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M H J O N L I N E . C O M | N O V / D E C 2 0 2 6 10 MAPLE GROVE CREATES RECIPE FOR HOCKEY SUCCESS Maple Grove, a thriving city of more than 70,000 residents in Minneapolis' northwest suburbs is the self-proclaimed "Restaurant Capital of Minnesota," with an estimated 150 dining establishments within its borders. But lately, it's the local hockey scene that's really been cooking. From hometown hero Brock Faber's accomplishments on the Olympic and NHL stages, to the addition of a third sheet of ice at its newly remodeled com- munity center, to being named host of Hockey Day Minnesota in 2028, Maple Grove has followed a bold hockey recipe to serve up exceptional growth, on-ice opportunities and civic pride. "It goes back to Osseo, being around for close to 70 years, and having a lot of success," said Jason Rogowski, president of the Osseo-Maple Grove Hockey Association, considered one of the largest community hockey associations in America. "Since then, as Maple Grove has grown as a community, OMGHA has grown along with it. There's a great energy here and it's kept the momentum going in a positive direction." GROWING THE GAME Rogowski believes Maple Grove's growth story has been a combination of several factors, starting with the early adoption of fast-moving, station-based practices. "About 15 years ago, there was a group of very passionate and dedicated parents who really took to the USA Hockey model and with their energy, really changed the program," said Rogowski. "That translated into success at the higher levels over the course of a decade, which attracted more people to want 8 SHEETS Maple Grove Community Center (3), Osseo Ice Arena (2), Brooklyn Park Ice Arena (2), Velocity Hockey Center (1) DISTRICT: Leafbirds (OMGHA), Crimson (MG), Orioles (Osseo) NICKNAME: PRESIDENT: Jason Rogowski 1,155 3 2025-26 REGISTRATION NUMBERS: of STATE HOCKEY State of Hockey Spotlight Maple Grove by Steve Mann HOME ICE: P R E S E N T E D B Y Photos / Ben Johnson Photography