NEW ULM — Hockey Day VII New Ulm is set for a Saturday, January 11, puck drop at the New Ulm Civic Center with hockey games starting bright and early at 7:30 a.m.

“We started Hockey Day here in New Ulm in 2018 and we have had a Hockey Day except for 2021 when COVID shut us down,” New Ulm Hockey Operations Director Geoff Torzewski said. “And this year we have a good grouping of teams. We have a lot of teams from the Mankato area playing. Our PeeWee Bs and our Squirt As, Squirt Bs and 12 Us and Bantam Bs are all playing Mankato. Our PeeWee A team is playing New Prague and our Squirt C team is playing Minnesota River and our 10U team is playing Owatonna.”

The New Ulm Eagles girls team is playing Mankato West and the Eagles boys team is playing Redwood Valley.

“We will also have good food all day with sauerkraut and landjaegers which is a staple each year,” Torzewski said. “We will have a silent auction and an autograph signing from out local teams. Also Crush 80/20 will be there with shakes. We will also have face-painting and the big one, the hockey hair contest and that will be voted on by the people who are at the games.”

New Ulm/Sleepy Eye hockey apparel will also be sold in the conference room.

“We have 16 total teams here on Saturday with the first game at the North Rink at 7:30 a.m. and doors will open at 7:15 a.m.” Torzewski said. “On the South Rink at 8 a.m. will be our Mite Level kids and they will be on the ice. Our Level 3s will be at 8 a.m. our level 2s great 9 and our Level 1s are at 10 a.m. They are all playing in-house (inter-squad) games.”

Torzewski said that Hockey Day New Ulm is a great way for showcase the New Ulm/Sleepy Eye hockey program and how it runs.

“And it is a great way for all of our players to be showcased as well,” he said. “Hockey Day New Ulm is growing year-to-year. For the high school games, the stands are packed and we are getting more involvement from the community in terms of sponsorship. So it is a really great day to bring not only the hockey community but also the communities of New Ulm and Sleepy Eye together.”

Torzewski said there are many other cities in Minnesota that are doing similar hockey days.

“Obviously Hockey Day Minnesota is the forerunner of this and a lot of associations have taken it on,” he said. “But New Ulm started if from an association standpoint back in 2018 and you have seen more associations kind of take the New Ulm model and make it grow.”

Admission is free all day.

The New Ulm boys JV team will also host Willmar at 5 p.m. on the South Rink.