Photo by David Romuald

Shattuck St. Mary’s Ryan Lindgren has made a verbal commitment to play his college hockey at the University of Minnesota. The skilled defenseman is widely considered the top 1998 born prospect from Minnesota as he has demonstrated to be a great skater that possesses elite puck control and fantastic hockey awareness. During many viewings this season Lindgren proved to be the best player on the ice, showing aspirations of being a first round selection in the 2016 NHL Draft. Of course there is a great deal of time between now and then but Lindgren has the talent for first round consideration this early in his development. Lindgren had a fabulous season on Shattuck’s bantam team, scoring 24 goals and adding 64 assists in 55 games. It’s speculated that Lindgren could be in the maroon and gold as early as the fall of 2016.

Photo by David Romuald

St. Thomas Academy Forward Tommy Novak has made a verbal commitment to play his college hockey at the University of Minnesota. The skilled forward just completed his sophomore season at St. Thomas where he recorded 28 goals and 29 assists in 31 games. Last Saturday Novak played hero as he scored the game-winning goal in the Class A State Championship game with just 6.1 seconds on the clock.

Novak has an abundance of offensive abilities that will be an asset to the Gophers as he possesses great hands and excellent hockey awareness. Novak can create scoring opportunities with limited space and time. Novak has terrific three-step quickness, giving him the ability to beat opposing players one-on-one. Novak should be in a Gophers sweater in the fall of 2015.

Photo by David Romuald

Eagan’s Zach Glienke has given a verbal commitment to play hockey at the University of Maine. The 2013 Mr. Hockey finalist has notched 30 goals and 30 assists in 25 games this season for the No. 4 ranked Wildcats. Glienke will join former Eagan teammate Will Merchant, who is a freshman with the Black Bears this season.

Glienke is considered one of the top Minnesota prospects available for the 2013 NHL Draft as scouts covet the 6’3, 195-pound forward’s combination of size and skill. Maine can use some extra size up front as they only have four forwards over six feet tall. The commitment comes on the heels of the section playoffs, where Glienke and Eagan will attempt to make their third straight trip to the Minnesota State High School Hockey Tournament.

I’m proud to announce that I’ve committed to play my college hockey at UMaine. #blackbears

— Zach Glienke (@GlienkeGlienk27) February 21, 2013

(Photo By David Romuald)

Burnsville’s Tyler Sheehy has given a verbal commitment to play his college hockey at Ohio State University. The junior forward is the second member of the 2012-13 Burnsville Blaze team to commit to a Division One program as defenseman Teemu Kivihalme gave a verbal agreement to play for Colorado College last summer. Sheehy leads Burnsville in scoring with 12 goals and 23 assists in 20 games played this season.