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Why Minnesota is truly the State of Hockey Pockets of Tradition by Michael Russo Russo's Rants P R E S E N T E D B Y att Hendricks grew up in Blaine, played in St. Cloud, has lived in Plymouth, Wayzata and currently lives in Excelsior, which is the Minnetonka school district. "These are all different communities, but hockey still sits at the top of the list for all of them," said Hendricks, who plays for the Winnipeg Jets and has played more than 500 NHL games for the Colorado Avalanche, Washington Capitals, Nashville Predators and Edmonton Oilers. "It's pretty awesome." The former St. Cloud State Husky was drafted in 2000 and according to eliteprospects.com is among the 16.4 per- cent of current U.S.-born NHLers to hail from Minnesota. Michigan makes up 14.6 percent of the U.S.-born NHLers, New York makes up 12.2 percent and Massachusetts makes up 10.3 percent. The numbers are clear: Minnesota continues to produce the most U.S.-born NHLers. Elite Coaching Here's something else that's pretty neat: According to eliteprospects.com, among U.S.-born drafted players in NHL history, 10 of the top- 20 listed hometowns are in Minnesota, including the top- 3: St. Paul (69), Minneapolis (59) and Edina (53). Minnesota truly is the State of Hockey. Hockey is a fabric here, and it's impossible to produce this many NHLers if the coaching wasn't elite at all levels. "There are really good coaches in Michigan and New York and Connecticut and so on, too, but it's a big priority here starting at the youth level," said Terry Cullen, a for- mer coach who fathered three boys who played in the NHL— Matt, Mark and Joe Cullen. Matt's obviously the most established. The NHL's sec- ond-oldest player at 41, Cullen has returned to his home state for a second stint with the Wild and 20th NHL season. It was Terry, raised in International Falls with coaching experience in the Minnesota towns of Gilbert, Roseau, Virginia and Moorhead, who coached Matt throughout his childhood and in high school. "We are the State of Hockey, and it's very high on the M M H J ON L I N E . C O M | D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 7 26 The numbers are clear: Minnesota continues to produce the most U.S.-born NHLers.