Silver 25: Minnesota's best girls' hockey players on the biggest stage

Definitive? That's up to individual puck heads. Darn good hockey players? That much is certain when it comes to the Star Tribune's Top 25 players in girls' hockey state tournament history heading into the sport's silver anniversary tournament.

How we arrived at and ranked our 25: A review of tournament record holders, annual team champion and individual scoring leaders, plus conversations with long-tenured girls' hockey coaches.

State tournament participation was a must. So apologies to a few greats unable to crack this list.

Not that their omission made the job easier. State tournaments back to 1995, full of great hockey players and performances, made whittling names tough. Our list is certain to enlighten and possibly enrage you.

Let's start the countdown:

Dominant player of her era, scored three goals in her only state tournament appearance. Deeper Hill-Murray teams won titles in 2014 and 2015. But no Pioneer shined like Brandt.

24. Chelsey Jones, Stillwater, forward, 2006

Ferocious competitor with a wicked shot. Led all Class 2A tournament players with five goals as the Ponies won the consolation title. Inspired younger teammates to win the 2007 and 2009 state championships.

Allowed just three goals all tournament for the runner-up Bengals, recorded her 16th shutout of the season in the semifinals against South St. Paul.

Made her lone appearance count, scoring four goals in the quarterfinals. Led the Cardinals to third place with six goals overall — double the next-highest Class 2A scorer.

Explosive skater voted all-tournament for a three-goal performance as a freshman in 2003. Scored a tournament-high five goals in 2004 as the Polars lost the championship game in overtime.

Anchored teams that won two Class 1A titles under different head coaches. Four tournament opponents in those two years scored a combined three goals against the Red Knights.

How's this for a perfect season? The senior flustered opposing forwards and contributed two goals as the Raiders (26-0) became undefeated state champions. Also named the inaugural Ms. Hockey winner.

Kicked off the state's first girls' hockey dynasty by leading the Packers to their inaugural championship as a senior. Tallied the game-winning goal in the third period of the Class 2A title game.

Scored twice in 1997 quarterfinal defeat of defending champion Roseville. Tallied a semifinal hat trick. Then outdueled Eagan's Natalie Darwitz with four goals in a championship game victory. Fryklund's Bluejackets took second in 1998.

Made all-tournament in 2009 as an eighth-grader with three goals as the Bears won the Class 1A title. Enjoyed the same trifecta as a senior — three goals, all-tournament, state champion.

Didn't receive the individual recognition of fellow blue liners Rachael Ramsey and Sydney Baldwin on three Class 2A title teams but was a force. Played well in all situations, added two goals and four assists in three tournaments.

Made her first state tournament start as an eighth-grader in the 2014 semifinals and nearly stole a victory. Won the 2016 title and kept her badly outshot teams in games in 2017 and 2018.

Accomplished a remarkable feat in 2017 when she scored the clinching goal in all three state tournament games. Assisted on both goals in the 2018 state championship game. The Hornets won Class 2A state titles both years.

A remarkable plus-350 in her five-year varsity career. Contributed a goal and five assists in the 2006 Class 2A tournament title run and added two goals as the Eagles won the championship again in 2008.

Dominated the inaugural state tournament as a freshman in 1995 with a semifinal hat trick and the game-winning goal in the championship game. Returned as a senior with another semifinal hat trick as the Eagles prevailed again.

Integral part of the Raiders' machine. Posted a nine-point tournament as a freshman on title team in 1996, then went out as a senior and dominated. A quarterfinal hat trick and four goals in the championship game produced another title.

Strong defense and goaltending overshadowed the forwards in Minnetonka's dynasty. But Petersen was a closer. She scored the game-winning goals in the 2011 and 2013 Class 2A title games, and the overtime winners in the 2012 and 2013 semifinals.

Whistled a combined seven times for infractions in the first two games in 2012, McMillen never left the ice in the Class 1A championship game victory. And the game went to double overtime. Few players were more feared or skilled.

The bedrock of the Packers' dynasty was the line of Young, Maggie Fisher and Felicia Nelson. A playmaking center, Young was a factor on every shift. Her teams won three Class 2A titles.

Tallied hat tricks in a total of three games en route to the 2002 and 2003 Class 2A championships. Played right wing opposite Nelson and gave opponents fits.

Raiders' phenom scored 17 career tournament goals from seventh-grade through sophomore year — and won two state titles. She later completed her six-season varsity career with a record 544 points.

The tournament's career leader with 44 points. Dangerous playmaker tallied a combined 10 assists in the 2010 and 2011 Class 1A title years. She became finisher as a junior and senior with a total of 12 goals in her final two appearances.

Second all-time with 22 career tournament goals, all in Class 1A. Scored twice in the 2013 title game. Added a goal and two assists in the 2014 final. And capped 2016 with a title-game performance of three goals and three assists.

Remains the state tournament's career leader with 24 goals in nine games, an accomplishment achieved despite not playing girls' high school hockey past 10th grade. Her vision, speed and shot were ahead of her time.

To think a leg injury suffered in gym class nearly spoiled Wendell's senior season tournament appearance. Playing less than 100 percent, Wendell scored 12 goals to pace the Pirates' championship in 2000. Her final goal gave her 110 for the season, one more than she had as a junior. Unstoppable then. Unsurpassed to this day.