The 8 Great Hockey Rinks In North Dakota

This has always been kind of a sad weekend for me.  The winter sports season is winding down and we officially crown the state champions for high school hockey.  Why is that sad?  Probably because I love the sport so much.  I hate to see it end every year, but I really do.

I've been doing color analysis for high school hockey games on Super Talk 1270 for the last 4 years for Townsquare Media in Bismarck.  It has become something that I look forward to every year and I really enjoy the interaction with the players, coaches, and families of the players.  I also have a son who played high school hockey for Bismarck High, the University of Mary, and he is now playing Jr. Hockey in Great Falls, Montana.

My son played his final high school game last year for the Bismarck High Demons at the West Region Tournament.  I can't tell you enough how emotional that was for my family and me.  Three years went by in the blink of an eye.  Watching his last few moments on the ice was something I'll never forget.  I still get a lump in the back of my throat when I think about it.  I can't tell you the sense of pride, joy, and sadness I felt.  Hockey is a special sport and hockey families are a special breed.

All those 20-below nights in the backyard with frozen toes holding a hose working on the backyard rink for your kid.  The many weekend hockey road trips with strangers who soon become your lifelong friends and all the pageantry and excitement of high school hockey.

This weekend we celebrate North Dakota high school hockey's finest teams at the state tournament in Grand Forks at the Ralph.  I thought I would share in my opinion, "The 8 Great Hockey Rinks in North Dakota."  As a hockey dad for the last 13 years, I've seen just about every rink in the state.  Here's the best of the best.