Hastings went 13-13-1 last season and made it to the Section 4A Semifinal, knocking off South St. Paul 1-0 before Mahtomedi ended the run, 5-1. Ten seniors are gone, including both goaltenders. But the guy who actually led the team in scoring is back.
Players Lost to Graduation
Finn Zaruba leaves as the team’s No. 2 scorer — 12 goals, 9 assists, 21 points, four of them on the power play. Will Savage put up 18 points (7-11), and Brecken Fullerton added 16 (6-10). Luke Niederkorn was the most productive defenseman in the group, with 4 goals and 11 assists.
Blake Weber chipped in 7 points from the blue line. Andrew McGraw had 5. Drew Mamer had 3. Carter Strong and Joseph Leonard each finished with 2.
Both goalies graduate too. Charlie Stoffel was the better of the two — 8-9, .924 save percentage, 2 shutouts in 24 games. Nicholas Smelser went 5-4-1 with a .897 save percentage.
Returning Players for 2026-27
Jonas Schauer led Hastings in scoring last season — not just among returners, the whole team — with 13 goals and 11 assists for 24 points. He’s a senior now, and the offense runs through him.
Carter Hanson is right behind him at 20 points (5-15), also a senior. Rylan Krauth and Michael Kennedy both put up 9 points last year. Jack Woodwick, a senior defenseman, had 6.
Isaac Meyers, now a junior, scored twice as a sophomore — not much, but he’s one of the only underclassmen on this roster with a stat line at all.
The Defense
Niederkorn, Weber, Strong and Leonard are all gone. That’s four of last year’s regular defensemen. Woodwick is the only one coming back with a point to his name. Hastings needs new bodies on the blue line, full stop.
Goaltending
Both goalies are gone. Charlie Colvin is the only name left with varsity experience, and he barely played. Whoever wins the net job this fall will be doing it with almost no track record behind him — that’s the biggest question on this roster.
Who to Watch
Schauer’s the guy. He led the team as a junior and now he’s the senior leader with no excuses. Hanson gives Hastings a real second scoring threat. Everything else hinges on the net.
What Hastings Needs to Replace
- Zaruba’s 21 points and power-play touch
- Savage and Fullerton’s combined 34 points
- Niederkorn’s production from defense
- A starting goalie — both are gone
2026-27 Outlook
Schauer and Hanson can score. That part’s settled. What isn’t settled is who stops the puck and who plays defense in front of him. Hastings reached a section semifinal last year on the strength of players who are gone now. This year’s team gets built around whoever steps up in net.
Statistics reflect the 2025-26 regular season and Section 4A playoffs.
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