What is MN HS Hockey Talk?

My name is Todd.

Through a series of serious business meetings (done all over texting, pre Zoom days), 3 of us decided to create MN High School Hockey Talk. 

While a few of us may be over the hill or getting close to it, we feel we can hop on the social media circuit and create some discussions around the state regarding the best pastime in Minnesota-High School Hockey. 

The passion for high school hockey in Minnesota starts at a young age playing on the frozen ponds and local outdoor rinks through actually attending high school and playing for your hometown team, to watching games well after the playing days are over.

We attend games and spend endless hours discussing teams, individual players, and dynamics of section matchups, coaches, arenas, basically every aspect of every possible link to high school hockey.  

We don’t know where this will go.  We have no idea if this will be the first and/or last entry.  We don’t know if anyone will read this.  We don’t know if thousands will read our content.  All we know is we love discussing high school hockey and would love feedback of what our readers would like to see.

On a personal level, my dream job since the late 1900’s has been to become a hockey scout.   I’ve dabbled with contacts, sent a few emails to hockey teams, etc. but haven’t gained any real traction. 

Enter @MNHSHockeyTalk.  Why not be a “Central Scouting” model for High School Hockey?  Not sure if it will be a 3X year update, weekly column, who knows!  All I bring to the table is I have watched probably around 1,000-1,500 high school games and have done a lot of mental notes, some verbal, regarding players potential. 

I have been 100% wrong on some and 100% correct on others. 

That’s the beauty of it.

I have no science, no ties to any team, just a lot of hours watching and memorizing.  Maybe that will change with this blog.  We shall see.  My first idea is to use the Central Scouting model and rate players A, B, C:

• A-USHL candidate
• B-NAHL, NA3HL, etc.
• C- Needs development to get to A,B but has potential

I do have some criteria that I will try to translate to paper here:

• Skating- I put a premium on skating, especially the first 3 steps.  Every level you increase the first 3 steps are critical as the play transitions that much faster
• Age- A freshman or sophomore on a AA school will be given more leeway as they still have years of development potential
• Smartness- Do they make the “right” play.  Did they hit the correct open guy/moving guy, etc. Shoot instead of pass, etc.
• Work ethic- Nothing moves you to a higher grade than a strong work ethic

I am keeping this to a 1 page entry so as to not lose your attention.  Feel free to comment on what you would like to see below.  Most of all we hope to just reciprocate what fun we have discussing High School Hockey with the rest of the fans out there and in one location.  We will release our first round of rankings soon.  Not sure timeline, have to text the boss and see when this is going live!”

-Todd