Northfield's Malecha selected Class AA Herb Brooks Award Winner

Northfield senior goalie Maggie Malecha was selected the recipient of the Class AA Herb Brooks Award on Saturday, Feb. 26, 2022 at the Xcel Energy Center in downtown St. Paul.

The annual award is presented to a state tournament participant that strongly represents the values, characteristics and traits that defined Herb Brooks, a St. Paul native that gained international fame as a hockey coach. The award commemorates the unending influence that Brooks had on the sport of hockey, not just in Minnesota, but throughout the world.

Malecha backstopped the Raiders in their third consecutive trip to the state tournament. She entered the state tournament with a 1.42 goals-against average. In two state tournament games, she had 92 saves, including 55 in a quarterfinal loss to No. 2 Edina.

“Maggie is an exceptional leader on and off the ice,” Northfield coach Paige Haley said. “She has played a huge role in developing the culture of this team. As a captain, Maggie helped me develop our character pillars and values as a high school hockey program.”

Malecha, a two-time all-state selection will play collegiately at the University of St. Thomas.

“A couple of years ago, Maggie lost her dad to cancer,” Haley said. “She had a decision to make for her junior and senior years as a hockey player without her dad. Maggie chose resilience. She grew up fast and became one of the best captains this program will ever have. She makes everyone around her better as both a player and a person. Her character is exceptional. She is inspirational and admirable. She shows strong character as a player and person. Maggie is very influential to those around her-- parents, players, youth girls hockey players. She has left a print on the town of Northfield.”