FACEOFF
N O V / D E C 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 :
Lakeville's Maggie Flaherty
is the first and only player to
win three Walter Cups.
Photos by Getty Images
Twenty-six years later,
Matt Majka still can't
remember who said those
three words first.
04 / GOALS & ASSISTS
Snapshots from around the State
of Hockey.
10 / STATE OF HOCKEY
SPOTLIGHT: MAPLE GROVE
Get to know one of the state's thriving
hockey associations.
16 / TRIPLE CROWN
Made in Lakeville: Maggie Flaherty's
journey to three straight Walter Cups.
20 / HOME SWEET HOME
Q-and-A with Elk River native and
Minnesota Frost draft pick
Maddy Christian.
22 / TIPS: SCOUT'S
NOTEBOOK
What questions do NHL scouts ask
State Championship Head Coach
Jay Hardwick?
24 / MINNESOTA'S BEST
STAY HOME
Revamped CCM Fall High Performance
program will continue to support the top
development model in the nation.
IN THIS ISSUE
#1 MODEL IN
THE NATION:
MINNESOTA'S NEW HIGH
PERFORMANCE PATHWAYS
NOW OPEN:
NORTHFIELD'S NEW
COMMUNIT Y RINK
MAPLE GROVE:
REACHES 500-MITE
MILESTONE
RUSSO:
THE STORY
BEHIND "STATE
OF HOCKEY"
PLUS!
MINNESOTA HOCKEY JOURNAL
N
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D
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2
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MAGGIE FLAHERTY
IS LAKEVILLE'S LORD OF THE RINGS
TRIPLE
CROWN
RUSSO'S RANTS:
THE STORY BEHIND "STATE OF HOCKEY"
NOV/DEC
27
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.
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 2
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:
Drew Herron, Steve Mann, Samantha Roering,
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
Chanhassen
earned its first
trip to State
in 2024.
PUBLISHER
12
Northfield's new rink is another huge win for
Minnesota's community hockey culture.
NOW OPEN:
HASSE RYT-WAY ARENA
