Cole Bumgarner

[SpreadOut!]

Just saw online today that Cole Bumgarner (and his dad, of course) have officially done it: Bumgarner will play for a fifth team in five seasons in 2025-26—as confirmed by him playing for Rogers High School this past weekend in summer high school festival play.

Let’s recap Bumgarner’s last five years:

8th grade: Shakopee High School
9th grade: Benilde St. Margeret’s High School
10th grade: Rogers High School
11th grade: Fargo Force of USHL (15 points in 60 games)
12th grade: Rogers High School

Many didn’t think it was possible, but Bumgarner has done it. Five teams in five years is an amazing accomplishment. This level of commitment and loyalty, I hear, has that former Astronomy CEO caught canoodling with his HR VP at a Coldplay concert spinning in an envious rage.

This news also cements Bumgarner’s dad’s legacy as being, let’s just say, the most “unique” hockey dad in Minnesota history.

Wherever Cole ends up for the 2026-27 season (North Dakota?), we’ll know for sure he’ll be committed to that program for the long run.

Congratulations, Bumgarner family!

[bardown27]

My question is. How is he eligible?

[headsupsticksdown]

There are some other kids at the youth level giving him a run for his money. Younger Crowley will play at SSM making that his 3rd team in 3 years, the Stewart kid goes from Hastings err Woodbury err Edina err Shako and now I hear SSM too. The Stewart family is just as if not even more bonkers if you ask me. But hey it’s not the kids fault, they are just more driven and hungry. They can’t dare be on some weak team or unworthy program.

[BP]

My question is. How is he eligible?

Online at Rogers last year.

[StanleyCup55]

And to think how much it would’ve hindered his career if he stayed on those teams! Good thing he’s still on track for the NHL. Good job Dad!

[SpreadOut!]

There are some other kids at the youth level giving him a run for his money. Younger Crowley will play at SSM making that his 3rd team in 3 years, the Stewart kid goes from Hastings err Woodbury err Edina err Shako and now I hear SSM too. The Stewart family is just as if not even more bonkers if you ask me. But hey it’s not the kids fault, they are just more driven and hungry. They can’t dare be on some weak team or unworthy program.

A family as high profile in the Minnesota hockey community as the Crowleys getting away with what they’ve done in terms of team hopping the past couple years just shows that both Minnesota Hockey and the MSHSL are perfectly cool looking the other way while the “transfer culture” becomes a runaway train.

Crowley’s daughter graduated last year from Eden Prairie High School, where the Crowleys have always lived, I’m told. Yet, at the same time she was attending EP, her older brother switched from playing high school hockey for EP a year or two ago to Holy Family without losing any eligibility (in other words, a move would have been required). Then, her younger brother switched from playing youth hockey for EP to Tonka last year (again, another move would have been required). I’m gonna go way out on a limb and guess that the Crowley family has not moved twice in the last couple years. Please correct me if I’m wrong.

It’s all a farce and nobody with Minnesota Hockey or the MSHSL could care less.

Yes, there will be many more Bumgarners to come.

[slacsap]

You can't blame the high school league. They are far too busy worrying about important things like making sure that any hair ribbons a girl may be wearing match their jersey colors or whether a school might have an adult sitting in their student section at the state tournament to worry about whether oodles of players (and parents) are making a mockery of the eligibility rules.

[yesiplayedhockey]

I think it's safe to assume that parents today know there is ZERO chance of getting busted.

School admins are more worried about proper labeling of the schools bathrooms.

Hockey coaches are thinking if I keep perfecting my recruiting skills, I could be D-1 coach in 2-3 years

The MSHSL and the AD's are focused on finalizing plans to convert all the baseball fields into cricket fields

Minnesota Hockey.org continues supporting the concept "more is better" with their high performance leagues versus using their power in addressing these more serious issues.

Hockey is no longer classified as a TEAM sport....

RIP to our community based model...It was a great run