MN High School Hockey Tournament

  • futurepoorperson
    Posts: 150
    #2256668

    Looking forward to the tournament, expecting some exceptional hockey as always. The “All Hockey Hair Team” tradition is definitely a highlight. It’s also rumored that this will be Lou Nanne’s final year as an announcer. His contribution to the sport has been significant.

    gimruis
    Plymouth, MN
    Posts: 17420
    #2256669

    Minnetonka is going to be very difficult to beat in class AA. They went 23-0-2 in the regular season. The Skippers have 9 division 1 recruits and 3 finalists for Mr Hockey.

    I could see Minnetonka vs Wayzata in the class AA state final.

    Ripjiggen
    Posts: 11592
    #2256670

    Ditto although I expect some blow outs in the first round. Especially for whoever plays the winner out of the south and northwest in AA.

    Ripjiggen
    Posts: 11592
    #2256672

    Wayzata has to punch a ticket first. So do the skippers.

    gimruis
    Plymouth, MN
    Posts: 17420
    #2256673

    Wayzata has to punch a ticket first.

    Ya they will have a difficult time with Edina tomorrow. I see the winner of that game playing Minnetonka in the state AA final.

    I think the Trojans are better than the Hornets but its pretty even. Plus, who doesn’t like seeing Edina lose? jester

    AK Guy
    Posts: 1390
    #2256674

    Looking forward to the tournament, expecting some exceptional hockey as always. The “All Hockey Hair Team” tradition is definitely a highlight. It’s also rumored that this will be Lou Nanne’s final year as an announcer. His contribution to the sport has been significant.

    Not rumored. Lou said his 60th broadcast will be his last.

    https://kstp.com/minnesota-sports/minnesota-hockey-legend-lou-nanne-retire-broadcasting-boys-state-tournament-games/#

    futurepoorperson
    Posts: 150
    #2256676

    Fingers crossed that Chanhassen brings their A-game to the ice tomorrow. They’re looking to bounce back from a 2-3 defeat against Minnetonka on December 7th.

    gimruis
    Plymouth, MN
    Posts: 17420
    #2256678

    I am pretty sure Minnetonka beat them in OT last year in the section final too, and then the Skippers went on to win state.

    Deuces
    Posts: 5236
    #2256684

    Was scorekeeper for a peewee tourney and amazed by how fast that level is, cant imagine high schoolers, cool view right down on the ice.

    Ripjiggen
    Posts: 11592
    #2256687

    I will wait on my predictions until we know who is in the dance.

    Fife
    Ramsey, MN
    Posts: 4046
    #2256721

    It will be a fun one to watch. Lou did an interview with Joe Schmidt saying that it will be his last time covering the tournament. He wants to go out while he is still sharp.

    Does anybody know how many of the Minnetonka kids played youth hockey in Minnetonka? I know many schools recruit or kids choose to enroll somewhere, but I’m just curious what percentage are kids that came all the way up through the Minnetonka program.

    Justin riegel
    Posts: 936
    #2256728

    How sections are set up kind of bothers me. If you look at the Let’s play hockey top ten, at most only 4 of the schools will be at the tourney. This makes the first round of the state tourney almost pointless.

    Anyway, I am excited for it, it might be one of the best state tourneys in the country.

    tswoboda
    Posts: 8517
    #2256730

    Does anybody know how many of the Minnetonka kids played youth hockey in Minnetonka? I know many schools recruit or kids choose to enroll somewhere, but I’m just curious what percentage are kids that came all the way up through the Minnetonka program.

    Just went through their roster and looks like vast majority played Bantams for Minnetonka. 2 came from out of state AAA and 4 or 5 played Bantams for Chaska/Chanhassen

    Charlie W
    TRF / Pool 3 / Grand Rapids, MN / SJU
    Posts: 1176
    #2256735

    How sections are set up kind of bothers me. If you look at the Let’s play hockey top ten, at most only 4 of the schools will be at the tourney. This makes the first round of the state tourney almost pointless.

    Anyway, I am excited for it, it might be one of the best state tourneys in the country.

    But it also causes some great upsets and gets other teams in. I personally hate seeing the same metro teams in it year after year.

    tswoboda
    Posts: 8517
    #2256742

    I personally hate seeing the same metro teams in it year after year.

    I agree but that’s just the way it is for AA, won’t be long until AA is all metro teams every year. Gotta watch the A tourney if you want to see outstate teams.

    BigWerm
    SW Metro
    Posts: 11644
    #2256757

    Fingers crossed that Chanhassen brings their A-game to the ice tomorrow. They’re looking to bounce back from a 2-3 defeat against Minnetonka on December 7th.

    Chan-Tonka might be the real championship game. They should consider seeding the metro sections from top to bottom to allow more of the top teams to make state. The top 6 ranked AA teams are in 2 sections this year, while sections 1-6 are predominantly metro teams. Either way, still love tourney time!

    Charlie W
    TRF / Pool 3 / Grand Rapids, MN / SJU
    Posts: 1176
    #2256758

    The last 3-7 years has made it more and more appealing to have a third class, AAA or all private. How Roseau, for example, is in the same class as Minnetonka, EP, Blaine, etc is crazy to me.

    Although I don’t wanna see it happen yet, it is getting more appealing every year. It kind of goes against what I just said about the upsets though… those are what makes it the tourney.

    Although I spent most of my life in the metro and graduated from a metro-east conference school, I have always had ties to the northern schools and currently live up there now. The A tourney has its fair share of automatic entries too.

    Justin riegel
    Posts: 936
    #2256761

    The last 3-7 years has made it more and more appealing to have a third class, AAA or all private. How Roseau, for example, is in the same class as Minnetonka, EP, Blaine, etc is crazy to me.

    Although I don’t wanna see it happen yet, it is getting more appealing every year. It kind of goes against what I just said about the upsets though… those are what makes it the tourney.

    Although I spent most of my life in the metro and graduated from a metro-east conference school, I have always had ties to the northern schools and currently live up there now. The A tourney has its fair share of automatic entries too.

    I think it would be more appealing to have some of the out state AA teams drop to A. The the first day of the A tourney is more lopsided then the AA.

    BigWerm
    SW Metro
    Posts: 11644
    #2256763

    How Roseau, for example, is in the same class as Minnetonka, EP, Blaine, etc is crazy to me.

    Roseau opted up, they could go back to A if they’d like. Guess they’d rather lose to St. Cloud or Moorhead than Warroad! whistling jester

    tswoboda
    Posts: 8517
    #2256764

    Interesting thought about a 3rd class but need more teams are needed before doing that. I think right now there’s 150ish teams so about 9 per section. Break that into 3 classes and it’s only 6 per section.

    I think more outstate AA teams will slowly but naturally move into A as metro population and enrollments continue to grow

    20 posts and nothing on Hermantown yet?! whistling

    CaptainMusky
    Posts: 22811
    #2256765

    Guess they’d rather lose to St. Cloud or Moorhead than Warroad!

    I think they still play each other every year.

    glenn57
    cold spring mn
    Posts: 11826
    #2256766

    dumb question, when is the boys state tourney???? doah

    tswoboda
    Posts: 8517
    #2256768

    Starts in a week. A quarterfinals next wednesday

    glenn57
    cold spring mn
    Posts: 11826
    #2256769

    thanks!!!!!!! waytogo waytogo

    Justin riegel
    Posts: 936
    #2256770

    <div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>futurepoorperson wrote:</div>
    Fingers crossed that Chanhassen brings their A-game to the ice tomorrow. They’re looking to bounce back from a 2-3 defeat against Minnetonka on December 7th.

    Chan-Tonka might be the real championship game. They should consider seeding the metro sections from top to bottom to allow more of the top teams to make state. The top 6 ranked AA teams are in 2 sections this year, while sections 1-6 are predominantly metro teams. Either way, still love tourney time!

    There is also Edina V Wayzata and Centennial V Maple grove and Andover V. Grand rapids. All 4 of those games will probably be better then the first round AA state games.

    Hoyt4
    NULL
    Posts: 1252
    #2256778

    Can’t wait till Thursday have tables booked for between sessions. Had my tickets since 68 going to be a great few days of hockey and seeing friends that I only get to see once or twice of year that travel back for this.Hotels Thursday little party after becomes a real late night and getting back to work Friday at 5am sure if a challenge blush

    BigWerm
    SW Metro
    Posts: 11644
    #2256795

    There is also Edina V Wayzata and Centennial V Maple grove and Andover V. Grand rapids. All 4 of those games will probably be better then the first AA state games.

    Yeah, and non-top 20 Lakeville South vs Rochester Century/John Marshall in 1AA and unranked Cretin vs #15 St Thomas Academy in 3AA. In my theoretical seeded 6 metro AA sections, it would be #1 seeds: Tonka, Wayzata, Edina, Benilde, Chan, Shakopee. #2 Seeds Hill-Murray, Maple Grove, Rogers, EP, Andover, Eastview. #3 seeds Rosemount, Centennial, STA, WBL, Stillwater, Lakeville South. Still would have great section tourney’s but also the opportunity for the best of the best to make it to the big stage.

    buckybadger
    Upper Midwest
    Posts: 8175
    #2256800

    ^This argument isn’t just hockey.

    Go take a look at what some of the small schools from SE Minnesota do to some of the other section schools from around the state in football and wrestling and it’s the same situation.

    I remember for a long time Caledonia’s only non-running clock football games throughout the season (start to championship) would be inside their own section. This year in wrestling I believe Chatfield has top 10 wrestlers in 10/13 weight classes…and one class had 2 ranked wrestlers from their own team. Heck, those two kids’ toughest matches take place each week in their own practice to see who gets preferred weight placement for the week.

    I like how Wisconsin does football. The regions/pairings are determined after the regular season concludes with attempts to spread out top teams from the entire state, and there’s a big “reveal” about regional pairings and which top teams are where. It creates a true state championship (or better likelihood of it occurring). Some of the same sectional beatdowns from the regular season taking place again weeks later in the tournaments in MN for most sports are pointless.

    BigWerm
    SW Metro
    Posts: 11644
    #2256807

    Good point Bucky, and it is still run by the MSHSL, so we should just be thankful they haven’t messed it up…yet!

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