2025-2026 ND High School Hockey Thread

[sioux rube]

6 hours ago, Johnny Five said:

NDAHA puts the Bantam AA, A and B1 in Bismarck the same weekend as the State HS Hockey Tournament.  

What an asinine thing to do. Stockert you listening?

[sioux rube]

5 hours ago, yzerman19 said:

they should do it the weekend before, so all those boys can go to the State tourney to cheer on the school they will be playing for.  That is how you build the culture

It’s been the week after from I what I remember 

[siouxweet]

21 minutes ago, NoiseInsideMyHead said:

Holy heck...no GF teams qualified for State in either Bantam A or B1?  What gives there?  All the eggs in the AA basket this year? 

Maybe but the AA isn't anything special this year.

[Johnny Five]

13 hours ago, siouxweet said:

Maybe but the AA isn't anything special this year.

GF 36 points, WF 35 points, Bismarck 34 points....Fargo 11, Minot 3.  I've heard Bismarck and GF went to OT like 4 times.  

Bismarck's AA is heavy with CHS kids, but hearing a lot of the team might be chasing the dream elsewhere.  Time will tell.

[Frozen4sioux]

20 hours ago, Johnny Five said:

NDAHA puts the Bantam AA, A and B1 in Bismarck the same weekend as the State HS Hockey Tournament.  

North Dakota hockey squarely skating over their own .... well you know.... once again.

14 hours ago, NoiseInsideMyHead said:

Holy heck...no GF teams qualified for State in either Bantam A or B1?  What gives there?  All the eggs in the AA basket this year? 

The makeup, formation and success or lack thereof this season is a direct result of the continued exodus of the state by the families leaving for AA-AAA-AAAA and 40% more A programs out of state the past few seasons. The bank accounts of these programs are very appreciative.

 

[Brim006]

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. 

[yzerman19]

If you leave your local to go to a tier 1 program you had better be elite...and I don't mean in the eyes of your mom.  I'm talking certifiable top 2 rounds of CHL or USHL draft.  You also better have a darn good reason for not staying that has to do with your own development and you better be going to a top tier program with top tier coaching and development and competition or else you are simply throwing money away.

[skateshattrick]

4 minutes ago, yzerman19 said:

If you leave your local to go to a tier 1 program you had better be elite...and I don't mean in the eyes of your mom.  I'm talking certifiable top 2 rounds of CHL or USHL draft.  You also better have a darn good reason for not staying that has to do with your own development and you better be going to a top tier program with top tier coaching and development and competition or else you are simply throwing money away.

Ben Strinden was drafted in the 6th round of the USHL Phase II draft. He left HS for the North Star Academy.