New Arena in Proctor opens next week

[Proctor Hockey]

Link to the Duluth News Tribune Article for a sneak peak at the New Arena:

http://www.duluthnewstribune.com/news/4 ... -next-week

The School District has also purchased the Old Arena and will turn it into an indoor practice facility with Artificial Turf:

http://www.duluthnewstribune.com/news/g ... turf-field

2018-2019 Squirt and Peewee Tournaments are full, but still two spots open for the Bantam A tournament, January 25-27.

Register at:

https://www.proctorhockey.com/page/show ... nd-lodging

[elliott70]

Congratulations to Proctor and wishing future success.

[kniven]

I will be there. I can't wait!!

[Goose21]

Congrats to Proctor and all those who made it happen. It will be interesting to see how the new arena affects the program and 7A hockey.

[gopherpuck516]

Is Proctor going to become the new Greenway after Greenway becomes the new Hermantown?

[kniven]

Is Proctor going to become the new Greenway after Greenway becomes the new Hermantown?

That’s a good question I think Greenway and Proctor would be nice co leaders routinely in 7A.

[Goose21]

Is Proctor going to become the new Greenway after Greenway becomes the new Hermantown?

That’s a good question I think Greenway and Proctor would be nice co leaders routinely in 7A.

Marshall and Hibbing should make it a 4 way battle.

[Goose21]

Is Proctor going to become the new Greenway after Greenway becomes the new Hermantown?

It could become very interesting:

Marshall--do they opt to A and can they regain the position they had as the 7A leader before the rise of Hermantown?

Greenway--can they sustain the current level of success or is it just a short window of opportunity?

Hibbing--with Hermantown out of the way, can they keep their hometown talent?

Proctor--can they use the Duluth-suburb A model to build their program?

[karl(east)]

Is Proctor going to become the new Greenway after Greenway becomes the new Hermantown?

It could become very interesting:

Marshall--do they opt to A and can they regain the position they had as the 7A leader before the rise of Hermantown?

Greenway--can they sustain the current level of success or is it just a short window of opportunity?

Hibbing--with Hermantown out of the way, can they keep their hometown talent?

Proctor--can they use the Duluth-suburb A model to build their program?

It's worth noting how cyclical many of the Iron Range schools can be, too. Without Hermantown, we would've been talking about Virginia as a serious State Tournament contender this past season, and they've had a few other surges in talent over the past 15 years. Eveleth, while probably well short of the level of Hermantown and Greenway this year, has a chance to be a very good Class A team over the next season or two. Hibbing has had its moments as well, of course. Assuming Hermantown heads up, we'll see if Proctor (or Marshall) can attain some consistency in the coming years. If they can't, it could be a revolving door of contenders in 7A going forward.

[ShakestheClown]

It's worth noting how cyclical many of the Iron Range schools can be, too. Without Hermantown, we would've been talking about Virginia as a serious State Tournament contender this past season, and they've had a few other surges in talent over the past 15 years. Eveleth, while probably well short of the level of Hermantown and Greenway this year, has a chance to be a very good Class A team over the next season or two. Hibbing has had its moments as well, of course. Assuming Hermantown heads up, we'll see if Proctor (or Marshall) can attain some consistency in the coming years. If they can't, it could be a revolving door of contenders in 7A going forward.

This would be great for class A hockey. There hasn't been much excitement in 7A since Hermantown moved over from 5A. Hopefully, this will keep kids at home instead of jumping ship to other programs or juniors (I'm looking at you Hibbing...).

[Proctor Hockey]

Thanks for all the well wishes. To say the Community is excited would be an understatement. It's tough to describe this place in words. People need to see it for themselves.

Grand Opening is tomorrow, Wednesday, from 4:00-6:00 PM. (Open Skating from 5:00-6:00). Everyone is invited. Bring the family out for burgers and brats and check it out.

[blueblood]

Good luck Proctor Hockey!

Lee: will this be your second favorite team now?

[WestMetro]

Congrats!

Isnt this the 4th or 5th new ice arena in the Duluth metro in the last 20 years? Amazing!

(and another in the works in Htown)

[MNHockeyFan]

Congrats!

Isnt this the 4th or 5th new ice arena in the Duluth metro in the last 20 years? Amazing!

(and another in the works in Htown)

I am very very old, but when I grew up and played neighborhood youth hockey in Duluth, and then high school hockey in the mid-60's, there was only one indoor sheet of ice in the entire Duluth city limits. That was the Duluth Curling Club - 2nd floor was hockey - and that's where most area high school teams - and UMD - played their games. That was a long long time ago, but my have times changed - in a good way.

Now, with the addition of Proctor's rink, how many indoor sheets are available in the Duluth "metro" area?

[WestMetro]

MnFan, that’s my era from Duluth also

Anyway , I think you’re right . Fryberger Arena dated to about 1970 or so, just Curling Club before that

[karl(east)]

Congrats!

Isnt this the 4th or 5th new ice arena in the Duluth metro in the last 20 years? Amazing!

(and another in the works in Htown)

I am very very old, but when I grew up and played neighborhood youth hockey in Duluth, and then high school hockey in the mid-60's, there was only one indoor sheet of ice in the entire Duluth city limits. That was the Duluth Curling Club - 2nd floor was hockey - and that's where most area high school teams - and UMD - played their games. That was a long long time ago, but my have times changed - in a good way.

Now, with the addition of Proctor's rink, how many indoor sheets are available in the Duluth "metro" area?

I count nine that have regular hockey uses today, if we give some love to our friends across the bridge in Souptown:

Amsoil
Heritage Sill
Heritage Seitz
Mars
Fryberger
Proctor
Hermantown
Wessman
SAHA

The old DECC has been used for a few youth tournaments since it ceased to be the main rink in that complex, though I think it's been a while on that one now. UMD has the intramural rink also, though I don't think it's used by any youth teams.

That number is actually stable since Mars came online, I think--over the past 15 years we've lost Pioneer Hall (now an event space/indoor summer sports facility), the old DECC (mostly), Peterson Arena to a Zamboni explosion, and now the Proctor pole barn. What has improved dramatically is the quality of the facilities with the gems at Heritage, Amsoil, and now in Proctor.

And we've got a few good outdoor rinks around here, too.

[WestMetro]

Great recap Karl

Any idea about the current utilization and profitability at Mars, what with all the public and association sheets built since ?

Or , has girls program expansion kept everyone’s bookings full?

[Northernlakes]

Mars arena is always full, they have the figure skaters booked. The old DECC gets a ton of use, teams practicing there as well.

[muckandgrinder65]

Will the old rink be closed?
If so, I think that would leave East Bethel Ice Arena (St. Francis) in the lead for 'most need of an upgrade' in the state for a High School team.

[blueline_6]

Will the old rink be closed?
If so, I think that would leave East Bethel Ice Arena (St. Francis) in the lead for 'most need of an upgrade' in the state for a High School team.

Didn't they put a new sound system in there in the last couple years? Was in there last year and the place is getting run down but man were they rocking the tunes!

[kniven]

MnFan, that’s my era from Duluth also

Anyway , I think you’re right . Fryberger Arena dated to about 1970 or so, just Curling Club before that

And CEC has 3 indoor rinks. 2 in Cloquet and 1 in Carlton.

[WestMetro]

Well said Kniven!

We didn’t want to insult CEC by calling you part of the Duluth West Metro

West Metro

[kniven]

Well said Kniven!

We didn’t want to insult CEC by calling you part of the Duluth West Metro

West Metro

Not part of the Duluth Metro.....you are correct, but a big part of area code 218 hockey and the Duluth area

[elliott70]

Bemidji Youth Hockey just started their 2nd ice rink that will make 4 rinks in Bemidji not counting the Sanford Center.

[WestMetro]

Elliott, is all that expansion association and tax funded, or some grants from somewhere ? Have the existing rinks already been converted to the new refrigerant?