2024-25 ND High School Hockey

[jdub27]

16 hours ago, sioux rube said:

That's just not right 

Just curious if you've been to the Eagles Arena since the renovation? Turned out pretty nice.
Guessing capacity is the same or very close to Farmers Union Rink in Fargo.
The ICON Rydell/Judd rinks are both nice but capacity is probably a little bit less on permanent seating.
Not sure why they don't utilize the Purpur, that seats significantly more.

[Brim006]

22 minutes ago, jdub27 said:

Just curious if you've been to the Eagles Arena since the renovation? Turned out pretty nice.
Guessing capacity is the same or very close to Farmers Union Rink in Fargo.
The ICON Rydell/Judd rinks are both nice but capacity is probably a little bit less on permanent seating.
Not sure why they don't utilize the Purpur, that seats significantly more.

I was wondering the same thing. Although Eagles has been greatly improved, why was that rink chosen instead of Purpur or even Icon as the secondary rink for state. 

[Johnny Five]

1 hour ago, Brim006 said:

Was girls state attendance way down because of the location, or was it just because it was solo for the first time and didn't have default fans from the boys? I think the answer is the latter. 

Since Minot, GF and Fargo all have setups that work, I think for the purpose of spreading the wealth, and for the betterment of the game within the state, it would be best to rotate between the 3 each year and always have boys and girls in separate locations. I know Fargoians believe they're the center of the universe, but the fact is they're in a far corner of the state and it's logistically unattractive to many cities/teams. We all know Fargo would love to capture all the state tournaments and all big tournaments in general, but I think a hockey town like Minot would be a great host even for the boys, and we all know the dream of playing in the Ralph will always keep GF as the other top option despite their 2nd rink drawback. With that said, due to the dying breed of olympic ice, has there been talk of switching the ralph practice ice to the normal size yet? 

Minot didn't draw well because 

1.  It's girls hockey.

2.  There's zero other schools within 100 miles.  

3.  Competed with WDA boys and girls basketball on the same weekend, which is a no-no out west.

WDA is significantly better in Bismarck for atmosphere because the VFW is packed for every game.  You have 4 schools in the metro and 3 others within 100 miles.  Minot...facilty wise...would be fine and the great employees and staff at MAYSA would kill it.  

If the boys state went there, the atmosphere would be fantastic, I'm guessing a full house with standing room only.  Attendance would be down because it's on an island in the middle of nowhere.  

 

[Johnny Five]

I got a kid who's played 2x at Scheels and one time at the Ralph.  He said he literally doesn't care whether it's in Fargo or GF.  I think the Ralph "dream" is overstated.  Now if it was a full house like at the X in MN?  Sure.  

[siouxweet]

To some of these kids playing at the Ralph isn't what it used to be as they end up playing there through youth hockey and Spring/Summer/Fall hockey.

[gfhockey]

51 minutes ago, Johnny Five said:

I got a kid who's played 2x at Scheels and one time at the Ralph.  He said he literally doesn't care whether it's in Fargo or GF.  I think the Ralph "dream" is overstated.  Now if it was a full house like at the X in MN?  Sure.  

Every kid I’ve talked wants it at the Ralph 

[Wilbur]

I think the days of getting north of 3,000 people is gone for the boys state tournament.  Last year Scheels was half full for the two GF schools, and the time before when it was RR and Davies (most populated school in EDC) it was maybe 2/3 full and its 5,000 capacity.  If you held a gun to my head I'd say Scheels every year since GF always hosts the EDC Friday and Saturday and you just don't know if Minot would work or not.    

I'll agree with @Johnny Five that WDA is just better in Bismarck.  The VFW does a great job hosting, and you've got a great centrally located tournament.  Minot does as well, but I've always enjoyed it more in Bismarck (comes from a Minot guy too!).  

[Brim006]

1 hour ago, Johnny Five said:

Minot didn't draw well because 

1.  It's girls hockey.

2.  There's zero other schools within 100 miles.  

3.  Competed with WDA boys and girls basketball on the same weekend, which is a no-no out west.

WDA is significantly better in Bismarck for atmosphere because the VFW is packed for every game.  You have 4 schools in the metro and 3 others within 100 miles.  Minot...facilty wise...would be fine and the great employees and staff at MAYSA would kill it.  

If the boys state went there, the atmosphere would be fantastic, I'm guessing a full house with standing room only.  Attendance would be down because it's on an island in the middle of nowhere.  

 

It's girls hockey. Exactly, but you were directly comparing attendance in past years to the year it was in Minot. The fact that girls hockey attendance is low isn't the point. Your point was that it was even lower than normal soley due to being in Minot, which I think is false. I think it was lower than normal primarily due to being detached from boys state for the first time, and to your additional good point - that it was at the same time as WDA basketball tournaments there...not directly because it was Minot instead of Fargo. 

I'd agree Bismarck is a great atmosphere for WDA and wish they'd alternate every year with Minot. 

Have to call out your comment - [Minot] "it's on an island in the middle of nowhere" - In relation to what...Minnesota? From that comment, I can tell you are from Fargo haha.

Minot is about as centrally located in the state as you can get, second to Bismarck. Fargo is about as far as you can get into the corner of the state, so if you want to argue it that way, I'd say Fargo is on an island in the middle of nowhere in relation to the rest of the state of ND. Even despite 5 of the 20 boys teams all being in the area, Fargo isn't closer for any more teams than Minot is. 10 teams vs 10 teams split actually (see below), with Minot winning the tie breaker due to longer miles in total combined. So in reality Fargo is actually more in the middle of nowhere than Minot is pertaining to the hockey teams in North Dakota. 

Closer to Minot = Minot, Williston, HB, Bottineau, DL, BHS, CHS, Legacy, Mandan, Dickinson

Closer to Fargo = FSS, FN, FD, GFC, RR, WF, WFS, GPR, Jamestown, Mayville 

[Johnny Five]

Island in the middle of nowhere is in relation to schools in town that have hockey teams.  Minot has one.  Bismarck/Mandan has 4.  Fargo/WF has 5.  It makes a difference in relation to the state tournament and casual fans.  If (insert team name) Sheyenne doesn't make state, I highly doubt they're driving to Minot to casually watch.

Fargo/GF also draw more hockey fans within a close radius.  The cowboys out west aren't randomly going to watch hockey kids they don't know.

[Brim006]

3 minutes ago, Johnny Five said:

Island in the middle of nowhere is in relation to schools in town that have hockey teams.  Minot has one.  Bismarck/Mandan has 4.  Fargo/WF has 5.  It makes a difference in relation to the state tournament and casual fans.  If (insert team name) Sheyenne doesn't make state, I highly doubt they're driving to Minot to casually watch.

That makes sense, I get what you mean. 

[Frozen4sioux]

1 hour ago, gfhockey said:

Every kid I’ve talked wants it at the Ralph 

Thats because you never talk to anyone outside of GF, and of course, every GF kid wants his/her own bed and not have to travel, good lord.

 

[Frozen4sioux]

20 minutes ago, Brim006 said:

 

I'd agree Bismarck is a great atmosphere for WDA and wish they'd alternate every year with Minot. 

 

It is rotated every year between Minot and Bismarck

[Brim006]

2 minutes ago, Frozen4sioux said:

Thats because you never talk to anyone outside of GF, and of course, every GF kid want his/her own bed and not travel, good lord.

 

Not to defend the legendary troll, but even out west the only answers I ever hear from kids are that they either don't really care, or they say the Ralph. Anecdotal because I haven't asked a ton, but I have yet to hear a kid directly say Scheels in Fargo. 

[Frozen4sioux]

7 minutes ago, Brim006 said:

Not to defend the legendary troll, but even out west the only answers I ever hear from kids are that they either don't really care, or they say the Ralph. Anecdotal because I haven't asked a ton, but I have yet to hear a kid directly say Scheels in Fargo. 

I don't even buy he's allowed to talk with kids

 

I guarantee not a single effing one of them will say Eagles arena (remodeled or not) will be a respectable way of ending their hockey career.

More like NDHSAA is saying "GTFU, you're trash, shouldn't even be here, you're not even good enough to be in the same building as the real teams, this place will ease your transition to the beer league."

 

But my guess is after this year, it could be a couple EDC teams that end up over there and we all know that it aint gunna fly again after that.  

[Frozen4sioux]

If and I mean only on a BIG IF, North Dakota could get a huge demand and crowd for a championship game. I would propose the tourney be played in Fargo with the Girls followed by the Boys championship game be played up at the Ralph on Saturday Night.

But that's not going to happen for many many reasons

[Brim006]

2 minutes ago, Frozen4sioux said:

I don't even buy he's allowed to talk with kids

 

I guarantee not a single effing one of them will say Eagles arena (remodeled or not) will be a respectable way of ending their hockey career.

More like NDHSAA is saying "GTFU, you're trash, shouldn't even be here, you're not even good enough to be in the same building as the real teams, this place will ease your transition to the beer league."

 

But my guess is after this year, it could be a couple EDC teams that end up over there and we all know that it aint gunna fly again after that.  

Do you know if that's the plan again this year? Or if only boys is in GF and they can do all games at the Ralph including consolation? Worst case, the consolation teams should be playing at the purpur, not Eagles. Hoping that was a one off issue due to scheduling constraints or something because I agree, that doesn't make much sense. 

[Johnny Five]

If you want to see a dungeon and the Ralph, wait until the girls tournament fires up on Wednesday this year.  

[Frozen4sioux]

3 minutes ago, Brim006 said:

Do you know if that's the plan again this year? Or if only boys is in GF and they can do all games at the Ralph including consolation? Worst case, the consolation teams should be playing at the purpur, not Eagles. Hoping that was a one off issue due to scheduling constraints or something because I agree, that doesn't make much sense. 

It is already published, all consolation games are at Eagles, Boys and Girls

[Johnny Five]

If they go to stand alone tournaments, the boys would be just fine going back and forth from GF and Fargo.  All games played on the main sheet of ice.  Stand alone for girls...attendance will be crushed but whatever...you could have it in GF, Fargo, Minot and at that rate, the VFW1 could accommodate it as well.

[siouxweet]

56 minutes ago, Frozen4sioux said:

I don't even buy he's allowed to talk with kids

 

I guarantee not a single effing one of them will say Eagles arena (remodeled or not) will be a respectable way of ending their hockey career.

More like NDHSAA is saying "GTFU, you're trash, shouldn't even be here, you're not even good enough to be in the same building as the real teams, this place will ease your transition to the beer league."

 

But my guess is after this year, it could be a couple EDC teams that end up over there and we all know that it aint gunna fly again after that.  

Can't say any of the rinks in GF(maybe ICON)would be ones a kid would want to end their career in.   The Scheels/FU set up in Fargo is way better for that.

[Brim006]

Still nowhere near the caliber of venue kids deserve for state tournament games, even just consolation games, but I just wanted to post photos of the rink after the renovations because like many others, I also have an orange dungeon feel memory of the Eagles which isn't the case anymore. 

 

[Wilbur]

1 hour ago, Johnny Five said:

If you want to see a dungeon and the Ralph, wait until the girls tournament fires up on Wednesday this year.  

For reference see attendance of Girls Class A quarterfinal Wednesday at the XCEL Energy Center. 

[Frozen4sioux]

55 minutes ago, siouxweet said:

Can't say any of the rinks in GF(maybe ICON)would be ones a kid would want to end their career in.   The Scheels/FU set up in Fargo is way better for that.

Being in the same building is a big deal I think, just being around the atmosphere the other games, popping back and forth for players before and after their games.

The segregation, the access for parents, grandparents, everyone just being around, it robs those kids of the opportunity it to fully participate in something they will have earned for those that make it that far. 

Last three or four seasons there's been some really competitive games east v west in the consolation bracket that people stumbled upon and enjoyed before their own game, made for a better atmosphere for sure.

0.ZERO people will stumble over to the eagles to check out a game they aren't directly involved in.

 

They don't play the CLASS B tourney back side bracket at the BHS gym, that's for sure.

[gfhockey]

3 hours ago, Brim006 said:

Not to defend the legendary troll, but even out west the only answers I ever hear from kids are that they either don't really care, or they say the Ralph. Anecdotal because I haven't asked a ton, but I have yet to hear a kid directly say Scheels in Fargo. 

Agreed I work out west. Most kids don’t care about scheels arena

[Big Green]

The way I see it.  REA is the best arena in the State.  It should host every year.  Fargo gets enough stuff they don't need the Hockey tournament.  9 out of 10 years at least one GF team will be in the championship game, making for better attendance.  With the girls tournament starting on Wednesday and the Boy on Thursday every team gets a chance to play at the REA.  After that if you lose any other site in town is fine as long as the winners side is in that the main arena at the REA.