Миннесотагийн “Da Beauty League” зуны хоккейн лиг энэ улирлаар үйл ажиллагаагаа бүрмөсөн зогсооно

EDINA, Minn. — The title had been won, and the Da Beauty League trophy was about to make its debut.

It was a hot August night in 2018. A team that included former Minnesota Wild goalie Alex Stalock and former University of Minnesota and New Jersey Devils defenseman Seth Helgeson was wrapping up its celebration in the dressing room at Braemar Arena, the usual home of Edina High.

Winning a league title was a big deal here, even for a summer hockey league at a high school rink. NHLers Zach Parise, Brock Nelson, Ryan McDonagh, Nate Schmidt, Anders Lee and Dustin Byfuglien were among those who participated in the six-team league on Wednesday nights.

The trophy was as unpretentious and fun as the league itself — a custom-made keg drum, typically used for fire pits — but that didn’t make it any less cherished.

Stalock and Helgeson called an Uber to pick them up at the arena’s loading dock, where fans typically line up behind a fence to get autographs, and take them and their prize to the 1029 Bar in Northeast Minneapolis, a sticky-floored dive that boasts cheap drinks, pull tabs and often karaoke.

There, the two posted up at a table and just hung out, enjoying everyone who came up to ask about the tin trophy.

“People are like, ‘What is that?’” Stalock said. “I’m like, ‘It’s Da Beauty League Cup. Seriously, you don’t know what this is?’”

Da Beauty League has been a summer fixture in Twin Cities hockey for a decade, bringing in around 2,000 fans per game night and raising nearly $700,000 for local charities. It’s a rite of passage for young players who once were in the stands, like the Wild’s Brock Faber, to eventually play in the games. The past three years, some of the top women’s players in the sport — from Taylor Heise to Lee Stecklein — have become regulars, too, with the addition of a women’s game.

This will be the league’s final summer, though. It’s been more of a challenge in recent years to get top players to show up regularly, between summer family schedules and training. The league had already scaled back its men’s games. It wasn’t clear who the next generation of headliners would be.

“The crowds are still great,” said chief organizer Ben Hankinson, a former Gopher and NHLer and a prominent agent. “We figured, let’s go out on top.”

As the final games approach — the playoffs are on Aug. 17 and Aug. 19 — it’s been a time for nostalgia for fans and players alike.

That includes John Scott, the league’s quasi-commissioner — a former NHL enforcer and colorful character (aka “beauty”).

“It had a great run, and it was a great time for what it was,” Scott said. “You see copycat leagues that have tried this, because it’s so beneficial for the players that get that kind of competition. Some of them work. But I don’t think any of them will be able to do what Minnesota did.

“If you tried it in Hamilton, Ontario, it’d be too crazy. Some high-end players would show up, and it’d be out of control. In Minnesota, they’re just hockey players, and they come to watch. They don’t turn it into something too serious. A lot of other places would ruin it, charge up the ass or make it more corporate. They’ve done such a great job keeping it low-key and fun.”

As Hankinson wrote players’ names on strips for their jerseys a few Wednesdays ago, he laughed thinking about the league’s inauspicious start. Perhaps even a scary one, if you were the organizers.

Hankinson was one of the league’s architects, along with colleague Chris McAlpine and former Gopher Keith Ballard, both also former NHLers, as well as Josh Schaub, Terry Moore and Tony Michel.

The first game, in the summer of 2015, was great. Competitive. Fun. The crowd showed up and dug it.

“The second game, we literally didn’t know how many players we had,” Hankinson said.

McAlpine piped up: “You’re telling this bulls— story again?” They both laughed.

Ballard was one of the league’s early coaches and helped recruit players. The problem for that second game? There wasn’t a reminder sent out. Maybe six players showed up.

To save the game, Hankinson & co. pleaded to players from the first game to double up.

“They thought it’d be like a pickup league; they didn’t think it’d be more than 1,500 fans out there,” Hankinson said. “They didn’t realize it’d be full-out lights, camera, action, scoreboard. Pretty legit.

“We were short and so nervous the league was going to fold the first night. We got a few guys — Caleb Herbert, Drew Stafford — all the guys went to legendary status because they stayed. And they saved our ass by playing twice.”

After that, finding top-quality players wasn’t a problem in the early years. There were seven NHLers per roster when the league had six men’s teams. More than 100 NHLers have participated, in all. There can be a casual feel, but there’s also strong competition — case in point, a fight between Vinni Lettieri and Teddy Blueger.

Nate Schmidt, a veteran of 823 NHL games, said early in his career he felt like he had to “lobby to try to get into the league.”

“I felt I had to have a certain amount of games to get in,” Schmidt joked. “I remember (Byfuglien) just rolling in. All the big names were always playing. It was surreal to me. For me, it was better than some NHL teams. It was packed. So much fun, energy.”

Nate Schmidt has become a regular at Da Beauty League. (Photo courtesy of Da Beauty League)

The premise behind the league was that there were so many players in Minnesota in the offseason — working out, participating in their agencies’ camps — why not bring them together and connect them with the community? Ticket proceeds (now $15 for an adult for the full night; kids under 48 inches are free) went to several charities, including foundations set up by Darby Hendrickson, Paul Martin and Herb Brooks; United Heroes; and DinoMights.

“We do this in the morning with nobody in the stands,” Schmidt said. “It’s a lot more cool to come here and feel like you’re part of something. Guys early in my career, they said as pros, you’ve got to be more than just a hockey player. You’re an ambassador to your community, to the kids and your hometown. I think, for me, that’s why it brings so many guys here.”

Scott has been retired from the NHL for about a decade and lives in Traverse City, Michigan. He and his wife, Danielle, have eight children, all girls.

But the 43-year-old remains a lifeblood and symbol of Da Beauty League. A silhouette of the enforcer celebrating during the 2016 NHL All-Star Game, when he was named MVP, is even the logo on the front of the summer league’s championship trophy.

“It’s flattering, but at the same time, I’m like, ‘OK, there are way more people who are more deserving of this,’” Scott said, laughing. “(Hankinson) is the heartbeat of this whole thing. He asked if they could put my face on the Cup. I’m like, ‘Sure, go with it.’ I shake my head like, ‘What are we doing?’”

Scott was a client of Octagon and an early member of the league. He loved how chill it was — how much interaction you could get with fans.

“The great thing about Da Beauty League is they haven’t made it too serious,” Scott said. “It’s still very open with the kids. There’s no security or anything. Just family-friendly. Kids are always around. It feels like when you go to the rink when you’re a little kid. You pack your bags, maybe a couple hundred people watch, but kids are buzzing around and everyone is having fun.”

The custom-made “bum” drum that became the league’s trophy was initially supposed to be a gift from Minnesota Wild general manager Bill Guerin to Scott. Hankinson saw it and figured it’d be perfect for the trophy, and Guerin got Scott another one.

“It’s emblematic of Minnesota,” Scott said. “They just don’t take themselves too serious. But they’re always down for a good time. It works well.”

Jake Sibell went to his first Da Beauty League game about eight years ago, attending as part of a goalie camp he was going to. He marveled at the atmosphere — how fun and laid-back it was.

So when Sibell, a college goalie, transferred from Niagara University to the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul for the 2023-24 season, he decided he wanted to volunteer to be part of the league. He went to the league website and filled out a form under the “Contact Us” tab, offering to fill in if needed and wondering where it would end up.

Hankinson loved it and invited Sibell out as soon as he had an opening. Sibell has been a regular every summer since, winning the league title last season. He said the best part is hanging with the other players after games and then signing autographs as he walks out.

“Seeing those faces in the stands — that was me 10 years ago,” Sibell said. “I remember what I was like when I was their age and how in awe I was of the highly skilled players on the ice. Now I get to play with them.”

Sibell’s championship run came with the help of some quirky league rules. One involves a “hot puck,” where every goal counts as two for a certain period of time. In the title game, Sibell’s team rallied to score three times with the hot puck. “That saved us,” he said.

Several of Sibell’s teammates jumped into a pool with the John Scott Trophy after the win. Sibell savored his celebration at the rink.

“You don’t get to lift a trophy every day,” Sibell said. “So you kind of treat it like it’s my own Stanley Cup.”

Stanley Cup winner Jake Guentzel signs autographs for fans in his hometown state. (Photo courtesy of Da Beauty League)

Ryan Dufrene and his wife, Katie, are big hockey fans in Austin, Texas. Four summers ago, Katie was scrolling online when she saw clips of Da Beauty League. They’re both educators, so they have summers off. They decided to come to the Twin Cities for a week and check out the league.

There was one wrinkle.

They heard the anthem being piped in online. Ryan sent a message to the league offering to play trumpet to give it a little bit more oomph.

It was an instant hit. Dufrene started with the anthem his first year and has progressed to doing pregame hype songs for player entrances too.

“That’s my favorite when I get to skate out to the trumpet,” Sibell said. “I miss when he’s not there. Normal music just doesn’t hit the same.”

Ryan and Katie have extended their Minnesota summer trips each year, from a week to three to five to six. They’ve fallen in love with the area and league.

“It’s cool to see all the different levels of players playing together,” Ryan said. “For the price you pay, you get to watch three games an evening. Get to see some superstars from the NHL and PWHL. That’s been really cool to see in a more intimate setting.”

For the players and organizers, it makes it a special occasion to share with family. Schmidt’s 3-year-old son, Harvey, was on the bench for a recent game wearing a helmet, then scurrying down the hallway. Riley Tufte’s 6-year-old son, Jax, has been a fixture. It’s not uncommon to see strollers in the hall by the dressing rooms. Hankinson’s mother, Bonnie, meanwhile, is the matriarch of the league, helping run merchandise tables.

“Mostly I think I run the ship,” she joked.

Bonnie has had a child or grandchild play hockey for the past 50 years, and that’s not about to change, even without Da Beauty League.

“Once you love hockey, you love every level of it,” she said. “I just saw a picture, a 5-year-old girl playing hockey. They started coming here at 5. Now they’re 15. They say, ‘Do you have to let it go?’ All good things come to an end. And it’ll revolve into something else.

“It’s been a good run. But it’ll be missed.”