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Last week, the good people of Minnesota once again affirmed their undying passion for high school hockey thanks to the tens of thousands of fans who flocked to the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul to watch the best teams in the state compete in their postseason tournament.
I don’t think it’s too much of a stretch to assume that (like myself) the vast majority of people reading this probably couldn’t name a single player who took part in this year’s showdown.
With that said, it’s still one of my most anticipated events on the annual sporting calendar thanks to the time-honored tradition that is the Minnesota State High School All Hockey Hair Team.
It’s been more than a decade since Gopher State native John King posted a YouTube video that immortalized the leafy lettuce, fierce flow, and other luscious locks that were on display at the tourney in 2011.
Since then, King has set aside some time each year to give the players with the best hairdos their due, and while their primary goal is to walk away with the title, being selected to the All Hockey Hair Team is still one of the best consolation prizes in existence.
Over the weekend, King officially revealed the boys who’d been named to the 2023 Minnesota State High School All Hockey Hair Team with a video featuring some impressively silky manes, boldly bleached blowouts, and maniacal mullets.
However, no one was able to outdo Orono’s Joseph Greenagle, who secured the top spot with what King dubbed the “Gordie Howe Hat Trick of hockey hair” thanks to his combination of stripes, beard, and flow.
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Greenagle didn’t get the opportunity to hoist the trophy after his team was eliminated by Warroad in the semifinals of the Class A tournament, but at least he can take some solace in knowing he won one of the greatest prizes in hockey.