If Minnesota Hockey’s community-based model is its secret sauce, then the CCM High Performance (HP) program is the special seasoning that takes that takes boys and girls player development to the next level.
It’s the brine, the spice rub, the finishing salt that has been elevating the Minnesota player profile to college, pro and beyond. The best part? HP programs give players from all communities a chance to reach their full potential without having to leave the state.
And for 30 years, the results have been undeniable.
Origin Story
In the early 90s, a small group of Minnesota high school hockey coaches gathered on the steps of what was then-called the National Hockey Center in St. Cloud. It was a pivotal moment. The process of handpicking players behind the curtain for selection to USA Hockey National Development Camps needed to be reformed.
“I was a part of it, and it wasn’t right,” said Mike MacMillan, Duluth native, High Performance Director, and national coach-in-chief for USA Hockey. “It wasn’t serving Minnesota hockey as a whole, and it was only serving a small amount of players at the time.”
Influential coaches and leaders from Minnesota Hockey and the Minnesota Hockey Coaches Association believed a true tryout process involving every youth district and high school section throughout the state was the way forward.
Soon after those discussions, the Minnesota Hockey CCM High Performance program was born. The goal was to ensure that every player in the state had the same opportunities, got more exposure, and developed their skills with high-level coaches and competition.
The ripple effects were felt at every level of Minnesota Hockey.
“That’s when everything started to change,” said MacMillan. “At the time, Minnesota was on par with Michigan, Massachusetts and New York in terms of producing and developing hockey players.
“Now, 30 years later, Minnesota is the No. 1 producer of players—and it’s not even close."
PuMNping Out Talent
How many Minnesotans at the highest levels of hockey in 2024-25 played High Performance
Men’s Division I: 242 of 249 (97%)
Women’s Division I: 200 of 205 (98%)
NHL: 48 of 50 (96%)
PWHL: 18 of 18 (100%)
A Must-See for Scouts, A Launchpad for Players
Since its inception, the HP Spring programs have become can’t-miss events for scouts at every level.
“It’s outstanding hockey with so many great players all in one place,” said Keith Hendrickson, a Stanley Cup-winning scout for the Vegas Golden Knights and legendary Virginia/Mountain Iron-Buhl head coach. “For me as a scout, I can only be in one arena at a time. When you get an opportunity like this, to see a lot of potential prospects in one place, it’s an obvious advantage.”
For players, the exposure and competition is invaluable. Byron native Brody Lamb, a standout forward for the Gophers and New York Rangers draft pick, credits the HP program for helping him make key connections.
“I just think it was good for my development, and you got to meet a lot of new people from different towns and cities. I actually met Gordo [Ben Gordon], our assistant coach at 15s, so that obviously helped me start that relationship and get recruited,” Lamb said.
Gophers head coach Bob Motzko says the HP programs elevate the Minnesota player.
“We have the best players in this state, and it’s a great way to showcase them,” Motzko said. “It also provides a chance for these athletes to continue developing their game during the spring and summer months.”
The numbers tell the story. In 2024-25, 97% of Minnesota’s Division I men’s players and 98% of the state’s Division I women’s players participated in the program. Nearly every Minnesota-born NHL and PWHL player came through HP.
“The numbers speak for themselves,” Bemidji State women’s head coach Amber Fryklund said. “The development opportunities provide players with high-level practices that are led by high-level coaches and an opportunity to compete with and against the top players in the state.”
Strengthening the Community-Based Model
Beyond exposure and development, the HP program plays a crucial role in preserving Minnesota’s community-based hockey model. Unlike other states where privatized, pay-to-play systems dominate, Minnesota remains unique in its approach.
“Some advisors and entrepreneurs want to sell ‘elite’ options,” said Benilde-St. Margaret’s head coach Ken Pauly, who was on the steps with MacMillan that day. “But just because you label something doesn’t make it reality. HP allows Minnesota to bring its best together while still preserving the most successful development model in the country. High school hockey has been central to our culture and offers an experience that is truly unique. The HP program ensures kids don’t have to leave their communities to get noticed.”
Pauly emphasized that while other states have shifted to an overly privatized model, Minnesota’s system benefits every player.
“The overly privatized model in other states has benefited only a few elite players at the expense of the greater good,” said Pauly. “Minnesota has found a way to develop players while keeping them within the community structure that serves everyone.”
That’s why communities from Hallock to La Crescent can produce high-end players, not just Edina and Lakeville.
“The HP programs help every player, but it especially helps those that come from smaller programs who might not have the strength of schedule or come from smaller communities,” said Hendrickson. “It really helps the community-based model stand even stronger because it proves kids don’t have to leave their hometowns. No matter what team you’re on or where you’re from, you can try out and make it based on your own skills, character and work ethic.”
More Ice Time, More Development
With HP shouldering high school season, Minnesotans play just as much as those in other top programs around North America:
HP’s Strength of Schedule
• 26 high school games
• 3 HP Festival games
• 3 Final 54 games
• Fall Elite League
• HP Tier 1 16’s
This schedule aligns with the Division I college model in terms of games and practice-to-game ratio (3:1).
A Legacy of Excellence
For 30 years, Minnesota Hockey’s CCM High Performance program has complemented the
state’s development model—elevating talent, providing exposure, and preserving the community-based system that makes Minnesota the No. 1 producer of hockey players in the U.S.
Minnesota has distanced itself from other states in player production, and the HP program
has been a major driver of that success.
“Most kids want to sleep in their own bed while they pursue their dreams,” said Pauly. “The fact that so many Minnesota kids play college hockey using the HP programs, which are fueled by the youth hockey and high school coaches, proves that you can still get to where you need to go by staying home.”
Minnesota Hockey Myths vs. Facts
MYTH: HP programs pick players based on politics.
FACT: HP was founded on a true tryout process.
MYTH: Only metro-area players or those from powerhouse programs
make the teams.
FACT: Every district/section is represented, leveling the playing field for small town players.
MYTH: Minnesota players don’t play enough compared to other states.
FACT: HP was designed to bring up the practice and game count in spring and fall, mirroring a junior and college schedule and practice-to-game ratio.
MYTH: If you make the team once, you’ll make it every year.
FACT: If an HP player makes it one year they are not guaranteed to make it the next; and vice versa.
MYTH: You can buy a spot.
FACT: HP players must earn it through tryouts or representation on previous national program teams or camps.
MYTH: You need to leave Minnesota to get noticed.
FACT: You DO NOT need to leave Minnesota! HP was built to provide development and exposure—scouts and coaches know where to find top talent in Minnesota. If you're good enough in Minnesota, they will find you!
*This article was originally published in the March 2025 issue of the Minnesota Hockey Journal.*