From Minnesota to the Olympics and Beyond

Life has returned to pre-Olympic normalcy for the world. People are not tuning into almost non-stop coverage from Milan, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t reflect on the sixteen days that, for many, were historic. Of course, Olympians travel from all over the world to have the honor of representing their country in a sport in which they are among the world’s best. To track the paths of every Olympian in history is pretty much impossible, or least, not worth effort. However, an interesting look at the history of Minnesota’s impact on he Olympic games brings about some interesting facts and comparisons.

Minnesota deems itself the “State of Hockey” and rightfully so. No other state has produced more NHL players or even high school and younger hockey teams. Warroad, MN, which is close to he border with Canada is the original “Hockeytown USA” as this small town of less then 2,000 people has produced eight Olympic hockey medalists, including five gold medals and five silver medals from eight different Olympics from 1956 to 2026. Go back and re-read that last fact. One town, eight Olympians, 10 medals from a town of less than 2,000 people in its past.

2026 Gold medalist, Brock Nelson, is the third generation in his family to win Olympic gold and fifth Olympian in his family overall besides his grandfather, Bill Christian (1960), great uncles Roger (1960) and Gordon Christian (1956) and uncle, Dave Christian (1980) all have represented the Red, White and Blue in he Olympics. Oh, and Christian Brothers hockey stick company? You guessed it – family business.

Brock Nelson’s wife, Karley Sylvester, is a former Minnesota Ms. Hockey and played at the U of Wisconsin under head coach, Mark Johnson of the 1980 Gold Medal team. What do you think the Nelson/Christian families talk about at the dinner table? Other notable hockey players from Warroad include 2018 Women’s Gold Medalist and 2010/2014 Silver Medalist, Gigi Marvin and T.J. Oshie. Remember, all of this hockey success is from one little town and does not even include World Championships and Minnesota high school championships.

Overall, 130 Olympians in men’s and women’s hockey have come from Minnesota since 1920. Players representing Minnesota this year, obviously were Brock Faber, Jake Guentzel, Jake Oettinger and Jackson LaCombe. Kendall Coyne Schofield, Abbey Murphy, Rory Guilday, Kelly Pannek, Grace Zumwinkle, Britta Curl-Salemme, Taylor Heise and Lee Stecklein played for the 2026 Women’s team to bring home the gold!!

Other recent Minnesotans in the Olympics include, but are not limited to, David Backes, Zach Parise, Blake Wheeler, Jamie Langenbrunner, Erik Johnson, Paul Martin, T.J. Oshie and Matt Cullen. I could go on all day and night, but I won’t.

From a coaching and GM standpoint, you can’t find a bigger name in U.S. Olympic hockey than the late Herb Brooks, of course. This year, Wild GM Bill Guerin led the U.S. squad and immediately caught heat after announcing that players like Jason Robertson and Adam Fox were not on the roster.

Of course, there will always be solid, deserving players left off the rosters each year, but this year it seemed like ol’ Billy was channeling his inner Herb Brooks and thought, “I’m not looking for the best players, I’m looking for the right ones.” Regardless, it turned out pretty well for the Americans.

Other Minnesota ties this year include Wild Head Coach, John Hynes on the coaching staff, as well as Wild studs, Quinn Hughes and Matt Boldy. It is possible that with the NHL trade deadline coming up on Friday, March 6, Minnesota may have another Olympian on their roster with rumors of Vincent Trocheck possibly coming to St. Paul. Joel Eriksson Ek, Filip Gustavsson, Jesper Wallstedt and Jonas Brodin all played for Team Sweden while Nico Sturm was the lone German player on the Wild. In case you’re wondering why and how the Wild are a team to be reckoned with this season – I rest my case.

Of course, hockey isn’t the only sport in which Minnesota excels at the Olympic levels with skiers, skaters, snowboarders and curlers such as the incredible Lindsey Vonn (prayers to her), Jessee Diggens, Korey Dropkin, Cory Thiesse, Aileen Geving, Iris Pflum and so many more. Minnesota sent 25 athletes to this year’s Olympics, second only to Colorado.

Of course, Minnesota’s talent and passion for hockey and other winter sports should be of no surprise with over 19,000 fans per game packing the Grand Casino Arena, home of the Minnesota Wild, for this weekend’s Minnesota state high school championships. The U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame resides in the Iron Range community of Eveleth, MN. In 2025, over 54,000 kids played hockey in Minnesota. A new $70 million Minnesota Hockey Hall of Fame found here –> MNHHOF will break ground this summer. Plus, it’s the end of February, so Minnesota still has another two months of pond hockey left besides the NHL playoffs. Is Minnesota the State of Hockey? Without a doubt.

At times, winter life in Minnesota can be brutally and dangerously cold, snowy, windy and just plain miserable, but there is no better state in the nation that is better for hockey fans. My next article will get you all caught back up in the NHL season, including trade news and other aspects of the hockey world including a peek into junior hockey.

With the Olympics now over, we now return to our regularly scheduled NHL and PHWL seasons. Go Wild and Frost!!!