World Selects - Minnesota Fire

The State of Hockey Looks To Win First Ever World Championship In Nashville

It’s the hockey hotbed of America. Minnesota. The State of Hockey.

However, one thing the state has yet to achieve is a World Selects Trophy championship. Despite representation from several reputable programs throughout the region, no Minnesota-based team has ever hoisted the trophy. Could the Minnesota Fire become the first program from the Land of 10,000 Lakes to do so? They’re coming to the Music City next month with some top prospects and a goal of winning the 15U WSI in Nashville.

Born in St. Paul, Minnesota, forward Conrad Fondrk should play a significant role for the Fire. He scored 58 goals and 108 points in 58 games for a Mount St. Charles 14U squad that ranked among the top 25 teams in the world this winter. Teammate Nic Whitehead followed him close behind with 38 goals and 88 points, and will once again team up with Fondrk to continue their dynamic duo in Nashville.

Fellow Minnesotans Brayden Pelci, Michael Mikan, Sam Schulte, Will Distad and Casper Lang will be major contributors as well. Schulte, for instance, played 19 games as a freshman for Mounds View High, and will provide a wealth of experience to the back end for Minnesota.

The Fire is a private development training program designed for goal-oriented athletes to instill the necessary skills, habits, work ethic, attitude and character. They look to achieve long-term excellence in both hockey and life. The ‘07 group is the first birth year the Fire has assembled since the ‘04s — a group that consisted of future NCAA commits Zam Plante, Charlie Stramel, Maddox Fleming, Nick Pierre and Isaac Howard, among others.

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