UNH Commit Carsen Richels: A Powerful, Dual-Threat Winger
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| Carsen Richels 2020 or '21 UNH Commit |
"Has size, strength, reach, hands and can think the game. Workhorse below the dots and plays through contact. Can break down the defense." Neutral Zone
"He's a good get for UNH. Likely an NHL Draft pick a year from now." George Ross, Director of US Scouting, Spokane Chiefs, Western Hockey League
"Powerful dual-threat winger with size, speed and excellent overall hockey sense. His finishing skills around the net are almost pro-like." Steve Kournianos, The Draft Analyst
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Carsen Richels
Forward, 6'2", 200 lbs. Shoots Left Hometown: Ham Lake, Minnesota DOB: 10-3-2001 Turns 18 in October 2019 United States Hockey League Phase II Draft: 2nd Round, 28th Overall by Waterloo Black Hawks 2017 United States Hockey League Phase II Draft: 16th Round, 253rd Overall by Des Moines Buccaneers Neutral Zone Rating: 3.75 out of 5 Stars 2018-19 Team: Blaine (Minnesota) High School ~ First Line Left Winger; First Power Play & Penalty Kill Units Commits to UNH: June, 2019 at Age 17 years, 8 months. |
2018-19 Minnesota HS Highlight Reel
Minnesota High School hockey is loaded with talent. Sixty-five players, active in the 2018-19 season, are committed to NCAA Division I schools such as the University of Minnesota (17), Wisconsin (8), and Minnesota Duluth (5). Last month, Carsen Richels (DOB: 10-3-2001), the fourth leading scorer in the Minnesota State High School League, committed to the University of New Hampshire. As a 17-year-old junior at Blaine High School, Richels tallied 35 goals, including 4 game-winners, and 34 assists in 23 regular season games.Richels, the starting left winger for Blaine, and centerman Bryce Brodzinski formed the most potent scoring duo in the state. Brodzinski, a University of Minnesota commit, was the second leading scorer with 32 goals and 44 assists and he won the 2019 Minnesota Mr. Hockey Award. At the end of the regular season, the Blaine Bengals were 19-2-2 and ranked 3rd in the state.
Blaine won the three-game Class 2A (the top HS league), Section 5 Playoffs. Richels scored the game-winning goal in the decisive game against Maple Grove. Overall, he lead the Bengals in goals (4) and tied Brodzinski for top scorer with 8 points. Blaine advanced to the State Tournament as the #2 Seed.
The Minnesota State Hockey Tournament is a very big deal. Held at the Xcel Energy Center, home of the NHL's Minnesota Wild, the semifinal and championship games routinely draw 16 to nearly 18 thousand fans. In the quarterfinal game, Blaine defeated White Bear Lake 4-2 and Carsen Richels scored a goal and 2 assists. The semifinal game against Eden Prairie drew a near capacity crowd of 17,459. With Blaine trailing 2-4 late in the third period, Richels' second goal of the tourney brought the Bengals to within a goal but it was the last goal of the game. Richels lead the team with 6 shots on goal and also added an assist. Blaine won the third place game 5-1 over St. Thomas Academy and Richels added another goal. In all, Carsen Richels posted 3 goals and 3 assists and was named to the All-Tournament Team.
These video highlights show a sample of Carsen Richels' goals and assists from the 2018-19 season plus an example of his play on the penalty kill:
Interview
I had an opportunity to interview Carsen Richels, via email, about his hockey career and commitment to UNH:
Mike Lowry: The top Minnesota High School hockey players, such as yourself, are often recruited by elite midwestern schools such as the University of Minnesota, Minnesota Duluth, North Dakota, and Wisconsin. What other college programs did you consider during the recruiting process? Which schools did you visit and which ones made an offer to you?
Carsen Richels: I considered all of the midwest schools and I believe I was coming very close to an offer with them as well if I wouldn’t have decided to come to UNH. I had one other offer from Northern Michigan.
Lowry: Have you and the UNH coaches agreed on a target date for you to enroll as a freshman at UNH and join the team?
Richels: We have talked about it and we agreed on waiting to make that decision until we can decide when I would be most ready to come in. Either the 2020-2021 season or 2021-2022 season.
Lowry: At this stage in your hockey development, what are the main strengths of your game? What areas are you trying to improve?
Richels: I have a big frame and I like to be offensive. I’m working to get more physical and improve my speed.
Lowry: In the 2017-18 season, as a sophomore forward for Blaine (Minnesota) High School, you scored 14 goals and 18 assists in 27 games. This past season, you nearly tripled your scoring to 42 goals and 41 assists in 29 games. What factors lead to your increased scoring?
Richels: I took lifting way more seriously and got a lot stronger. That helped me in all aspects of the game. I also gained confidence after a couple games of putting up a good amount of points.
Lowry: In 2000, Blaine won the Minnesota High School Class AA Hockey Championship. It was the first, and only time the Blaine Bengals played in the championship game. Last season, Blaine lost in the semifinal game, but won the third place game, and you made the All-Tournament Team. Would you describe how big the State Tournament is for Minnesota hockey fans and what it meant for you to play in it?
Richels: The State Tournament in Minnesota is definitely every youth hockey player in Minnesota’s dream. Every kid goes to the tourney to watch their high school or just to watch good hockey. As a high school hockey player there is nothing cooler than playing for your school with 18,000 people watching you.
Lowry: In the 2019 United States Hockey League Phase II Draft, you were selected by the Waterloo Black Hawks in the 2nd Round (28th Overall) and you participated in their Tryout Camp in early June. What was the competition like and how well did you think you performed? Have you been invited back to Waterloo's Orientation Camp in August?
Richels: It was very high tempo hockey and I thought I fit right in. I did get invited back to the Orientation Camp and will attend Orientation Camp in mid-August.
Lowry: If you earn a spot on the Waterloo Black Hawks' 23-player final roster, would you consider foregoing a senior season at Blaine High School? Would you consider an alternative path chosen by some Minnesota high school players such as current UNH defenseman Benton Maass - that is, play for a junior team in the Fall and Spring and play Minnesota high school hockey from December to early March?
Richels: My plans for next season are still much in the air and I haven’t decided what I will do. My parents and I will have to talk soon to see what is the best fit for me and my hockey development.
Lowry: When do you plan to graduate from high school? What are your academic strengths and interests? Have you thought about what you might major in when you enroll at UNH?
Richels: I will graduate high school in the Spring of 2020. As far as academics I haven’t decided what I will enroll in at UNH.
Scouting Reports
"Carsen has a ton of tools and he showed them off during the tournament. He has size, strength, reach, hands and can think the game. Below the dots he was a workhorse while shrugging off checks and taking pucks to the net. He was able to roll off of defenders and get the puck to the net or find the open man quickly. His game should only grow in time as he has all the attributes to play at a high level." Neutral Zone from the 2019 Minnesota ‘AA’ State High School Hockey Tournament
"Carsen is a skilled winger who possesses natural goal-scoring ability. He is a threat to create a scoring chance from anywhere in the offensive zone and has given goalies fits in Minnesota the past two seasons. Often overshadowed by his Blaine linemate Bryce Brodzinski, Carsen was often the one driving play for their line. He can make plays in tight spaces and through opponents' sticks. He sees the ice well and is always aware of his passing options when he has the puck on his stick. If he returns to Blaine for his senior season, he will be contend for the Mr. Hockey award in Minnesota." George Ross, Director of US Scouting, Spokane Chiefs, Western Hockey League
"Powerful dual-threat winger with size, speed and excellent overall hockey sense, Richels was Blaine’s top-line mainstay along with senior Bryce Brodzinski and fellow 2020 draft prospect Cole Hansen. Richels made it difficult to determine whether it was he or Brodzinski who drove that bus because he was on the puck with his head up practically every shift. He was undoubtedly the benefactor of quality set-ups, but his finishing skills around the net are almost pro-like. Richels’ stick always is in the right position, and he finds a way to evade defenders in the slot even after they’ve marked him for coverage. As a primary goal scorer, Richels’ chemistry with his linemates and point men is excellent. He seems to know the precise moments when its time to either establish himself as a net-front presence or when to give-and-go his way to an opening for a one-timer. The conundrum he presents to opponents is his stickhandling and playmaking, especially off the cycle. Goalies are forced to respect his accurate shot, thus leaving the backdoor wide open for a clean, crisp pass." Steve Kournianos, The Draft Analyst, from the 2019 Minnesota ‘AA’ State High School Hockey Tournament
Youth Hockey & High School Statistics
| Player | Season | Team | League | GP | Goals | Asst | Pts | PIM | Carsen Richels (F) | 2018-19 | Blaine High School | Minnesota HSL AA | 23 | 35 | 34 | 69 | 10 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Playoffs | 6 | 7 | 7 | 14 | 0 | |||
| Team Northeast | Upper Midwest HS Elite | 19 | 7 | 6 | 13 | 4 | ||
| Playoffs | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | |||
| 2017-18 | Blaine High School | Minnesota HSL AA | 25 | 12 | 17 | 29 | 10 | |
| Playoffs | 2 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 0 | |||
| Minnesota Blades 16U | Tier I National | 30 | - | - | - | - | ||
| 2016-17 | Minnesota Flyers | MN Bantam Elite League | 14 | 1 | 4 | 5 | - |
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