Thanks for lending your expertise and memories to this fun project. Please note that we might publish your name along with your suggestions, so if you don't want you name listed, don't participate.

Our working list:

. Chet Anderson, Duluth Central

. Anders Broman, Lakeview Christian Academy

. Terry Egerdahl, Proctor

. Bobby Daniels, Duluth Denfeld

. Ernie Nevers, Duluth Denfeld

. Scott LeDoux, Duluth Central

. Jim Denny, Duluth Central

. Terry Kunze, Duluth Denfeld

. Wally Gilbert, Duluth Denfeld

. Phil Hoene, Duluth Marshall

. Pokey Trachsel, Duluth Marshall

. Steve Anderson, Duluth Denfeld

. Gary Fritch, Duluth Central

. Charlie Dammer, Hermantown

. C.J. Ham, Duluth Central and Duluth Denfeld

. Richie Pearson, Duluth Central

. Rich Alstead, Duluth Central

. Bud Grant, Superior

. Doug Sutherland, Superior

. Greg Downing, Duluth Central

. Pat Kriedler, Duluth Denfeld

. Jamie Langenbrunner, Cloquet

. Ron Gustafson, Morgan Park

. Koi Perich, Esko

. Dave Spehar, Duluth East

. Dennis Carlson, Cloquet

. Phil Verchota, Duluth East

. Rick Rickert, Duluth East

Hockey Notebook

WINNIPEG, Manitoba — Winnipeg Jets defenseman Dylan Samberg, a steady blue-line anchor coming off a career year, is headed for salary arbitration later this month — though both sides appear motivated to hammer out a multi-year deal before it gets that far.

Samberg, 25, filed for arbitration earlier this month along with teammates Gabriel Vilardi and Morgan Barron. Hearings are scheduled to run between July 20 and Aug. 4, a process that often serves more as leverage to spark resolution than as a true end point. Most cases are settled beforehand.

A former second-round pick out of Hermantown, Samberg has grown into a trusted top-four defender in Winnipeg, logging roughly 18 minutes a night, killing penalties, and posting a plus-34 rating last season. He added 120 blocked shots, ranking among team leaders, and chipped in modest offense with three goals and 17 points over 82 games.

Projected deal: 4 years, about $4.5 million annually

League insiders and salary modelers widely expect Samberg’s next contract to land in the ballpark of four years and roughly $4.5 million per season, a fair middle ground that reflects his value as a young, defensively reliable rearguard without breaking the bank. It would place him just below Winnipeg’s top-paid defensemen, providing cost certainty for the team while buying out key years of Samberg’s prime.

By comparison, other young defensemen such as Philadelphia’s Cam York recently signed for around five years at $5.1 million annually. New York’s Ryan Lindgren, a similar shutdown type, settled with Seattle for four years and $4.5 million AAV this summer after his rights were traded. Those benchmarks help shape Winnipeg’s internal projections.

What each side wants at the arbitration table

For the Jets, the goal is straightforward: secure Samberg at a reasonable figure that protects their cap structure, especially with Nikolaj Ehlers’ departure clearing significant space. Winnipeg’s brass values Samberg’s physical game and his ability to stabilize pairings with more offensive-minded partners.

Samberg’s camp, meanwhile, can point to his ascending usage, league-wide comparables and Winnipeg’s reliance on him in shorthanded situations. While arbitration cases often focus heavily on raw box score stats like goals and assists, Samberg’s reps will argue that his advanced defensive metrics — including suppression of high-danger chances — justify a number north of $4 million. The arbitration route also guarantees at least a one- or two-year award, which could walk him closer to unrestricted free agency.

Why staying matters

Interestingly, Samberg’s personal commitment to Winnipeg might actually work against him slightly in raw negotiations. The former Minnesota Bulldog has spoken openly about how much he enjoys the city and the franchise, and his wife recently opened a dental practice in Winnipeg — signs of roots being firmly planted. That local stability, agents and arbitrators know, can sometimes give the team extra leverage to push for a slightly more club-friendly number.

At the same time, it speaks volumes about Samberg’s fit in the locker room and community. From a team perspective, locking in a contented young player who’s eager to spend the bulk of his 20s in Manitoba is a huge win culturally.

Likely outcome

Barring a late surprise, the most realistic scenario sees both sides settling before an arbitrator ever hears a case. Expect a deal in the vicinity of four years, $17.6 to $18.4 million total, providing Samberg with long-term security and giving the Jets a cost-controlled core piece on defense.

It would keep him in Winnipeg through at least age 29, pairing him alongside Neal Pionk and other mainstays for what the club hopes is a multi-year playoff window.

In the sometimes cold calculus of NHL contracts, both player and team look poised to skate off satisfied — with Samberg rewarded for his grind into a top-four role and Winnipeg ensuring one of its most dependable defensemen stays exactly where he wants to be.

Bulldogs Football

DULUTH – The Minnesota Duluth football team enters the 2025 season looking to climb back into the thick of the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference race, with a veteran roster, a highly regarded recruiting class and a home schedule tailor-made to keep local fans buzzing into November.

Under longtime head coach Curt Wiese, now in his 12th season at the helm, the Bulldogs are looking to build off last year’s 7-4 finish — a bounce-back campaign that reestablished UMD as a tough out in the rugged NSIC North after an unusually bumpy 2023.

Stacking up in the NSIC

UMD is widely expected to be in the upper tier of the conference standings this fall, jockeying with familiar heavyweights like Minnesota State Mankato, Augustana and Bemidji State. The Bulldogs’ track record under Wiese is hard to ignore: three conference titles in the last decade, plus annual trips to the NCAA Division II playoffs until recent hiccups.

While Duluth doesn’t enter the season as a prohibitive league favorite, their deep senior class, experienced coordinators and a wave of incoming talent — 36 recruits, the program’s largest haul in years — suggest they’re well positioned to make a serious run at another postseason berth.

Home schedule made for fans

Bulldog fans should have no shortage of reasons to circle Saturdays on the calendar. The 2025 home schedule at Malosky Stadium features matchups against power programs and traditional rivals alike.

. Sept. 13 vs. Minnesota State Mankato – The Mavericks, perennial national contenders, roll into Duluth early in the schedule for what shapes up as a critical NSIC measuring stick.

. Sept. 27 vs. MSU Moorhead (Homecoming) – Always a spirited atmosphere on campus, the annual Homecoming game should pack the stands.

. Nov. 8 vs. Bemidji State (Senior Day) – With playoff implications often on the line when these two meet, this late-season clash could be pivotal.

Other season storylines

. A first-of-its-kind opener: The Bulldogs kick off Aug. 28 against Winona State at TCO Performance Center in Eagan — the Minnesota Vikings’ practice complex — in the first NCAA football game ever played there.

. Veteran leadership: Captains RB Derrick Johnson, QB Colby Walljasper and DL Aidan Weerts will be counted on to guide a locker room that blends older stalwarts with incoming standouts.

. A massive recruiting class: UMD’s 2025 haul includes blue-chip regional talent at nearly every position group, from dynamic running backs to a slew of defensive backs. It’s expected to solidify the roster’s depth and keep the pipeline healthy for years.

Season outlook

Duluth’s formula under Wiese remains largely unchanged: play disciplined defense, control tempo with a balanced attack, and lean on a home-field edge that’s historically been one of the toughest trips in the NSIC.

If a few key position battles break right and the team avoids major injuries, the Bulldogs could easily find themselves battling for the conference’s automatic playoff spot deep into November.