2024 AA tourney

[grindiangrad-80]

Just seed the AA field from top to bottom at end of regular season and throw geography out the window already. Chanhassen and Edina are so much better than the other six teams in the tourney this year. Too many of the state’s top AA programs are all packed in 2-3 sections. Time for change. This is ridiculous.

Too bad Minnetonka and Wayzata not there as well.

You guys were mad because Minnetonka recruited too many guys from other teams and I watched Edina beat Wayzata 4-1 I believe to get to state. Why would you want them in?

[StanleyCup55]

It’s too bad we can’t see Tonka or Wayzata here but the ship is going to be a very good hockey game

[dherman8]

Just seed the AA field from top to bottom at end of regular season and throw geography out the window already. Chanhassen and Edina are so much better than the other six teams in the tourney this year. Too many of the state’s top AA programs are all packed in 2-3 sections. Time for change. This is ridiculous.

Too bad Minnetonka and Wayzata not there as well.

I remember back in the day when high school sports were about building character, learning life lessons, playing for the love of the game, the act of competition. I am sure I am missing a few others. Now whenever something might not be entertaining enough it needs to be changed. I guess why even have a section style of playoffs. Just send the top 8 ranked teams to the X after the season ends and eliminate any chance for possible upsets. I am not the greatest of hockey minds. I hear the Let's Play Hockey rankings are pretty legit. I can't believe I am going to do this, but as much as it pains me I will argue for Cretin making the case that they deserved to be there. Definitely not a fan of that team, but from what I see they were a 5 seed in their section that outlasted 3 top 15 ranked teams. That should be rewarded. I know they didn't have any top 8 ranked teams in their section, but still. Elk River outlasted a couple of top 20s as a 4 seed. Cinderella's are often not pretty when the clock strikes midnight. Its part of sports. The answer isn't always change it. Even though sports these days keep going that way it seems.

I for one commend all the teams that made state regardless of section. It is an accomplishment. They beat who was in front of them. Shout out to Rochester. Regardless of down years or not. Often it's all cyclical.

[BlueLineSpecial]

Nice post dherman8

I'm sure people would be just thrilled to have Wayzata, Edina, Tonka, Shakopee, Benilde, Chanhassen and Maple Grove at State

For the rest of the 98.7% of fans, we like to see a mixture of teams. North, south, metro, non-metro. New teams. New Unis. New blood. Blue bloods. Upsets. Opportunities to rise. Thats what makes for a great tourney. Not just having the best 8 at the end of the year, handed a pass to the Xcel.

[elliott70]

Nice post dherman8

I'm sure people would be just thrilled to have Wayzata, Edina, Tonka, Shakopee, Benilde, Chanhassen and Maple Grove at State

For the rest of the 98.7% of fans, we like to see a mixture of teams. North, south, metro, non-metro. New teams. New Unis. New blood. Blue bloods. Upsets. Opportunities to rise. Thats what makes for a great tourney. Not just having the best 8 at the end of the year, handed a pass to the Xcel.

Ditto

[yesiplayedhockey]

I think what some people are saying is the rich are getting richer. We can agree or disagree but those that can and will recruit are going to have a huge advantage over the rest of the teams who can't or won't.

But we all have to admit Minnesota HS hockey is in a transition from what used to be a zip code community based sport to a model now more resembling AAA hockey. Me? I find myself nowadays cheering more and more for Edina. Sure they have a coach that literarily looks like he is miserable 24/7 but for every 1 move in they get, they probably lose 10. That community just gets it when it comes to the sport of hockey.

The state tournament is alive and well anyone walking around St Paul this week will tell you that. The out of touch grey hairs have no reason to change a thing at this point. They just have to learn to delete more and more angry emails ripping them for turning their backs to some things that we all know can be tweaked.

Bottom line...We should all be proud of what we have...Of course we want more...Of course things aren't always fair. Of course old farts like me want the "good ole days back." But for one week in March, every year, our cute little bubble we take for granted is on the eyes of millions of hockey fans all over the world.

[HSHockeyPurist]

Just seed the AA field from top to bottom at end of regular season and throw geography out the window already. Chanhassen and Edina are so much better than the other six teams in the tourney this year. Too many of the state’s top AA programs are all packed in 2-3 sections. Time for change. This is ridiculous.

Too bad Minnetonka and Wayzata not there as well.

I remember back in the day when high school sports were about building character, learning life lessons, playing for the love of the game, the act of competition. I am sure I am missing a few others. Now whenever something might not be entertaining enough it needs to be changed. I guess why even have a section style of playoffs. Just send the top 8 ranked teams to the X after the season ends and eliminate any chance for possible upsets. I am not the greatest of hockey minds. I hear the Let's Play Hockey rankings are pretty legit. I can't believe I am going to do this, but as much as it pains me I will argue for Cretin making the case that they deserved to be there. Definitely not a fan of that team, but from what I see they were a 5 seed in their section that outlasted 3 top 15 ranked teams. That should be rewarded. I know they didn't have any top 8 ranked teams in their section, but still. Elk River outlasted a couple of top 20s as a 4 seed. Cinderella's are often not pretty when the clock strikes midnight. Its part of sports. The answer isn't always change it. Even though sports these days keep going that way it seems.

I for one commend all the teams that made state regardless of section. It is an accomplishment. They beat who was in front of them. Shout out to Rochester. Regardless of down years or not. Often it's all cyclical.

Great post dherman8

[north_bear]

Welp, Edina is good at hockey.

Should be a good final!

[Gov78]

Just seed the AA field from top to bottom at end of regular season and throw geography out the window already. Chanhassen and Edina are so much better than the other six teams in the tourney this year. Too many of the state’s top AA programs are all packed in 2-3 sections. Time for change. This is ridiculous.

Too bad Minnetonka and Wayzata not there as well.

You guys were mad because Minnetonka recruited too many guys from other teams and I watched Edina beat Wayzata 4-1 I believe to get to state. Why would you want them in?

I said nothing against Tonka and those who chose to move there or open enroll there. I've lived here for 34 years.

Why would I want Wayzata there? Because they're better than the other 4 teams as is Tonka but that's how it goes.

[grindiangrad-80]

Too bad Minnetonka and Wayzata not there as well.

You guys were mad because Minnetonka recruited too many guys from other teams and I watched Edina beat Wayzata 4-1 I believe to get to state. Why would you want them in?

I said nothing against Tonka and those who chose to move there or open enroll there. I've lived here for 34 years.

Why would I want Wayzata there? Because they're better than the other 4 teams as is Tonka but that's how it goes.

I did know you weren’t bashing Tonka but you quoted a post from someone who did.

Agree that it is how it goes. There’s always a handful of teams from somewhere who have to sit it out because they didn’t get through loaded sections. Those sections currently happen to be in a certain area now but those areas vary over the years. If it becomes the same area long term it usually sorts itself out.

[East Side Pioneer Guy]

Edina will need to step it up tonight, especially if Chanhassen plays the way they did in the semi. Two nights in a row, Edina got sloppy and undisciplined in the 3rd period with large leads. They had a parade to the penalty box last night. But I've seen enough tournaments to know that tonight could be just the opposite, Edina may play flawlessly and Chanhassen may be a hot mess.

[O-townClown]

Bottom line...We should all be proud of what we have...Of course we want more...Of course things aren't always fair. Of course old farts like me want the "good ole days back." But for one week in March, every year, our cute little bubble we take for granted is on the eyes of millions of hockey fans all over the world.

Exactly. A modern back-door bid would go to the runners-up from 2 & 6 playing off. It was cool when a northern team was allowed a mulligan.

[stpaul]

Legacy.Hockey is the official site for box scores and stats.

That's not true. MSHSL records list closed schools separately. They don't even give Edina credit for the 3 state titles won by Edina East.

[O-townClown]

Legacy.Hockey is the official site for box scores and stats.

That's not true. MSHSL records list closed schools separately. They don't even give Edina credit for the 3 state titles won by Edina East.

I didn't say it was the official MSHSL records list. It's been the official stats repository for Boys Hockey for a few seasons. I'll let you figure out how to account for what's what.

FACT: Mariner won a game in 1982 qf. I don't know why this is being argued.

[BlueLineSpecial]

I don't see anyone arguing that Mariner didn't win a quarterfinal game. I also don't see anyone, including WBL people, arguing that the Bears aren't 0-20 in quarterfinal games. Congrats to the DOLPHINS for their win 42 years ago. Not sure why you want to die on this hill, but I'll oblige: congratulations to the historical general White Bear Lake area high schools on being a combined 1-20

[Nostalgic Nerd]

Think my pick is Cretin for best fans. I think they were wearing the Hawaian shirts and the guys the construction hats. Also the girls who were wearing the bikini shirts.

[East Side Pioneer Guy]

Think my pick is Cretin for best fans. I think they were wearing the Hawaian shirts and the guys the construction hats. Also the girls who were wearing the bikini shirts.

What is a bikini shirt?

[East Side Pioneer Guy]

I'll bet that in1982 the real White Bear high school kids were not saying, "Yes! The streak is OVER!"

[SpreadOut!]

Just seed the AA field from top to bottom at end of regular season and throw geography out the window already. Chanhassen and Edina are so much better than the other six teams in the tourney this year. Too many of the state’s top AA programs are all packed in 2-3 sections. Time for change. This is ridiculous.

Too bad Minnetonka and Wayzata not there as well.

You guys were mad because Minnetonka recruited too many guys from other teams and I watched Edina beat Wayzata 4-1 I believe to get to state. Why would you want them in?

Who said I did? Anyone with eyes can see that the sections in AA are horribly unbalanced. That’s why the X was half empty last night half way through the second semifinal. Throw what Tonka does recruiting-wise out, and still, the top programs in this state at AA level are mostly concentrated in west metro. I’m saying that if we want to improve the tourney moving forward, I think something needs to change at AA level.

If we still want geographic representation, then send two teams from each section to state (have back door double elimination entry from each section like they do in youth regions), but then seed them 1-16 before first round and have first round of AA tourney be on Tuesday before A quarterfinals on Wednesday. Tourney is then a day longer (more hockey!), all geographies are represented at state still, and there is a much better chance that the best teams are playing for the chip.

[grindiangrad-80]

The north used to dominate the sport now the south does. So what.

As far as who said I did? You did. You even PM’d me.

Enjoy the game. I’m going to.

[bardown27]

Too bad Minnetonka and Wayzata not there as well.

You guys were mad because Minnetonka recruited too many guys from other teams and I watched Edina beat Wayzata 4-1 I believe to get to state. Why would you want them in?

Who said I did? Anyone with eyes can see that the sections in AA are horribly unbalanced. That’s why the X was half empty last night half way through the second semifinal. Throw what Tonka does recruiting-wise out, and still, the top programs in this state at AA level are mostly concentrated in west metro. I’m saying that if we want to improve the tourney moving forward, I think something needs to change at AA level.

If we still want geographic representation, then send two teams from each section to state (have back door double elimination entry from each section like they do in youth regions), but then seed them 1-16 before first round and have first round of AA tourney be on Tuesday before A quarterfinals on Wednesday. Tourney is then a day longer (more hockey!), all geographies are represented at state still, and there is a much better chance that the best teams are playing for the chip.

You could theoretically create a better state tournament for this year with two sections.

2AA put tonka(#1) Chan(#5), shakopee(#6) and EP(#10)
6AA put Wayzata (#2), Edina(#3), benilde(#4) and AHA(top 20)

[JerseyDave]

0-0 after first period, SOG tied at 9.

Channy had some good looks, Edina very fortunate to get a stick on Uhlehkamp's open look. Uhlenkamp and Christ are a great duo, so fun to watch them play.

Something to watch out for is that Edina likes to wear down opponents physically with hit after hit and then take advantage later in the game.

UPDATE: 1-0 Chanhassen. Channy putting lots of offensive pressure on Edina.

UPDATE: 1-0 Chan, SOG 15-5 in second period. Storm dominated second period but still a close game.

UPDATE: 1-1, third period. Edina finally putting some offensive pressure on Chan.

UPDATE: 2-1 Edina, PP goal. Six minutes remaining.

2-1 FINAL. Edina Class AA State Champions, 2024.

[Edinahopkins]

7AA has one one bad game in the semifinals in decades and 8AA has one bad game in quarterfinals in years and now we need to fix the sections , where was this uproar in 2006,2007,2008 when a top 4 Moorhead team lost to Roseau.
Or how about Elk River in 2006, 2015, 2017, Duluth East 2017 Cloquet 2007 Grand Rapids 1989 that was way worse then tonka not making it this year! give me a break. You could go on and on with fantastic teams that didn’t make it

[headsupsticksdown]

Think my pick is Cretin for best fans. I think they were wearing the Hawaian shirts and the guys the construction hats. Also the girls who were wearing the bikini shirts.

Believe that was Chan in their first game no?

[headsupsticksdown]

I think what some people are saying is the rich are getting richer. We can agree or disagree but those that can and will recruit are going to have a huge advantage over the rest of the teams who can't or won't.

But we all have to admit Minnesota HS hockey is in a transition from what used to be a zip code community based sport to a model now more resembling AAA hockey. Me? I find myself nowadays cheering more and more for Edina. Sure they have a coach that literarily looks like he is miserable 24/7 but for every 1 move in they get, they probably lose 10. That community just gets it when it comes to the sport of hockey.

The state tournament is alive and well anyone walking around St Paul this week will tell you that. The out of touch grey hairs have no reason to change a thing at this point. They just have to learn to delete more and more angry emails ripping them for turning their backs to some things that we all know can be tweaked.

Bottom line...We should all be proud of what we have...Of course we want more...Of course things aren't always fair. Of course old farts like me want the "good ole days back." But for one week in March, every year, our cute little bubble we take for granted is on the eyes of millions of hockey fans all over the world.

Excellent post. I’m supposed to hate Edina, but they seem to have it figured out. You don’t hear many kids transferring into Edina, even at the youth level. Giles must make it very clear that he’s not buying and if so, you gotta love that. I also get the feeling that once Giles is gone, the ceiling will come falling down as it’d like he’s the only one that can deal with the nut job parents, politics, etc. because he simply doesn’t deal with them. Just gives the stare and people get the hint.