Brim006

Yep that all seems very reasonable and understandable. NDHS hockey would be completely different right now if all parents followed the guidance you just laid out.

Yeah, there are certainly a few NDHS kids at the end of every season who any unbiased fan or follower can clearly see wouldn’t gain much from coming back for another year. But as we know, the number who actually leave far exceeds that short list. I’d say roughly 4–6 players truly fit the bill, yet more like 30–45 leave every year. That’s quite the discrepancy. It really boils down to parents having some sort of contagious delusion that spending money to send their kids away early is going to get them to the next level. Or they enjoy being able to tell people their kid is off playing hockey somewhere else, indicating they were too good for the local hockey. As we’ve seen and will continue to see, that very rarely pays off (if ever) for kids who aren’t already in that rare, special category. However, maybe I’m misunderstanding their final goals. If the goal is to play club hockey at Idaho State, D3, Junior Bs, or for a team like the Lake Region Royals, then maybe more of them consider the move + money spent a success than I realize. I think all the programs should hire a statistician to present to these parents every year to help them understand the reality of the situation. With the continued growth of USA Hockey participation, and now the influx of more Canadian players (WHL, etc.) into NCAA D1 while the number of teams stays pretty flat, I don’t think most people realize that even the ultimate goal of playing D1 is going to continue becoming more and more rare. And honestly after the statistician presents, a psychiatrist wouldn’t hurt either, just to help them recognize that if their motivation is stronger than their kid’s motivation, it's not worth altering their lives over the pursuit. You can’t purchase more motivation, and you can't purchase your kid's way into each next level, no matter what any academy rep tells you.

It sounds like quite a few Bantam AA players are planning to leave the state rather than move on to high school hockey. I recently read an article highlighting several eastern states dealing with the same issue but several years ahead of our current state, and I’ve heard and seen similar trends across the Midwest now more recently. MI, WI, IL, OH. Minnesota is essentially the last state where high school hockey still keeps the majority of players at home playing for their hometowns. The clock is probably ticking even there though unfortunately.

He stood out in the game against century in Bismarck that I watched. Surprised to learn he’s so young because he looked poised and mature out there.

2025-26 BOYS ALL-STATE TEAM ANNOUNCED Below is the North Dakota Boys All-State Team as selected by the Head Coaches in the state for the 2025-26 Season. Forwards Bennet Benson Jr. West Fargo Sheyenne Cooper Deziel Sr. Grand Forks Central Heath Frykman Sr. Bismarck Century Griffen Haagenson Sr. Grand Forks Red River Harrison Johnson Sr. Bismarck Legacy Nolan Marto So. Grand Forks Central Easton Richardson Jr. Bismarck High Weston Stromme Jr. Devils Lake Oliver Thompson Sr. Minot United Caden Ulmer Jr. Grand Forks Red River Defense Logan Bina So. Grand Forks Central Braxton Burkett Jr. Jamestown Brekkin Hultberg Sr. Grand Forks Red River Beau Raschke So. Bismarck Legacy Cullen Rost Sr. Grand Forks Red River Landon Siemens Sr. Bottineau/Rugby Charlie Ysteboe Sr. West Fargo Sheyenne Goalies Cooper Anderson Sr. Mandan Cruz Fitzpatrick So. West Fargo Sheyenne Westin Nielsen Sr. Grand Forks Central Luke Richeson So. Minot United

Probably safe to assume Minot and the Bismarck teams will all lose their norm of 3-5 players early. It will be interesting to see how Morelli does compared to everyone else who left early.

HB is joining according to HB parents. 10 straight years with solid numbers and no competition other than WC some of the time.

Yeah, I don’t know the full backstory, but the way it’s been described to me is that when Panzer got run out of town for allegedly running some shady business practices for years, he made it his mission to destroy DL hockey after that...and he has been pretty successful. He’s managed to convince four different strong hockey families to move to EGF over the past few years, adding up to nine kids by my count. From what I can tell this year, that’s two now for EGF High School, two in bantams, and five in peewees. It’s a pretty strange ordeal. Panzer has never really come across as especially sharp or personable to me, yet he somehow talked respectable families who I always thought were smart, loyal hockey people into uprooting their lives for their kids to play a slightly different schedule of teams in youth hockey. A few even sold or walked away from successful family businesses. The whole thing is just bizarre.

Wow you weren't kidding. Century lost 6, Legacy lost 6 and even BHS lost 6 although it looks like maybe 2 of the BHS 6 just quit. Either way that is 18 kids just in Bismarck alone. No wonder they can't be competitive.

He's easily good enough for a NAHL team. Better than all these clowns leaving early and paying to play AAA living with random strangers.

NINE?! Holy crap that is insane.

No way Jamestown hockey is that old.

hahaha so the answer is none. Striden is the only one, just like I pointed out. Thank you, well done. This NSA cope is getting uncomfortable for me now. But if you really have to ask despite me just laying out the list for you to see, there are actually just as many if not more if you count Maine as a blue blood. Sandy at UND, and Holt at Maine.

I picked Legacy to beat Shanley too...

I picked Minot to win that game.

What NDHSH kids left for the North Star Academy and ended up going to a blue blood program other than Strinden? I think he's the one and only? In fact, their entire alumni page only shows 3 kids total going to blue blood programs total. Unless I'm missing something? I can list FAR more that went there that can't even make USHL rosters and a few that can't even make NAHL rosters.

There are only 3 kids currently on the NSA roster right now that would've been playing NDHSH this year actually.

Here is the full list compiled for reference. There are actually 17 players born in North Dakota who have appeared in Division I hockey this season, including WBL and Spicer, who logged games this year. Of those 17, 12 actually played North Dakota High School Hockey. So within that group of 12, 9 played at least through their junior season, and surprisingly 7 of the 12 played through their senior year, meaning they never left early and still reached Division I hockey. Yes, you read that correctly... SEVEN North Dakota–born hockey players currently playing D1 hockey stayed home through their entire senior season playing in North Dakota High School hockey. I’m guessing most people wouldn’t have guessed that fact? Adding to this, the two ND‑born players currently committed to Division I, Charlie Vig and Bryce Mattern—also both played through their junior seasons. Including them, that brings the total to 19 players, and 13 of them played at least through their junior year in NDHSH, averaging 2.25 seasons in North Dakota high school hockey. PLAYER Hometown NDHS FINAL YEAR NDHS FINAL CLASS NEXT TEAM CURRENT D1 TEAM Ben Strinden Fargo, ND 2018 SOPHMORE AAA UND Kirklan Irey Bismarck, ND 2018 JUNIOR NAHL Bemidji State Drew Montgomery Grand Forks, ND 2019 SOPHMORE AAA AZ State Lucas Kanta Grand Forks, ND 2019 SENIOR NAHL Army Brandon Holt Grand Forks, ND 2019 SENIOR NAHL Maine Will Howard Grand Forks, ND 2020 SENIOR NAHL Augustana William Lawson-Body Grand Forks, ND 2020 SENIOR NAHL AK FAIRBANKS Zach Sandy Fargo, ND 2021 SENIOR NAHL UND Trent Wiemken Fargo, ND 2022 SENIOR NAHL Bemidji State Max Vig Bismarck, ND 2023 JUNIOR NAHL Bemidji State Carter Sproule Grand Forks, ND 2023 SENIOR NAHL UCONN Lincoln Kuehne Fargo, ND N/A N/A USNTDP AZ State Brasen Boser Minot, ND N/A N/A NAHL AZ State Zach Nehring Minot, ND N/A N/A Shattuck Western Mich Jaksen Panzer Grand Forks, ND N/A N/A NAHL Bemidji State Bauer Berry Grand Forks, ND N/A N/A AAA St Thomas Cole Spicer Grand Forks, ND 2019 FRESHMAN AAA Western Mich Charlie Vig Bismarck, ND 2024 JUNIOR NAHL Bemidji State Bryce Mattern West Fargo, ND 2025 JUNIOR USHL AZ State

It feels like you’re coming in pretty strong against NDHSH, and I’m not sure why. Almost like you're invested in the topic and taking it personal. That seems to be the only thing that makes sense here. Anyways, I’m just sharing information and pointing out that the idea of “sending kids away early is always better” isn’t automatically true in every situation. In my opinion, if a kid has clearly maxed out what they can get at home and already has at least a NAHL opportunity, then sure moving on makes sense. But that’s not the case for most. It's no secret that far too many kids leave early when they have no business doing so. And get nothing in return for doing so other than regret.

Here’s a neat tid bit. North Dakota is in 3rd out of the 50 states for producing D1 men’s hockey players per capita. Using QuantHockey 2025-26 data (947 total US-born NCAA players): Highest ratios (players per 100k pop, July 2025 est.): - Minnesota: 210 / 5.83M = **3.60** - Alaska: 17 / 737k = **2.31** - North Dakota: 14/799k = **1.75** - Massachusetts: 85 / 7.15M = **1.19** - New Hampshire: 14 / 1.42M = **0.99* -Vermont at 0.93

Of the 14 North Dakota born men players currently playing D1, 9 of the 14 played at their ND high school through their Junior season and 6 through their senior season. How many left sooner that DIDN’T go D1? Hundreds and hundreds.

Every single state in the nation is experiencing these same issues and negative impact on high school hockey, so this isn't unique to North Dakota. It might seem that way just because we are next door to MN who's arguably the only state winning that fight and retaining talent at high schools. Even if MN retaining kids means the best kids are just consolidating at certain schools instead of leaving for other leagues... The small stuff like clearly dumb scheduling mistakes is not helping the cause however. Hopefully they learn from it this year and get back to the normal schedule next year.

Most years the NDAHA state tournaments are either 1 weekend later or even 2 weekends after the HS tournaments. That's going to hurt attendance and excitement around the HS games.

Minot over WFS 4-2 RR over J-town 7-0 GFC over BC 9-0 Legacy over Shanley 3-2 RR over Minot 6-1 GFC over Legacy 7-1 GFC over RR 4-2

Who was that who said the west might have a chance in 2 of the 4 games? 🤔