It’s a new season and lots of new faces on the ice for the 2024-25 Park boys hockey team.

Park must replace a lot of its scoring punch from a year ago but returns several key players in key spots on offense, defense and in the net.

The Wolfpack went 14-11-1 last winter and finished fifth in the Suburban East Conference with a 7-8-1 conference record. In rivalry games, Park swept rival East Ridge (4-3, 6-2) but split with Woodbury (7-2, 0-3). The Wolfpack lost 4-0 to Two Rivers in the Class 2A, Section 3 quarterfinals.

It was a bit of an on-again, off-again year for Park last winter. The Wolfpack opened the season with five straight wins but closed just 1-5 in their final six games.

However, that team was loaded with talent and experienced seniors such as Caden Scwartz, Max Kaplan, Michael DeStasio, Eli Daly, Malachi McMorrow, Gavin Moss, Owen Corkish, Drew Schumacher and Garrett Rich, all of whom must be replaced.

“We lost a good, good group of seniors,” head coach Jeff Corkish acknowledged. “But we have a lot of guys coming back who loved the game and who worked hard in the off season. They’re all looking to do their job and make up the difference. As long as everyone is going hard and all in, there’s a good chance we’re going to surprise some teams.”

Park’s top five scorers from a year ago all graduated: Corkish (27 goals, 35 assists), Moss (19 goals, 26 assists), Kaplan (12 goals, 26 assists), Schwartz (8 goals, 24 assists) and Schumacher (9 goals, 14 assists).

Goalie Aidan Miller-- who split time in the net with Henry Voss -- had 46 goals against, 335 saves, and a .879 save rate must also be replaced.

Top scorers back this season for Park are seniors Nick Bailey (12 goals, 10 assists), Luke Dahlstrom (5 goals, 14 assists) and Gavin Sand (6 goals, 10 assists).

“With guys like Nick Bailey, Gavin Sand and others we have some experience and strength,” Corkish said. “I think Nick Bailey is going to have a huge year. Gavin is big and strong and can drive the net and get those eight-foot goals. And we have some younger guys that are going to do well.”

Voss returns for another run in the net after playing in 17 games, with 283 saves against 37 goals against for an .884 save rate.

Park has some veterans back on defense but needs some new players to the lineup to step up.

“We have to win with five or six guys, not three or four,” said Corkish.

Corkish wants the Wolfpack to be aggressive on both offense and defense.

“It’s more about making every week being your state tournament,” Corkish said. “We want to attack every week, play like it’s the state tournament every week and then when we get in the sections, win the first game to begin with and be as good as we can be at end of the year.”

The Suburban East Conference will, as usual, be difficult to navigate. Cretin-Derham Hall went 15-1 and won the conference last year. Stillwater was 14-2 and finished as Class AA state runner-up last season. White Bear Lake was 12-3-1

The Wolfpack open the season Thursday, Nov. 20, against Eagan at the Eagan Civic Center, starting at 7 p.m. Park’s first home game is Saturday, Nov. 22, against Rosemount with a 2 p.m. start.