To many, section playoffs are the most anticipated time of the year. While the state tournament is a celebrated event for the entire hockey community as a whole, sections are a different animal. With what we’ve seen from the varsity landscape over the past few weeks, it’s extremely difficult to predict who will come out of each section. No one should put too much stock into section seedings because so many teams have shown that they can win (or lose) on any given night.

Here is the APX Hockey section-by-section guide to both the Class A and AA section playoffs in 2026, featuring exclusive comments from some of the top coaches from around the state.

1AA

(1) Farmington vs. (8) Austin

(4) New Prague vs. (5) Owatonna

(2) Lakeville South vs. (7) Rochester Mayo

(3) Lakeville North vs. (6) Rochester Century/John Marshall

Section 1AA contains an extremely fascinating landscape this season.

You have a Lakeville South program that has represented the section at state in six of the last seven seasons, and while it has certainly been a bumpy season for the Cougars, they’re still probably the favorite in terms of on-roster talent. Look no further than senior forward Carter Ernst. The St. Thomas commit reached the 100-career point milestone earlier this season and has been a clutch performer since Day 1. He leads the team with 25 assists on the year and is a tremendous defensive presence as well. Sophomore forward Roan Zielie has provided some crucial secondary scoring for the Cougars as well, with 13 points in his last 10 games, and he’s not afraid to get his nose dirty on the forecheck and in wall battles. One of the notable developments for Lakeville South is that head coach Josh Storm was recently placed on leave, and Kurt Weber, the coach of the girls' program for the Cougars, is now in charge of the squad for the remainder of the season on an interim basis, according to the Star Tribune.

With Lakeville South going through a bit of a rocky period at the moment, that could leave the door open for No. 1-seeded Farmington to make a run to the state tournament. After multiple < 10-win seasons, the Tigers currently own an eye-popping 18-6-1 overall record. The team plays hard and tenaciously every night, utilizing their depth to generate effective offensive output. Junior forwards Tanner and Tegan Gylling lead the charge for the Tigers in 2025-26, as they both currently sit at 28 points on the year. Besides their offensive prowess, the team is built for playoff hockey with their relentless forecheck and poised play in dirty areas.

Lakeville North might seem like a distant third in the power rankings for this section - they did lose both matchups this year to Farmington but they were competitive in those matchups, and in their games against Lakeville South they lost in 4-3 in OT and tied 2-2 - so this is a confident locker room that feels that they are just as much in the mix as everyone else. Senior forward Kaden Decker has the skill and attributes to be a game-changer on both sides of the puck, and one of the more underrated goalie campaigns of the year has come from sophomore David Isaacson, who finished the regular season with a .923 save percentage in 22 GP.  He’s had 10 games this year with at least 35 saves, and he stopped 47 of 49 in a late-January tie to No. 1-seeded Lakeville South. Don’t sleep on the Panthers.

New Prague and Owatonna should be a fun No. 4/5 match-up game, since the two teams previously played a high-flying 7-5 contest back in November that was won by the Trojans. Keep an eye on that game, taking place on November 19, with the winner advancing on to play the Tigers.

2AA

(1) Minnetonka vs. (8) Chaska

(4) Eden Prairie vs. (5) Prior Lake

(2) Shakopee vs. (7) Bloomington Jefferson

(3) Chanhassen vs. (6) Holy Family Catholic

While looking at Section 2AA, most hockey fans will likely be picking top-seeded Minnetonka as the section champs but there are a lot of solid teams in this bracket to watch out for. Plus, this is a very different Minnetonka team than what has been seen in years prior.

“We’re built a little differently than previous years, at least in recent memory. You know, I think in those years we had a little bit more high-offensive push with likes of Javon Moore, Hagen Burrows, Ashton Schultz, and John Stout, and we had a lot of really good high-offensive players,” said head coach Sean Goldsworthy in an interview with APX. “This year’s group is built a little differently. I think they’re very solid, two-way players up front - they don’t cheat much. Defensively, we’re as deep as we’ve ever been, and we’ve been outstanding in net.”

The Skippers have two Division I committed players in forward Ethan Sturgis (Dartmouth) and defenseman Cameron Merrick (Ferris State), but their strength lies in their balance and in their depth - there isn’t simply just one player doing all of the work. That’s a large reason as to why Minnetonka is currently ranked as a top-three team in the state.

“This team reminds me of my second year, we had a group of kids coming back and we had a couple defenseman named Josh Leudtke (St. Cloud State) and Grant Docter (Michigan Tech / St. Thomas) and a returning goalie who had won a state championship already in Charlie Glockner (Northern Michigan) so we’ve seen this before and we just try to play our game really simple,” he added.

Anyone who’s seen ample gameplay from Shakopee should recognize that it’s an easy group to root for. They play with good pace and lean into the tenacious nature of their roster. There’s a deep group of seniors who play meaningful minutes at every position. Senior goalie Niklas Huson has had a strong year in net, posting a .935 save percentage and 1.42 goals-against average in 20 GP. After missing a small chunk of time due to injury, he’s healthy again and has only let in one goal over the past three games. Besides the seniors, junior defenseman Landon Huh has been a two-way revelation for this team. His 26 points pace all blue liners, and he’s appropriately relied on to handle big minutes. Huh’s physicality and positional awareness make for a strong, shutdown presence. Sophomore defenseman Gavin White has also been a consistent contributor for ‘ShakVegas’. He’s earned the trust of the coaching staff through good puck management and sharp instincts defending the puck.

Chanhassen’s somewhat sneaky season earned them the 3-seed in this competitive section, and for good reason. The Storm had a strong finish to the year with seven straight wins to close out the regular season. They’ve also shown the ability to compete with strong programs, with wins over Eden Prairie and Delano, and close losses to Rosemount and Shakopee. Senior forward Logan Smith is the engine for this team. He’s got almost 50 points at the moment, and he’s a hard-skill skater, a highly-athletic playmaker, and he can often appear to have unlimited energy in games.

For those on the lookout for sleeper teams, Prior Lake is worth consideration. While only nine wins on the year isn’t promising (regardless of a tough schedule), they did finish the regular season on a 4-game win streak. Junior forward Gavin Lind missed some time due to injury, but still finished in the point lead for the Lakers. He is a major catalyst for the team in even-strength as well as on the man advantage (12 points on the power play). Senior defenseman Jack Willmert is a towering cornerstone for this group as well. He’ll be out there to defend against the top lines of Prior Lake’s opponents, and he’s got the talent to contribute on offense, too.

3aa

(1) Rosemount vs (8) Apple Valley/Burnsville

(4) Eagan vs (5) Eastview

(2) St. Thomas Academy vs (7) Two Rivers

(3) Cretin-Derham Hall vs. (6) Park of Cottage Grove

The seeding of Section 3AA caused a bit of an uproar among Minnesota high school hockey fans over the past weekend as Rosemount claimed the No. 1 seed over St. Thomas Academy. Regardless of the seeding, this section is going to have a couple of very, very entertaining match-ups with three of the top teams in the state in Rosemount, St. Thomas Academy and Cretin-Derham Hall and it’s a tremendous boost that the section final will be held at the Lee and Penny Anderson Arena at St. Thomas as the first ever high school game in that venue since it opened last fall.

The Irish from Rosemount head into section playoffs on a white-hot run, having lost only one game since the middle of December. Between the pipes, it’s been a fairly even split over the past few weeks between senior Sam Clements and sophomore Drew Sherman. It’s unclear who will get the starts moving forward, but both guys are more than capable of performing to win in big moments. There’s a lot of talent in the forward group at the moment, especially with senior Gavin McNeil, who is tied for the team lead in scoring and plays a heavy, aggressive brand at both ends of the ice. Junior Channing Goodwin has also had a prolific offensive output this year and has shown continuous growth in his hard skills and defensive takeaway abilities. Sophomores Avery Hanowski and Bauer Sullivan are in their first years of varsity hockey after a run to the Bantam AA state finals last season, too, so these young guns are primed for big moments. Seniors Oliver Goren and Graham Clayton, along with sophomore Jack Lonke, are the heavy lifters of the d-core for the Irish as well.

St. Thomas Academy may have received the No. 2-seed but they are likely going to be the favorite to come out of this section in the end. The big line of Cole Braunshausen, Maverick McKinnon and Will Mikan at St. Thomas Academy has combined for a whopping 170 points on the year and has shown that they can produce against anybody.

“He does everything the right way - he’s very committed, he’s mature for his age, he definitely has God-given ability as far as his skill, his quickness, and his tenacity - but he’s got a motor that doesn’t quit,” said Cadets head coach Mark Strobel about senior forward Cole Braunshausen, one of the top candidates for Mr. Hockey this year. “He’ll play physical, he’s not afraid to lay a body check against a guy twice his size, and he just plays with this ultimate compete, and he’s a high-level competitor. He brings guys with him, and that’s a tip of the hat to a great leader; he brings others with him, and he doesn’t just do it individually.”

Senior forward Peter Murray has also been a bright spot on offense, and he’s been a clutch scorer for the Cadets with a team-leading five game-winning goals. Junior defender Gus Olson is another big part of the roster with 25 points on the year, showcasing his playmaking and vision, and coming up big when he’s needed in a shutdown role. Freshman Owen Ryan has been outstanding in the net, too. For goalies with at least 20 GP, his .947 save percentage ranks second in all of Class AA hockey. Forget how old he is - there is a strong argument that Ryan has been the top-performing goaltender in the state.

“For him to get that Elite League experience [this past fall], I think that certainly helped him with a higher level of shots and a quicker pace. The biggest question that I had of him, though [at the start of the season] was mental toughness - could he get through a bad game and bounce back?” said Strobel about freshman goalie Owen Ryan. “He’s answered the bell, and he works as hard as anybody in practice … Owen’s been able to mature a bit since September when he came to the Academy, and he’s grown as a person a lot, and I think the guys have really respected that.”

On a bit of a different note, the season for Cretin-Derham Hall appears to be following a similar trajectory as it has in years past - a slower start out of the gates, constant growth over the year for the roster as a whole, and finally a cohesive group in February that’s ready to win big games. The Raiders are proud of their balanced attack. After missing the start of the year due to injury, junior forward Luke Palecek has been a beaming light of two-way hockey for his group. He teams up with sophomore Brody Ruprecht to make for a playoff-ready, 200-foot impactful duo. Freshman Soren Saumweber is one of the young guns on this Raider squad, but there is great maturity in his game. He is second on the team with 12 goals and appreciates the physicality of the sport. On the back-end, junior Max Thompson leads all defenders in points and is a pivotal presence all over the ice. CDH has a tough task in sections this year with top-ranked squads in Rosemount and St. Thomas Academy in their way, but you can never count the Raiders out; that’s for sure.

4AA

(1) Hill-Murray vs (8) Mounds View

(4) East Ridge vs. (5) Gentry Academy

(2) Stillwater vs (7) Woodbury

(3) White Bear Lake vs (6) Roseville

Although Hill-Murray carries the strongest legacy and program reputation in this group, the Pioneers haven’t been to the state tournament since 2023 - and yes, so many other schools would hardly call that a drought, but this group of players is incredibly hungry to right the wrongs of the past two years and earn their spot in downtown Saint Paul next month.

At the core of that insatiable drive is senior captain Chaz Lentz. Lentz brings a ruthless energy to the rink, and he’ll do whatever is needed on the ice for his group. If anyone is in need of a clutch 3rd period goal in these playoffs, smart money should be on No. 21 in the green and black. A couple of other senior standouts on this team are forward Brady Morrell and defenseman Tommy Miller. Morrell finished the regular season tied for the team lead in scoring with 34 points (including six game-winning goals), and is a consistent factor on 5-on-5, the penalty kill, and the power play. Miller is a stout defender with a confident shot and brings a needed leadership element to an extremely young defensive core.

“[Morrell] has taken a nice step, I could kind of see it coming at the end of last year, and then he played in the Elite League this fall - so he got exposure to a lot of talent there - and we saw it coming on. He’s obviously on our first line now with Chaz Lentz and Landon Sampair,” said Pioneers head coach Bill Lechner. “Brady’s done a nice job - he’s a confident kid, he’s a really good skater, pound for pound he’s very tough for his size, and he’s done a good job, and we’re looking forward to having a good playoff run with him being a big part of it.”

There is a very young but incredibly talented crop of skaters this season at Hill-Murray, including sophomore Gavin Sondreal, who has steadily improved his two-way impact from the blue line since the beginning of the year, and sophomore forward Chase Crowley, who is ready to make plays both at and away from the puck over the next two weeks.

Don’t forget about teams like Stillwater and White Bear Lake in this section, though, since they both have some talented pieces. East Ridge and Gentry Academy could be a very fun No. 4/5 match-up in 4AA and of course, don’t forget that this is Woodbury’s final season with legendary head coach Wes Bolin, as he is retiring at the end of the year, so the Royals could be primed to pull off some upsets to create a few memorable moments with their longtime bench boss.

5AA

(1) Maple Grove vs (8) Anoka

(4) Totino-Grace vs (5) Andover

(2) Blaine vs (7) Spring Lake Park/Coon Rapids

(3) Centennial vs (6) Champlin Park

It wouldn’t be surprising to see the Maple Grove punch its ticket to the state tournament in 2026 since they are the No. 1 seed in this section,, but there are tricky teams that they’ll have to beat if they want to find their way to Grand Casino Arena in March.

Maple Grove tied two-seeded Blaine, 3-3, back in early January and the Crimson have also struggled with a pesky five-seeded Andover team this season - defeating them in overtime in November and then tying them a month later. Outside of those three teams, Maple Grove beat Centennial 6-2 in early January and beat Champlin Park 5-0, so it seems unlikely that anyone not named the Crimson, the Huskies, or the Bengals will come out of 5AA.

6AA

(1) Rogers vs (8) Hopkins

(4) Wayzata vs (5) Buffalo

(2) Edina vs (7) Robbinsdale Armstrong/Cooper

(3) Academy of Holy Angels vs (6) Benilde-St. Margaret’s

What a section. With the addition of Rogers to 6AA, this is going to be an absolute gauntlet. The Royals are currently ranked No. 1 in the state and have been on an absolute tear over the recent weeks, posting wins over both Moorhead and Minnetonka - just to name a few. With top athletes like Brock Cheslock, Cole Bumgarner, and Jayden Kurtz, this is going to be a tough team to beat.

No matter what year it is, though, Edina will always be a part of the conversation. Curt Giles seems to always have the Hornets prepared to play their best brand of hockey at this time of the year, but recently Edina has had a few head-scratching results, such as a loss to Wayzata and an overtime win against Eden Prairie. Can this Edina roster get through this ultra-competitive section this year? We will just have to wait and see.

For the roster and community at Holy Angels, this specific season is one that many have been working towards for a long time. Senior forward Cole Cheeseman leads his group in production with over 60 points and has been a difference maker in all situations for the Stars. He’s not the biggest body out there, but he plays with an edge and creates takeaways. Lincoln Ayers-Assad is another skilled senior who can both score and create on offense with over 60 points and 10 game-winning goals to his name in 2025-26.

“They compete really well, they shoot the puck really well, they’ve been playing together since they were probably five years old, and they’ve been on our first line together for four years,” said Holy Angels head coach Patrick Griswold about Cheeseman and Ayers Assad. “They have high-end IQ, and they just really, really gel well together.”

On the back-end, this group thrives off a trio of sharp defenders in junior Teddy Lechner, senior Avi Kasargod (who has always played at forward this year), and senior Gabe Perron. All three are heavily utilized in even-strength as well as on special teams. Lechner is committed to play Division I hockey at Augustana, and he finished the regular season with an especially impressive surge on both sides of the puck. Besides any one player, Holy Angels has been playing their best team hockey over the last few weeks of the year.

“He’s just a very, very intelligent player, he handles the puck so well, and you’ll rarely ever see him with a costly turnover - it just doesn’t happen,” Griswold said about Lechner, who was recently named in the top-100 prospects of the NHL Central Scouting list for North American skaters. “His skating is really good now, he’s got such long legs - it’s two or three strides and he’s through the neutral zone. He’s deceptive with the puck. What a lot of people don’t see about him is he’s very a quiet kid off the ice but he’s very vocal on the ice and he loves to compete and we’re running him a lot right now, he’s been playing every other shift here for the past few weeks and he just doesn’t seem to ever get tired - which is crazy for the amount of minutes that he’s putting up right now.”

The Stars lost to Edina, 6-3, back in early January,, but have not played Rogers yet this season, so anything could happen in the Section 6AA playoffs.

7AA

(1) Grand Rapids vs (8) Northern Edge

(4) Forest Lake vs (5) Duluth Marshall

(2) Rock Ridge vs (7) Cambridge-Isanti

(3) Duluth East vs (6) Duluth Denfeld

Wow! Section seeding is all over the place in 7AA. You might as well play ‘spin the wheel of which team seeded one through four is going to state’ because that is what it feels like at this moment in time!

Top seeded Grand Rapids is 12-12-1 this year and has some good wins on its schedule but the Thunderhawks lost to Forest Lake in overtime over winter break and lost to Rock Ridge by a goal about a month later. They also tied Duluth East early on in the season as well. So is there even a favorite to win Section 7AA? I think not. I don’t think anyone will be surprised to see any of the top-four seeded teams make an appearance at Grand Casino Arena next month.

8AA

(1) Moorhead vs (8) Alexandria

(4) St. Cloud vs (5) Bemidji

(2) St. Michael-Albertville vs (7) Brainerd

(3) Elk River/Zimmerman vs (6) Roseau

Moorhead. Need we say more? Just kidding - Section 8AA has been a bit chaotic in the past but it’s tough to imagine anyone except the Spuds coming out of the section this year. Moorhead has already posted big wins over both St. Michael-Albertville and Elk River/Zimmerman this season so it seems highly unlikely that there would be any crazy upsets against the reigning state champs.

“November and December were obviously really good months for us. We felt that on most nights we played pretty well. January there was a bit of a lull, we were still having success a lot, especially offensively, but there were just a lot of instances where we weren’t playing hard enough and sticking to details that you need to win - especially in tight games, but our last I would say two weeks, we’re starting to feel better about how we’re playing, especially last week we really liked the intensity that our guys played with,” said Moorhead head coach Jon Ammerman.

The Spuds have multiple top athletes this season with top Mr. Hockey contenders in forward Tyden Bergeson and defender Brandon Mickelson, but they’ve also got Minnesota Duluth commit Max Cullen, Minnesota State commit Zac Zimmerman, and sophomore phenom Joey Cullen - who recently returned from injury, so there are a lot of very, very good players on this roster.

“Zimm is somebody who has a ton of experience; he’s obviously had a lot of success at the high school level and he’s played both center and wing this year, which adds to our ability to mix and match. He’s somebody that when he’s going, he can score, that’s a pure talent of his - his ability to score in different ways,” Ammerman said about Moorhead’s current top line of Bergeson-M. Cullen-Zimmerman. “Max [Cullen] has really had a tremendous calendar year. At the end of last year, we saw glimmers, glimpses, but he had a much different role last year than he does this year, obviously. He’s kind of growing into his body, there’s still growth there, but he’s extremely athletic and versatile and he’s a competitor and somebody that has quite the motor and the ability to make plays, and Tyden [Bergeson] is somebody that came in with a lot of high school success but went to the USHL and immediately translated there in Madison and obviously came back with a new sense of confidence, not that he was lacking, but he’s turned into quite the player and quite the leader. When his motor’s going, we’re a tough team, especially up front.”

1A

(1) Northfield vs. (8) La Crescent-Hokah

(4) Rochester Lourdes vs (5) Albert Lea

(2) Waseca vs (7) Red Wing

(3) Dodge County vs (6) Winona

Northfield has had a fantastic season and deserves its, No. 1-seed ranking. Their only losses this year were to top-ranked teams in Mahtomedi, Delano and St. Cloud Cathedral. You could argue that they could’ve played a tougher schedule, but teams unfortunately don’t get to pick their conference. The Raiders from the play an appreciative brand of puck that should translate well to the postseason. High energy, physical play & collaborative offensive tactics are what make up this group’s recipe for success. At the forefront of that identity is sophomore forward Miles Kennelly. He plays with tenacity, athleticism and is a versatile threat as both a passer and a shooter. Kennelly has over a goal-per game right now and has 13 more goals than the next closest guy on the roster, so he’ll need to be ready to produce if Northfield plans to keep their season cookin’ for another few weeks.

“He’s got almost 50 points, he leads us with 26 goals, and he’s probably our hardest-working kid on the team, too. He only knows how to go one speed - full speed,” said Northfield head coach Charlie Cloud, who is in his first full season as bench boss after previous head coach Mike Luckraft stepped down after the conclusion of the 2024-25 season. “He’s just a beast on the forecheck, and he applies so much pressure to the other team’s defensemen. He causes turnovers, and he can shoot the puck and score from virtually anywhere on the ice. He just brings so much energy to our team. I think he’s got a ton of confidence this year … now he’s on the top powerplay unit and is learning how to take games over himself, he’s such an energizer for us.”

Some may see the difference between top-seeded Northfield and No. 2-seeded Waseca as vast, but upon closer inspection, this could make for a serious battle if they both reach the section final. The Blue Jays have recorded only one loss since the New Year - to a talented Blake team - and earlier in the year, Waseca matched up well in a 1-0 overtime loss to Northfield. Junior forward Griffin Storey leads the charge for this squad and has a whopping 83 points, which is the second most in the entire state. Storey utilizes his big frame and athleticism as a consistent force on defense as well. Another couple of two-way forwards that bolster the attack for Waseca are juniors Otto Schoenrock and Henry Huttemier. Both athletes are confident scorers and strong skaters. The Blue Jays also benefit from sharp production in net. Junior goaltender Josiah Schmitdke finished the regular season with a .918 save percentage, a 2.22 goals-against average, and six shutouts. Schmitdke has the endurance and fortitude to handle high-volume action when called upon. He’s had four games this year with at least 40 saves, so watch out for the Blue Jays.

2A

(1) Delano vs (8) Waconia

(4) St. Louis Park vs (5) Orono

(2) Blake vs (7) Providence Academy

(3) Breck vs (6) Minneapolis

2A is another section where things could get very interesting. Delano is the top-seeded squad but they have only beaten the other teams in this section by narrow margins, so nothing is a given for the Tigers in 2025-26. Delano beat No. 2 seed Blake in overtime less than a month ago and they only beat third-seeded Breck by a goal in early January, so this section final could be a tight one. The Tigers haven’t played St. Louis Park this season but they have played both Orono and Providence Academy in two-goal wins, so this could truly be anyone’s section.

3A

(1) Luverne vs (8) Windom

(4) Minnesota River vs (5) New Ulm

(2) Mankato West vs (7) Fairmont

(3) Mankato East vs (6) Marshall

Luverne seems pretty primed to make another run to the state tournament this season as the top team in 3A, but you never know what can happen. The Cardinals have had an interesting past two weeks, which included a 2-2 tie to section foe Minnesota River and a 6-2 loss to Waseca, so the squad is certainly not invincible to any section upsets - but it will take a big performance by Minnesota River or one of the Mankato schools to pull off a trip to the state tournament.

4A

(1) Mahtomedi vs (9) St. Paul

(4) Hastings vs (5) South St. Paul

(2) Chisago Lakes vs (7) Simley OR (10) St. Paul Academy

(3) Irondale vs (6) Tartan

It should be well-known by this point that Mahtomedi plays a highly competitive schedule every year, resulting in a 14-9-2 record this season. There are plenty of other Class A teams with better win totals, but what is more beneficial to the Zephyrs program, and especially their group this year, is the opportunity to be in formidable matchups almost every night. This gives their players better expectations about what it takes to win games in late February and early March - and this team appears ready to do that. The forward group is spearheaded by the two-way impact of senior Brayden Fuerst and junior Devin O’Donnell. Both boys take pride in their playmaking and versatile impact. Sophomore Vinny Redpath leads the team in both goals and points and plays with a lot of energy away from the puck, too.

The Zephyrs should have some confidence going into sections as the team that has been the top dog in Section 4A for quite some time now, but you never know what can happen, as the team beat Hastings by a score of only 3-2 less than two weeks ago, and Chisago Lakes is always a solid squad as well.

5A

(1) St. Cloud Cathedral vs (8) Princeton

(4) Sauk Rapids-Rice vs (5) Litchfield/Dassel-Cokato

(2) Monticello vs (7) Becker/Big Lake

(3) Pine City Area vs (6) River Lakes

This section has been dominated by St. Cloud Cathedral in recent years, but things are not so clear-cut this season. The Crusaders lost a handful of top athletes after last year, and they have been a bit up and down in 2025-26. Despite solid teams from Pine City and Sauk Rapids, this section will likely have a championship match-up (again) of Cathedral and Monticello. The two teams played once earlier this season, resulting in a 3-1 win for Cathedral, so the section final this year - if it is indeed the Moose against the Crusaders - should be an entertaining one for sure.

6A

(1) Sartell vs (8) Morris/Benson Area

(4) Little Falls vs (5) Prairie Centre

(2) Northern Lakes vs (7) Breckenridge/Wahpeton

(3) Fergus Falls vs (6) Willmar

Sartell is in the midst of a record-breaking season, and it doesn’t seem like anyone is going to be getting in their way. The Sabres are currently on a massive win streak and are unbeaten in 2026. Their only three losses came during the first half of the season, and they were to Bemidji, Andover, and Moorhead - so certainly not anyone that will have anything to do with Section 6A competition. Sartell is hungry to make its first-ever state tournament appearance, and it doesn’t seem like any of its section foes will be able to stop them.

One of the top skaters for Sartell has been junior Devin Jacobs. The forward is having an incredible season and currently owns almost 40 goals and 75 total points.

“He’s got a tremendous work ethic, and we’ve always known that he sees the ice pretty well; he’s got a great hockey IQ, but it’s been really fun this year to see him take on some of those leadership roles,” said Sartell head coach Ryan Hacker. “He also knows that a lot of his success is coming from his teammates, and they appreciate him because obviously if he’s got the puck on his stick, then there’s a good chance that he’s going to make them look pretty good too. That leadership that we’re getting out of Devin is fantastic. It is a lot of ‘hey coach, this didn’t look very good last night, what do you think about working on this in practice?’ so it is a very team-focused attitude that he has. You see the points obviously, but he’s making those around him a lot better too.”

7A

(1) Hibbing/Chisholm vs (8) Ely

(4) Proctor vs (5) International Falls

(2) Hermantown vs (7) North Shore

(3) Cloquet/Esko/Carlton vs (6) Greenway

Section 7A is going to have some extremely high-level hockey games played over the next week and a half. Hibbing/Chisholm might be a slight favorite to head back to the state tournament but Hermantown is also extremely good,, and Cloquet/Esko/Carlton has been a very solid squad as well. In fact, the Bluejackets and the Hawks played once already this season, which resulted in a narrow 2-1 win for Hermantown, so a section final between these two teams would certainly be nothing short of epic.

8a

(1) Warroad vs (8) Park Rapids

(4) Thief River Falls vs (5) Crookston

(2) East Grand Forks vs (7) Red Lake Falls

(3) Detroit Lakes vs (6) Bagley/Fosston

Section 8A seems to be a two-horse race between Warroad and East Grand Forks. The Warriors are the favorite to win the section, considering that they beat the Green Wave twice already this season by scores of 4-2 and 6-0, but since EGF is the reigning state champion, you can’t exactly count them out just yet. Warroad has been led in scoring this season by junior Gavin Andersen and senior Ryan Shaugabay, but brothers Ayven and Broden Hontvet have been lighting it up from the blue line as well. This Warroad team will likely be a top contender to win the state title this year if section play goes according to plan.