By: Frederick Gallatin

As hockey grew outwards into the suburbs, the Highland/Central Scots, fresh off a fourth place finish in Section 4A in 2025, were forced to look inward to replenish their forces for 2026. Their answer came in the form of the other Saint Paul Public Schools; Johnson, Como and Humboldt. Scots Hockey and their iconic red sweaters have taken up a new identity in Saint Paul Hockey and their royal blue and white uniforms. Looking to build off a promising 2025 campaign, 4th- year Head Coach Paul Ryan acknowledged in an interview that success would not come easy. Trying to compete in the State of Hockey’s stacked Section 4A would require discipline, hard work, and grit. Captained by Gavin Olsen, Max Karvonen, and Alex Robles, Saint Paul looked to defend home ice and represent the inner city at every opportunity.

After a slow start, Saint Paul headed down to Red Wing for a holiday tournament. Facing three upper-echelon MN Class A teams, Saint Paul played their best stretch of the year, taking down Mounds Westonka, Altoona, and Red Wing en route to the first championship trophy in SPH history.

As a first-year program, success was not at all guaranteed; the entire season would be an uphill battle.

Led by thirteen seniors, Saint Paul swept rival Saint Paul Academy in their two games played. At Drake Arena, home of the Spartans and their partners, Nova and Saint Agnes, Saint Paul won 8-1. Captain Gavin Olsen netted a hat trick, while Evan Shipp (2), Finn Warner, JoJo Cunningham (2), and Ian Wallace scored for Saint Paul en route to a statement win to start the new year.

At the end of January, Saint Paul hosted the Spartans for Senior Night. After a ceremony to honor the dedication of the thirteen players graduating in the spring, Saint Paul earned a hard-fought 1-0 win over SPA.

As the boys prepare for the gauntlet that is Section 4A’s playoff, questions have risen over the team’s future. Attempting to fill the skates of thirteen seniors is difficult, especially when seniors account for five of the team’s top six point scorers. The resurgence of Saint Paul’s JV team has brought anticipation for next year, as sophomores Antone Pearson, Wesley Rand, and Canaan Nonnemacher look to establish themselves on varsity next year.

Saint Paul (4-17-2) begins their first state title run at Aldrich Arena against the Osseo Orioles (11-12-2) next week. Keys to advancing to face Mahtomedi in the quarterfinals include strong puck control, effective communication, and well-organized special teams. Staying out of the box and making power plays count will greatly assist Saint Paul in extending their season.

Update: Saint Paul beat Osseo but then lost to Mahtomedi to end their season.