FACEOFF
O C T O B E R 2 0 2 6 | M H J ON L I N E . C O M
03
O N T H E C O V E R :
Eden Prairie's Jackson Blake is a
Minnesota State High School Tournament
hero, USHL Clark Cup winner, and now
NHL Stanley Cup Champion
Photos by Getty Images, Rick Olson
The Wild left Dallas
seeing Stars last year.
Can they take another
step this season?
04 / GOALS & ASSISTS
Snapshots from around the State
of Hockey.
06 / OUR FRIEND JESSI
Remembering longtime colleague
and Minnesota Hockey Journal
contributor Jessi Pierce.
10 / TIPS: FIST BUMP
Five ways to be a great teammate
with Inver Grove Heights native
Eric Rud.
12 / STATE OF HOCKEY
SPOTLIGHT: MANKATO
Why Mankato Area Hockey
Association is experiencing
a renaissance.
22 / HOMETOWN HERO
Jackson Blake returns to his Eden
Prairie roots with the Stanley Cup.
IN THIS ISSUE
MINNESOTA HOCKEY JOURNAL
O
C
T
2
0
2
6
+ TIPS:
HOW TO BE A GREAT TEAMMATE
+ SPOTLIGHT:
MANKATO HOCKEY'S RENAISSANCE
+ RUSSO'S RANTS:
WILD SEASON PREVIEW
Hometown
STANLEY CUP CHAMPION
JACKSON BLAKE'S EDEN PRAIRIE ROOTS
MINNESOTA HOCKEY
SEASON PRIMER!
PLUS!
RUSSO'S RANTS:
WILD SEASON PREVIEW
OCTOBER
26
ASSOCIATION
minnesotahockey.org usahockey.com
"The purpose of Minnesota Hockey, an affiliate of USA
Hockey, is to encourage and improve the standard of
youth and other amateur ice hockey; to conduct ice
hockey tournaments and to select representative teams
to participate in tournaments; to associate with other ice
hockey associations; to do any and all acts necessary for
creating further interest in youth and other amateur hockey."
MINNESOTA HOCKEY
CORPORATE PARTNERS
The following organizations have generously supported
amateur hockey in Minnesota. Please consider their support
next time you make a purchase.
SEASON
PRIMER
14
MHJ
M I N N E S O TA H O C K E Y J O U R N A L
Volume 28, Number 1
PRESIDENT: Dave Jensen
VICE PRESIDENT: Aaron Paitich
ART DIRECTORS: Mike DeArmond, Brandon Favre
GRAPHIC DESIGNER: Liv Greaves
AD SALES: Bryan Nelson
AD COORDINATOR: Emily Sizen
MARKETING COORDINATOR: Brooke Pioske
5353 Wayzata Blvd., Suite 640
St. Louis Park, MN 55416
info@nordstarmedia.com
nordstarmedia.com
EDITOR: Aaron Paitich
ASSOCIATE EDITOR: Brooke Pioske
CONTRIBUTORS:
Steve Mann, Steve Oleheiser, Heather Rule,
Michael Russo
DESIGN & PRODUCTION:
Mike DeArmond, Brandon Favre, Liv Greaves
ADVERTISING: Bryan Nelson
ADVERTISING COORDINATOR: Emily Sizen
WEBSITE: mhjonline.com
E-MAIL: contactus@minnesotahockeyjournal.com
U.S. Olympic
Gold Medalist
Matt Boldy has
blossomed into a
superstar.
Everything you need to
know about the 2026-27
Minnesota Hockey season.
PUBLISHER
