North Star trophy unveiled

Pictured is the trophy that goes to the winner of the North Star College Cup tournament was unveiled at the University of Minnesota on Wednesday. The hand-turned and crafted wooden piece (can it be nicknamed "the Herbie?") seems like a nice prize in what a lot of college-hockey fans in the state hope will be a great tradition not unlike Boston's Beanpot.

Some info on the trophy's design, from the U of M:

The North Star College Cup was designed and produced by Sterling Trophy Inc. in Anova, with several ties to the state of Minnesota. The cup itself was made out of a red oak tree from the Glen Skrove Farm in Mora and was turned by Doug Johannsen of Ramsey. The hand-crafted base is topped with a star — representing Minnesota's moniker of the "North Star State" — made out of native birch wood. The star is surrounded by 2013-14 game pucks from all five of Minnesota's Division I hockey programs to celebrate the inaugural season of the North Star College Cup. Finally, the base of the cup was hand crafted by Bill Durant of Durant Woodworking in Anoka out of hickory wood — a unique hardwood that was used to manufacture hockey sticks.

The Mavericks will take on Minnesota Duluth at 4 p.m. on Friday. St. Cloud State and Minnesota will play at 7 p.m. The two winners and two losers will play each other on Saturday.

Tickets are still available at the Xcel Energy Center box office and through Ticketmaster.

Looking ahead to future North Star College Cups, Bemidji State rotates into the field next year, and St. Cloud State will be out. Minnesota Duluth is out in 2016, and Minnesota State is out in 2017. Minnesota is a permanent fixture in the field.