Royals defenseman was a catalyst in Rogers’ first trip to state

Nolen Geerdes, a skilled skater with great vision who excels on both ends of the ice, was named the 2025 Reed Larson Award winner.

The Reed Larson Award is given to the state’s top senior defenseman and presented by Let’s Play Hockey.

Geerdes helped lead the Royals to their first-ever state championship. A mainstay on the blue line, Geerdes is a top-notch defender, but also a skilled offensive threat who quarterbacks the Rogers power play.

“He is an effortless skater, especially in transition,” said one regional scout. “He is a calm QB on the power play. He is fundamentally sound and leads by example as a perfect team player.”

Geerdes finished the season with 11 goals and 35 assists. As a junior he notched seven goals and 36 assists. A three-year varsity starter he has 21 goals and 91 assists for 122 points in just 85 games. He is committed to Western Michigan.

“Nolen Geerdes leads our team in ice time every game, said Rogers Head Coach Dave Brown. “He’s an electric 200-foot defenseman that many coaches, opponents and players leave the rink going ‘wow.’ He has improved every year in all areas of his game, whether it be shutting down other team’s top players or running our offense.”

Geerdes emerged form a strong list of candidates in the Class of 2025 including finalists Finn De St. Hubert (Wayzata), Jimmy Dodig (Cretin-Derham Hall), Graham Greeder (Hill-Murray) Nick Koering (Eden Prairie), Henry Peterson (Hermantown) and Josh Toll (Rosemount). Geerdes is also a Mr. Hockey Finalist. He possesses a complete skill set as a shutdown defender and whether orchestrating break outs or zone entries, his playmaking skills and hockey IQ are assets that make him a threat on both ends of the ice.

2025 REED LARSON AWARD FINALISTS

“Nolen runs the power play and anchors the penalty kill,” said Coach Brown. “He is a human breakout when he has the puck and can escape the forecheck against the state’s top players. He can make highlight reel stretch passes but also has an electric ability to attack on the rush. He’s never missed a game, breaking the school record for games played. He is a highly competitive kid with insane natural athletic ability. He competes hard in practice and has an uncanny ability to live in the present moment wherever his feet are, a rare gift in today’s world.”

Geerdes becomes the second Rogers player in three years to win the award following former teammate Chase Cheslock, who won in 2023. Last year Minnetonka’s John Stout won the award.

The award originated in 2013. At the time, no award existed exclusively for Minnesota’s top high school blueliners. With that in mind, Let’s Play Hockey created the Reed Larson Award to annually honor the state’s top senior boys’ high school defenseman.

Reed Larson, a native of Minneapolis, played on the blue line for Minneapolis Roosevelt High School and the University of Minnesota, followed by 904 regular season games in the NHL, most notably as a captain of the Detroit Red Wings. He finished his career with 685 points and is now enshrined in the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame.

Previous winners include: