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INVESTING IN PLAYER DEVELOPMENT 2026-2027 MINNESOTA HOCKEY SEASON PRIMER // 17 Minnesota Hockey is pr oud to announce a new strategic par tner ship w ith M A P Hockey aimed at elevating player development and training to help our members reach their full potential. MAP Founder Justin Johnson shares his insight . Can you tell us about MAP Hockey and what your organization does? Justin Johnson: Established in 2005, MAP Hockey is a complete player- development organization ser ving male and female athletes from youth hockey through the college and professional levels. Our member ship model combines on-ice training, strength and conditioning, shooting, stickhandling, hockey IQ , and individual feedback within one coordinated system. Athletes train under full-time professional coaches with college and professional experience. O ver the past 20 year s, M A P has trained 2 1 Olympians, 76 NHL Draf t Picks, 252 professional player s, and more than 525 NC A A commits. What makes MAP Hockey's approach to player development unique? Justin Johnson: Our programs are influenced by USA Hockey 's Long-Term Athlete Development principles and focus on sustainable grow th rather than shor t-term results. We maintain a maximum 8-to-1 player- to-coach ratio, providing athletes with more repetitions, coaching attention, and individual feedback. Players also receive regular video review to help them understand how and when to apply their skills during competition. Our programs are application-based, allowing us to group athletes by age, ability, and developmental needs. This creates a consistently competitive environment in which ever y player is appropriately challenged. Please expand on FHIT, MEGA, and Dark Horse Performance and how they work with MAP Hockey. Justin Johnson: Each program addresses a different part of athlete development while operating under one shared standard. FHIT Hockey provides professional, structured development for motivated players who are developing toward the elite level or need greater schedule flexibility. MEGA Goaltending provides position- specific technical, tactical, and mental development for goalies par ticipating in MAP and FHIT programs. Dark Horse Per formance oversees strength, conditioning, and per formance testing. Its Cer tified Strength and Conditioning Specialists use athlete data to create individualized training plans and track progress over time. Dark Horse Per formance will also provide strength training and per formance-testing suppor t for Minnesota Hockey High Per formance par ticipants. How important are hockey IQ and video analysis in today's game? Justin Johnson: Hockey IQ is increasingly impor tant. Players spend considerable time developing individual skills, but they must also learn when and how to apply those skills under pressure. MAP Hockey IQ provides individualized analysis of players' game footage, supported by teaching examples from professional hockey. This helps athletes recognize patterns, improve decision- making, and ultimately think quicker, play faster, and become better teammates. What made partnering with Minnesota Hockey a natural fit for MAP Hockey? Justin Johnson: Minnesota Hockey and MAP share a passion for growing the game and helping Minnesota boys and girls reach their potential. By combining Minnesota Hockey 's statewide leadership with MAP Hockey 's coaching, per formance, and player-development exper tise, we can create more meaningful oppor tunities for athletes throughout the state. We are proud of this par tnership and look for ward to ser ving Minnesota's hockey community together for years to come. How will the partnership create more opportunities for young athletes? Justin Johnson: MAP Hockey and Dark Horse Per formance will bring coaching exper tise, per formance testing, technology, and individualized development insight to Minnesota Hockey 's High Per formance, Tier I, and Tier II programs. Our goal is to help athletes better understand where they are, what they need to improve, and how to train more intentionally. We also hope to suppor t coaches by sharing practical resources and age-appropriate development concepts that can benefit players and associations across Minnesota. MINNESOTA HOCKEY AND MAP HOCKEY JOIN FORCES Photo / James Butler, MAP Hockey