Ely went 8-15 last season, beat Moose Lake Area 13-6 in the Section 7A Playoffs First Round, then ran into Hibbing/Chisholm and lost 14-1 in the quarterfinal. The team’s top scorer graduates, but the No. 2 and No. 3 scorers both return as seniors, and so does the goaltender who posted the better numbers between the program’s two netminders.
Players Lost to Graduation
Rhett Johnson led the team — 16 goals, 17 assists, 33 points, with 6 power-play goals, 5 power-play assists and 3 game-winners. Jayden Zemke and Hunter Halbakken tied for the next spot at 21 points apiece — Zemke from the blue line with 4 power-play goals, Halbakken up front with 5 power-play assists.
Ryland Sandy added 4 points from defense, and Lewis Powell graduates after a split goaltending workload — 5-6, an .860 save percentage in 13 appearances.
Returning Players for 2026-27
Owen Marolt wasn’t far behind Johnson in scoring last season — 15 goals, 17 assists, 32 points — and he’s a senior next year. Sean Merriman added 23 points (14-9), also returning as a senior.
Cooper Mayranen contributed 15 points (11-4) as a sophomore. Sawyer Hegman, a true freshman, added 9 points, all assists, from the blue line. Evan Leeson contributed 9 more, and Stig Majerus had 8.
Goaltending
Henry Fetterer, a true freshman, carried the larger share of the workload and posted the better save percentage between the two goaltenders — 3-9, an .889 save percentage in 13 appearances. He’s a sophomore next year with a long runway ahead of him in net.
Who to Watch
Owen Marolt and Sean Merriman give Ely a proven 2-3 punch heading into 2026-27, both as seniors. Cooper Mayranen adds a developing scoring option, and Henry Fetterer’s freshman season in net, despite a tough win-loss record, points to a goaltender who could take a real step forward as the team in front of him matures.
What Ely Needs to Replace
- Rhett Johnson’s 33 points
- Jayden Zemke’s and Hunter Halbakken’s combined 42 points
2026-27 Outlook
Ely’s record reflects a difficult season, but Owen Marolt and Sean Merriman give the program a proven senior duo to build around, and Henry Fetterer’s underlying numbers as a true freshman goaltender are a real positive. This looks like a team that needs more depth around its top players, but the top of the roster is in better shape than the record alone suggests.
Statistics reflect the 2025-26 regular season and Section 7A playoffs.
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