Summer Hockey and Mental Health Shine Bright at the Celly League

In Minnesota, hockey isn’t just a season, it’s a year-round way of life. That’s especially true at Braemar Arena in Edina, where the ice never seems to melt and the action never stops. One of the standout summer traditions is the Celly League, a fast-growing showcase for some of the region’s top women’s hockey talent.

The league features five teams of professional and collegiate women’s hockey players, as well as athletes entering the college ranks in the fall. The Celly League dropped the puck on its first season in the Summer of 2023 and has brought elite action to Braemar Arena since.

The league is near and dear to Sophie’s Squad, with the organizations partnering for multiple years. That partnership produced another successful campaign this summer, with the Celly League wrapping up its season on July 31st.

The Celly Cup Championship game served as the main event of a slate of games that included The Next Wave game, featuring the Class of ‘29 girls and Dangle League games. The Dangle League is a sister organization that features elite high school girls from around the state of Minnesota.

All of the games showcased high-quality and intense hockey, but it was also a crucial event to support Sophie’s Squad and mental health awareness.

Every team wore a Sophie’s Squad patch on their jerseys, while the stars of the Next Wave game received a bag of Sophie’s Squad gear to commemorate the event. We also ran booths at the game, allowing us to meet with the community face-to-face in the lobby of Braemar Arena.

The atmosphere provided the players with an opportunity to reflect on the importance of mental health, with several athletes sharing their experiences of taking care of their mental well-being and emphasizing its crucial nature.

One of those athletes was Maddie Lee, a White Bear Lake forward who is committed to playing at St. Cloud State University.

“Mental health is really important to me because it’s something that’s often overlooked. A lot of people don’t really take care of their mental health a lot,” Lee said. “Sophie’s Squad is super important because it shows people that it’s ok to not be ok. If you need help, you can reach out.”

The day was a momentous celebration of mental health awareness, but it was also a thrilling night of action on the ice.

Sophie’s Squad President Terry Hughes dropped the puck in a pre-game ceremony before Team Lake Cowboy and Team MNHockeyTV played for the ultimate prize of the Celly Cup.

Lake Cowboy came into the game with a perfect 9-0 record, while MNHockey.TV went into the game as a slight underdog after a 3-4-1 regular season performance. Lake Cowboy defeated MNHockey.TV 11-0 early in the season before a much closer 2-1 game late in the regular season.

The championship game resembled the 2-1 contest as the championship matchup was tightly contested throughout the whole game. MNHockey.TV seemed primed to hand Lake Cowboy their only loss of the season when they scored a goal to go up 4-2 early in the second half.

Lake Cowboy stormed back, tying the game at four goals apiece late in the second half. They scored a go-ahead goal and looked primed to win in regulation before Team MNHockey.TV scored an equalizer with only 1:32 remaining.

Goaltender Layla Hemp shut the door for Lake Cowboy in the shootout, stopping three straight attempts to win the championship and complete the perfect season. Maddy Clough scored the lone shootout goal.

The Celly League’s 2025 season proved once again that Minnesota’s hockey scene thrives year-round. Minnesota Hockey isn’t just about skill and competition, but also community and cause. The partnership between the Celly League and Sophie’s Squad added meaningful purpose to the fast-paced action, reminding players and fans alike that mental health matters just as much as the game itself.