River Lakes went 10-16 last season and lost a 7-6 overtime heartbreaker to Pine City Area in the Section 5A Quarterfinal. A deep senior class graduates, and the picture for 2026-27 is complicated further by reports that the team’s two leading returners, Eli Engebretson and Logan Jones, may be moving to another program within the section. Neither move is confirmed.
Players Lost to Graduation
Parker Welz led the team by a clear margin — 13 goals, 14 assists, 27 points, with a power-play goal, 2 power-play assists and 2 short-handed goals. Isaac Blaschko added 21 points (7-14) from the blue line, and Eric Paulson also finished with 21 points (12-9), including 5 power-play goals.
Jaiken Mackedanz scored 10 goals for 19 points. Griffin Mayhew had 12, and Brock Bruntlett added 7 from defense.
In net, Will Robinson graduates after carrying the heavier share of the workload — 6-11, an .860 save percentage, and a shutout in 20 appearances.
Returning Players for 2026-27
Eli Engebretson tied for the team’s second-highest point total last season — 11 goals, 10 assists, 21 points — and he would be a senior next year. However, there are unconfirmed reports that he may transfer to another program within Section 5A, which would remove the team’s top returning scorer entirely.
Logan Jones added 12 points (2-10) as a freshman, almost all of it playmaking, and is also rumored to be considering a move to another section program. If both leave, River Lakes would be replacing not just its 2025-26 senior class, but its next two scoring options as well.
Lucas Bayer had 9 points last season and is not part of either transfer rumor. Evan Jones contributed 6 from the blue line.
Goaltending
Devin Swanson posted a better save percentage than Robinson last season — .875 in 11 appearances, with a 4-5 record. He’s a senior next year and the logical favorite to take over the larger share of starts.
Who to Watch
If Eli Engebretson and Logan Jones both stay, they give River Lakes a clear top two heading into 2026-27, with Engebretson positioned to lead the team outright and Jones, still only a sophomore next year, developing into a true playmaker. If either or both leave for another Section 5A program, Lucas Bayer becomes the most experienced returning scorer by default, and the picture changes considerably. Devin Swanson’s save percentage gives the program a reasonable answer in net regardless of how the forward group shakes out.
What River Lakes Needs to Replace
- Parker Welz’s 27 points
- Isaac Blaschko’s and Eric Paulson’s combined 42 points
- Jaiken Mackedanz’s 19 points
- Will Robinson’s share of the goaltending workload
- Possibly Eli Engebretson’s and Logan Jones’s combined 33 points, if either or both transfer
2026-27 Outlook
River Lakes already graduates a significant chunk of its scoring and its more experienced goaltender. How much further the rebuild goes depends on Eli Engebretson and Logan Jones, both of whom are rumored to be considering moves to other Section 5A programs. If they stay, River Lakes has a proven scorer and a developing playmaker to build around. If they leave, this becomes one of the more significant roster turnovers in the section, with Lucas Bayer and Devin Swanson left to anchor a team replacing nearly its entire identity. This is a situation worth checking on again closer to the season.
Statistics reflect the 2025-26 regular season and Section 5A playoffs.
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