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Mar. 4—The Xcel Energy Center has turned into Grand Casino Arena, and the arena has been turned over this week to one of the best high school sports tournaments in the country — the Minnesota boys hockey state tournament.
What has come to be known simply as "The Tourney" is set to begin at 11 a.m. today when top-seeded Hibbing/Chisholm meets No. 8 seed Dodge County in the first Class 1A quarterfinal in downtown St. Paul.
The Class 2A tournament begins at 11 a.m. Thursday, when No. 1 seed Minnetonka and No. 8 seed Gentry Academy go head-to-head.
Consolation games in both classes will be played at 3M Arena at Mariucci in Minneapolis.
All championship-round games — quarterfinals, semifinals and championship games — can be streamed at Prep45.com. Consolation round games and third-place games will be streamed at nspn.tv/MSHSL for a fee. In the Rochester area, championship-round games (quarterfinals, semifinals, championship game) in both classes will be televised on Start-TV, channel 384 on Spectrum cable.
Here's All You Need To Know about the 2026 boys hockey state tournament:
CLASS 2A
—Lakeville South (Section 1): The Cougars (14-11-3) earned their 10th trip to state — eight of those in the last 10 years — by knocking off Farmington 3-1 in the Section 1-2A championship game last Thursday in Rochester. It's a rewarding way for the Cougars to cap a tumultuous season, in which head coach Josh Storm was placed on administrative leave from his coaching duties in late January. Assistant coaches ran the team until South's girls hockey season ended, at which time girls head coach Kurt Weber took over as interim head coach of the boys team. Weber guided the Cougars to wins over Rochester Mayo (6-1), rival Lakeville North (6-1) and top-seeded Farmington (3-1) in the Section 1 tournament. South is led by senior forward and University of St. Thomas commit Carter Ernst (19-27—46), and former Rochester Century standout forward Calvin O'Reilly (21-11—32), who transferred to the Lakeville school last summer. Senior Keaton LeGrande (10-5-1, 2.89 GAA, .893 save pct.) is the Cougars' top goalie. He transferred to South after playing the past two years at St. Cloud Cathedral.
—Minnetonka (Section 2): The No. 2-ranked Skippers (24-2-2) are headed to state for the eighth time in program history and the first time since winning the state championship in 2023. In fact, the last two times Minnetonka has reached state, it has won the title (2018, 2023). The Skippers beat Chanhassen 5-2 in the section championship game, and won their three section playoff games by a combined score of 17-3. Minnetonka has lost just once since Jan. 10, a stretch in which it has gone 11-1-1, losing only to top-ranked Rogers on Feb. 10. The Skippers' co-leading scorers — junior forward Max Aronson and sophomore forward Cash Hardie — have just 31 points each, but Minnetonka's depth has been its strength. The Skippers have nine players with 22 or more points and they have six double-digit goal-scorers. Senior Chase Jerdee and sophomore Evan Enck have split time in goal, with Jerdee playing twice as much as the younger Enck. Jerdee played all three section playoff games and takes a 16-2-1 record, a 1.43 GAA, a .923 save pct. and 6 shutouts into the state tournament.
—Rosemount (Section 3): The Irish are headed to the state tournament for just the second time in program history and the first time in 34 years. In their only previous state appearance, they were the Tier II runners-up in 1992. This time, the state's No. 7-ranked team will bring a 23-4-1 record and a 10-game winning streak into the state tournament. Three of their four losses, and their tie, came against Class 2A top-10 opponents, and all by one goal. Rosemount knocked off defending section champ St. Thomas Academy 3-2 in the section final, scoring two third-period goals to snap a 1-1 tie. The Irish have shut out three of their past five opponents. In goal, the Irish have rotated sophomore Drew Sherman (9-2-1, 1.77 GAA, .936 save pct., 3 shutouts) and senior Sam Clements (8-2-0, 1.85, .925, 1). Sherman played in the section final, stopping 25 of 27 shots. Up front, Rosemount has two 40-point scorers — junior forward Connor Schubert (19-22—41) and senior Gavin McNeil (13-27—40), and two players with 37 points: junior Channing Goodwin (12-25 — 37) and senior forward Cade Sherman (19-18 — 37), an Augustana University commit.
—Gentry Academy (Section 4): The unranked Stars (17-9-2) are going to state after being the No. 5 seed in their section and beating the Nos. 1, 3 and 4 seeds to get there. They beat No. 3-seeded White Bear Lake 3-0 in the section final. This is the first time the Stars have reached the Class 2A tournament. Their only other previous appearance came in 2021, when they beat Dodge County for the Class 1A state title. Gentry was 7-8-2 after a 4-2 loss at Breck on Jan. 17. But, it is unbeaten in its past nine games (8-0-1), averaging 5.38 goals per game in that span. Goalie Gavin Grose recorded a 21-save shutout in the section final and enters state with an 11-7-1 record, 2.44 GAA, .901 save pct. and 3 shutouts. The Stars have seven players with 20 or more points, led by forward Jason Cook, who has 35 goals and 59 points, including 9 power-play goals.
—Andover (Section 5): The Huskies (11-14-3) survived a challenging section tournament, winning it by playing three road games, as the No. 5 seed. They are at state for the sixth time in seven years after outlasting Centennial — a team they lost to twice in the regular season — 9-5 in the section final. They're unranked, and were 2-7-0 in their previous nine games heading into the playoffs, but are headed to state as the Section 5 champion, after winning Section 7 a year ago. Andover averages 3.57 goals per game and allows 3.79. It converts at 26.0% on the power play and its penalty kill is at 70.5%. The Huskies' top goalie is sophomore Wyatt Riemer (8-12-2, 3.75 GAA, .861 save pct., 1 shutout), while junior forward Camden Langfeld leads the offense, with 18 goals and 49 points (15 of those points on the power play). Of the past seven state tournaments (including this season), Andover only missed the 2024 tournament. It won its first and only state championship in 2022.
—Edina (Section 6): No. 5-ranked Edina (21-6-1) has qualified for 44 state tournaments, including five in a row, and has done it in almost every way imaginable. The Hornets added a new way to that list this time around, making it on ESPN's SportsCenter. Trailing Wayzata 1-0 with fewer than two minutes to go in the second period in the Section 6-2A final last Wednesday, Bode McConnell sent a shot harmlessly wide of the Wayzata goal. The puck went off the glass behind the net, bounced back onto the top of the net and rolled across the crossbar. It fell and hit the back of Trojans goalie Ryan Pellinger, then bounced in the air. McConnell followed his shot and was in perfect position to bat the puck into the net and tie the score 1-1. He added another goal 1:09 later, then completed his hat trick — and his team's 3-1 win — with an empty-net goal with 8 seconds remaining. The Hornets have won 13 state titles, most recently in 2024. McConnell is the team's leading goal scorer (33) and is second in points (54). Forward Tucker Johnson (16-41 — 57) is the team's top scorer. In goal, Chase Bjorgaard is 15-4-1, with a 2.21 GAA, a .917 save pct. and 2 shutouts.
—Grand Rapids (Section 7): The No. 19-ranked Thunderhawks (15-12-1) were a .500 team in the regular season, but they enter the state tournament on a seven-game winning streak, having allowed eight total goals during that streak. Everything has come together at the right time for Rapids, which beat its three Section 7-2A opponents by a combined score of 20-1 to reach state for the 18th time in program history and second time in three years. Rapids won state titles in 1975, '76, '80 and 2017. Rapids has used four goalies this season, but sophomore Luke Sherlock has seized the starting job. He's 11-2-0 in his last 13 starts, with the two losses by one goal each against No. 8-ranked Hill-Murray and rival Rock Ridge. Sherlock is 10-5-0 overall with a 2.52 GAA, a .905 save pct. and 3 shutouts. Senior forward Seth Carlson leads the team in scoring (20-20 — 40), followed by junior Andrew Rajala (19-20 — 39), the team leader in power-play goals, with 8.
—Moorhead (Section 8): The No. 3-ranked, defending state champion Spuds are at state for the seventh time in eight seasons and are coming off their first-ever state championship, in their ninth title-game appearance. Moorhead is 24-3-1 overall, its only losses coming against No. 1-ranked Rogers (5-3), No. 2-ranked Minnetonka (4-2) and Grand Forks (N.D.) Central (5-4), which is 24-2-3 and met rival Grand Forks Red River in the North Dakota state championship game on Saturday. Moorhead is the state's highest-scoring team in Class 2A (6.0 goals per game) and allows 2.29 goals per game. The Spuds convert at an incredible 34.4% (33-for-96) on the power play and kill penalties at an impressive 83.1% clip. Sophomore goalie Will Arnold (5-feet-11, 180 pounds) has been outstanding in his first season of high school hockey, going 20-2-1 with a 2.17 GAA, an .892 save pct. and 5 shutouts. Senior forward Tyden Bergeson, an Augustana commit, leads the Spuds in points (27-48—75) and is second in the state in assists. Junior and University of Minnesota Duluth commit Max Cullen — son of former Moorhead, St. Cloud State and Minnesota Wild star Matt Cullen — is second on the team (25-34 — 59). His brother, sophomore Joey Cullen, is also a dynamic player, who has 17-20 — 37 this season. Senior defenseman Brandon Mickelson has 21-38 — 59 from the blue line, while junior forward Zac Zimmerman has 24-34—58.
------CLASS 1A
—Dodge County (Section 1): The unranked and No. 8-seeded Wildcats (19-8-1) are at state for the second time in program history. They last qualified for state in 2021, when they reached the state championship game before falling to Gentry Academy. After going 8-6-0 in the first half of the season, Dodge County is 11-2-1, including wins against No. 14-ranked Waseca (4-3, OT) and No. 7 Northfield (4-2) in the section semifinals and final. During that stretch, junior goalie Wes Wegner is 9-2-1 with a 1.86 GAA, a .924 save percentage and two shutouts. Senior forward Gabe Coshenet — a Southwest Minnesota State University football commit — leads the Wildcats with 28 goals, 33 assists and 61 points. He has combined with linemates — sophomore Camryn Koch (20-26—46) and freshman Nolan Steele (18-27—45) — for 66 goals and 152 points. Seniors Cooper Bebee and Jeremiah Peterson-Gordon make a formidable top defensive pairing.
—Delano (Section 2): The No. 6-ranked Tigers (22-4-2) are at state for the sixth time in program history and first since 2021, which was the last of Delano's four state tournament trips in a five-year span. The Tigers blew through the Section 2 tournament, winning three games by a combined score of 19-5, and all by at least four goals. They beat No. 8-ranked Blake 6-2 in the section final and are unbeaten in their last 13 games (12-0-1), since Jan. 8. No. 2-seeded Delano is led by 5-foot-8, 170-pound senior forward Brady Kangas (29-41—70), and 5-10, 170-pound senior Daniel Halonen (39-31—70). They are tied as the 10th-leading scorers in the state, and Halonen's 39 goals are the sixth most in the state this year. He is the younger brother of Brian Halonen, who played at Michigan Tech University and has played in nine games with the NHL's New Jersey Devils this season. In goal, 6-3, 190-pound senior Evan Geyen has shared time this season, but he played all three section playoff games. He enters the state tournament with an 11-0-1 record, a 1.78 GAA, a .916 save percentage and 3 shutouts.
—Mankato West (Section 3): The last Big Nine Conference team standing, the Scarlets had to go to the third overtime in the Section 3 championship game before topping Luverne 2-1 to get to the Tourney for the first time in 10 years. Head coach Nate Olsen's team is the No. 7 seed and brings a 19-7-2 mark into The Tourney. The No. 19-ranked Scarlets have used a true two-goalie rotation. Sophomore Blake Brekke made 34 saves to win the section championship game; he is 10-5-1 overall, with a 2.14 GAA, .920 save pct., and 2 shutouts. Senior Mason Schreiber is 9-2-1 with a 1.73 GAA, a .937 save pct., and 4 shutouts. Junior forward Jakobe Tosch (21-22—43) and junior defenseman Grady Schmidt (16-27—43) are West's co-leading scorers. Classmate Keaton Dorzek (18-19—37) and freshman defenseman Brooks Baukol (10-24—34) — the hero and game-winning goal scorer of the section championship game — give the Scarlets four 30-plus points scorers. This is West's third-ever trip to state, joining the 2008 and 2016 Scarlets teams.
—Mahtomedi (Section 4): The Zephyrs are a mainstay in St. Paul in early March. They have won five consecutive Section 4-1A championships and nine of the past 10. They are 17-9-2 overall, ranked No. 5 in the latest state poll and are the No. 4 seed in The Tourney. This is Mahtomedi's 17th trip to state overall, including winning state championships in 2020 and 2023. It has won six consecutive games and seven of its past eight. Four of the Zephyrs losses and both of its ties have come against top 20-ranked Class 2A teams. And their five losses to Class 1A opponents have come against No. 1 Hibbing/Chisholm, No. 2 Hermantown (twice), No. 4 Warroad and No. 9 Cloquet/Esko/Carlton. Junior forwards Devin O'Donnell (15-18—33) and Vinny Redpath (16-14—30) are the team's leading scorers. O'Donnell had four goals and eight points total in three section playoff games. Senior goalie Jackson Chesak is 16-9-2 with a 2.69 GAA, a .914 save pct. and one shutout.
—St. Cloud Cathedral (Section 5): The No. 12-ranked and No. 5-seeded Crusaders are back at The Tourney after scoring three goals in the final eight minutes of the third period for a thrilling 3-1 win against Monticello in the Section 5 final. Sophomore Bo Schmidt (23-28—51) leads the team in scoring, followed by senior defenseman Griffin Sturm (18-26—44). Schmidt had the primary assist on the game-tying goal against Monticello. Senior Hunter Moreland has taken control of the starting goaltending job. He won the Crusaders' three Section 5-1A playoff games and enters the state tournament with a 13-6-0 record, a 2.72 GAA, .907 save pct., and 1 shutout. Cathedral is making its 14th state tournament appearance, having won state titles in 2019 and 2024. It reached its second consecutive state title game last year, falling to East Grand Forks 2-1 in overtime. Cathedral averages 4.00 goals per game and allows 2.79. It converts at 24.5% on the power play and kills penalties at an 81.3% rate.
—Northern Lakes (Section 6): The No. 15-ranked Lightning (17-10-1) are a co-op of a handful of school districts north of Brainerd — Pequot Lakes, Aitkin, Crosby-Ironton and Pine River-Backus. This is their third trip to state and second in a row. Northern Lakes is at state for the third time ever and a second consecutive year. It finished sixth at state last year, falling to Northfield in the fifth-place game. After a 4-4-0 stretch in their final eight regular season games, the Lightning clamped down defensively in the Section 6 playoffs, allowing just two total goals in three games, and beating No. 3-ranked Sartell 3-2 in OT in the section final. Junior goalie Sam Suja made 38 saves in that win. He's 14-10-1 overall, with a 2.48 GAA, .914 save pct. and 5 shutouts. Junior forward Josiah Reier (19-25—44) is the leading scorer on a team with six 20-point scorers. Junior Parker Fulton (22-19—41) also has topped the 40-point mark. The Lightning are the No. 6 seed in the state tournament and will face third-seeded Warroad in Wednesday's last quarterfinal, scheduled for an 8 p.m. start.
—Hibbing/Chisholm (Section 7): This will mark the 15th state tournament appearance in the storied history of the Hibbing program. It's the second straight year the Bluejackets (24-2-2) will play in The Tourney, after they snapped a 14-year drought last March. They placed fourth at state last year, after losing a wild 7-5 state semifinal game to East Grand Forks, in which the Green Wave scored three third-period goals. Hibbing/Chisholm is 11-0-1 in its last 12 games; its only losses this season have come against No. 2-ranked Hermantown (2-1 on Jan. 13) and Class 2A No. 6-ranked Shakopee (4-2 on Dec. 6). For a second straight year, the Bluejackets beat Cloquet-Esko-Carlton in OT in the Section 7-1A championship game. Last year, Whitaker Rewertz scored 2:18 into OT, with an assist from Isaiah Hildenbrand. This year, Hildenbrand scored the OT winner, with just six seconds to go in the first OT period. Hildenbrand is the team's third-leading scorer (17-33—50), behind senior Tate Swanson (27-41—68) and sophomore Cole Swanson (28-32—60), who had 10 points in the section playoffs. Rewertz, a sophomore defenseman, is fourth on the team with 40 points and he has a team-best six power-play goals. Senior goalie Gavin Lamphere is 22-2-2 with a 2.22 GAA, .919 save pct. and 1 shutout. Hibbing/Chisholm is ranked No. 1 in the state and seeded No. 1 in the tournament.
—Warroad (Section 8): Another storied program in Minnesota high school hockey, Warroad is at The Tourney for the 26th time, dating back to its first appearance, in 1948. The No. 4-ranked and No. 3-seeded Warriors are 22-5-1 after shutting out Detroit Lakes 3-0 in the Section 8-1A title game. Warroad won its three section playoff games by a combined score of 27-1. It hasn't lost since a 4-2 setback to No. 1 Hibbing/Chisholm on Jan. 24. The Warriors are seeking their fifth state championship, having previously won in 1994, 1996, 2003 and 2005. Junior goalie Finn Hanson has been a strong backbone for this team; he is 17-5-1 with a 1.50 GAA, .928 save pct., and 6 shutouts. His defense has been tremendous in front of him; Hanson only faced 16 total shots in three section playoff games. Junior Gavin Anderson leads the team in scoring (30-29—59) and is tied for fourth in the state with four short-handed goals, with teammate Ryan Shaugabay (20-23—43).
A look at 16 players to watch closely in this year's Tourney. They're listed in alphabetical order:
CLASS 2A
—Tyden Bergeson, Sr. F, Moorhead: The Spuds' leading scorer and Augustana University commit has been all but unstoppable this season. The 6-foot, 175-pound left-shot forward averages 2.68 points per game, with 27 goals and 48 assists, for 75 points. Twenty of those points have come on the power play, where the Mr. Hockey finalist has five goals and 15 assists. The Spuds' captain is a playmaker and a scorer, who chose to return for one more run at a state title after averaging a point per game for the USHL's Madison Capitols through 16 games last fall. In his third year on Moorhead's varsity, Bergeson has 72 career goals and 163 career points. He has recorded at least a point in every game this season and has 25 multi-point games this year alone.
—Joey Cullen, Soph., F, Moorhead: Cullen, one of three standout hockey-playing sons of former Spud and Minnesota Wild star Matt Cullen, enters the state tournament with 17 goals and 37 points. Those numbers are quite impressive, considering he missed nearly six weeks of the season due to an injury. Joey Cullen had four goals and eight points across the Spuds' three Section 8-2A tournament victories. Expect more multi-point games out of him in St. Paul, and take note that he wears sweater No. 6. You'll want to keep an eye on him; he can pull something new out of his bag of tricks at any time.
—Carter Ernst, Sr., F, Lakeville South: The senior leads the Cougars with 48 points, including 19 goals. Late last fall, he committed to stay close to home and play college hockey at the University of St. Thomas. And after leading South to a near upset in the quarterfinals a year ago — the eighth-seeded Cougars led one-seed Moorhead 4-2 halfway through the game, before Moorhead rallied with five straight goals — Ernst hopes to lead South to a quarterfinal win this year. He has multiple points in six of the past eight games for the Section 1 champs (14-11-3).
—Chase Jerdee, Sr. G, Minnetonka: The senior standout has backstopped the No. 2-ranked and No. 1-seeded Skippers (24-2-2) to their eighth state tournament appearance and first since they won the state championship in 2023. Jerdee is one of three finalists for the Frank Brimsek Award, given annually to the state's top senior goalie. He has shared the net this winter with sophomore Evan Enck, but Jerdee has had the net throughout the playoffs. He enters the state tournament with a 16-2-1 record, a 1.43 goals-against average, a .925 save percentage and 6 shutouts.
—Tucker Johnson, Sr. F, Edina: A Mr. Hockey finalist, the senior standout leads the Hornets this season with 43 assists and 59 points. Johnson has recorded 15 of his assists on Edina's lethal power play (26.7%). He only has two multi-goal games this year, but Johnson has 16 multi-point outings, including five points against tournament qualifier Grand Rapids, a four-point game against top-seeded Minnetonka, two points against Section 8-2A champ Moorhead, and a five-point game against a Hill-Murray team that won 18 games. Johnson has 89 points in just two seasons of varsity hockey.
—Bode McConnell, Jr. F, Edina: The Hornets' second-leading scorer is much more than just an ESPN star. He's the Hornets' go-to guy when they need a goal. He's a 30-goal scorer who had a hat trick — scoring all three of his team's goals — in a 3-1 win against Wayzata in the Section 6-2A title game. Included in that hat trick was a goal that might be best explained by a Physics professor. With the Hornets trailing 1-0 with fewer than two minutes to go in the second period, McConnell shot the puck off the glass behind the Wayzata goal. The puck bounced off the glass and onto the top of the goal, rolled along the crossbar, then bounced off the back of Wayzata goalie Ryan Pellinger. McConnell followed his shot and tapped it into the net out of midair, sparking the Hornets' comeback and ending up on ESPN SportsCenter's Top 10 Plays. He enters state with 33 goals and 54 points.
—Brandon Mickelson, D, Moorhead: A third Moorhead player on this list, Mickelson might be the best all-around player on the team. The 5-foot-11, 175-pound, left-shot senior defenseman is a Mr. Hockey finalist and has an astounding 59 points (21 goals, 38 assists) this season. He has recorded at least one point in 27 of the Spuds' 28 games, while developing into a strong 200-foot player. Mickelson also has a team-best seven power-play goals and 20 power-play points.
—Cade Sherman, Sr. F, Rosemount: The Augustana University commit is fourth on the Irish in scoring (19-18—37) and tied for the team lead in goals. He has a fearlessness to him when it comes to trying moves that others might not — including his "Michigan" goal in the Section 3, Class 2A semifinals, a 4-0 Rosemount win against Eastview. Sherman had a six-game point streak snapped in Rosemount's 3-2 win against St. Thomas Academy in the section final, but he enters state having recorded 11 points in the past seven games. Sherman played for Cedar Rapids in the USHL prior to the high school season, and had an option to play a full year of juniors this season, but he chose to come back for this reason — to get Rosemount to The Tourney.
CLASS 1A
—Daniel Halonen, Sr. F, Delano: The Michigan Tech commit leads the Tigers with 39 goals (sixth-most in the state) and is second with 70 points (11th in the state). He hopes to follow the same path as his older brother Brian, who starred at Delano and Michigan Tech, and is now with the Utica Comets,t he top minor-league affiliate of the New Jersey Devils. Daniel Halonen has recorded at least one point in 26 of 28 games and he had seven total points in the Tigers' three section tournament wins, including a goal and an assist in Delano's 6-2 Section 2-1A championship game victory against Blake.
—Finn Hanson, Jr. G, Warroad: Hanson has been big all season for the No. 3-seeded Warriors, including against their toughest competition. Hanson has allowed more than two goals to a Class 1A opponent just three times — three against Hermantown, four against Section 8 finalist Detroit Lakes and four against No. 1-ranked Hibbing/Chisholm. Hanson enters The Tourney with a 16-5-1 record, 1.59 goals-against average, .927 save percentage and 5 shutouts.
—Ayven Hontvet, Fr. D, Warroad: The freshman blue-liner stands out for more reasons than just his young age. He plays well beyond his years — and has size and physicality beyond his years, at 6-feet-2, 220 pounds. He's more than just a big body, though. Hontvet is third on the Warriors in scoring (15-19—34) and leads the team in power-play goals (9) and power-play points (18).
—Camryn Koch, Soph. F, Dodge County: The youngest captain the Wildcats have ever had, Koch has guided the Dodge County program back to the state tournament for the second time in its history, and first since 2021. He anchors the team's top line, with senior Gabe Coshenet (28-33—61) and freshman phenom Nolan Steele (18-28—46). Koch enters The Tourney with 20 goals and 46 points. That gives him 34 goals and 75 points for his young varsity career. Koch can score, but he excels as a setup man, letting his high Hockey IQ take over. He plays in all situations — even-strength, power play, penalty kill — and is always a threat to score or set up a teammate. Koch also has three short-handed goals, tied for 13th in the state.
—Whitaker Rewertz, Soph. D, Hibbing/Chisholm: Just a sophomore, Rewertz is a skilled point-producer from the blue line. He leaped onto the state stage a year ago, when he had 23 points, including the game-winning goal in overtime in the Section 7 championship game, a goal that sent the Bluejackets to state for the first time in 14 years. Now they're back for a second straight year and Rewertz is a veteran leader on the back end. He leads the team in power-play goals (6) and power-play points (13) and has 19 goals and 44 points overall this year. He's also a key cog in the Bluejackets' penalty kill and is tied for the team lead with two short-handed goals.
—Bo Schmidt, Soph. F, St. Cloud Cathedral: Just a sophomore, the 5-foot-9, 161-pound Schmidt has been sensational at the varsity level, with 41 goals and 87 points. He has scored 23 goals and has 51 points this season for the Crusaders, the No. 5 seed in the Class 1A tournament. Schmidt — selected by the Omaha Lancers in last year's USHL Futures Draft — also has 16 power-play points and two short-handed goals this season. He had eight total points in three section playoff games, and has at least one point in 22 of Cathedral's 27 games this year.
—Grady Schmidt, Jr. D, Mankato West: The standout junior has been a force at both ends of the ice for the No. 7-seeded Scarlets, who bring a 19-7-2 record into The Tourney. Schmidt has put up 43 points this year, a tremendous number for a defenseman. That includes 16 goals and 27 assists, with seven goals and 16 points coming on the power play. He had two assists in West's 3-2 Section 3-1A semifinal win against rival Mankato East, including an assist on the game-winning goal with 51 seconds to go in regulation. Schmidt has two hat tricks and four multi-goal games this year.
—Tate Swanson, Sr. F, Hibbing/Chisholm: The senior standout and Mr. Hockey finalist leads the top-seeded and No. 1-ranked Bluejackets with 69 points (27 goals, 42 assists). Swanson's creativity and playmaking ability make him the perfect leader for a team that likes to — and can — score in bunches; the Bluejackets' 5.46 goals per game ranks seventh in the state, regardless of class. With a modest 11 power-play points, Swanson has done a majority of his scoring at even-strength. He is on a 14-game point streak and has multiple points in 11 consecutive games. Swanson had nine points in three Section 7-1A tournament games.
CLASS 2A
—When: Thursday (quarterfinals), Friday (semifinals, consolation semifinals) and Saturday (fifth-place, third-place, championship)
—Where: Championship-round games at Xcel Energy Center; consolation games at 3M Arena at Mariucci.
—How to Watch: Live streaming of all championship round games available at Prep45.com. Consolation games (including third-place games) streamed at NSPN.TV/MSHSL, for a fee. In the Rochester area, all championship-round games will be televised on Start-TV, channel 384 on Spectrum cable.
—Tickets: Available online-only at MSHSL.org/Tickets. Any available tickets for Class 2A championship-round games will go on sale online at 5 p.m. Wednesday (for Thursday's quarterfinals); online at 3 p.m. Friday (for Friday's semifinals); and online at 1 p.m. Saturday (for Saturday's third-place and championship games).
Tickets are $20 for adults and $13 for students (K-12) for championship sessions, and $15 for adults and $10 for students for consolation sessions.
CLASS 1A
—When: Wednesday (quarterfinals), Thursday (consolation semifinals), Friday (semifinals) and Saturday (fifth-place, third-place and championship).
—Where: Championship-round games at Xcel Energy Center; consolation games at 3M Arena at Mariucci.
—How to Watch: Live streaming of all championship round games available at Prep45.com. Consolation games (including third-place games) streamed at NSPN.TV/MSHSL, for a fee. In the Rochester area, all championship-round games will be televised on Start-TV, channel 384 on Spectrum cable.
—Tickets: Available online-only at MSHSL.org/Tickets. Any available tickets for Class 2A championship-round games will go on sale online at 5 p.m. Wednesday (for Thursday's quarterfinals); online at 3 p.m. Friday (for Friday's semifinals); and online at 1 p.m. Saturday (for Saturday's third-place and championship games).
Tickets are $20 for adults and $13 for students (K-12) for championship sessions, and $15 for adults and $10 for students for consolation sessions.
CLASS 1A
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 5
Quarterfinals (at Grand Casino Arena): No. 8 Dodge County (19-8-1) vs. No. 1 Hibbing/Chisholm (24-2-2), 11 a.m.; No. 5 St. Cloud Cathedral (17-11-0) vs. No. 4 Mahtomedi (17-9-2), 1 p.m.; No. 7 Mankato West (19-7-2) vs. No. 2 Delano (22-4-2), 6 p.m.; No. 6 Northern Lakes (17-10-1) vs. No. 3 Warroad (22-5-1), 8 p.m.
THURSDAY, MARCH 6
Consolation semifinals (at 3M Arena at Mariucci): Dodge Co./H-C loser vs. Cathedral/Mahtomedi loser, 10 a.m.; West/Delano loser vs. N.L./Warroad loser, noon.
FRIDAY, MARCH 7
Semifinals (at GCA): Dodge Co./H-C winner vs. Cathedral/Mahtomedi winner, 11 a.m.; West/Delano winner vs. N.L./Warroad winner, 1 p.m.
SATURDAY, MARCH 8
Fifth-place game (3M at Mariucci): Consolation semifinal winners, 10 a.m.
Third-place game (at GCA): Semifinal losers, 9:30 a.m.
Championship (at GCA): Semifinal winners, noon
----CLASS 2A
THURSDAY, MARCH 6
Quarterfinals (at Grand Casino Arena): No. 8 Gentry Academy (17-9-2) vs. No. 1 Minnetonka (24-2-2), 11 a.m.; No. 5 Grand Rapids (15-12-1) vs. No. 4 Rosemount (23-4-1), 1 p.m.; No. 7 Lakeville South (14-11-3) vs. No. 2 Moorhead (24-3-1), 6 p.m.; No. 6 Andover (11-14-3) vs. No. 3 Edina (21-6-1), 8 p.m.
FRIDAY, MARCH 7
Consolation semifinals (at 3M Arena at Mariucci): Gentry/Minnetonka loser vs. G.R./Rosemount loser, 10 a.m.; South/Moorhead loser vs. Andover/Edina loser, noon.
Semifinals (at GCA): Gentry/Minnetonka winner vs. G.R./Rosemount winner, 6 p.m.; South/Moorhead winner vs. Andover/Edina winner, 8 p.m.
SATURDAY, MARCH 8
Fifth-place game (3M at Mariucci): Consolation semifinal winners, noon
Third-place game (at GCA): Semifinal losers, 4 p.m.
Championship (at GCA): Semifinal winners, 7 p.m.
CLASS 2A
PAST 10
2025 — Moorhead
2024 — Edina
2023 — Minnetonka
2022 — Andover
2021 — Eden Prairie
2020 — Hill-Murray
2019 — Edina
2018 — Minnetonka
2017 — Grand Rapids
2016 — Wayzata
ANNIVERSARIES
2006 (20 years) — Cretin-Derham Hall
2001 (25 years) — Elk River Area
1996 (30 years) — Apple Valley
1986 (40 years) — Burnsville (one class)
1976 (50 years) — Grand Rapids (one class)
----CLASS 1A
PAST 10
2025 — East Grand Forks
2024 — St. Cloud Cathedral
2023 — Mahtomedi
2022 — Hermantown
2021 — Gentry Academy
2020 — Mahtomedi
2019 — St. Cloud Cathedral
2018 — Orono
2017 — Hermantown
2016 — Hermantown
2015 — East Grand Forks
ANNIVERSARIES
2006 (20 years) — St. Thomas Academy
2001 (25 years) — Benilde-St. Margaret's
1996 (30 years) — Warroad
1986 (40 years) — Burnsville (one class)
1976 (50 years) — Grand Rapids (one class)
Continue reading...
What has come to be known simply as "The Tourney" is set to begin at 11 a.m. today when top-seeded Hibbing/Chisholm meets No. 8 seed Dodge County in the first Class 1A quarterfinal in downtown St. Paul.
The Class 2A tournament begins at 11 a.m. Thursday, when No. 1 seed Minnetonka and No. 8 seed Gentry Academy go head-to-head.
Consolation games in both classes will be played at 3M Arena at Mariucci in Minneapolis.
All championship-round games — quarterfinals, semifinals and championship games — can be streamed at Prep45.com. Consolation round games and third-place games will be streamed at nspn.tv/MSHSL for a fee. In the Rochester area, championship-round games (quarterfinals, semifinals, championship game) in both classes will be televised on Start-TV, channel 384 on Spectrum cable.
Here's All You Need To Know about the 2026 boys hockey state tournament:
CLASS 2A
—Lakeville South (Section 1): The Cougars (14-11-3) earned their 10th trip to state — eight of those in the last 10 years — by knocking off Farmington 3-1 in the Section 1-2A championship game last Thursday in Rochester. It's a rewarding way for the Cougars to cap a tumultuous season, in which head coach Josh Storm was placed on administrative leave from his coaching duties in late January. Assistant coaches ran the team until South's girls hockey season ended, at which time girls head coach Kurt Weber took over as interim head coach of the boys team. Weber guided the Cougars to wins over Rochester Mayo (6-1), rival Lakeville North (6-1) and top-seeded Farmington (3-1) in the Section 1 tournament. South is led by senior forward and University of St. Thomas commit Carter Ernst (19-27—46), and former Rochester Century standout forward Calvin O'Reilly (21-11—32), who transferred to the Lakeville school last summer. Senior Keaton LeGrande (10-5-1, 2.89 GAA, .893 save pct.) is the Cougars' top goalie. He transferred to South after playing the past two years at St. Cloud Cathedral.
—Minnetonka (Section 2): The No. 2-ranked Skippers (24-2-2) are headed to state for the eighth time in program history and the first time since winning the state championship in 2023. In fact, the last two times Minnetonka has reached state, it has won the title (2018, 2023). The Skippers beat Chanhassen 5-2 in the section championship game, and won their three section playoff games by a combined score of 17-3. Minnetonka has lost just once since Jan. 10, a stretch in which it has gone 11-1-1, losing only to top-ranked Rogers on Feb. 10. The Skippers' co-leading scorers — junior forward Max Aronson and sophomore forward Cash Hardie — have just 31 points each, but Minnetonka's depth has been its strength. The Skippers have nine players with 22 or more points and they have six double-digit goal-scorers. Senior Chase Jerdee and sophomore Evan Enck have split time in goal, with Jerdee playing twice as much as the younger Enck. Jerdee played all three section playoff games and takes a 16-2-1 record, a 1.43 GAA, a .923 save pct. and 6 shutouts into the state tournament.
—Rosemount (Section 3): The Irish are headed to the state tournament for just the second time in program history and the first time in 34 years. In their only previous state appearance, they were the Tier II runners-up in 1992. This time, the state's No. 7-ranked team will bring a 23-4-1 record and a 10-game winning streak into the state tournament. Three of their four losses, and their tie, came against Class 2A top-10 opponents, and all by one goal. Rosemount knocked off defending section champ St. Thomas Academy 3-2 in the section final, scoring two third-period goals to snap a 1-1 tie. The Irish have shut out three of their past five opponents. In goal, the Irish have rotated sophomore Drew Sherman (9-2-1, 1.77 GAA, .936 save pct., 3 shutouts) and senior Sam Clements (8-2-0, 1.85, .925, 1). Sherman played in the section final, stopping 25 of 27 shots. Up front, Rosemount has two 40-point scorers — junior forward Connor Schubert (19-22—41) and senior Gavin McNeil (13-27—40), and two players with 37 points: junior Channing Goodwin (12-25 — 37) and senior forward Cade Sherman (19-18 — 37), an Augustana University commit.
—Gentry Academy (Section 4): The unranked Stars (17-9-2) are going to state after being the No. 5 seed in their section and beating the Nos. 1, 3 and 4 seeds to get there. They beat No. 3-seeded White Bear Lake 3-0 in the section final. This is the first time the Stars have reached the Class 2A tournament. Their only other previous appearance came in 2021, when they beat Dodge County for the Class 1A state title. Gentry was 7-8-2 after a 4-2 loss at Breck on Jan. 17. But, it is unbeaten in its past nine games (8-0-1), averaging 5.38 goals per game in that span. Goalie Gavin Grose recorded a 21-save shutout in the section final and enters state with an 11-7-1 record, 2.44 GAA, .901 save pct. and 3 shutouts. The Stars have seven players with 20 or more points, led by forward Jason Cook, who has 35 goals and 59 points, including 9 power-play goals.
—Andover (Section 5): The Huskies (11-14-3) survived a challenging section tournament, winning it by playing three road games, as the No. 5 seed. They are at state for the sixth time in seven years after outlasting Centennial — a team they lost to twice in the regular season — 9-5 in the section final. They're unranked, and were 2-7-0 in their previous nine games heading into the playoffs, but are headed to state as the Section 5 champion, after winning Section 7 a year ago. Andover averages 3.57 goals per game and allows 3.79. It converts at 26.0% on the power play and its penalty kill is at 70.5%. The Huskies' top goalie is sophomore Wyatt Riemer (8-12-2, 3.75 GAA, .861 save pct., 1 shutout), while junior forward Camden Langfeld leads the offense, with 18 goals and 49 points (15 of those points on the power play). Of the past seven state tournaments (including this season), Andover only missed the 2024 tournament. It won its first and only state championship in 2022.
—Edina (Section 6): No. 5-ranked Edina (21-6-1) has qualified for 44 state tournaments, including five in a row, and has done it in almost every way imaginable. The Hornets added a new way to that list this time around, making it on ESPN's SportsCenter. Trailing Wayzata 1-0 with fewer than two minutes to go in the second period in the Section 6-2A final last Wednesday, Bode McConnell sent a shot harmlessly wide of the Wayzata goal. The puck went off the glass behind the net, bounced back onto the top of the net and rolled across the crossbar. It fell and hit the back of Trojans goalie Ryan Pellinger, then bounced in the air. McConnell followed his shot and was in perfect position to bat the puck into the net and tie the score 1-1. He added another goal 1:09 later, then completed his hat trick — and his team's 3-1 win — with an empty-net goal with 8 seconds remaining. The Hornets have won 13 state titles, most recently in 2024. McConnell is the team's leading goal scorer (33) and is second in points (54). Forward Tucker Johnson (16-41 — 57) is the team's top scorer. In goal, Chase Bjorgaard is 15-4-1, with a 2.21 GAA, a .917 save pct. and 2 shutouts.
—Grand Rapids (Section 7): The No. 19-ranked Thunderhawks (15-12-1) were a .500 team in the regular season, but they enter the state tournament on a seven-game winning streak, having allowed eight total goals during that streak. Everything has come together at the right time for Rapids, which beat its three Section 7-2A opponents by a combined score of 20-1 to reach state for the 18th time in program history and second time in three years. Rapids won state titles in 1975, '76, '80 and 2017. Rapids has used four goalies this season, but sophomore Luke Sherlock has seized the starting job. He's 11-2-0 in his last 13 starts, with the two losses by one goal each against No. 8-ranked Hill-Murray and rival Rock Ridge. Sherlock is 10-5-0 overall with a 2.52 GAA, a .905 save pct. and 3 shutouts. Senior forward Seth Carlson leads the team in scoring (20-20 — 40), followed by junior Andrew Rajala (19-20 — 39), the team leader in power-play goals, with 8.
—Moorhead (Section 8): The No. 3-ranked, defending state champion Spuds are at state for the seventh time in eight seasons and are coming off their first-ever state championship, in their ninth title-game appearance. Moorhead is 24-3-1 overall, its only losses coming against No. 1-ranked Rogers (5-3), No. 2-ranked Minnetonka (4-2) and Grand Forks (N.D.) Central (5-4), which is 24-2-3 and met rival Grand Forks Red River in the North Dakota state championship game on Saturday. Moorhead is the state's highest-scoring team in Class 2A (6.0 goals per game) and allows 2.29 goals per game. The Spuds convert at an incredible 34.4% (33-for-96) on the power play and kill penalties at an impressive 83.1% clip. Sophomore goalie Will Arnold (5-feet-11, 180 pounds) has been outstanding in his first season of high school hockey, going 20-2-1 with a 2.17 GAA, an .892 save pct. and 5 shutouts. Senior forward Tyden Bergeson, an Augustana commit, leads the Spuds in points (27-48—75) and is second in the state in assists. Junior and University of Minnesota Duluth commit Max Cullen — son of former Moorhead, St. Cloud State and Minnesota Wild star Matt Cullen — is second on the team (25-34 — 59). His brother, sophomore Joey Cullen, is also a dynamic player, who has 17-20 — 37 this season. Senior defenseman Brandon Mickelson has 21-38 — 59 from the blue line, while junior forward Zac Zimmerman has 24-34—58.
------CLASS 1A
—Dodge County (Section 1): The unranked and No. 8-seeded Wildcats (19-8-1) are at state for the second time in program history. They last qualified for state in 2021, when they reached the state championship game before falling to Gentry Academy. After going 8-6-0 in the first half of the season, Dodge County is 11-2-1, including wins against No. 14-ranked Waseca (4-3, OT) and No. 7 Northfield (4-2) in the section semifinals and final. During that stretch, junior goalie Wes Wegner is 9-2-1 with a 1.86 GAA, a .924 save percentage and two shutouts. Senior forward Gabe Coshenet — a Southwest Minnesota State University football commit — leads the Wildcats with 28 goals, 33 assists and 61 points. He has combined with linemates — sophomore Camryn Koch (20-26—46) and freshman Nolan Steele (18-27—45) — for 66 goals and 152 points. Seniors Cooper Bebee and Jeremiah Peterson-Gordon make a formidable top defensive pairing.
—Delano (Section 2): The No. 6-ranked Tigers (22-4-2) are at state for the sixth time in program history and first since 2021, which was the last of Delano's four state tournament trips in a five-year span. The Tigers blew through the Section 2 tournament, winning three games by a combined score of 19-5, and all by at least four goals. They beat No. 8-ranked Blake 6-2 in the section final and are unbeaten in their last 13 games (12-0-1), since Jan. 8. No. 2-seeded Delano is led by 5-foot-8, 170-pound senior forward Brady Kangas (29-41—70), and 5-10, 170-pound senior Daniel Halonen (39-31—70). They are tied as the 10th-leading scorers in the state, and Halonen's 39 goals are the sixth most in the state this year. He is the younger brother of Brian Halonen, who played at Michigan Tech University and has played in nine games with the NHL's New Jersey Devils this season. In goal, 6-3, 190-pound senior Evan Geyen has shared time this season, but he played all three section playoff games. He enters the state tournament with an 11-0-1 record, a 1.78 GAA, a .916 save percentage and 3 shutouts.
—Mankato West (Section 3): The last Big Nine Conference team standing, the Scarlets had to go to the third overtime in the Section 3 championship game before topping Luverne 2-1 to get to the Tourney for the first time in 10 years. Head coach Nate Olsen's team is the No. 7 seed and brings a 19-7-2 mark into The Tourney. The No. 19-ranked Scarlets have used a true two-goalie rotation. Sophomore Blake Brekke made 34 saves to win the section championship game; he is 10-5-1 overall, with a 2.14 GAA, .920 save pct., and 2 shutouts. Senior Mason Schreiber is 9-2-1 with a 1.73 GAA, a .937 save pct., and 4 shutouts. Junior forward Jakobe Tosch (21-22—43) and junior defenseman Grady Schmidt (16-27—43) are West's co-leading scorers. Classmate Keaton Dorzek (18-19—37) and freshman defenseman Brooks Baukol (10-24—34) — the hero and game-winning goal scorer of the section championship game — give the Scarlets four 30-plus points scorers. This is West's third-ever trip to state, joining the 2008 and 2016 Scarlets teams.
—Mahtomedi (Section 4): The Zephyrs are a mainstay in St. Paul in early March. They have won five consecutive Section 4-1A championships and nine of the past 10. They are 17-9-2 overall, ranked No. 5 in the latest state poll and are the No. 4 seed in The Tourney. This is Mahtomedi's 17th trip to state overall, including winning state championships in 2020 and 2023. It has won six consecutive games and seven of its past eight. Four of the Zephyrs losses and both of its ties have come against top 20-ranked Class 2A teams. And their five losses to Class 1A opponents have come against No. 1 Hibbing/Chisholm, No. 2 Hermantown (twice), No. 4 Warroad and No. 9 Cloquet/Esko/Carlton. Junior forwards Devin O'Donnell (15-18—33) and Vinny Redpath (16-14—30) are the team's leading scorers. O'Donnell had four goals and eight points total in three section playoff games. Senior goalie Jackson Chesak is 16-9-2 with a 2.69 GAA, a .914 save pct. and one shutout.
—St. Cloud Cathedral (Section 5): The No. 12-ranked and No. 5-seeded Crusaders are back at The Tourney after scoring three goals in the final eight minutes of the third period for a thrilling 3-1 win against Monticello in the Section 5 final. Sophomore Bo Schmidt (23-28—51) leads the team in scoring, followed by senior defenseman Griffin Sturm (18-26—44). Schmidt had the primary assist on the game-tying goal against Monticello. Senior Hunter Moreland has taken control of the starting goaltending job. He won the Crusaders' three Section 5-1A playoff games and enters the state tournament with a 13-6-0 record, a 2.72 GAA, .907 save pct., and 1 shutout. Cathedral is making its 14th state tournament appearance, having won state titles in 2019 and 2024. It reached its second consecutive state title game last year, falling to East Grand Forks 2-1 in overtime. Cathedral averages 4.00 goals per game and allows 2.79. It converts at 24.5% on the power play and kills penalties at an 81.3% rate.
—Northern Lakes (Section 6): The No. 15-ranked Lightning (17-10-1) are a co-op of a handful of school districts north of Brainerd — Pequot Lakes, Aitkin, Crosby-Ironton and Pine River-Backus. This is their third trip to state and second in a row. Northern Lakes is at state for the third time ever and a second consecutive year. It finished sixth at state last year, falling to Northfield in the fifth-place game. After a 4-4-0 stretch in their final eight regular season games, the Lightning clamped down defensively in the Section 6 playoffs, allowing just two total goals in three games, and beating No. 3-ranked Sartell 3-2 in OT in the section final. Junior goalie Sam Suja made 38 saves in that win. He's 14-10-1 overall, with a 2.48 GAA, .914 save pct. and 5 shutouts. Junior forward Josiah Reier (19-25—44) is the leading scorer on a team with six 20-point scorers. Junior Parker Fulton (22-19—41) also has topped the 40-point mark. The Lightning are the No. 6 seed in the state tournament and will face third-seeded Warroad in Wednesday's last quarterfinal, scheduled for an 8 p.m. start.
—Hibbing/Chisholm (Section 7): This will mark the 15th state tournament appearance in the storied history of the Hibbing program. It's the second straight year the Bluejackets (24-2-2) will play in The Tourney, after they snapped a 14-year drought last March. They placed fourth at state last year, after losing a wild 7-5 state semifinal game to East Grand Forks, in which the Green Wave scored three third-period goals. Hibbing/Chisholm is 11-0-1 in its last 12 games; its only losses this season have come against No. 2-ranked Hermantown (2-1 on Jan. 13) and Class 2A No. 6-ranked Shakopee (4-2 on Dec. 6). For a second straight year, the Bluejackets beat Cloquet-Esko-Carlton in OT in the Section 7-1A championship game. Last year, Whitaker Rewertz scored 2:18 into OT, with an assist from Isaiah Hildenbrand. This year, Hildenbrand scored the OT winner, with just six seconds to go in the first OT period. Hildenbrand is the team's third-leading scorer (17-33—50), behind senior Tate Swanson (27-41—68) and sophomore Cole Swanson (28-32—60), who had 10 points in the section playoffs. Rewertz, a sophomore defenseman, is fourth on the team with 40 points and he has a team-best six power-play goals. Senior goalie Gavin Lamphere is 22-2-2 with a 2.22 GAA, .919 save pct. and 1 shutout. Hibbing/Chisholm is ranked No. 1 in the state and seeded No. 1 in the tournament.
—Warroad (Section 8): Another storied program in Minnesota high school hockey, Warroad is at The Tourney for the 26th time, dating back to its first appearance, in 1948. The No. 4-ranked and No. 3-seeded Warriors are 22-5-1 after shutting out Detroit Lakes 3-0 in the Section 8-1A title game. Warroad won its three section playoff games by a combined score of 27-1. It hasn't lost since a 4-2 setback to No. 1 Hibbing/Chisholm on Jan. 24. The Warriors are seeking their fifth state championship, having previously won in 1994, 1996, 2003 and 2005. Junior goalie Finn Hanson has been a strong backbone for this team; he is 17-5-1 with a 1.50 GAA, .928 save pct., and 6 shutouts. His defense has been tremendous in front of him; Hanson only faced 16 total shots in three section playoff games. Junior Gavin Anderson leads the team in scoring (30-29—59) and is tied for fourth in the state with four short-handed goals, with teammate Ryan Shaugabay (20-23—43).
A look at 16 players to watch closely in this year's Tourney. They're listed in alphabetical order:
CLASS 2A
—Tyden Bergeson, Sr. F, Moorhead: The Spuds' leading scorer and Augustana University commit has been all but unstoppable this season. The 6-foot, 175-pound left-shot forward averages 2.68 points per game, with 27 goals and 48 assists, for 75 points. Twenty of those points have come on the power play, where the Mr. Hockey finalist has five goals and 15 assists. The Spuds' captain is a playmaker and a scorer, who chose to return for one more run at a state title after averaging a point per game for the USHL's Madison Capitols through 16 games last fall. In his third year on Moorhead's varsity, Bergeson has 72 career goals and 163 career points. He has recorded at least a point in every game this season and has 25 multi-point games this year alone.
—Joey Cullen, Soph., F, Moorhead: Cullen, one of three standout hockey-playing sons of former Spud and Minnesota Wild star Matt Cullen, enters the state tournament with 17 goals and 37 points. Those numbers are quite impressive, considering he missed nearly six weeks of the season due to an injury. Joey Cullen had four goals and eight points across the Spuds' three Section 8-2A tournament victories. Expect more multi-point games out of him in St. Paul, and take note that he wears sweater No. 6. You'll want to keep an eye on him; he can pull something new out of his bag of tricks at any time.
—Carter Ernst, Sr., F, Lakeville South: The senior leads the Cougars with 48 points, including 19 goals. Late last fall, he committed to stay close to home and play college hockey at the University of St. Thomas. And after leading South to a near upset in the quarterfinals a year ago — the eighth-seeded Cougars led one-seed Moorhead 4-2 halfway through the game, before Moorhead rallied with five straight goals — Ernst hopes to lead South to a quarterfinal win this year. He has multiple points in six of the past eight games for the Section 1 champs (14-11-3).
—Chase Jerdee, Sr. G, Minnetonka: The senior standout has backstopped the No. 2-ranked and No. 1-seeded Skippers (24-2-2) to their eighth state tournament appearance and first since they won the state championship in 2023. Jerdee is one of three finalists for the Frank Brimsek Award, given annually to the state's top senior goalie. He has shared the net this winter with sophomore Evan Enck, but Jerdee has had the net throughout the playoffs. He enters the state tournament with a 16-2-1 record, a 1.43 goals-against average, a .925 save percentage and 6 shutouts.
—Tucker Johnson, Sr. F, Edina: A Mr. Hockey finalist, the senior standout leads the Hornets this season with 43 assists and 59 points. Johnson has recorded 15 of his assists on Edina's lethal power play (26.7%). He only has two multi-goal games this year, but Johnson has 16 multi-point outings, including five points against tournament qualifier Grand Rapids, a four-point game against top-seeded Minnetonka, two points against Section 8-2A champ Moorhead, and a five-point game against a Hill-Murray team that won 18 games. Johnson has 89 points in just two seasons of varsity hockey.
—Bode McConnell, Jr. F, Edina: The Hornets' second-leading scorer is much more than just an ESPN star. He's the Hornets' go-to guy when they need a goal. He's a 30-goal scorer who had a hat trick — scoring all three of his team's goals — in a 3-1 win against Wayzata in the Section 6-2A title game. Included in that hat trick was a goal that might be best explained by a Physics professor. With the Hornets trailing 1-0 with fewer than two minutes to go in the second period, McConnell shot the puck off the glass behind the Wayzata goal. The puck bounced off the glass and onto the top of the goal, rolled along the crossbar, then bounced off the back of Wayzata goalie Ryan Pellinger. McConnell followed his shot and tapped it into the net out of midair, sparking the Hornets' comeback and ending up on ESPN SportsCenter's Top 10 Plays. He enters state with 33 goals and 54 points.
—Brandon Mickelson, D, Moorhead: A third Moorhead player on this list, Mickelson might be the best all-around player on the team. The 5-foot-11, 175-pound, left-shot senior defenseman is a Mr. Hockey finalist and has an astounding 59 points (21 goals, 38 assists) this season. He has recorded at least one point in 27 of the Spuds' 28 games, while developing into a strong 200-foot player. Mickelson also has a team-best seven power-play goals and 20 power-play points.
—Cade Sherman, Sr. F, Rosemount: The Augustana University commit is fourth on the Irish in scoring (19-18—37) and tied for the team lead in goals. He has a fearlessness to him when it comes to trying moves that others might not — including his "Michigan" goal in the Section 3, Class 2A semifinals, a 4-0 Rosemount win against Eastview. Sherman had a six-game point streak snapped in Rosemount's 3-2 win against St. Thomas Academy in the section final, but he enters state having recorded 11 points in the past seven games. Sherman played for Cedar Rapids in the USHL prior to the high school season, and had an option to play a full year of juniors this season, but he chose to come back for this reason — to get Rosemount to The Tourney.
CLASS 1A
—Daniel Halonen, Sr. F, Delano: The Michigan Tech commit leads the Tigers with 39 goals (sixth-most in the state) and is second with 70 points (11th in the state). He hopes to follow the same path as his older brother Brian, who starred at Delano and Michigan Tech, and is now with the Utica Comets,t he top minor-league affiliate of the New Jersey Devils. Daniel Halonen has recorded at least one point in 26 of 28 games and he had seven total points in the Tigers' three section tournament wins, including a goal and an assist in Delano's 6-2 Section 2-1A championship game victory against Blake.
—Finn Hanson, Jr. G, Warroad: Hanson has been big all season for the No. 3-seeded Warriors, including against their toughest competition. Hanson has allowed more than two goals to a Class 1A opponent just three times — three against Hermantown, four against Section 8 finalist Detroit Lakes and four against No. 1-ranked Hibbing/Chisholm. Hanson enters The Tourney with a 16-5-1 record, 1.59 goals-against average, .927 save percentage and 5 shutouts.
—Ayven Hontvet, Fr. D, Warroad: The freshman blue-liner stands out for more reasons than just his young age. He plays well beyond his years — and has size and physicality beyond his years, at 6-feet-2, 220 pounds. He's more than just a big body, though. Hontvet is third on the Warriors in scoring (15-19—34) and leads the team in power-play goals (9) and power-play points (18).
—Camryn Koch, Soph. F, Dodge County: The youngest captain the Wildcats have ever had, Koch has guided the Dodge County program back to the state tournament for the second time in its history, and first since 2021. He anchors the team's top line, with senior Gabe Coshenet (28-33—61) and freshman phenom Nolan Steele (18-28—46). Koch enters The Tourney with 20 goals and 46 points. That gives him 34 goals and 75 points for his young varsity career. Koch can score, but he excels as a setup man, letting his high Hockey IQ take over. He plays in all situations — even-strength, power play, penalty kill — and is always a threat to score or set up a teammate. Koch also has three short-handed goals, tied for 13th in the state.
—Whitaker Rewertz, Soph. D, Hibbing/Chisholm: Just a sophomore, Rewertz is a skilled point-producer from the blue line. He leaped onto the state stage a year ago, when he had 23 points, including the game-winning goal in overtime in the Section 7 championship game, a goal that sent the Bluejackets to state for the first time in 14 years. Now they're back for a second straight year and Rewertz is a veteran leader on the back end. He leads the team in power-play goals (6) and power-play points (13) and has 19 goals and 44 points overall this year. He's also a key cog in the Bluejackets' penalty kill and is tied for the team lead with two short-handed goals.
—Bo Schmidt, Soph. F, St. Cloud Cathedral: Just a sophomore, the 5-foot-9, 161-pound Schmidt has been sensational at the varsity level, with 41 goals and 87 points. He has scored 23 goals and has 51 points this season for the Crusaders, the No. 5 seed in the Class 1A tournament. Schmidt — selected by the Omaha Lancers in last year's USHL Futures Draft — also has 16 power-play points and two short-handed goals this season. He had eight total points in three section playoff games, and has at least one point in 22 of Cathedral's 27 games this year.
—Grady Schmidt, Jr. D, Mankato West: The standout junior has been a force at both ends of the ice for the No. 7-seeded Scarlets, who bring a 19-7-2 record into The Tourney. Schmidt has put up 43 points this year, a tremendous number for a defenseman. That includes 16 goals and 27 assists, with seven goals and 16 points coming on the power play. He had two assists in West's 3-2 Section 3-1A semifinal win against rival Mankato East, including an assist on the game-winning goal with 51 seconds to go in regulation. Schmidt has two hat tricks and four multi-goal games this year.
—Tate Swanson, Sr. F, Hibbing/Chisholm: The senior standout and Mr. Hockey finalist leads the top-seeded and No. 1-ranked Bluejackets with 69 points (27 goals, 42 assists). Swanson's creativity and playmaking ability make him the perfect leader for a team that likes to — and can — score in bunches; the Bluejackets' 5.46 goals per game ranks seventh in the state, regardless of class. With a modest 11 power-play points, Swanson has done a majority of his scoring at even-strength. He is on a 14-game point streak and has multiple points in 11 consecutive games. Swanson had nine points in three Section 7-1A tournament games.
CLASS 2A
—When: Thursday (quarterfinals), Friday (semifinals, consolation semifinals) and Saturday (fifth-place, third-place, championship)
—Where: Championship-round games at Xcel Energy Center; consolation games at 3M Arena at Mariucci.
—How to Watch: Live streaming of all championship round games available at Prep45.com. Consolation games (including third-place games) streamed at NSPN.TV/MSHSL, for a fee. In the Rochester area, all championship-round games will be televised on Start-TV, channel 384 on Spectrum cable.
—Tickets: Available online-only at MSHSL.org/Tickets. Any available tickets for Class 2A championship-round games will go on sale online at 5 p.m. Wednesday (for Thursday's quarterfinals); online at 3 p.m. Friday (for Friday's semifinals); and online at 1 p.m. Saturday (for Saturday's third-place and championship games).
Tickets are $20 for adults and $13 for students (K-12) for championship sessions, and $15 for adults and $10 for students for consolation sessions.
CLASS 1A
—When: Wednesday (quarterfinals), Thursday (consolation semifinals), Friday (semifinals) and Saturday (fifth-place, third-place and championship).
—Where: Championship-round games at Xcel Energy Center; consolation games at 3M Arena at Mariucci.
—How to Watch: Live streaming of all championship round games available at Prep45.com. Consolation games (including third-place games) streamed at NSPN.TV/MSHSL, for a fee. In the Rochester area, all championship-round games will be televised on Start-TV, channel 384 on Spectrum cable.
—Tickets: Available online-only at MSHSL.org/Tickets. Any available tickets for Class 2A championship-round games will go on sale online at 5 p.m. Wednesday (for Thursday's quarterfinals); online at 3 p.m. Friday (for Friday's semifinals); and online at 1 p.m. Saturday (for Saturday's third-place and championship games).
Tickets are $20 for adults and $13 for students (K-12) for championship sessions, and $15 for adults and $10 for students for consolation sessions.
CLASS 1A
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 5
Quarterfinals (at Grand Casino Arena): No. 8 Dodge County (19-8-1) vs. No. 1 Hibbing/Chisholm (24-2-2), 11 a.m.; No. 5 St. Cloud Cathedral (17-11-0) vs. No. 4 Mahtomedi (17-9-2), 1 p.m.; No. 7 Mankato West (19-7-2) vs. No. 2 Delano (22-4-2), 6 p.m.; No. 6 Northern Lakes (17-10-1) vs. No. 3 Warroad (22-5-1), 8 p.m.
THURSDAY, MARCH 6
Consolation semifinals (at 3M Arena at Mariucci): Dodge Co./H-C loser vs. Cathedral/Mahtomedi loser, 10 a.m.; West/Delano loser vs. N.L./Warroad loser, noon.
FRIDAY, MARCH 7
Semifinals (at GCA): Dodge Co./H-C winner vs. Cathedral/Mahtomedi winner, 11 a.m.; West/Delano winner vs. N.L./Warroad winner, 1 p.m.
SATURDAY, MARCH 8
Fifth-place game (3M at Mariucci): Consolation semifinal winners, 10 a.m.
Third-place game (at GCA): Semifinal losers, 9:30 a.m.
Championship (at GCA): Semifinal winners, noon
----CLASS 2A
THURSDAY, MARCH 6
Quarterfinals (at Grand Casino Arena): No. 8 Gentry Academy (17-9-2) vs. No. 1 Minnetonka (24-2-2), 11 a.m.; No. 5 Grand Rapids (15-12-1) vs. No. 4 Rosemount (23-4-1), 1 p.m.; No. 7 Lakeville South (14-11-3) vs. No. 2 Moorhead (24-3-1), 6 p.m.; No. 6 Andover (11-14-3) vs. No. 3 Edina (21-6-1), 8 p.m.
FRIDAY, MARCH 7
Consolation semifinals (at 3M Arena at Mariucci): Gentry/Minnetonka loser vs. G.R./Rosemount loser, 10 a.m.; South/Moorhead loser vs. Andover/Edina loser, noon.
Semifinals (at GCA): Gentry/Minnetonka winner vs. G.R./Rosemount winner, 6 p.m.; South/Moorhead winner vs. Andover/Edina winner, 8 p.m.
SATURDAY, MARCH 8
Fifth-place game (3M at Mariucci): Consolation semifinal winners, noon
Third-place game (at GCA): Semifinal losers, 4 p.m.
Championship (at GCA): Semifinal winners, 7 p.m.
CLASS 2A
PAST 10
2025 — Moorhead
2024 — Edina
2023 — Minnetonka
2022 — Andover
2021 — Eden Prairie
2020 — Hill-Murray
2019 — Edina
2018 — Minnetonka
2017 — Grand Rapids
2016 — Wayzata
ANNIVERSARIES
2006 (20 years) — Cretin-Derham Hall
2001 (25 years) — Elk River Area
1996 (30 years) — Apple Valley
1986 (40 years) — Burnsville (one class)
1976 (50 years) — Grand Rapids (one class)
----CLASS 1A
PAST 10
2025 — East Grand Forks
2024 — St. Cloud Cathedral
2023 — Mahtomedi
2022 — Hermantown
2021 — Gentry Academy
2020 — Mahtomedi
2019 — St. Cloud Cathedral
2018 — Orono
2017 — Hermantown
2016 — Hermantown
2015 — East Grand Forks
ANNIVERSARIES
2006 (20 years) — St. Thomas Academy
2001 (25 years) — Benilde-St. Margaret's
1996 (30 years) — Warroad
1986 (40 years) — Burnsville (one class)
1976 (50 years) — Grand Rapids (one class)
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