New Minnesota boys hockey section placements announced for next season – The Rink Live

The new competitive sections for the 2023-24 and 2024-25 seasons of Minnesota boys high school hockey were posted by the MSHSL on Friday.

Teams are placed in classes and sections based on enrollment and geography every two years. Teams can still appeal the decision and opt to try and move up or down a class, but for now this is how next season will look for boys hockey in the state.

Of the 16 section winners from 2022-23, only Northfield — which won the Section 1A title and is set to play in Section 1AA next winter — was moved from its section.

Other highlights from the changes include Rock Ridge and Duluth Denfeld moving from Section 7A to 7AA, as planned, and Cloquet-Esko-Carlton’s move down to Section 7A from 7AA after previously opting up to Class AA.

*Teams with an asterisk denote a change from 2022-23

BOYS CLASS A

1A:
Austin
Albert Lea
Faribault
Dodge County
La Crescent – Hokah
Red Wing
Rochester Lourdes
Waseca
Winona/Winona Cotter

2A:
Breck
Delano
Hutchinson
Litchfield/Dassel-Cokato
Minneapolis
Mound Westonka/Watertown-Mayer
Orono
Providence Academy

Northfield vs Orono_1776.jpg — Orono players celebrate their overtime win against Northfield Wednesday, March 8, 2023, at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul.

3A:
Fairmont
Minnesota River
Luverne
Mankato East/Loyola
Mankato West
Marshall
New Ulm
Redwood Valley
Windom Area
Worthington

4A:
*Bloomington Kennedy (Previously in 2A)
Chisago Lakes
Mahtomedi
Simley
South St. Paul
*Southwest Christian/Richfield (Previously in 2A)
St. Paul Academy (plus Minnehaha Academy)
St. Paul Highland Park – Central
St. Paul Johnson

Hermantown vs Mahtomedi_1707.jpg — Mahtomedi forward Charlie Drage (11) celebrates his goal against Hermantown with the bench in the third period Friday, March 10, 2023, at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul.

5A:
Becker/Big Lake
Little Falls
Monticello
Pine City Area
Princeton
River Lakes
Sauk Rapids-Rice
St. Cloud Cathedral
Mora-Milaca

6A:
Alexandria
Breckenridge/Wahpeton
Fergus Falls
Morris/Benson Area
Northern Lakes
Prairie Centre
Wadena-Deer Creek
Willmar

Hermantown vs Alexandria_0003.jpg — Alexandria players are introduced before their game against Hermantown Friday, March 11, 2022, in the State Boys Hockey Tournament at Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul.

7A:
*Cloquet-Esko-Carlton (Previously in 7AA)
Ely/Tower-Soudan
Greenway Area
Hermantown
Hibbing/Chisholm
Moose Lake Area
International Falls
Proctor
North Shore

8A:
Bagley/Fosston
Crookston
Detroit Lakes
East Grand Forks
Kittson County Central
Lake of the Woods
Park Rapids Area
Red Lake Falls
Thief River Falls
Warroad

jea 0721 Warroad vs Minneapolis BH.jpg — Warroad forward Jayson Shaugabay (17), right is congratulated by forward Grant Slukynsky (27) after his goal Shaugabay’s goal against Minneapolisin the second period in a boys hockey game during Hockey Day Minnesota at Parade Stadium in Minneapolis on Jan. 18, 2020. Warroad beat Minneapolis, 5-1. (John Autey / The Rink Live)

BOYS CLASS AA

1AA:
Farmington
Lakeville North
Lakeville South
*New Prague (Previously in 1A)
*Northfield (Previously in 1A)
Owatonna
Rochester Century
Rochester John Marshall
Rochester Mayo

2AA:
Bloomington Jefferson
Chanhassen
Chaska
Eden Prairie
Holy Family
Minnetonka
Prior Lake
Shakopee
*Waconia (Previously in 2A)

Edina vs Minnetonka_0578.jpg — Minnetonka forward Javon Moore (22) takes a shot at the goal against Edina in the first period Saturday, March 11, 2023, at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul.

3AA:
Apple Valley/Burnsville
Cretin-Derham Hall
Eagan
Eastview
*Hastings (Previously in 1AA)
*Two Rivers (Previously in 4A)
Park of Cottage Grove
Rosemount
St. Thomas Academy

4AA:
East Ridge
Gentry Academy
Hill-Murray
*Mounds View (Previously in 5AA)
Roseville
Stillwater
Tartan/North
White Bear Lake
Woodbury

Hill Murray vs Minnetonka_0024.jpg — Hill-Murray players are introduced before the start of their game against Minnetonka in the first period Thursday, March 9, 2023, at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul.

5AA:
*Blaine (Previously in 7AA)
Centennial
Champlin Park
*Coon Rapids (Previously in 7AA)
Maple Grove
Osseo
Rogers
Spring Lake Park
Irondale-St. Anthony
Totino-Grace

6AA:
Academy of Holy Angels
Benilde-St. Margaret’s
Blake
Edina
Hopkins
Armstrong/Cooper
St. Louis Park
Wayzata

Cretin-Derham Hall vs Edina_0669.jpg — Edina goaltender Robbie Clarkowski (1) stops a shot by Cretin-Durham Hall forward Max Anderson (17) in the first period Friday, March 10, 2023, at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul.

7AA:
Andover
Anoka
*Cambridge-Isanti (Moved up from Class A)
*Duluth Denfeld (Moved up from Class A)
Duluth East
Forest Lake
Grand Rapids
Duluth Marshall
Northern Edge
*Rock Ridge (Previously in 7A)

8AA:
Bemidji
Brainerd
Buffalo
Elk River/Zimmerman
Moorhead
Roseau
Sartell-St. Stephen
St. Cloud
St. Michael-Albertville

022719.S.FF.Moorhead.win — Moorhead’s celebrates their defeat of Brainerd for the Minnesota Section 8AA boys’ hockey tournament in Bemidji. Michael Vosburg / The Rink Live

Sydney Wolf is a reporter for The Rink Live, primarily covering youth and high school hockey. She joined the team in November of 2021 and graduated from St. Cloud State University with a degree in Mass Communications and a minor in Writing and Rhetoric Studies.

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