He long ago hung up the skates. Now he's hanging up the microphone which will end an era for Minnesota hockey fans.
Lou Nanne says that the 2024 Boys State Hockey Tournament will be his last. Nanne's been the voice of the state tournament, broadcasting those games on television for nearly six decades.
"I started thinking about it last year. I wanted to do it right at the right time, give the station notice so they could plan their future," Nanne explained. "I had such a great time doing it, I enjoyed doing it so much. I just thought it was responsible so the station could do what they needed to do for their future."
This year's tournament, broadcast locally on channel 45, will begin March 6.
Nanne, who spoke Thursday to Vineeta Sawkar on the WCCO Morning News is beloved in Minnesota by hockey fans. He says the reaction since his announcement has been thrilling to see.
"I was very, very surprised by the reaction I've seen," Nanne says. "I'm pleased and thankful so many people have been kind to me."
Nanne covered games at the tournament over the years involving his sons, and his grandsons. But one in particular still stands out to him, a Class AA semifinal matchup in 1996. The teams combined for nine goals, 114 saves, and the longest game of hockey ever played in the classic tournament.
"That game between Duluth East and Apple Valley that went five overtimes," Nanne recalls. "We've had overtime games but not the way these two teams played. We went on until early in the morning, but to win that game that went so long and come back the next day and win the state tournament is incredible."
A native of Ontario, the 82-year-old Nanne was a star under Gopher coach John Mariucci at Minnesota from 1960-63.
Nanne turned down a chance to play in the NHL when he graduated, saying he made much more money working in the Twin Cities for Harvey McKay's envelope company.
But after becoming a U.S. citizen in 1967, Nanne joined another Minnesotan, Herb Brooks, on the U.S. Olympic team which ended up finishing sixth in France in 1968. Nanne, along with USA Hockey's Walter Bush, helped get Brooks the head coaching position ahead of the 1980 Olympics which became one of the great upsets in sports history when the U.S. upset the powerful Soviet team in Lake Placid.
Nanne then joined the expansion Minnesota North Stars. He spent his entire nine-year NHL career with the Minnesota North Stars and became the general manager and coach after retiring.
Nanne also has called North Star games on TV plus Wild games from time-to-time, he's been on Canada's famous "Hockey Night" broadcasts, called games for CBS and others, and even did a game where his grandson Vini Letteri scored his first NHL goal.
"Of all the games I've done, none are as tough as games my son or grandson is in," Nanne explained. "You want to be neutral and call the game but your insides are churning like you can't believe."
But through all of that, high school hockey was part of Nanne's life. He first broadcast his first state tournament in 1964, just a year removed from college, and he's been on every one since. It's not "just" a hockey tournament either. It's a significant event each year for much of Minnesota who produces more great hockey players than any state in the country by far, and has made Nanne one of the most important voices in Minnesota sports history.
Nanne says witnessing the evolution of hockey in his 60-plus years in Minnesota hockey has been incredible.