In 2012, Minnesota Hockey adopted a AA/A format for its regional and state playoffs. In its first year, the regional seeding process was a little unconventional - but it was for the most part a very successful move. It created an additional state tournament for smaller and growing associations and it made the AA state tournaments even more competitive than year's past.

In the Summer of 2013, MN Hockey made a bold move with its regional seeding process for AA. Instead of seeding out of district tournaments for metro based teams, they opted to choose the eight district champions and remaining 16 at-large teams based on their body of work to form three evenly balanced regional tournaments. The remaining north teams would play in a North regional to guarantee two northern teams to the state tourney each year.

The new system produced competitive games across the board - gave teams from all over the "metro" a fair, balanced and predictable path to the state tournament. The formula was simple, be in the top 24, go to regions.

In June, MN Hockey reversed their "24 Best" path to state with a new formula for the non-north teams. 

MN Hockey Peewee & Bantam AA Formulary (approved June, 2016)

District team allocations to the S, E and W Region Tournaments

1. Each District (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9 and 10) will advance a minimum of one team to the Region Tournaments.
2. The districts will be proportionally awarded additional seeds to the three region tournaments based on the number of AA teams in each district to fill out the 24 region tournament slots.

Seeding into the S, E and West Region Tournaments

1. The number 1 seed of a district hosting one of the region tournaments will be seeded into the region tournament the district is hosting.

2. The remaining number 1 seeds will be seeded into one of the three region tournaments via a blind draw.

3. The remaining district allocated teams will be seeded into one of the regions per the following:

a. District #1 and #2 teams will not be seeded into the same region. District #2 seeds will be seeded to a Region via a blind draw.
b. All Districts #3 seed will not be seeded into a Region with the District #1 or #2 seed. If required adjustments will be made to the #2 and #3 seeds to maintained relative strength between the Regions equal.
c. The District #4 seed will be seeded in the Region with the District #1 seed, the District #5 seed will be seeded with the District #2 seed and the District #6 seed will be seeded into the Region with the District #3 seed.

4. Region first round pairings will be stablished per the follows:

a. If there are two District # 1 seeds they will be seeded into the first and third quarter final game.
b. If there are three District # 1 seeds they will be seeded into the first, second and third quarterfinal games.
c. The Districts #1 seed will play the highest numerical seed in the Region
d. The District #4 and #5 seed will be in opposite half of the bracket as the District #1 seed.
e. The remaining District #2 seeds will be seeded into the quarter final games via a blind draw.
f. The district #2 seeds will play the highest remaining numerical seed in the Region.

The following are projected non-north AA associations. THIS IS YHH PROJECTIONS, NOT MINNESOTA HOCKEY. Based on what we are hearing, our best guess on number of seeds per district.

Notes:

-Based on the formulary, it seems the maximum is five teams per district, despite District 8 having nine AA teams.

-We slotted District 6 with four seeds at PeeWee giving them a 80% and District 8 with 5 and 57% - those two districts could see some variance.

-If Tartan goes AA at either PeeWee or Bantam, that could swing an extra seed to District 2. St. Paul appears to be headed back to A.

YHH has asked players, coaches and fans their thoughts on the new system. Every AA coach we interviewed did not like the new system.  Here are some general thoughts we've heard since the June announcement.

What people like

• The new system will place a huge impact on district tournaments. 
• Teams will have to be playing their best hockey late in season to qualify for regions.

What people don't like

• The best 24 teams in non-north won't get in..deserving teams won't get in because of their zip code/district not their ability.
• The eight teams in north have no qualifying process, why do four districts get automatic bids to regions?

What people don't understand

• The blind draw system? Most feel this puts placement into the hands of chance, not performance.
• What was wrong with the "24 Best" system? The last three years produced amazing games with very few lopsided games and several exciting upsets and runs to state.