SAINT PAUL, Minn. – The Minnesota Wild of the National Hockey League (NHL), Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota, and Minnesota Hockey today announced Skate for State – a unique partnership to honor all of the year-end level champions of youth hockey in the State of Hockey.

    Youth Hockey Night, presented by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota, will take place at this Saturday’s game against Columbus, as the Wild will recognize the 2013 Minnesota Hockey Youth state champions in Youth, Girls and Junior Gold. All 14 state champion teams (listed below) will be in attendance at the game on April 13. Selected members of each team will be on ice to be recognized during first intermission of the game. The first 5,000 fans 18 and under will receive a Drawstring Bag presented by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota.

    In addition, a new concourse Skate for State display, presented by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota, will debut Saturday, honoring not only the Minnesota Hockey Youth state champions, but also former Wild players who skated in a Minnesota Hockey youth state tournament. They will all be on display in the concourse located between sections 106 and 107 for the entire year.

    “The Minnesota Wild would like to thank Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota for this partnership to honor the Youth state champions in Minnesota,” said Wild Chief Operating Officer Matt Majka. “It is extremely satisfying for all of us in the community to see the hard work and dedication that these players put in every season translate to success.”

    “We are pleased to help honor the achievements of this year’s youth hockey champions,” said David Corkum, Senior Vice President of Commercial Markets for Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota. “Their hard work and success on-ice over the past season is deserving of this special recognition.”

    “The Minnesota Wild has a long history of being an amazing supporter of hockey at the youth level in Minnesota,” said Minnesota Hockey Executive Director, Glen Andresen. “Their hosting of Youth Hockey Night and recognizing the hard work of our state champions takes that support to another level. We are so thankful to the Wild and to Blue Cross and Blue Shield for their support of youth and amateur hockey in the state.”

2013 Minnesota Hockey Youth state champions:

Peewee B (Edina), Peewee A (Minneapolis), Peewee AA (Edina), Bantam B (Wayzata Navy), Bantam A (Mahtomedi), Bantam AA (Edina), 12U B (Johnson Como), 12U A (Edina), 14U B (Rochester), 14U A (Wayzata), 19U B (Osseo/Maple Grove), Jr. Gold 16 (Minnetonka), Jr. Gold B (Osseo/Maple Grove), Jr. Gold A (Minnetonka)

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