Article by Olivia Stephes.
The Herb Brooks National Hockey Center, home to St. Cloud State University’s men’s and women’s hockey programs, is preparing for a historic transformation nearly four decades after first making college hockey history.
In 1987, the Huskies made the leap to NCAA Division I under the leadership of legendary coach Herb Brooks. Since then, the arena’s Olympic-sized ice sheet has stood as a symbol of that era — but after nearly 40 years, change is coming.
“We are what we are because of the people that came before us,” said St. Cloud State men’s hockey head coach Brett Larson. “It’s super exciting that Herb Brooks was part of our history.”
In June, the Minnesota Legislature approved $12.9 million in state funding to upgrade the Herb Brooks National Hockey Center. The renovations will include a complete replacement of the original ice plant — which has been operating since the late 1980s — as well as major structural updates to modernize the facility.
“We truly are on borrowed time,” said SCSU Athletics Director Heather Weems. “This is a project that we’ve been looking at since I started in 2017. Each year we’ve asked, ‘Can we make it through another season?’”
The new cooling system will serve as the centerpiece of the renovation, but construction will also involve tearing up and rebuilding the rink floor. During that process, the university will resize the ice sheet to conform to NHL dimensions, transitioning away from the Olympic size that’s been a hallmark of Husky Hockey since its inception.
“The cooling plant is the essence of it,” Weems explained. “But while we’re doing that, we need to tear up the entire floor. So while we’re doing that, we’re also resizing the rink slightly so that it falls under the category of NHL sizing.”
The change from Olympic to NHL size — narrowing the sheet from 100 feet wide to 85 — will bring the home ice more in line with most collegiate and professional rinks nationwide. Coaches and players believe that shift will have a direct impact on competition.
“There’s always been a bit of an adjustment going on the road, going from our Olympic sheet here to an NHL-size sheet away,” said senior forward Barrett Hall. “Being able to practice on that size ice all week will really help us prepare for those games.”
The project is about more than competitive advantage, though. For university leaders, it’s a commitment to the program’s legacy and its future.
“Seeing that type of $13 million investment in these programs to make sure that we stay among the top in college hockey — that shows recruits these programs are heading in the right direction,” said Larson.
Beyond hockey, the upgrades aim to benefit both campus and community. The Herb Brooks National Hockey Center has long served as a venue for youth tournaments, skating programs, and community events.
“It’s really important that we have facilities that meet not only the needs of the university, but the needs of the community as well,” Weems said.
Construction is set to begin following the conclusion of the 2025–26 hockey season, with work expected to start in mid-March 2026. Once completed, the project will extend the life of the facility for decades to come.
“This really resets the time clock for us,” Weems said. “Because this is the place to be on weekends — the excitement, the energy, Husky Hockey — it’s here to stay.”
The Herb Brooks National Hockey Center continues to stand as a cornerstone of St. Cloud State’s athletic identity. Now, with this renovation on the horizon, it’s preparing to bridge the rich tradition of its past with the bright promise of its future.
Recent Comments