Why we're the State of Hockey

[Iceburg]

Let's keep in mind that the list linked to was not the entire list of players invited to try-out. I'd like to see that list.

Forwards (26):

Nate Arentz (Lakeville, Minn./ Lakeville North H.S.)
Riley Barber (Pittsburgh, Pa. / Compuware Midget Minor)
A.J. Coleman (Moon Twp., Pa. / Pittsburgh Hornets Midget Minor)
Cameron Darcy (South Boston, Mass. / Dexter School)
Thomas Di Pauli (Woodridge, Ill. / Chicago Mission Midget Minor)
Ryan Fitzgerald (North Reading, Mass. / Malden Catholic)
Alexander Galchenyuk (Chicago, Ill. / Chicago Young Americans Midget Minor)
Ryan Hartman (West Dundee, Ill. / Chicago Mission Midget Minor)
Bradley Hawkinson (Aurora, Colo. / Colorado Thunderbirds Midget Minor)
Vincent Hinostroza (Melrose Park, Ill. / Chicago Mission Midget Minor)
Nicolas Kerdiles (Lewisville, Texas /LA Selects Midget Minor)
Matthew Lane (Rochester, N.Y. / Missassauga Reps Minor)
Stephane Matteau (Chicago, Ill. / Notre Dame (Sask.) Hounds)
A.J. Michaelson (Apple Valley, Minn. / Apple Valley H.S.)
Cristoval "Boo" Nieves (Syracuse, N.Y. / Syracuse Stars Midget Minor)
Nickolas Olsson (Escondido, Calif. / LA Selects Midget Minor)
Cody Payne (Weston, Fla. / Missassauga Reps Minor)
Tyler Pham (Prairie Grove, Ill. / Team Illinois Midget Minor)
Ray Pigozzi (Evanston, Ill. / Chicago Mission Midget Minor)
Henrik Samuelsson (Pittsburgh, Pa. / P.F. Chang's Midget Major)
Quentin Shore (Denver, Colo. / Colorado Thunderbirds Midget Minor)
Brendan Silk (Melrose, Mass. / Austin Prep)
Zach Stepan (Hastings, Minn. / Shattuck-St. Mary's U16)
Gavin Stoik (Portland, Ore. / Colorado Thunderbirds Midget Minor)
Gage Torrel (Monticello, Minn. / Monticello/Annandale/Maple Lake H.S.)
Frankie Vatrano (E. Longmeadow, Mass. / Junior Bruins - Empire)

Defensemen (16):

Dylan Blujus (Buffalo, N.Y. / Buffalo Regals Midget Major)
Connor Carrick (Oak Lawn, Ill. / Chicago Fury Midget Minor)
Matias Cleland (Boulder, Colo. / Colorado Thunderbirds Midget Minor)
Troy Donnay (Fenton, Mich. / Belle Tire Midget Minor)
Nick Ebert (Livingston, N.J. / Waterloo Black Hawks - USHL)
Matthew Grzelyck (Boston, Mass. / Belmont Hill School)
Max Iafrate (Baltimore, Md. / Belle Tire Midget Minor)
Seth Jones (Plano, Texas / Dallas Stars Midget Major)
Dakota Mermis (Alton, Ill. / St. Louis Blues Midget Major)
Sam Piazza (Hinsdale, Ill. / Chicago Mission Midget Minor)
Patrick Sieloff (Ann Arbor, Mich. / Compuware Midget Minor)
Brady Skjei (Lakeville, Minn. / Lakeville North H.S.)
Jacob Trouba (Rochester, Mich. / Compuware Midget Minor)
Justin Wade (Aurora, Ill. / Chicago Mission Midget Minor)
Grant Webermin (Southfield, Mich. / Honeybaked Midget Minor)
Mark Yanis (Grosse Pointe Woods, Mich. / Belle Tire Midget Minor)

Goaltenders (5):

Jon Gillies (South Portland, Maine / Salisbury School)
Brandon Hope (Ann Arbor, Mich. / Honeybaked Midget Major)
Dalton Izyk (Syracuse, N.Y. / Syracuse Stars Midget Minor)
Jake Moore (Arcade, N.Y. / Buffalo Regals Midget Minor)
Jared Rutledge (Skokie, Ill. / Chicago Young Americans Midget Minor)

[nobama]

And look at that record downright Ishy.

When they combine rosters is that within the USA Hockey Rules.

I thought you couldn't be double rostered at tier 1 ?

[5thgraders]

Great ?

[selloutcrowd99]

The NTDP programs don't invite as many Minnesotans because they know that they will most likely choose to play at their High School.

Besides, it is more important to keep the passion of the game in Minnesota like we have been all these years. We are still developing great players who will go on to have great futures, do not worry about that. We are the best state hockeywise, and always will be. But more importantly, we share the greatest passion for the game, and I hope the attendance at the state tourney proves that.

Take a look at the Wild, who are not going to make the playoffs this year . For every other U.S. team, they would definitely not be selling out the arena like we do. No one on this discussion should be questioning our state at all.

[old goalie85]

It seems like some names are missing. Only two on the whole list? NO WAY, that can't be right.

[huville]

Minnesota needs to get on the same page as USA Hockey. Playing only 30 games a high school season is limiting our players development compared to kids playing tier I AAA across the country. Minnesota Hockey needs to be exempted from the high school league and be allowed to play 45-50 games starting in October and ending in April.

I know a lot of people would complain because they feel kids need to be able to play 2 or 3 sports each school season but the fact is none of the kids who play AAA hockey are 2 or 3 sport athletes. They are hockey players and they devote 12 months a season to being a hockey player. This is what hockey has evolved to everywhere else around the country and if we don't want to be passed up by the likes of Illinois and California then we need to evolve but at the same time, hold on to tradition.

[Teak]

Hopefully it's not based on our ability to effectively use punctuation marks.

Apostrophes in particular.

Or split infinitives, Goldy??

Sorry, I couldn't pass that one up.

[Slap Shot]

That way the USNDTP can play 70 to 80 games and then all of the top developed kids will be with them. The rest will be left to rot and then you will realize when it's to late that you have been duped by some guy with a double chin who has never played hockey. But his grandson is in the USNTDP program.

We've been hearing this claim for years, and truth be told the USNTDP is closer to folding than to dominating US Hockey development. Get a clue.

[huville]

Not even close slap shot. Not with the funding that the NHL is giving them now.

[Slap Shot]

Not folding due to lack of funds, folding due to necessity/results. And I didn't say it's actually near being shut down, but rather suggesting it's become the primary development program in the country is far from the truth.

[salol44]

I'm not familiar with Illinois hockey so it caught me by suprise that a lot of players trying out are from there. Is this a recent thing or has ILL always been producing players?

[Goldy Gopher]

Hopefully it's not based on our ability to effectively use punctuation marks.

Apostrophes in particular.

Or split infinitives, Goldy??

Sorry, I couldn't pass that one up.

Closed Circuit to Teak: It's no longer 1920. Split infinitives are okay to use.

[fivehole628]

I'm not familiar with Illinois hockey so it caught me by suprise that a lot of players trying out are from there. Is this a recent thing or has ILL always been producing players?

Most of the players try out for Midget teams before they graduate from high school.

[Red Ice]

Don't get too cocky, They took the North Stars away and that was when the NHL was fun and affordable. Wild games are more like a social status. Not necessarily for hockey fans.

The NTDP programs don't invite as many Minnesotans because they know that they will most likely choose to play at their High School.

Besides, it is more important to keep the passion of the game in Minnesota like we have been all these years. We are still developing great players who will go on to have great futures, do not worry about that. We are the best state hockeywise, and always will be. But more importantly, we share the greatest passion for the game, and I hope the attendance at the state tourney proves that.

Take a look at the Wild, who are not going to make the playoffs this year . For every other U.S. team, they would definitely not be selling out the arena like we do. No one on this discussion should be questioning our state at all.

[ilbok]

Why were the State of Hockey

Those who would boast about their state should not misspell their thread titles.

The State of Hockey must be pretty insecure to start a thread defending itself when nobody here has been bashing Minnesota hockey in the first place.

I really never questioned the state of hockey in the State of Hockey until reading this thread.

Historically, the boast always seemed hollow and ridiculous when most the other states did not have hockey rinks.

Back then, Minnesota should have dominated the sport even more than it has in your minds, yet there were years when no Minnesotan cracked even the Olympic lineup (let alone the NHL).

In the best years, Minnesota would send a few kids from St. Paul and a few more from the North ... hardly the domination you claim.

Even within the state today, Minnesota can muster only about 150 programs out of how many hundreds of schools?

And how many actually compete for the state title? Edina, Roseau, Hill-Murray, throw in another Minneapolis suburb and another team from the North ... not exactly a statewide phenomenon.

Maybe the "were" is appropriate ... as in "Were we really ever the State of Hockey?"

[FREDFLINTSTONE]

Just curious, but how many schools in Wisconsin, North Dakota, or Michigan have high school hockey?

[hockeyfan893]

[quote="ilbok"][quote]Why were the State of Hockey
[/quote]

Those who would boast about their state should not misspell their thread titles.

The State of Hockey must be pretty insecure to start a thread defending itself when nobody here has been bashing Minnesota hockey in the first place.

I really never questioned the state of hockey in the State of Hockey until reading this thread.

Historically, the boast always seemed hollow and ridiculous when most the other states did not have hockey rinks.

Back then, Minnesota should have dominated the sport even more than it has in your minds, yet there were years when no Minnesotan cracked even the Olympic lineup (let alone the NHL).

In the best years, Minnesota would send a few kids from St. Paul and a few more from the North ... hardly the domination you claim.

Even within the state today, Minnesota can muster only about 150 programs out of how many hundreds of schools?

And how many actually compete for the state title? Edina, Roseau, Hill-Murray, throw in another Minneapolis suburb and another team from the North ... not exactly a statewide phenomenon.

Maybe the "were" is appropriate ... as in "Were we really ever the State of Hockey?"[/quote]

Well written post, and I do agree with you that maybe being the State of Hockey is often overused to the point where it becomes a little bit of a brag. However I believe that Minnesota still is the "State of Hockey" for a number of reasons.

I agree with you that the number of teams that actually compete for the state title on a regular basis is a small group. As you mentioned, Hill, Roseau, Edina, and a few other more well known programs like Duluth East are usually the only teams that compete year to year. But you also have to recognize the level of competition and skill that can be found amongst Minnesota highschool hockey in general, no matter who actually makes the state tournament. In my opinion, the general skill and competition level of our Minnesotan highschool players is some of the best hockey for that age group around the country.

Backing up that idea are the statistics of division 1 players that come from Minnesota. Minnesotans make up 21.27% of division 1 collegiate hockey players from the United States. Massachusetts comes in second with 5% less, 16.26%.

Excuse me if these numbers are slightly off, but these are the most recent ones I could find.

http://www.insidecollegehockey.com/7Arc ... l_0222.htm

If there are more recent statistics that anyone could find, it would help.

But if my statistics, at least in the sense that Minnesota still leads the pack, still hold true, it points to the strength of Minnesota hockey.

Please, statistics and corrections always up

Good discussion.

[warriors41]

14 kids from the 1980 miracle on ice olympic hockey team were from Minnesota.

[woodley]

Well done Fan893. . . .

It's nice to see opinions, but nicer to see facts.

[StayAtHomeD]

Check the US U17 and U18 developmental team rosters. Not that many kids from Minnesota. Nothing like it used to be.

Two kids from MN on the roster for the U18 team. Seems Minnesota HS Hockey is taking a giant nosedive.

Probably the politics and way too much parent involvement.

[PoNd HocKey ChAmP67]

Why were the State of Hockey

Those who would boast about their state should not misspell their thread titles.

The State of Hockey must be pretty insecure to start a thread defending itself when nobody here has been bashing Minnesota hockey in the first place.

I really never questioned the state of hockey in the State of Hockey until reading this thread.

Historically, the boast always seemed hollow and ridiculous when most the other states did not have hockey rinks.

Back then, Minnesota should have dominated the sport even more than it has in your minds, yet there were years when no Minnesotan cracked even the Olympic lineup (let alone the NHL).

In the best years, Minnesota would send a few kids from St. Paul and a few more from the North ... hardly the domination you claim.

Even within the state today, Minnesota can muster only about 150 programs out of how many hundreds of schools?

And how many actually compete for the state title? Edina, Roseau, Hill-Murray, throw in another Minneapolis suburb and another team from the North ... not exactly a statewide phenomenon.

Maybe the "were" is appropriate ... as in "Were we really ever the State of Hockey?"

It was not out of insecurity, the thread was made to reflect on all the great moments witnessed the season in hockey. In Minnesota where high school hockey is at it's best

[Iceman778]

So they tell us to practice more, and play less games, then they turn around and break their own rules? That's a joke!!

NO its not joke its a fact

[DubCHAGuy]

Check the US U17 and U18 developmental team rosters. Not that many kids from Minnesota. Nothing like it used to be.

Two kids from MN on the roster for the U18 team. Seems Minnesota HS Hockey is taking a giant nosedive.

Probably the politics and way too much parent involvement.

Not really. Hockey is just becoming more popular. Look at the central scouting rankings. There are still a lot more MN kids than any other state. Some playing HS, some already in college, some playing Jrs, some at Ann Arbor. MN kids have options. There are also kids on there from places like Texas and California, which is good to see, but I don't think those states are 'catching up' to any of the big 3 hockey states (MN, MI, MA), or will catch up anytime soon.

[ilbok]

State of Hockey:

At least we're still marginally better than Michigan & Massachusetts!

We're the best of three!

We're the Section 1 of Canada!

[R1nk Rat 174]

I saw a Wisconsin state semi-final game on tv the other week. They are absolutely no where near the caliber of Minnesota! the game looked more like a section 3A semifinal game than a state game. No offense to 3A. Just a little embarassing for WI..