2026-2027 ND High School Hockey Thread

[Johnny Five]

Pretty sure Ole will still be teaching for a few more years.  

[Johnny Five]

And...now Legacy is hiring a new coaching staff for boys hockey.  I'm guessing the Blizzard/CHS coach will get the CHS boys job, then they'll be hiring a girls coach.  No  clue who will apply for Legacy Boys job...Let's just say these are not highly sought after positions, this could be interesting. 

[RhettRingers]

GFC's Nolan Marto signs with Medicine Hat yesterday. 

[yzerman19]

Marto will be a really good test case for other young, talented ND kids looking to make the jump.  I wish him all the success in the world, and I am very curious to see the result.  I hope its a ticket to d1 

[Brim006]

Does that mean he’s going right away and will play there this season?

[Wilbur]

On 7/12/2026 at 10:31 AM, Johnny Five said:

And...now Legacy is hiring a new coaching staff for boys hockey.  I'm guessing the Blizzard/CHS coach will get the CHS boys job, then they'll be hiring a girls coach.  No  clue who will apply for Legacy Boys job...Let's just say these are not highly sought after positions, this could be interesting. 

Longest tenured coach in ND would be Paranica then?  I've heard rumors that he's thought of stepping away, but we know how the rumor mill goes.  

[JakeLove]

I think that guy in Minot has been there longest. 

[Frozen4sioux]

Rumor on the street is Bis Century may have their new coach but not sure when it will be announced..... 

I guess we'll just wait for the musical chairs tunes to stop and see where it all settles out.

[Johnny Five]

Tim Meyer moves from CHS girls to boys.  chs girls will need a coach and let’s just say it’ll be slim pickings.

[Wilbur]

1 hour ago, Johnny Five said:

Tim Meyer moves from CHS girls to boys.  chs girls will need a coach and let’s just say it’ll be slim pickings.

My bet would be Leif Mattson as he has a daughter on the team and he coached the Mandan boys for a few years.  Unless his daughter is heading out of the state of course.   

[Johnny Five]

2 hours ago, Wilbur said:

My bet would be Leif Mattson as he has a daughter on the team and he coached the Mandan boys for a few years.  Unless his daughter is heading out of the state of course.   

Next year.  They will want a long term solution.  

[Wilbur]

On 7/24/2026 at 4:41 PM, Johnny Five said:

Next year.  They will want a long term solution.  

Makes sense.  Played my high school hockey years ago with him, and typical that he has talented kids with his wife being a pretty good athlete herself.  Do you know if his wife still teaches at Century?

[SIOUXFAN97]

i didn't see a HS football thread but.............it's football time...central fb was at purpur this am!!!!!!

love hearing the whistle and yelling when i'm heading to work

[Johnny Five]

5 hours ago, Wilbur said:

Makes sense.  Played my high school hockey years ago with him, and typical that he has talented kids with his wife being a pretty good athlete herself.  Do you know if his wife still teaches at Century?

I don't think she's on staff there anymore.  Not 100% positive what her career is.  I'm guessing Leif will remain on the new staff.  I'd be shocked if she is here next year.  Put it this way, the new coach isn't the only shoes that need to be filled, and I'm not talking about departing seniors.  ND Girls Hockey 101 = get the hell out of here.

[Johnny Five]

5 hours ago, SIOUXFAN97 said:

i didn't see a HS football thread but.............it's football time...central fb was at purpur this am!!!!!!

love hearing the whistle and yelling when i'm heading to work

But the dread of being a player and starting football in the heat remains with us all....lol.

[Wilbur]

Saw on Facebook today that the head coaching position for the Hazen/Beulah girls team is posted.  As expected, Jamestown slides to the east, and there will be region tournaments for the girls this year to qualify for state.  

[sioux rube]

5 hours ago, Wilbur said:

Saw on Facebook today that the head coaching position for the Hazen/Beulah girls team is posted.  As expected, Jamestown slides to the east, and there will be region tournaments for the girls this year to qualify for state.  

Good to hear. I was hoping a 12th team would come along when I was coaching the Jays for that purpose of regional tournaments 

[SiouxperDave]

20 hours ago, Wilbur said:

As expected, Jamestown slides to the east, and there will be region tournaments for the girls this year to qualify for state.  

This is great news for Devils Lake, Dickinson, Hazen/Buelah, Jamestown and Williston.

[Wilbur]

It does make me wonder where some of these schools will get their non league games from.  The red river valley schools now can get games within arms reach an hour or two away in Minnesota.  I imagine from a hotels/bussing stand point you save on some costs as you had a ton of Friday/Saturday weekend swings with the teams across the state from one another.  

[Johnny Five]

Definite advantage for the east teams for scheduling Minnesota teams.  I do know TRF is driving out to Bismarck to play both girls teams this year and Legacy-Bismarck is playing Luverne and potentially International Falls during The Lights Christmas Jamboree over the Holidays.  

It does suck that potentially GF, North and WF won't be doing home and home with the better teams from the West, but if the script was flipped, I'd probably do the same.