Mentor movement: Changes that will impact hockey season

Adding intrigue to the annual comings and goings of Minnesota high school hockey coaches are the big names and solid credentials in the mix. Here are 11 new bench bosses we're watching with great interest:

1. Mike Randolph, St. Thomas Academy boys: With 671 career victories, Randolph ranks third all-time. He joined the Cadets last season after leading Duluth East for 32 years. He resigned his Greyhounds post in June 2021 amid an investigation. The two-time state championship coach (1995 and 1998) is already a member of the Minnesota State High School Coaches Association Hall of Fame. He replaced Trent Eigner, whose contract wasn't renewed after his third season. Eigner, who brought Randolph to St. Thomas Academy, won the 2015 Class 2A state tournament with Lakeville North.

2. Paul Ranheim, Southwest Christian/Richfield boys: Stars enthusiasts are hoping Ranheim stops their coaching carousel. He is the third boys' head coach in as many seasons. Ranheim, a 1984 state tournament championship player with Edina, served as an Eden Prairie assistant coach the past nine seasons. He helped the Eagles maintain their status as a perennial power, winning the Class 2A state title in 2021.

3. Jaime Grossman, Shakopee girls: Grossman, who won state titles with Holy Angels in Class 1A and Eden Prairie in Class 2A, left Eden Prairie after 11 seasons and the 2016 Class 2A state title. He teaches in the Shakopee district and sits on the local youth hockey board.

4. Steve Persian, Eden Prairie girls: Like Randolph, Persian left his previous post under duress. Persian and most of his staff departed from the Breck girls' hockey program with eight games remaining in the 2020-21 season. He has never commented on the reasons for bolting the Mustangs after leading the team to Class 1A state titles in 2019 and 2020.

5. Mike Terwilliger, Eden Prairie boys: Part of a busy offseason for Eden Prairie's two varsity hockey programs, Terwilliger took the boys' job after four seasons leading Bloomington Jefferson. As a player, Terwilliger won the 1988 state championship with Edina. But he couldn't recapture the magic with the once-dominant Jaguars. He posted a record of 40-54-2, including a 10-16-0 finish last season.

6. Sean Fish, Orono boys: Fish only needed to change locker rooms after switching his role as Spartans' head hockey coach from the girls to the boys. He led the girls to their first Class 1A state tournament appearance last season. As a player, Fish was a co-captain of Anoka's 2003 Class 2A state championship team.

7. Larry Olimb, Orono girls: The 1988 Mr. Hockey winner out of Warroad and Gophers legend returns to a varsity bench after serving as co-head coach of the Wayzata girls' team from 2000-06. He then stepped away to watch his children play. Now he'll direct a pretty loaded Orono team in search of a second consecutive Class 1A state tournament appearance.

8. Trevor Frischmon, Blaine boys: A local hero comes home. Frischmon was an integral part of the Bengals' Class 2A title team in 2000. He later played at Colorado College and reached the NHL. He previously coached at the collegiate level.

9. Claire Goldsmith, Minneapolis girls: She served as co-head coach for the past five seasons at Mound Westonka, helping the White Hawks make Class 1A state tournament appearances in 2019 and 2021.

10. David Maley, Breck boys: There's not much Maley hasn't won. He captured the 1982 state championship skating for Edina, then continued his highlight reel as a player with the NCAA championship in 1983 (Wisconsin) and the Stanley Cup in 1986 (Montreal). Winning would be a welcome change at Breck, which posted a cumulative 60-68-1 record the past five seasons after claiming four Class 1A titles from 2000 to 2010.

11. Erik Vetsch, Northern Lakes boys: The Lightning reached the Class 1A state tournament in 2021. They will welcome members of the Bantam A team, which placed second in its state tournament. Vetsch managed just a 13-30-0 record in two seasons at long-suffering Hopkins.