I think we’re solid on the offense and solid on the defense. Everybody plays a huge role for our team and I’m excited to get going.”

Gavin Moss

There’s a lot of potential in the team, there’s still areas we have to solidify.”

Jeff Corkish, Park Boys' Hockey Head Coach

Jeff Corkish is the owner of the Hwy 61 Hockey Academy and is a physical education and health teacher in the Hastings School District.

It’s a new era for Park boys' hockey as Jeff Corkish takes over for Jay Moser who coached the Wolfpack for 17 seasons.

Corkish will lead a Park team that went 16-9-1 last season, but was just 5-5-1 in the Suburban East Conference, finishing seventh in the league. The Wolfpack were 0-5 against the top five teams in the conference.

Park was a team of streaks last season. The Wolfpack opened with four straight wins, won five straight in late January and early February, but then lost three straight to end the season, including a 4-3 loss to Eastview in the Section 3AA quarterfinals.

Park lost 11 seniors off the 2022-23 team, including standouts Brendan Bloedel, Tyler Schwartz, Colton Porter, Adam King, Brayden Leazott, Boston Weidner, Camden Forys, Maccoy Wohnoutka and top goalie Alex Harden.

But a powerful nucleus of juniors return -- especially on offense -- to form the core of Park’s team this season.

Back for the Wolfpack are its three leading scorers from a year ago in junior forwards Jackson Rudh (22 goals, 37 assists last season), Gavin Moss (24 goals, 19 assists) and Owen Corkish (16 goals, 33 assists). Rudh is listed among the 15 metro-area boys hockey players to watch this season by the Star Tribune. Other veterans returning include junior defenders Adam Frieman and Caden Schwartz, senior defender Wyatt Beaurline, senior forward Jake Young, junior forwards Max Kaplan, Michael DeStasio. Nick Bailey and junior goalie Aidan Miller.

“My expectations levels are very high for this group,” said Moss. “I believe we can go really far in the playoffs. We work hard. As a team we’re all together. We are really good buddies and I have high expectations. Hopefully we go far in the playoffs. I want everybody to work hard and have fun.

“I think we’re solid on the offense and solid on the defense,” Moss added. “Everybody plays a huge role for our team and I’m excited to get going.”

Coach Corkish brings a wealth of hockey teaching experience to his new position.

Corkish grew up in Saskatchewan, Canada and played hockey up north until he was 17 and began playing college hockey at Concordia College in Moorhead. After a two year break playing junior hockey in Canada, he returned to Concordia to finish his college hockey career. He went to the University of North Dakota where he earned a master’s degree. He coached Concordia for a year and then the Moorhead Spuds for a year.

From there he went to Hastings and taught and coached girls' hockey there for 17 years.

“The other side of it is I’ve coached every level of youth hockey with my kids, whether it was boys or girls,” Corkish said. “I’ve coached from U-four boys and girls all the way up to Bantam Double A and girls U-15A. So, a lot of lucky opportunities, a lot of ice time, a lot of opportunities and owned my own hockey school for 25 years. Basically.”

Corkish coached the Hastings girls team for 17 years, earning section coach of the Year three times. His last year coaching Hastings was 2016. He was inducted into the Minnesota Girls High School Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 2018.

Corkish has been very involved in the Cottage Grove Hockey Association, working with all levels of the youth program. He is also the owner of the Hwy 61 Hockey Academy and is a physical education and health teacher in the Hastings School District.

New to the head coaching position, coach Corkish is far from a stranger to Park hockey.

“I’ve known these kids since they were four-years old,” said Corkish.

Corkish said he thought the Wolfpack had a good season last winter. Now he’d like to see the team take the next step up.

“I don’t think there was a problem,” Corkish said. “I think the team excelled. I don’t think there was a problem with wins and losses or anything like that. They were a very young team. They were full of sophomores. Their goal scoring was from their sophomore group. Tyler Schwartz had a great year as a senor and produced a lot of points.  But it’s tough to win the big games when you’re relaying on tenth graders who are smaller, easier to push around. When you start playing the size of Stillwater, White Bear, and those teams, physically it’s just tough. You get beat in the ground. They were just a younger team.

“There’s a lot of potential in the team, there’s still areas we have to solidify,” Corkish added. “But when you’re coming back with the goal scoring that we have and the depth. Our top two lines can all score.” There’s about eight players still fighting for a spot on the third line. Seven or eight players are also fighting for ice time on the starting defense.

With the new coach, Park players have noted a change in culture this season.

“There’s a whole new culture, there’s a whole new community that Mr. Corkish brought in,” said Young. “Even going into the locker room, to just the coaching style to his communication all around is just improved it seems. There’s just a better community I feel, a better culture. Everyone is so together. There’s no groups, there’s no spread, we’re all together as one.

“I think we can make a really good run at this,” Young added. “Our team is solid all around. We’ve got skill up front and then grindy guys at the back. Sections tough but if we play our ass off every game, we can make a good run at it. I mean our goal is March 6th when we’re standing at the X on that blue line.”

Park opens the 2023-24 season at home Wednesday, Nov. 29, hosting Forest Lake with a 7:0 p.m. start.