Hermantown’s final record will depend less on finding one player capable of replacing everything that left and more on whether its senior class can make the game easier for one another. The Hawks have experience, numbers and a realistic opportunity in Section 7AAA.
Wilf also addressed the family’s long-term commitment to the franchise amid soaring NFL team values and recent ownership sales. The Vikings are not being positioned for an exit. The next generation of the Wilf family is becoming involved, and ownership intends to remain in place.
Hanson is a No. 1 college defenseman entering his prime, and UMD’s championship ceiling will be tied directly to how completely he controls the back end.
Monsters finish 9-5 after winning seven of their final nine games.
“You don’t have to watch his tape very long to feel that play extension and the ability to not only steal some first downs with his legs, but he can go get a lot more than that.” -- Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell on projected QB1 Kyler Murray
Minnesota must limit QB1 Ja’Vonte Johnson’s turnovers and create points through defense or special teams. Albany must protect its quarterback, prevent explosive returns and force the Monsters to sustain drives.
Johnson has spent much of the summer competing for All Iowa Attack’s 17U team, regularly playing against athletes two and three years older. At the Nike Tournament of Champions West from July 10-13 in Las Vegas, Johnson averaged 13.7 points, 5.3 rebounds and 4.7 assists over six games.
Gophers got this one right: Brett Larson has earned college hockey’s biggest job
The attendance results leave UMD with two different challenges entering 2026-27. The men must convert renewed national relevance into stronger ticket demand, while the women must build upon a modest per-game increase and find ways to attract larger crowds.
The Vikings are too talented at receiver, too well coached and too versatile defensively to dismiss. They are also too uncertain at quarterback, center, safety and defensive-line depth to declare a championship contender. The most reasonable prediction is 10-7.