Let’s Play Hockey!

It’s the usual suspects at the top of Class AA

The puck drops on a new high school girls hockey season as 17 games will take place around the State of Hockey tonight.

The 2024-25 season kicks off with much anticipation as the Class AA field is loaded once again on the top end with a half dozen teams who have consistently been front runners over the past half decade. Last year Edina emerged as the top gun in AA by beating Hill-Murray 2-0 at the Xcel Energy Center in late February. Edina enters the season as the top-ranked team in our Let’s Play Hockey Preseason Coaches Poll rankings presented by Tradition Companies. The Pioneers are a close second as they bring back plenty of talent to a team that was on the brink of a title just several months ago.

Of course you can’t talk girls high school hockey without perennial powers Minnetonka and Andover being in the conversation, two programs who are strong year in and year out. It’s much too early to tell which teams will emerge and become Top 10 and perhaps Top 5 teams throughout the coming months. There is plenty of hockey to play, and that starts tonight with the official start to the season.

2024 Class AA State Tournament Bracket: https://www.mshsl.org/tournaments/2024-state-class-aa-hockey-girls-tournament

GIRLS CLASS AA Rankings PRE-SEASON RANKINGS

Presented by Tradition Companies

OTHER TEAMS RECEIVING VOTES:

North Wright County, White Bear Lake, Wayzata, Shakopee, Lakeville South, Bemidji.

Class A Girls

Warroad seeks fourth straight title

In Class A, Warroad comes in atop the rankings, and why not? They’ve only won the past three state titles. They will try to make it four in a row, but there are plenty of teams who would love to knock them off, including Orono and Dodge County, who come in at No. 2 and No. 3 in our pre-season rankings.

Dodge County defeated Orono in the state semifinals last year to face Warroad in the title game where the Warriors defeated the Wildcats 5-2. Warroad was coming off a 3-2 win over top-ranked Holy Angels in the semifinals. All four teams could end up in the same spot this year, but there are many others on the outside looking in who will look to emerge as contenders early on and down the stretch.

Just like AA, Class A is loaded with teams who could make a postseason run. It is way too early to tell and a lot can happen in four months, but one things is certain — girls high school hockey fans are in store for another great season.

GIRLS CLASS A PRE-SEASON RANKINGS

Presented by Tradition Companies

Other Teams Receiving Votes:

Marshall, Thief River Falls, North Shore, Litchfield/Dassel-Cokato, Hutchinson, Moose Lake Area

Thursday night’s games (source: www.mnhockeyhub):

State Tournament History (courtesy of vintagemnhockey.com)