Winter Classic is a reminder of where it all started for Bjugstad Goligoski

ST. PAUL, Minn. Every time an outdoor game is held in the NHL, players tell warm stories of cold days growing up on the outdoor courts. But this time is different, especially Nick Bjugstad and Aleksi Goligoski.

Bjugstad and Goligoski grew up playing outdoors in Minnesota, playing at their local high schools and the University of Minnesota, and playing in the Minnesota Wild against the St. Louis Blues at the 2022 Discover NHL Winter Classic on Saturday (7 p.m. ET; TNT). , SN1, TVAS, NHL LIVE).

“That’s where the game started for us,” striker Bjugstad said. “It’s a way for us to play NHL when we do it for our livelihood, but it also connects to our inner child, and I think it’s really cool.”

Bjugstad and Goligoski represent the state of Hockey, where outdoor hockey isn’t just romantic, it’s part of real life maybe more than anywhere else in the United States. Minnesota has produced 283 NHL players, more than any other U.S. state. (Massachusetts is second at 208.)

The Winter Classic celebrates the state of Hockey by making Target Field in Minneapolis, home of the Minnesota Twins of Major League Baseball, the show of the pond tournament. Various teams and clubs from across the state skate on the subway track and receive recognition.

“I mean, all the communities gather so much around hockey,” said defender Goligoski. “It’s such a big part of all the communities here. You’re all around, there are troughs everywhere. They can’t be missed. They have kids every day.

“So, I mean, it’s only natural that we end up producing a lot of really good hockey players. There’s a lot of pride in hockey here and the local kids are doing well.”

Bjugstad grew up in a suburb of Blaila about 25 minutes north of Twin Cities. His father, Mike, put him on skates in the house before the ice so he could feel them first on a solid surface.

“I don’t know if my mom loved it,” she said.

He grew up skating in a neighbor’s backyard and in his hometown with three outdoor canopies. It had a coating machine, so the ice was always good.

“It was called Happy Acres, and it was a happy place for me,” Bjugstad said.

When he was little, he wanted to stay on the ice for as long as possible, so he waited as long as he could to tell his father that his feet were cold.

“I would lip in my eyes in a warming house,” he said. “He took the skates off, brought me to the bathroom and put them under the cold water. It always helped.”

Bjugstad played at Blaine High School in frosty Baudette Bay on February 9, 2008 as part of Minnesota’s Hockey Day, an annual hockey event in the state.

Blaine played the state tournament at the Xcel Energy Center, Wild’s hometown, every three seasons he played there, and was named Mr. Hockey of Minnesota from 2009-2010.

“There’s a rich culture and tradition here,” he said. “I mean, as a kid, I just wanted to get on Blainen ‘s high school team. It’ s pretty cool when there are little kids going to all those high school games. You go to a state tournament, it ‘s sold out in the quarterfinals.

“I think it’s hard to even understand if you’re not from here.”

Goligoski grew up in Grand Rapids, about three hours north of the twin cities. He and his older brother Nick walked two blocks from his house to a school in Southwest Elementary, which was surrounded by the Southwest Rink.

“It was almost every night in the winter,” Goligoski said. “There’s not much else to do when it’s so cold and you’re that age. We grew up there. When you grow up and start practicing organized hockey, you do a lot of outdoor training and more. We only had one trough inside.”

He said the kids really didn’t care about the cold.

“You’re having fun,” he said. “You’re learning to deal with the elements.… You always play pick-up games with kids of different ages, at different skill levels. I think there’s a lot of creativity and individual skill that can emerge in those unstructured games.”

The best was Sunday afternoon. The ice was resurfaced on Sunday mornings, and a person supervising the heating lodge set up a small television inside.

“He would watch football on TV,” Goligoski said. “So come in, take breaks, watch the game and then just be in the trough all day. It was the best time.”

Goligoski played at Grand Rapids High School for three seasons and never made it to the state tournament. In his last two seasons, Grand Rapids were unable to go because of Duluth East’s defeat. The schools represent the boys ’high school hockey on the subway at the Winter Classic.

Despite the frost, the target field is Happy Acres overnight.

“I don’t think fans have a problem,” Bjugstad said. “I’m sure it’s going to be a packed barn. It’s one we’re proud of, it’s an outdoor hockey. I’m sure we’ll have a great show and it’s going to be a great event.”