Minnesota Mullets
CityMinneapolis, Minnesota
LeagueUSPHL-Premier
DivisionMidwest
Founded1993
Home arenaAugsburg University Ice Arena
Owner(s)Chris Walby
Head coachChris Walby (2017–18)
AffiliateJersey Hitmen (NCDC)
Franchise history
1993–2000East Metro Lakers
2000–2009St. Paul Lakers
2009–2014Edina Lakers
2014–2017Forest Lake Lakers
2017–presentMinnesota Mullets

The Minnesota Mullets are a Tier III junior ice hockey team located in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Mullets play in the United States Premier Hockey League (USPHL) Premier Division. From 1993 to 2015, the team played in the former Minnesota Junior Hockey League (MnJHL). For most of the franchise's existence, it was known as the Lakers and played in various cities in the Minneapolis-Saint Paul area.

History

Formed by Ralph Hayne[1] in 1993 as the East Metro Lakers, the team called Aldrich Arena in White Bear Lake home until 2000. Under the guidance of coach Mike LaValle, the Lakers won the USA Hockey Junior B National Tournament in 1999.[2]

Forest Lake Lakers logo.

The team renamed St. Paul Lakers and moved to Highland Arena for one season before relocating to Veterans Memorial Community Center in Inver Grove Heights. In 2009, it was renamed Edina Lakers when the club called Minnesota Made Ice Center. In 2014, the team relocated again to Forest Lake and became the Forest Lake Lakers.

In 2015, the Minnesota Junior Hockey League was merged into the United States Premier Hockey League as part of the Midwest Division, a new Tier III league within the USPHL. However, the Midwest did not have its own league playoff championships, but instead the top teams from the Midwest Division played the top teams from the USP3 Division for a single championship. The Lakers won their conference semifinals, qualifying for the USPHL USP3/Midwest playoffs but failed to move on past the round robin stage. In 2016, the Midwest Division was split up among the USPHL Elite and USP3 Divisions with the Forest Lake Lakers going to the Elite Division. In April 2016, Kasey Yoder replaced Dennis Canfield as head coach and general manager.

On September 9, 2016, Hayne sold the franchise to Chris Walby. Walby then took over as head coach and general manager from the recently promoted Yoder. He then led the Lakers to a 23–17–4 record and a home playoff spot in the first round. At the conclusion of the 2016–17 season, Walby renamed the franchise to the Minnesota Mullets while remaining in Forest Lake. The Mullets also became a player development affiliate of the Jersey Hitmen of the National Collegiate Development Conference, a new higher-level league run by the USPHL for the 2017–18 season. In 2019, the team moved to Northeast Ice Arena in Minneapolis.

Season-by-season records

Season GP W L T OTL Pts GF GA Regular Season Finish Playoffs
Minnesota Junior Hockey League
1999–00 36 4 31 0 1 9 97 266 7th, MNJHL
2000–01 36 11 21 — 4 26 130 205 4th, MNJHL
2001–02 42 13 24 — 5 31 145 209 6th, MNJHL
2002–03 42 26 16 — 0 52 186 156 4th, MNJHL
2003–04 40 20 18 1 1 42 174 170 3rd, MNJHL
2004–05 48 14 29 3 2 33 176 211 5th, MNJHL
2005–06 48 10 35 2 1 23 163 271 7th, MNJHL
2006–07 40 6 31 1 2 15 144 298 6th, MNJHL
2007–08 48 9 38 1 0 19 174 299 8th, MNJHL
2008–09 48 12 33 1 2 7 168 279 8th, MNJHL
2009–10 50 27 19 0 4 58 195 162 6th, MNJHL Lost Division Quarterfinals
2010–11 45 21 20 — 4 46 162 173 5th, MNJHL
2011–12 48 20 27 — 1 41 160 249 6th, MNJHL
2012–13 50 23 23 — 4 50 189 220 6th, MNJHL-MN Lost Division Quarterfinals
2013–14 46 12 30 — 4 28 107 205 7th, MNJHL-MN Lost Division Quarterfinals
2014–15 42 26 16 — — 52 163 109 6th, MNJHL-MN Lost Division Semifinals
United States Premier Hockey League
2015–16 48 39 7 — 2 80 257 91 1st of 9, Western Conf.
2nd of 17, USPHL-Midwest		 Won Conf. Quarterfinals, 2–1 vs. Decatur Blaze
Won Conf. Semifinals, 2–1 vs. Wisconsin Rapids Riverkings
1–1–1 in USPHL Round Robin
(L, 1–3 vs. Eels-USP3; W, 6–3 vs. Hounds-Midwest; T, 2–2 vs. Hitmen-USP3)
2016–17 44 23 16 — 5 51 145 135 4th of 8, Midwest
13th of 27, USPHL-Elite		 Lost div. quarter-finals, 1–2 vs. Chicago Cougars
2017–18 44 26 15 — 3 55 165 122 4th of 9, Midwest West
15th of 44, USPHL-Premier		 Won First Round series, 2–0 vs. Wisconsin Muskies
Lost quarterfinals, 0–2 vs. Minnesota Moose
2018–19 44 22 19 — 3 47 155 145 6th of 9, Midwest West
28th of 52, USPHL-Premier		 Lost First Round series, 0–2 vs. Wisconsin Rapids Riverkings
2019–20 44 22 17 — 5 49 175 149 6th of 9, Midwest West
26th of 52, USPHL-Premier		 Lost First Round series, 0–2 vs. Minnesota Moose
2020–21 44 19 20 — 5 43 157 168 6th of 9, Midwest West
34th of 62, USPHL-Premier		 Lost First Round series, 0–2 vs. Hudson Havoc
2021–22 44 18 24 — 2 38 131 164 6th of 8, Midwest West
45th of 64, USPHL-Premier		 Lost First Round series, 1-3 vs. Hudson Havoc
2022–23 44 7 36 — 1 15 89 209 9th of 9, Midwest West
63rd of 69, USPHL-Premier		 Did not qualify
2023–24 44 13 31 — 0 26 135 202 8th of 9, Midwest West
50th of 61, USPHL-Premier		 Lost Div Quarterfinals, 0-2 vs. Wisconsin Rapids Riverkings

Notable alumni

The Lakers have produced a number of alumni playing in higher levels of junior hockey, NCAA Division I and Division III, and ACHA college programs, and professional hockey.[3]

Coaches

Coach Seasons Notes
1993–95
Mike LaValle[5] 1995–99 Named assistant coach at Augsburg College
Jeff St. Martin 1999–02
Don Babineau 2002–04 46-34-1-1 record over two seasons.
Cal Ballard 2004–05
Stu Ronsberg 2005–08
Dan Strot 2008–09
Wes Durand 2009–10 Single season most wins as a member of the MnJHL in franchise history and most goals scored in single season in franchise history.
Kasey Yoder[6] 2010–11 Named assistant coach at Austin Bruins (NAHL)[7]
Joe Long[8] 2011–12 Named assistant coach at Hamline University[9]
Dennis Canfield[10] 2014–2016 Named head coach of the Atlanta Capitals (NA3HL)
Kasey Yoder 2016
Chris Walby 2016–present Bought the franchise in September 2016, renamed it to Minnesota Mullets the next season.

References

  1. ^ "About Our Sponsor". White Bear Lake Hockey Association. Retrieved 4 January 2015.
  2. ^ "Lakers Sink Mariners in Semifinal". Los Angeles Times. 30 March 1999.
  3. ^ "Alumni". Forest Lake Lakers. Retrieved 17 December 2014.
  4. ^ "Joel Rechlicz hockey stats". HockeyDB.com. Retrieved 17 December 2014.
  5. ^ "Staff Directory". Augsburg College Athletics. Retrieved 4 January 2015.
  6. ^ "Edina sticks with Yoder as next head coach". MNJHL. 25 April 2010. Archived from the original on 5 January 2015.
  7. ^ "Former MNJHL Coach Kasey Yoder is headed to MN State Tournament". MNJHL. 4 March 2014.
  8. ^ "Edina Lakers Tap Joe Long as Next Head Coach". Lakers Junior Hockey. 19 April 2011.
  9. ^ "2013-14 Men's Ice Hockey Coaching Staff". Hamline University Athletics. Archived from the original on 5 January 2015. Retrieved 4 January 2014.
  10. ^ "Changing of the Guard". Lakers Junior Hockey. 4 April 2014.

External links

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