Issue link: https://read.uberflip.com/i/1531040
While Mass. public high school hockey still exists, and no doubt is important to every kid who participates, it's no longer where the gifted build their career CVs. For the past 30-plus years, the preferred path in the Bay State typically has been private schools or junior teams, rendering high school hockey essentially a club ver- sion of the sport. Meanwhile, back in Minnesota, where the annual high school championship tournament w ithout fail packs Saint Paul's Xcel Energy Center to the rafters, they still party like it's high school hockey of the '50s and '60s. "Minnesota high school hockey has a great culture," said former Bruins coach and current Blues boss Jim Montgomery, who spent years trying to import Minnesota kids to his NCA A (RPI/Denver) and USHL (Dubuque) teams. "The talent level of play- ers they develop is incredible for one state. For us, in Denver or in the USHL, I would draft players from Minnesota and it was hard to get them to come play junior hockey and leave high school hockey." The Bruins this season have had proud Minnesota sons Cole Koepke (Hermantown) and Riley Tufte (Blaine) on their roster, both of whom signed as free agents in July. Langenbrunner, the Bruins' assistant general manager, played three seasons for his hometown high school in Cloquet. He has fond memories of play ing for Cloquet and understands the allure high school hockey has to this day for kids in his home state. "Minnesota's always had communi- ty-based programs, right from an early age," noted Langenbrunner, "and it con- tinues right through high school. For some guys, there's more of a pull now for the USHL and even the NAHL, but all in all, they've done a strong job of keeping their players in-house. I truly believe it's really helped not only for pros but also on the college level. You see a huge number of college players from Minnesota and it's because they have time to develop." There is "some pride in playing for your town," added Langenbrunner, who was 20 when he became a full-time NHLer with Dallas. "You know, you have your high school games and most of them are sold out," he said. "You're challenging kids to go play in a state tournament where you play in front of 18,000-19,000 people and it's all on TV, it's a pretty special opportuni- ty. And you're playing with kids you've grown up playing with or against since you were 5 or 6 years old—you've been on teams together, played hundreds of games together, traveled, and the culmination of that is being able to play for your high school team." Tufte made it to the state tournament at Xcel only once during his four years play- ing for Blaine High. Photos / Getty Images MINNESOTA'S SECRET TO SUCCESS M H J O N L I N E . C O M | J A N / F E B 2 0 2 5 20 "You're challenging kids to go play in a state tournament where you play in front of 18,000- 19,000 people and it's all on TV, it's a pretty special opportunity." — Jamie Langenbrunner, Bruins Assistant General Manager, Cloquet It's just a really good family state. It's a family-centered culture that, if people leave the state, they come back." —Jim Montgomery, St. Louis Blues Head Coach