Willmar went 12-15 last season, beat Fergus Falls 4-2 in the Section 6A Quarterfinal, then ran into Northern Lakes and lost 6-0 in the semifinal. The team’s leading scorer returns, along with three more of last season’s top five.
Players Lost to Graduation
Gibson Horyza was the team’s No. 2 scorer — 20 goals, 23 assists, 43 points, with 7 power-play goals and 8 power-play assists. Blake Grimsley added 31 points (13-18), with 3 power-play goals and 7 power-play assists.
Cooper Lownsbury contributed 5 points from the blue line, and Gavin Paulson graduates after regular ice time without recording a point. In net, Ian Ziehl graduates after a sharp .914 save percentage in a smaller sample.
Returning Players for 2026-27
Luke Larson led the team in scoring last season — 19 goals, 26 assists, 45 points — and he’s a senior next year. Max Garberding added 27 points (10-17) as a junior. Aden Jacobson contributed 25 points from the blue line, almost all of it playmaking.
Eli Hagen added 19 points as a junior. Cooper Thole had 9 points, and Dane Pearson, a true freshman, contributed 8.
Goaltending
Eli Ewert carried the heavier share of the workload — 10-14, a 4.25 GAA, an .889 save percentage in 27 appearances. He’s a senior next year and the likely No. 1 again.
Who to Watch
Luke Larson returns as the team’s leading scorer and a senior, with Max Garberding and Aden Jacobson giving the program real secondary scoring behind him. Eli Hagen adds a fourth proven option. With four of last season’s top five scorers back, Willmar has a real chance to build on a season that already included a section playoff win.
What Willmar Needs to Replace
- Gibson Horyza’s 43 points
- Blake Grimsley’s 31 points
- Ian Ziehl’s efficiency in a smaller share of the goaltending workload
2026-27 Outlook
Willmar returns four of its top five scorers, headlined by Luke Larson coming off a 45-point season as a senior. Max Garberding, Aden Jacobson and Eli Hagen give the program real depth up front and on the blue line, and Eli Ewert returns with a full season of experience in net. Building on a section quarterfinal win looks realistic with this much of the roster intact.
Statistics reflect the 2025-26 regular season and Section 6A playoffs.
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