Best hockey player from each state

Jan 26, 2014; New York City, NY, USA; NHL former player Jeremy Roenick skates with youngsters on a miniature rink before the Stadium Series hockey game between the New Jersey Devils and the New York Rangers at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ed Mulholland-USA TODAY Sports /

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South Dakota – Zeb Knutson

The state of South Dakota has never produced an NHL player. However, due to the recent addition of a USHL team, the Sioux Falls Stampede, hockey is starting to pick up in the state. Its greatest player ever is Zeb Knutson, a forward who also got to star for the Stampede.

Knutson got his start with the Russell Stover Under 16 team in Kansas. He had 34 points in 59 games with them. However, it wasn’t until Knutson joined the Under 18 team. With them, he had 65 points in 43 games. This helped him get attention from the USHL and allowed him to play for the Stampede.

In 117 games in the USHL, Knutson had 99 points (53 goals and 46 assists). After this, he started attending Minnesota State University Makato. Knutson is in his third season. Through his first 56 games, he has 28 points.

There are some impressive young players from South Dakota quickly starting to put the state on the map. One of them is Knutson’s cousin Walker Duehr, who will be joining him at MSU Makato next season. There’s also 15 year old Jack Olson, who has impressed a lot of people and likely isn’t too far away from the USHL. It shouldn’t be too long before South Dakota sees its first NHL player.

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