As boys’ and girls’ high school teams begin practicing for the 2017-18 campaign, coaches throughout Minnesota will come to the realization that the grind is just beginning. Early season frustration is inevitable as all programs, especially those with a nucleus of inexperienced players at the varsity level, face the long road ahead. The lofty expectations of fall are often tempered when a November scrimmage or game exposes any number of weaknesses.

Some coaches see this as inevitable, and will set up a brutal early-season schedule to immediately gain a clear understanding of what their teams need to improve on. They accept that some lumps (and a few losses) might be taken as the year begins, but are confident that playing tougher opponents will pay dividends in February. The traditional powers of Minnesota high school hockey seem to go this route, and it’s often those who come out of it relatively unscathed that become teams for the ages. 

Others prefer a different strategy, choosing instead to gradually increase their level of competition as the season progresses. These coaches believe that winning games early will create a culture of success, thus getting their teams in the habit of coming out on top. This approach can be effective, particularly with a younger group not seasoned in varsity hockey. The drawback, however, is that they might not be accustomed to the adversity and pressure that come with an intense playoff atmosphere.  

In today’s world, where numerous websites allow us to follow the game-by-game progress of every team, it’s quite easy to spot the approach each coach uses in scheduling. It’s not surprising to see the likes of the Edina and Duluth East boys’ teams suffer multiple losses before the holidays, knowing the high level of the teams they choose to take on in the season’s opening weeks. It’s also not surprising when programs such as these begin stringing wins together as the postseason draws near.

Watching teams trend, whether up or down, is one of the more intriguing aspects of a high school hockey season. It’s always interesting when a squad saddled with defeat through the first half of the year suddenly springs to life and rattles off a lengthy winning streak. Those are the ones no one wants to meet in a section contest.  

But what might be the most fascinating part is watching teams go completely against the grain at tournament time, magically flipping what has been a disappointing regular season into a playoff run defying any logic.