ST. PAUL, Minn. -- Every hockey coach, player and fan knows that in Canada, hockey reigns.
But at its southern border, directly below Ontario and Manitoba, 1,021 miles from the capital of Ottawa, is a part of the United States equally in love with the sport. That's why Minnesota is called "The State of Hockey."
The State of Hockey will celebrate its bond with its northern neighbor and Canada's 150th birthday when the Minnesota Wild host Canada Night during their game against the Ottawa Senators at Xcel Energy Center on Thursday (8 p.m. ET; FS-WI, FS-N+, RDS2, TSN5, NHL.TV).
Fans will be treated to a Mountie singing the Canadian national anthem, foam fingers emblazoned with "Canada 150" and information about visiting the country.
From former Minnesota North Stars coach and Ontario native Lou Nanne, who raised his family in Minnesota, to Canadian-born player J.P Parise, father of Wild center Zach Parise, Canada and Minnesota are inextricably linked when it comes to the sport.
"It does feel like home," said Wild defenseman Matt Dumba, a Regina, Saskatchewan, native. "[Minnesotans] really aren't too far from Canada. It's a lot like home for me … Playing hockey in the winter feels natural here."
Like Canadians, Minnesotans are found at young ages on outdoor lakes, ponds and city rinks, fueling a passion and honing skills that might one day take them to the NHL.
It's a reason Wild center Eric Staal would be happy to stay in the state, where his own kids, Parker (7), Levi (5) and Finley (2), can grow up learning the game the same way he did - alongside his brothers in Thunder Bay, Ontario.
"Becoming a good hockey player is a product of the environment you live in," Staal said. "It's why it's not uncommon to see a lot of Canadians and Minnesotans excelling around the League. You can be on the ice a lot during the winter months and work on your skills and practice. It's ingrained in the culture of what you do when you're a kid, and a lot of the kids do that here in Minnesota."
Nasim said when he was appointed consul general in the fall of 2016, he was thrilled to select Minnesota as his home base, thanks to its hockey reputation.
"The caliber of hockey here is just as good [as Canada]," said Nasim, whose two children, Nico (13) and Olivia (11) both played hockey in Minnesota's Edina Youth Hockey Association this season. "The passion you feel for hockey here is really extraordinary.
"Hockey is a builder of communities. We have so many things in common via trade, tourism, the great lakes and then of course, hockey … It's a great connection."
Take Burnsville, Minnesota, native Brock Boeser. After his University of North Dakota team lost in double-overtime to Boston University in the NCAA tournament last Friday, Boeser signed with the Vancouver Canucks. On Saturday, the 20-year-old forward made his NHL against the Wild at Xcel Energy Center.
"Growing up in Minnesota, being in the NHL is what you dream of," Boeser said after a 4-2 victory, in which scored his first NHL goal. "I am grateful to have played some of my high school hockey here … and to have grown up playing in a state that has produced so many great players. It's just awesome."
For the 42 Minnesota-born players - including Boeser - who played in at least one NHL game this season, it has become a dream come true.
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