Playing in the Minnesota state high school hockey tournament is “every kid’s dream” — at least it was for Team USA’s Jake Guentzel.

“When you grow up, you want to play in the state tourney just to [experience] your first time in an NHL arena,” said Guentzel, a former Hill-Murray standout who was part of the team that won gold at the 2026 Olympics in Italy. With the arena packed and student sections filling the stands, he added, “It was a pretty special time.”

The boys’ tournament is one of the highest-attended high school sporting events in the U.S. Combined with the girls tournament, more than 150,000 fans filled Grand Casino Arena during the two events last year.

But in Minnesota, the state tournament is more than just a packed arena or childhood dream — it’s a pipeline for the next generation of Olympians.

And that’s exactly what it was for Guentzel, now a forward with the Tampa Bay Lightning — a starting point.

“The pressure you play with, and to go through something like that, where you play for a championship at a young age, was monumental,” he said.

Seven of Team USA’s 2026 gold medalists, four women and three men, played in the Minnesota state high school hockey tournaments before taking their talents to the world’s largest stage. Here’s how they fared back in the day:

Women’s team

Lee Stecklein (Roseville Area)

Stecklein, a four-year varsity defender for Roseville, appeared in two Class 2A state tournaments and helped the Raiders capture their third-ever championship in 2010 with a 4–0 victory over Edina.

She was also part of the 2012 squad that finished as runner-up, contributing to the program’s only second-place finish alongside its three championships.

During Stecklein’s tenure, the Raiders captured four consecutive Suburban East Conference championships, and she earned all-state honors in 2011 and 2012.

She totaled 15 goals and 19 assists in her final season, including one goal and three assists in the 2012 state tournament. In Stecklein’s first state tournament appearance as a sophomore, she had a goal and an assist and earned all-state honorable mention.

Stecklein, who went on to play for the Gophers and currently plays for the Frost, is a four-time Olympian. She also won gold at the 2018 Games and silver in 2014 and 2022.

Taylor Heise (Red Wing)

Heise, a forward, started her high school hockey career in seventh grade with Red Wing. She helped the team finish third in the state tournament in 2013 and 2014 and again as a freshman in 2015.

She played on Red Wing’s varsity squad for six years and was part of four of the Wingers’ seven ever state tournament appearances. Heise earned Class 1A all-tournament honors in 2018 after her team finished fifth.

Heise, who assisted on Megan Keller’s golden goal in the 2026 Olympics, had seven goals and two assists during the 2018 state tournament. She finished the season with 104 points (74 goals, 30 assists) and was named that year’s Ms. Hockey. She later played for the Gophers and currently plays for the Frost. The 2026 Games were her first Olympics.

Kelly Pannek (Benilde-St. Margaret’s)

Pannek, a forward, recorded 149 goals and 300 points during her four-year high school career and made one state tournament appearance with Benilde-St. Margaret’s.

In 2014, the three-year captain led her only state tournament in scoring with seven goals and four assists. She scored all three of Benilde’s goals in its 5-3 loss to Hill-Murray in the Class 2A championship game and was named to the all-tournament team.

Pannek, who scored 77 points (31 goals, 46 assists) that season and was named a Ms. Hockey finalist, went on to play for the Gophers and currently plays for the Frost. She is a three-time Olympian, winning gold in 2018 and 2026 and silver in 2022.

Rory Guilday (Minnetonka)

The Minnetonka Skippers made three state tournaments during Guilday’s four-year career — placing third in 2019 and 2020 and losing in the quarterfinals in 2021.

The two-time captain earned two all-state selections during her prep career. The defender recorded one assist across her three state tournaments appearances.

Guilday was named a Ms. Hockey finalist following the 2021 state tournament. Minnetonka’s head coach Tracy Cassano said at the time, “The plays she creates on rushes and in the offensive zone are spectacular. She is also exceptionally steady and solid on defense, which makes it difficult for opponents to create scoring chances against our team.”

Guilday currently plays for the PWHL’s Ottawa Charge. She made the U.S. Olympic roster for the first time in 2026.

Men’s team

Brock Nelson (Warroad)

No U.S. men’s hockey team has ever won gold without a player from Warroad, a town of just 2,000 — and the 2026 Olympics were no exception, with former Warrior Brock Nelson contributing up front. He led Warroad to the Class 1A state tournament every year of his high school career from 2007 to 2010, finishing third twice and second once.

Nelson recorded a hat trick in the state tournament quarterfinals in both 2009 and 2010. He had seven points in three games in 2009 to help Warroad reach the championship game, which it lost 7-3 to Breck.

The following year, Nelson scored the game-winning goal in triple overtime to lift the Warriors to a 5-4 win over Mahtomedi in the third-place game. He finished with six goals and five assists, making him the 2010 tournament’s top scorer.

Nelson, who plays for the Colorado Avalanche, is a third-generation Olympian. His grandfather Bill Christian was a member of the 1960 U.S. Olympic men’s hockey team, while his uncle Dave Christian was a member of the 1980 “Miracle on Ice” team.

Jake Oettinger (Lakeville North)

Oettinger played one season for Lakeville North in 2013-14, which resulted in his only state tournament appearance. The goaltender led the team to a second-place finish in Class 2A — the program’s best ever at the time — and earned all-tournament team honors.

He started out the tournament with an impressive 29-save performance in a 2-1 overtime win over Roseau, then helped his team outlast Eden Prairie 5-4 in double overtime. Lakeville North lost 8-2 to Edina in the championship game.

Oettinger joined USA Hockey’s National Team Development Program the following year, ending his high school career after one season. The Panthers went on to win the title in 2015 with an undefeated 31-0-0 season.

Jake Guentzel (Hill-Murray)

Black hair dye and a championship loss — that’s how Guentzel remembers his hockey career at Hill-Murray.

The hair dye tradition coincided with one of the school’s many state tournament appearances, part of a broader history that features two championships and three runner-up finishes. Guentzel played two seasons with Hill-Murray, but only dyed his hair once.

In 2012, Guentzel led Hill-Murray to the state championship game, falling 5-1 to Benilde-St. Margaret’s. He finished with a goal and two assists in the tournament, three of his 75 points that season.

Guentzel went to the USHL for the 2012-13 season, kicking off a career that’s included a Stanley Cup championship in 2017 with the Pittsburgh Penguins in addition to his gold medal.

Looking back at his state tournament experience, Guentzel said he learned an important lesson: “Enjoy every moment of it — you don’t get this chance very often.”