2025-2026 ND High School Hockey Thread

[JakeLove]

That North Star Conference is basically a statewide Class A league. That proposed EDC and WDA is essentially a 2 conference Class AA league. 
 

the NDAHA youth hockey has very specific leagues at multiple levels within an age group, so why would there be anxiety of creating a 2 class hockey league structure within NDHSAA? 

but to make it work Watford, Langdon, Crosby, Richland County, Northwood, etc have to opt-in to NDHSAA. 
 

or move the whole thing to USA Hockey! 

[Wilbur]

Big games in the EDC tonight.  If West Fargo High isn't able to beat Shanley in regulation this evening that would in all likelihood put them on the road for the play-in game in Grafton, as I don't see them beating GFC.  Shanley has a good opportunity to end up in 6th as Devils Lake has a one point lead on them and only one game to go with GPR, a likely win.  Two wins for Shanley with North, RR, and WFHS on the schedule would put them ahead of Devils Lake, and if North loses out they could end up as high as 5th.    

GFC at Sheyenne which I'll pick Central to win as they have secured EDC title #........its a lot.  Sheyenne has one left with GPR, so I see them finishing at 30 points, and the 3 or 4 seed heading into the EDC tournament.  I think they have all but secured home ice as Davies, North, Shanley still have some games with each other, but Davies holds the tiebreaker on them if they both finish at 30 points which would happen if Davies beats North and Grafton.   

Red River at North.  Red River has locked up the #2 as they hold the head to head with Sheyenne.  After tonight, they just have Shanley left.  North could finish as high as 3rd, but they'd have to beat RR, Davies, and Shanley.  They could finish as low as 6th, but no lower as they hold the tiebreaker with Devils Lake.

Grafton at Devils Lake.  Grafton likely finishes in the 8-9 range as they have three tough opponents left.  Probably not going to beat DL in DL, and then Davies and Sheyenne to wrap up the season.  They could play a bit of....wait for it...."Spoilers" to some other teams looking for home ice and seeding.  Devils Lake finishes with 19 points in the EDC after tonight if they win, then they could use some help from anyone playing Shanley. 

One week from tonight we will have the verdict on how all of this will play out.          

[sioux rube]

9 hours ago, Brim006 said:

Jamestown would fit well into the North Star as well. 

No. Would love to see us back in the EDC

[Wilbur]

I was wrong, Grafton was home against Devils Lake and got a big win.  Spoilers will host the Packers, and Devils Lake gets Mayport for EDC play in.  Central continues to roll, Shanley moves up the standings, North hung in there against Red River, but loses 3-2.

[Johnny Five]

CHS beats Legacy 4-2.  Ole has the boys playing hard once again at the end of the year.  

[Brim006]

Due to a major at the end of the Davies game before his 6 week suspension, Nelson has to skip DL’s final reg season game. Silver lining for DL is now he’ll get a warm up game in before EDC. Assuming they win the game that is. 

[gfhockey]

When’s dl playas come back from booze

[sioux rube]

1 hour ago, Johnny Five said:

CHS beats Legacy 4-2.  Ole has the boys playing hard once again at the end of the year.  

Wow. CHS, Mandan, and Jamestown will be fighting for that third spot in WDA. Jamestown controls their own destiny with 2/3 games in hand on CHS and Mandan. They win out they get third and it starts tonight against Dickinson at Wilson Arena. 

[MoSiouxFan]

2 hours ago, Brim006 said:

Due to a major at the end of the Davies game before his 6 week suspension, Nelson has to skip DL’s final reg season game. Silver lining for DL is now he’ll get a warm up game in before EDC. Assuming they win the game that is. 

Talk about self-inflicted wounds.

[Brim006]

35 minutes ago, gfhockey said:

When’s dl playas come back from booze

He's technically eligible to play starting the 8th, but still has to serve a game misconduct from the Davies game so he will have to sit for the reg season finale. So his first game back will be the play-in game. DL will see an instant boost getting him back since he's a 2+ point per game player. He will give Stromme the support he's been missing, especially on the PP. 

I heard he has been able to practice with the team all this time, just couldn't play in games? If that is true, that is huge. Hockey would be a tough sport to keep up with while being out 6 weeks. I'm not sure if that is accurate or not. If so, that means the star players for the B-ball team have been practicing as well and should hit the ground running for that team too starting Tuesday against #1 Four Winds. 

[Wilbur]

2 minutes ago, Brim006 said:

He's technically eligible to play starting the 8th, but still has to serve a game misconduct from the Davies game so he will have to sit for the reg season finale. So his first game back will be the play-in game. 

I heard he has been able to practice with the team all this time, just couldnt play in games? If that is true, that is huge. Hockey would be a tough sport to keep up with while being out 6 weeks. I'm not sure if that is accurate or not. If so, that means the star players for the B-ball team have been practicing as well and should hit the ground running for that team too starting Tuesday against #1 Four Winds. 

Players are allowed to practice during their suspension.  DL could've had home ice with him in their lineup.  Now they'll have to beat Mayport and then a trip to Eagles Arena and the bleach supply in GF will be in short supply.  

[Brim006]

Just now, Wilbur said:

Players are allowed to practice during their suspension.  DL could've had home ice with him in their lineup.  Now they'll have to beat Mayport and then a trip to Eagles Arena and the bleach supply in GF will be in short supply.  

They were 5-2 with him, and now 3-10 without him. Getting Hogness back helped as he has been producing, but small teams like that need all their top players to have any chance. Going from fighting for 4th or 5th to landing 7th is pretty brutal. 

With that said, for the middle of the pack teams, it ultimately always comes down to needing to beat the same teams to make it to state anyways, it's just a matter of which side you cross bracket from for the final game. 

[Brim006]

A little off topic, but is there anyone from Dickinson here that can explain the hockey boom going on there? I know they have some new facilities and a steady population growth even after the boom, but I was blown away seeing their youth numbers. It looks like they have 150 kids in mites this year, which is insane for a town of that size, especially out west. For comparison, Bismarck which is over 3x the population has about 175 mites, Mandan has about 50, Williston 40, DL 40, WC 40, HB 25, Valley City 18.

Dickinson Squirts have around 75 compared to Bismarck 115, and it continues to taper off from there as normal but it certainly looks like they have up and coming numbers that might really be changing the hockey culture there. Squirts and mites are super young yes, but on top of the numbers it looks and sounds like they have some legitimately good teams as well. That would be nice to see Dickinson shake up the west a little bit to knock off Minot and Bismarck teams. 

[gfhockey]

1 hour ago, Brim006 said:

A little off topic, but is there anyone from Dickinson here that can explain the hockey boom going on there? I know they have some new facilities and a steady population growth even after the boom, but I was blown away seeing their youth numbers. It looks like they have 150 kids in mites this year, which is insane for a town of that size, especially out west. For comparison, Bismarck which is over 3x the population has about 175 mites, Mandan has about 50, Williston 40, DL 40, WC 40, HB 25, Valley City 18.

Dickinson Squirts have around 75 compared to Bismarck 115, and it continues to taper off from there as normal but it certainly looks like they have up and coming numbers that might really be changing the hockey culture there. Squirts and mites are super young yes, but on top of the numbers it looks and sounds like they have some legitimately good teams as well. That would be nice to see Dickinson shake up the west a little bit to knock off Minot and Bismarck teams. 

Dickinson hockey on rise 

[JakeLove]

Dickinson youth hockey has good governance by good people with a good director. 

[Brim006]

4 minutes ago, JakeLove said:

Dickinson youth hockey has good governance by good people with a good director. 

They must! They probably have the highest youth hockey turnout per capita in the state. At least for mites and squirts. Very impressive. 

I'll get to watch a few of their teams play this weekend.