List of best U.S. cities for hockey doesn't have any from Minnesota in the top 10

St. Paul finished best at 13th. Other Minnesota cities include Bemidji at 42nd, Minneapolis at 48th, St. Cloud at 56th, Duluth at 58th, and Mankato at 64th. 

No mention, either, of Eveleth, home of the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame.

It's a bitter pill to swallow, seeing a top 10 devoid of Minnesota representation. Here's what that top 10 looks like. 

1. Boston
2. Detroit
3. Pittsburgh
4. New York City
5. Newark
6. Denver
7. Sunrise
8. Tampa
9. Buffalo
10. St. Louis

Before anyone lights their phone on fire in an attempt to erase this list from history, a little explanation is necessary. 

WalletHub created the list by comparing 76 cities in two parent categories: NHL hockey and NCAA DI hockey. Inside each category, 21 metrics were considered. Additionally, the NHL category was weighted more heavily than the college hockey category. 

It is, in many ways, set up for Minnesota to fail. The number of NHL teams is considered (advantage to New York) as is the performance of those teams, Stanley Cup wins, and division championship wins, among other metrics. These are metrics where, to be kind, the Minnesota Wild do not come out on top.

Things would look a lot better if women's pro hockey was considered, given the success of the Frost and the Whitecaps before them. 

College hockey makes a positive impact for Minnesota cities, but it only accounts for 20% of the score and only includes men's hockey. 

The absence of women's hockey hurts Minnesota (and is generally absurd) since there are so many good teams in the state, including a handful of championships for the Gophers and the Bulldogs. 

High school hockey and youth hockey participation aren't factored in at all. USA Hockey's most recent data shows Minnesota hockey as having far more youth hockey participation than any other state, with Massachusetts, Michigan, and New York showing well too. 

Though, it's worth noting that those rankings aren't per capita but raw numbers, and Minnesota's population of 5.7 million is quite a bit lower than those other states. Additionally, that's a statewide metric and not boiled down to individual cities. 

In other words, it's not a great study. C'est la vie. Given the methodology, it's hard to argue with the success of the teams like the Panthers, Lightning, Avalanche, Penguins, and all the other teams that have managed to do well enough that they don't wind up as a punchline in an NFL schedule announcement video.