| Since 1945 the State of Minnesota has crowned a | | | | shattered in 2004 when over 120,000 people |
| boy's high school hockey champion. High school | | | | attended the tournament. In 2006 the average |
| hockey in Minnesota has a storied tradition of | | | | attendance for the championship games |
| producing some of the best American hockey | | | | exceeded 18,000. |
| players. The teams that compete in the | | | | In 1994, the Minnesota State High School League |
| tournament play a maximum of 25 regular season | | | | changed the process used for determining section |
| games, then participate in the section and regional | | | | assignments for boy's hockey. Currently schools |
| finals if they are successful. The high school | | | | are divided into two groups based on the |
| games consist of three, 17 minute periods. | | | | enrollment and activity classifications. What |
| The boy's hockey tournament last for four days | | | | resulted from this is that the largest 64 schools |
| in March, it take place at the Exel Energy Center | | | | complete in Class AA and all the remaining schools |
| in St. Paul, Minnesota. From 1945 - 1991 the | | | | participate in Class A. Both classes are divided into |
| tournament included eight teams from the entire | | | | 8 sections, the section is primarily determined by |
| state of Minnesota, which competed for the | | | | geographic location. Some schools opt to play at |
| championship. In 1992 the format changed to a | | | | the Class AA level even though they are classified |
| two tiered system which includes larger schools | | | | as Class A schools. In recent history the top four |
| (Class AA) and smaller schools (Class A.) The | | | | teams have been seeded to allow for more even |
| state tournament attendance record book was | | | | qualifying rounds and better championship games. |