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Minnesota Mullets
Minnesota Mullets
City: Forest Lake, Minnesota
League: USPHL
Conference: Midwest-West
Division: USPHL Premier Division
Founded: 1993
Home Arena: Forest Lake Sports Center (Lichtscheidl Arena)
Colors: Maroon and Gold
General Manager: Chris Walby
Head Coach: Chris Walby
Franchise history
1993-2000: East Metro Lakers
2000-2009: St. Paul Lakers
2009-2014: Edina Lakers
2014-2017: Forest Lake Lakers
2017-Present: Minnesota Mullets

The Minnesota Mullets are a Tier III Jr. A ice hockey team located in Forest Lake, Minnesota, a Northern suburb of Minneapolis-Saint Paul. The Lakers play in the USPHL Elite Division. From 1993–2015 the team played in the former Minnesota Junior Hockey League (MnJHL). For 2015-16 they played in the United States Premier Hockey League (USPHL) Mid-West Division.

On September 9, 2016, Hayne sold the franchise to Chris Walby who then led the Lakers to a 23–17–4 record and a home playoff spot in the first round. At the conclusion of the 2016–17 season, Walby renamed the franchise to the Minnesota Mullets while remaining in Forest Lake.

History[]

Formed by Ralph Hayne[1] in 1993 as the East Metro Lakers, the team called Aldrich Arena in White Bear Lake home until 2000. The team renamed "St. Paul Lakers" and moved to Highland Arena for one season before relocating to Veterans Memorial Community Center in Inver Grove Heights until 2009.

Renamed "Edina Lakers" in the summer of 2009, the club called Minnesota Made Ice Center home until summer of 2014.

Under the guidance of coach Mike LaValle, the Lakers won the USA Hockey Junior B National Tournament in 1999.[2]

logo while using Lakers nickname

Alumni[]

The Lakers have produced a number of alumni playing in higher levels of junior hockey, NCAA Division I and Division III, and ACHA college programs, and professional hockey.[3]

One notable former player is Joel Rechlicz, who played with the Lakers in 2003-04 at the age of 16. Recruited by former Lakers General Manager Scott Ludwig, Rechlicz was signed by the coaching staff at the team tryout held in the Madison area in the summer of 2003. Rechlicz went on to play professional hockey in the ECHL, AHL and NHL.

Coaches[]

Coach Seasons Notes
1993-95
Mike LaValle[5] 1995-99 Named assistant coach at Augsburg College
Jeff St. Martin 1999-02
Don Babineau 2002-04 46-34-1-1 record over two seasons.
Cal Ballard 2004-05
Stu Ronsberg 2005-09
Wes Durand 2009-10 Most wins in franchise history as a member of MNJHL. Most goals scored in franchise history.
Kasey Yoder[6] 2010-11 Named assistant coach at Austin Bruins (NAHL)[7]
Joe Long[8] 2011-12 Named assistant coach at Hamline University[9]
Dennis Canfield[10] 2014–2016 Named head coach of the Atlanta Capitals (NA3HL)
Kasey Yoder 2016
Chris Walby 2016–present

Season-by-season standings[]

Season W L T OL GF GA Pts Results Playoffs
1999-00 4 31 0 1 97 266 9 7th, MNJHL
2000-01 11 21 - 4 130 205 26 4th, MNJHL
2001-02 13 24 - 5 145 209 31 6th, MNJHL
2002-03 26 16 - 0 186 156 52 4th, MNJHL
2003-04 20 18 1 1 174 170 42 3rd, MNJHL
2004-05 14 29 3 2 176 211 33 5th, MNJHL
2005-06 10 35 2 1 163 271 23 7th, MNJHL
2006-07 6 31 1 2 144 298 15 6th, MNJHL
2007-08 9 38 1 0 174 299 19 8th, MNJHL
2008-09 12 33 1 2 168 279 27 8th, MNJHL
2009-10 27 19 0 4 195 162 58 6th, MNJHL Lost division quarterfinals
2010-11 21 20 - 4 162 173 46 5th, MNJHL
2011-12 20 27 - 1 160 249 41 6th, MNJHL
2012-13 23 23 - 4 189 220 50 6th, MNJHL-MN Lost division quarterfinal
2013-14 12 30 - 4 107 205 28 7th, MNJHL-MN Lost division quarterfinal
Forest Lake Lakers
Season GP W L OL GF GA Pts Results Playoffs
2014-15 42 26 16 0 163 109 52 4 of 8 Minn. Div
6 of 14
Won Div Quarters, 0-2 (Blades)
Lost Div. Semis, 0-2 (Ducks)
2015-16 48 39 7 2 257 91 80 1st Western Conference
2nd overall
Won Div Quartfinals 2-0 (Decatur Blaze)
Won Div Semifinals 2-1 (Wisconsin Rapids RiverKings
3rd Place Round Robin Pool B (1-0-1)
2016-17 44 23 16 5 145 135 62 4th Midestern Div,
T-12th overall
Lost Div Quartfinals 1-2 (Chicago Cougars)
Minnesota Mullets
Season GP W L OL SL GF GA Pts Results Playoffs
2017-18 44 26 15 3 - 165 122 55 4th Midwest-West Won DQF, 2-0 (Wisconsin Muskies)
Lost DSF, 0-2 (Minnesota Moose)
2018-19 44 22 19 3 - 155 145 47 6th Midwest-West Lost DQF, 0-2 (Wisconsin Rapids RiverKings)
2019-20 44 22 17 5 - 175 149 49 6th Midwest-West Lost DQF, 0-2 (Minnesota Moose)
2020-21 44 19 20 5 - 157 168 43 6th, Midwest-West L, DQF 2-0 (Hudson Havoc)
2021-22 44 18 24 2 - 131 164 38 6th Midwest-West L, DQF 1-2 (Hudson Havoc)
2022-23 44 7 36 0 1 89 209 15 9th Midwest-West Did not qualify

References[]

  1. About Our Sponsor. Retrieved on 4 January 2015.
  2. Lakers Sink Mariners in Semifinal (30 March 1999).
  3. Alumni. Retrieved on 17 December 2014.
  4. Joel Rechlicz hockey stats. Retrieved on 17 December 2014.
  5. Staff Directory. Retrieved on 4 January 2015.
  6. Edina sticks with Yoder as next head coach (25 April 2010).
  7. Former MNJHL Coach Kasey Yoder is headed to MN State Tournament (4 March 2014).
  8. Edina Lakers Tap Joe Long as Next Head Coach (19 April 2011).
  9. 2013-14 Men's Ice Hockey Coaching Staff. Retrieved on 4 January 2014.
  10. Changing of the Guard (4 April 2014).

External links[]

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