John King, a self-described “archaeologist of hockey hair” in White Bear Lake, Minnesota, is gearing up to release his annual “All Hockey Hair Team” video montage on YouTube. This video has become a cultural touchstone in Minnesota and beyond, paying tribute to the unique hairstyles sported by players during their introductions at the Minnesota boys’ high school state hockey tournament.
Mr. King, along with Pulltab Sports, the sports and entertainment site he co-founded, is known for highlighting overlooked aspects of Midwest sports and making them a big deal. His hockey hair videos, which have been popular since 2011, now have a presenting sponsor in Duke Cannon, a men’s grooming products company. The videos also serve as a fundraising tool for the Hendrickson Foundation, which works to make hockey more accessible to people with disabilities.
Mr. King scours tournament games in search of the best hockey hair to feature in his videos. He looks for long, flowing locks that protrude from under the helmets, providing a classic, old-school hockey look. The success of his videos is attributed to the unique culture of hockey in Minnesota, where the sport is deeply rooted in communities and has a passionate following.
Despite the popularity of his videos and the attention they bring to hockey hair, Mr. King sees his role as showcasing the tournament and raising money for a good cause rather than feeling a personal responsibility to keep hockey hair alive. As he prepares to release his 2025 state high school hockey tournament video, Mr. King continues to celebrate the quirky and beloved tradition of hockey hair in Minnesota.
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