Any average athlete can make a varsity team, score a couple of goals in a season, or help a team win a championship. However, it takes a truly elite player to win the most distinguished award that the MSHSL has to offer: Mr. Hockey. This season, BSM has two nominees for this award––senior forwards Grant Besse and Daniel Labosky––two of the major cornerstones for the Red Knight boys’ hockey team.
Besse, a forward and team captain, got his nominations by compiling 159 goals, 106 assists, 265 points, and a plus rating of 155 throughout his high school career. Meanwhile, Dan Labosky has 46 goals, 135 assists, and a plus rating of 149 in his career. “I never really even thought about it [back in freshman year] because it was three years away…and I had so many other goals that I was striving for, like winning a state championship and getting a scholarship to a Division one school,” Besse said.
“I think being nominated means a lot for me, but also the program. We haven’t had many Mr. Hockey candidates in the past, so it’s very good for the program. For me, its always been a dream to be Mr. Hockey, so it’s amazing to see it come true,” Labosky said.
The Mr. Hockey award is annually given to “the most outstanding senior high school hockey player in the state of Minnesota.” The title is earned through hard work, and in order to qualify for the award, a player must have shown athletic brilliance, teamwork, and extreme skill consistently throughout their high school career. Previous winners include the Pittsburgh Penguins’ Paul Martin, the Chicago Blackhawks’ Nick Leddy, Minnesota Wild assistant coach Darby Hendrickson, and current Golden Gophers Nick Bjugstad and Kyle Rau. “We have never had a Mr. Hockey winner [at BSM] so that would just add even more prestige to a great program,” Labosky said.
Also nominated for the award are Hill Murray’s Zach Lavalle, Edina’s Parker Reno, Totino-Grace’s T.J. Roo, Hibbing’s Adam Johnson, Tartan’s Jake Jackson, Eagan’s Zach Glienke, Grand Rapids’ Jake Bischoff and Minnetonka’s Tommy Vannelli.
