Petey's Picks

It's playoff time! And you can't have playoffs without brackets, and you can't have brackets without PICKS! Upsets are coming, runaway favorites, repeat champions?! All that, and more as I go through all three Michigan high school hockey playoff divisions with picks for each game and predictions for your Final Four.BRACKETOLOGY: https://peteyspicks.com/bracketology-winners-favorites-and-upsets-for-the-2026-mhsaa-playoffs/

I revisit my two-division, tiered playoff proposal, how it would work and what it would look like within our current Michigan high school hockey season. Plus, I reveal my final Top-25 rankings of the season with a deep dive into each team's resume, big wins, tough losses and top performers. Top-25 Rankings: https://peteyspicks.com/teams/

The Michigan high school athletics association (MHSAA) announced on Tuesday that student-athletes at member schools can now benefit from what they call “PBAs” personal branding activities, or more commonly known as NIL, name-image-likeness. But what does that mean for hockey players specifically? Plus, I've got 10 things I LOVE about high school hockey, we update the Top-25 Rankings and I make my picks for the upcoming MIHL Showcase.Top-25 Rankings: https://peteyspicks.com/teams/

I share my raw, unfiltered scouting notes from last weekend's North-South Showcase in Traverse City. Top-25 Rankings are also updated with plenty of teams on the move in a big way, including Forest Hills Central returning to the rankings scene. And we wrap things up talking about teams I haven't talked about yet this season with a 12-game slate of picks that you can get involved in!

Make your picks: https://peteyspicks.com/first-picks-of-the-new-year-headlined-by-first-timers/Top-25 Rankings: https://peteyspicks.com/teams/Notes from the North-South Showcase: https://peteyspicks.com/scouting-notes-from-the-north-south-showcase/

Quickly becoming my favorite event of the Michigan high school hockey calendar, the Rick Deneweth Memorial, North-South Showcase gets underway Thursday. Action includes 12 Top-25 matchups over the course of three days, all under one roof. We break down all the teams and matchups taking place at Centre Ice Arena.

Heading into holiday break, we completely tear down and rebuild the Top-25 Rankings with some volatile movement among top teams. Cranbrook hockey up 11 spots?! Houghton hockey falls out of the Top 20?? That, and much more as I go team-by-team breaking down each of their resumes and bodies of work thus far this season.Plus, we'll do a little role playing with what I believe to be the best potential playoff format for Michigan high school hockey and how that would look at present day.Petey's playoff format: https://youtu.be/BM_lZhfXsrs?si=NIKWgaZpYRlgOaDY&t=1765Top-25 Rankings: https://peteyspicks.com/teams/

From cross-town rivalries to Top-5 matchups, Thanksgiving Weekend does not disappoint! It's the perfect time to start our weekly Games of the Week segment where I take on the public, making picks and predictions for some of the biggest games on the schedule. I also update my Top-25 Rankings and talk about other current affairs in Michigan high school hockey.Games of the Week: https://peteyspicks.com/thanksgiving-week-rivalries-and-primetime-matchups/Updated Rankings: https://peteyspicks.com/teams/

We release the fifth annual Top 100 Names to Know returning to Michigan high school hockey for the upcoming '25-26 season. A list of 76 seniors, 23 juniors and one sophomore make up the 2025 Top 100, with 64 of them being forwards, 21 defensemen and 15 goalies representing 60 different high school hockey programs across the state of Michigan. Top 100 Names to Know: https://peteyspicks.com/2025-top-100-names-to-know-in-michigan-high-school-hockey/

The only place you'll find preseason rankings for the upcoming Michigan high school hockey season is on the Petey's Picks Podcast. I run through my preseason Top 25 with analysis and predictions for all 25 teams — plus, a few more — and pick over/unders on win totals for the upcoming season.Preseason Top-25 Rankings: https://peteyspicks.com/2025-26-preseason-top-25-rankings/0:00 Intro1:26 Tier 6 - Bubble Teams8:30 Tier 5 - Mid-Majors14:00 Tier 4 - In the Hunt20:46 Tier 3 - Contenders28:15 Tier 2 - Favorites34:41 Tier 1 - Catholic Central38:31 Outro

We conclude previews of all 13 conferences, leagues and associations from across the state of Michigan in preparation for the 2025-26 high school hockey season. We've saved the best for last, as I break down the Kensington Lakes Activities Association (KLAA) and the Michigan Interscholastic Hockey League (MIHL). Also, some bonus talk about standout Independent teams to watch this season as well. They don't belong to a conference but still factor in to the Top-25 picture!KLAA Preview: https://peteyspicks.com/2025-26-kensington-lakes-activities-association-preview/MIHL Preview: https://peteyspicks.com/2025-26-michigan-interscholastic-hockey-league-preview/