Worthington Boys Hockey Season Preview 2026-27

Worthington finished 2-24 last season, the most difficult record of any team in Section 3A, and fell 7-1 to Fairmont in the Section 3A Playoffs First Round. But buried in a brutal season is a genuinely encouraging fact: every meaningful scorer on the roster returns. Worthington graduates just four seniors, and none of them were significant point producers, meaning the entire productive core comes back together for 2026-27.

Players Lost to Graduation

Worthington graduates four seniors, and none were among the team’s leading scorers last season.

Lucas Hohenstein (D) posted 2 assists in 25 games.

Dylan Harms (F) and Tristan Henderson (F) did not record a point last season.

In net, Brody Pederson (G) graduates after posting an 0-8 record with a 9.23 GAA and a .792 save percentage in 16 appearances.

Returning Players for 2026-27

This is the central storyline for Worthington heading into 2026-27: every significant scorer from a 2-24 season returns, and the program’s true freshman class already made real contributions.

Top Returning Scorers

Dominic Pavelko (F), a senior next season, returns as Worthington’s leading returning scorer and was the team’s actual leading scorer overall last season, posting 21 goals and 13 assists for 34 points in 26 games, with 5 power-play goals, 4 power-play assists and 2 game-winners — by far the most productive player on the roster.

Hunter Heitkamp (D), a junior next season, was the team’s No. 2 scorer, finishing with 5 goals and 16 assists for 21 points, with a power-play goal and 10 power-play assists — an outstanding season from the blue line.

Ryker Thier (F), a senior next season, posted 9 goals and 4 assists for 13 points, with 4 power-play goals and 2 power-play assists.

Kaden Khamphanh (F), a sophomore next season, returns after an 11-point season (5 goals, 6 assists) as a true freshman, with a power-play goal and 3 power-play assists.

Noahh Hohenstein (D), a junior next season, adds 4 goals and 4 assists for 8 points.

Among other returning skaters, Colby Darling (D), a junior next season, posted 5 goals and 2 assists for 7 points with 2 power-play goals, and Trey Milbrath (F), also a junior next season, added 2 goals and 4 assists for 6 points with a power-play assist.

Returning Defense Core

Hunter Heitkamp’s 21-point season is one of the more productive seasons from a defenseman anywhere in Section 3A, and his return alone gives Worthington a legitimate building block on the back end. Noahh Hohenstein and Colby Darling add further depth, both returning with real varsity experience.

Goaltending Situation

With Brody Pederson graduating, Tyson Petersen (G), a senior next season, is positioned to take over as the full-time starter. Petersen carried the larger workload last season, posting a 2-15 record with an 8.56 GAA and a .795 save percentage in 22 appearances. Both goaltenders faced significant volume behind a team that struggled defensively all season, and continued development will be important for Worthington’s results in 2026-27.

Players to Watch

Dominic Pavelko is the clear headliner, returning as a senior after a 34-point season that was easily the best on the roster. Hunter Heitkamp’s 21-point season from the blue line stands out as one of the more underrated seasons in the section. Kaden Khamphanh’s freshman production suggests a potential building block for multiple future seasons as well.

Key Players to Replace

Worthington’s offseason priorities are limited given how little turnover the roster is experiencing:

• Organizational depth from a senior class that did not include significant point producers
• Brody Pederson’s share of last season’s goaltending workload

2026-27 Outlook

Worthington’s 2-24 record last season was the most difficult in Section 3A, but the roster turnover tells a different story than the win total. Dominic Pavelko, Hunter Heitkamp, Ryker Thier and Kaden Khamphanh all return as the foundation of the offense, and none of last season’s four graduating seniors were significant contributors. Section 3A has historically been one of the less competitive sections in Class A, and a Worthington roster returning its entire productive core has a real opportunity to improve on last season’s results, even if a deep playoff run remains a longer-term goal.

Statistics reflect the 2025-26 regular season and Section 3A playoffs as provided. One roster entry in the original data did not include a clear name or position and has not been included in this preview.

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