Hockey hair at Minnesota's high school tournament is cutting edge

Hockey hair video from Minnesota's High School Boys tournament is a must-see.

Allan Muir | Mar 9, 2015

Hockey hair at Minnesota's high school tournament is cutting edge /

You might have to be from Minnesota to fully appreciate the importance of the state’s high school hockey tournament. It’s more than a sporting event. It’s a cultural touchstone that packs ’em in at the Xcel Energy Center—attendance at the games on Friday night was a record 21,609—and rallies friends and families in front of televisions around the state. There’s nothing like it anywhere else in the country.

But here’s something that doesn’t require residency to appreciate: serious flow.

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The state tournament is more than a proving ground for emerging talent like T.J. Oshie and Blake Wheeler. It’s also a showcase for the greatest hockey hair in the land. And thanks to the efforts of YouTube user PullTab Productions, that’s something fans across the world can enjoy.

PullTab has been compiling a loving tribute to the tourney’s follicular stars for years, but this time around, equipment and apparel manufacturer Warrior Hockey has been enlisted to help promote the best locks, as well as a worthy cause.

“We saw it as a great opportunity to connect with all the fans of the Minnesota High School Boys tournament and the hockey family beyond,” said Keith Perera, brand manager for Warrior. “The hair video has become a great book end to the amazing talent showcase in the ‘State of Hockey’ and it was a honor to be part of this annual ritual. Also, guided by the auteur, we found a way to benefit the local community and a charity that is dear to his heart, the Hendrickson Foundation. We had a chance to help hockey players of all abilities. We are the only major hockey manufacturer that produces hockey sticks for all hockey players (standing, sled and goalie) so it was a no-brainer for us.”

Nice.

Check it out above, and marvel at the kings of the hair jungle.

GALLERY: Great NHL Hairstyles

Great NHL Hairstyles

Patrick Kane

Presenting a little journey through hockey's cutting edge tradition of alluring hair styles. The Blackhawk winger's mullet was the most talked-about hairdo of the 2010 Stanley Cup playoffs.

Scott Hartnell

Not about to take a backseat to Patrick Kane, the Flyers winger sported an arresting look that was fully in keeping with his former team's own grand tradition of tonsorial splendor. Hartnell is somewhat more, shall we say, trim these days as he skates with the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Dave Schultz

The immortal Hammer of Broad Street Bullies fame was a paragon of That '70s Look ...

Bill Flett

And no one rocked the comb-over harder than Cowboy Bill Flett ....

Untitled Image — Bruce Bennett Studios/Getty Images

Yes, there was a time in the late '80s and early '90s when even superstars wouldn't dream of being seen without the Barry Melrose/Billy Ray Cyrus look ....

Barry Melrose

Of course, the most famous hockey mullet of all time likely belongs to the former coach and current ESPN analyst, whose locks have remained largely unpicked for more than 20 years.

Chris Pronger

The Flyers defenseman sported the "greasy kid's stuff" look when he was with Anaheim from 2006 to 2009.

Mike Commodore

While skating for the 2006 Stanley Cup champion Hurricanes, backliner Commodore made the fright wig look famous as well as popular with fans, who were often seen sporting them at games.

Ryan Smyth

One of the NHL's great hair farmers, Smyth could have easily been mistaken for a rock star when he arrived on Long Island in 2007.

Chris Simon

The bass player for Alice In Chains? Nope. This is the notorious pot-stirring winger (wasn't Winger the name of a band?) during his '90s days with the Colorado Avalanche.

Darius Kasparaitis

The Lithuanian blueliner proved that hockey is indeed a hair-raising sport, especially when you play for the New York Rangers.

The Hanson Brothers

Yeah, they're fictional characters. But the iconic Dave Hanson (Red Wings, North Stars) and Steve Carlson (Kings) did skate in the NHL as well as the beloved movie Slap Shot. Third "brother" Jeff Carlson (right) was a minor league winger. Pass the foil.

Mike Ricci

Dude, where's my stick?

Three Kings of the early '90s revealed what was possible with a pair of shears and at least a semi-steady hand ...

Paul Coffey

The Elvis look is truly timeless.

Ron Duguay

The Ranger heartthrob brought the Peter Frampton perm to the NHL in the late '70s.

Harold Snepsts

The Canucks defenseman of the '70s looked like a roadie for Motorhead ... or a (young) Burt Reynolds body double, perhaps?

Wayne Gretzky

The soon-to-be Great One sported David Bowie's Ziggy Stardust look when he arrived in Edmonton in the late '70s ...

Bobby Nystrom

The flowing locks favored by the hard-nosed Islander winger were first made famous by Montreal's great Guy Lafleur ...

Guy Lafleur

"The Flower" at rest. But when the wind was in those locks as he skated swiftly down the wing, even Rapunzel turned green with envy.

The iconic Blackhawks of the 1960s kept their local barbers flush ...

Gump Worsley

There's much to be said for the Gumper's basic "flat top" especially if you're looking for a place to land your Cessna when the engine stalls ...

Published Mar 9, 2015

ALLAN MUIR