Jan 11, 2008 9:25 pm US/Central
Hockey Star Plays Senior Year At Minnetonka
Reporting
Mike Max
MINNETONKA, Minn. (WCCO) ―
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Jake Gardiner, a star hockey player who is playing his senior year at Minnetonka High School
CBS
There are not that many blue-chip
hockey players that play through their senior years of high school
anymore. In Minnetonka, there is one that stayed and has
blossomed into one of the best.
The first reason that Jake Gardiner
has succeeded in hockey is simple.
"It's my whole life, so, I
don't know. I love it," Gardiner
said.The next reason may be because of change. He was moved from a very good forward to a
defenseman last season where he has become phenomenal. "Jake Gardiner had the best
visibility, seeing plays develop and the best hands and shots to run it and we
just went with it from there and he started playing there this offseason,"
said Minnetonka
hockey coach Brian Urick.
He's playing very well there. He's accepted a scholarship to Wisconsin, but this summer he's predicted to be a
first-rounder in the NHL draft, which means every Minnetonka game is filled with interested
spectators.
"Our games, it seems like half
the stands is NHL scouts or agents, so there's quite a line to talk to him
after the game," Urick said. "They're all lined up outside our locker
room, all 'Can I get 5 minutes of Jake's time?'"
"A little bit nervous every
game, obviously, but I try to not get too stressed out about it," Gardiner
said. "Just try to play my game and have fun."
What would really symbolize fun
this season is simple: a date at the Xcel
Energy Center
for the state tournament in March.
"It is the ultimate goal for
our team right now and I've dreamed about it for my whole life and it would be
awesome," Gardiner said.
There is another Gardiner, younger
brother Max, and as a sophomore is already getting Division I attention.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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