1. Could the mighty fall short?

Tempting as it is to fast-forward the season straight to the evening of Feb. 25, 2023, at Xcel Energy Center for the assumed Andover-Minnetonka rematch in the Class 2A state title game, both superteams face potential Kryptonite in their respective sections. Legendary hockey coach Dean Blais, an International Falls graduate, once said the sport's name should change from hockey to goalie. Both defending state champion Andover and runner-up Minnetonka have goalies to fear among their competition, seniors capable of ruining the party. In Section 2, Holy Family's Sedona Blair took the Skippers to overtime in the finals last season. She gives the Fire a huge edge in goaltending experience over Minnetonka. And in Section 7, Blaine's Hailey Hansen is used to stealing games in which her Bengals get outshot. She will need to perform like she did as a sophomore, when Andover posted 49 shots to Blaine's eight but won only 2-1.

2. Coaching changes

Whether changing colors or returning to the game after a hiatus, four proven coaches drew interest with their offseason moves. Jaime Grossman, the only girls' hockey head coach to win state titles in both Class 1A and 2A, left Eden Prairie after 11 seasons for Shakopee. He teaches in the Shakopee district and sits on the local youth hockey board. His replacement at Eden Prairie, Steve Persian, left his previous post under duress. Persian and most of his staff departed from the Breck girls' hockey program with eight games remaining in the 2020-21 season. He led the Mustangs to a pair of Class 1A state titles. Claire Goldsmith served as co-head coach the past five seasons at Mound Westonka, helping the White Hawks make Class 1A state tournament appearances in 2019 and 2021. She will be the new bench boss for Minneapolis. And Larry Olimb, the 1988 Mr. Hockey winner out of Warroad and a Gophers legend, takes the helm at Orono. He returns to coaching after serving as co-head coach of the Wayzata girls' team from 2000 to '06. He will direct a pretty loaded Orono team in search of a second consecutive Class 1A state tournament appearance.

3. Hockey Day Minnesota

When the puck drops on Hockey Day Minnesota 2023, a Bally Sports North production, the girls' teams from Stillwater and host White Bear Lake will be first through the boards. They play at 9:30 a.m. Jan. 28 at Polar Lakes Park in White Bear Township. Rivals in both the Suburban East Conference and Class 2A, Section 4, they played only once last season, Stillwater winning 3-0.

Thursday's Opening Night schedule