Blake came one win away from a state tournament berth last season, finishing 18-9-2 and rolling through the Section 2A Quarterfinal and Semifinal before falling 6-2 to Delano in the Section 2A Championship. It was a heartbreaking way to end an outstanding season, and now Blake graduates a massive senior class that included the program’s two leading scorers. The good news: a proven returning goaltender and a breakout junior defenseman give Blake real pieces to build around.
Note: this preview reflects returning players based on last season’s roster and does not yet account for transfers in or out for 2026-27.
Players Lost to Graduation
Blake graduates 10 seniors, the largest class in the section, and it strips away the heart of last season’s lineup.
Joe Erickson (F) was the engine of the offense, leading the team and one of the top scorers in the section with 32 goals and 32 assists for 64 points in 28 games, adding 7 power-play goals, 8 power-play assists, 4 short-handed goals, 2 short-handed assists and 3 game-winners. Replacing that level of production is close to impossible.
Landon Bell (F) wasn’t far behind, posting 23 goals and 25 assists for 48 points, with 6 power-play goals, 9 power-play assists, 2 short-handed goals and 5 game-winners.
Cooper Simmons (F) adds a 28-point season (12 goals, 16 assists) with 3 game-winners, while Charlie Moore (F) contributes 5 goals and 12 assists for 17 points, including a short-handed goal and 2 game-winners.
Max Vinar (D) was the top offensive defenseman among the departing class, scoring 2 goals and adding 14 assists for 16 points, with a power-play goal and 8 power-play assists.
Jack Mark (F) and Eli Crosby (F) both finished with double-digit point totals. Mark posted 6 goals and 10 assists for 16 points, while Crosby added 5 goals and 6 assists for 11 points with 2 power-play goals and 5 power-play assists.
Jimmy Hughes (D) contributes 1 goal and 8 assists for 9 points, and Chayce Clausen (F) and Ryan Lee (F) round out the departing class.
Blake does not lose its starting goaltender — the program’s goaltending situation carries over largely intact into next season.
Returning Players for 2026-27
While the offense loses an enormous amount of production, Blake returns a legitimate breakout star on defense and a proven option in net.
Top Returning Scorers
Axel Bisbee (D), a senior next season, returns as Blake’s leading returning scorer regardless of position, posting an outstanding 14 goals and 18 assists for 32 points in 27 games — third on the entire team last season. Bisbee also led all returning players with 5 power-play goals and 10 power-play assists, an elite offensive season from the blue line.
Theo Liddicoat (F), a senior next season, adds 11 goals and 10 assists for 21 points, with 2 power-play assists, a short-handed assist and 3 game-winners.
Connor Briand (F), also a senior next season, posted 8 goals and 8 assists for 16 points, with a power-play goal.
Drew Cheng (D), a senior next season, returns after a 14-point season (5 goals, 9 assists) that included 2 power-play assists and a short-handed assist.
Blake Bigelbach (F), a senior next season, adds 1 goal and 9 assists for 10 points.
Among other returning contributors, Ian Jaehn (D) posted 7 assists, George Mark (D) added 6 assists with a power-play assist, and Logan Duncan (F) contributed 3 assists.
Returning Defense Core
This is a genuine strength for Blake heading into 2026-27. Axel Bisbee’s 32-point season is one of the best returning seasons from a defenseman anywhere in Class A, and Drew Cheng’s 14 points give Blake a second proven option on the back end. Ian Jaehn and George Mark add further organizational depth. Even with Max Vinar and Jimmy Hughes graduating, this group should be one of the more productive blue lines in Section 2A.
Goaltending Situation
Blake returns its starting goaltender. Jake Iwan (G), a senior next season, was the primary option last season, posting a 17-8-2 record with a 3.00 GAA, a .887 save percentage and a shutout across 27 appearances. Henry Hommeyer (G), a sophomore next season, returns as well after a small but perfect sample as a true freshman — a 1-0 record, a 0.00 GAA and a 1.000 save percentage with a shutout in his limited appearances. Having a proven, battle-tested starter return after a run to the section title game gives Blake real stability in net.
Players to Watch
Axel Bisbee is the headliner — a 32-point season from a defenseman, with elite power-play production, makes him one of the top returning players in all of Class A Section 2. Theo Liddicoat and Connor Briand give Blake proven secondary scoring up front, though both will need to take on significantly larger roles with so much offense departing. In net, Jake Iwan’s experience and Henry Hommeyer’s perfect small sample make goaltending one of the few areas of certainty for this program.
Key Players to Replace
Blake’s offseason priorities center on:
- Joe Erickson’s 64-point season — the most production any single team in the section needs to replace. (Ranked #100 in the NHL Central Scouting report)
- Landon Bell’s 48-point season and complete special-teams game
- Cooper Simmons’s and Charlie Moore’s combined secondary scoring
- Max Vinar’s power-play production from the blue line
2026-27 Outlook
Blake faces one of the steepest rebuilds in Class A Section 2 after losing its top two scorers — a combined 112 points — along with eight other contributing seniors. The bright spot is real: Axel Bisbee’s 32-point breakout season gives Blake a legitimate star to build around, and Jake Iwan returns as a proven starter in net after leading the program to within one game of the state tournament. Whether Theo Liddicoat, Connor Briand and the rest of the returning forward group can collectively replace the scoring volume lost to graduation will determine whether Blake can stay in the mix at the top of Section 2A, or take a step back while the next wave develops. This outlook does not yet account for any transfers in or out of the program before next season.
Statistics reflect the 2025-26 regular season and Section 2A playoffs as provided. Have something for us? Our email is always open ftphockey@gmail.com
