Former Anoka High School boys hockey coach inducted into MHCA Hall of Fame

Former Anoka High School (AHS) boys hockey coach Greg Rajanen was inducted into the Minnesota Hockey Coaches Association (MHCA) Hall of Fame. Rajanen was recognized at the Minnesota Wild preseason game on Friday, Sept. 25.

Rajanen spent six seasons (1988-1994) as the head coach of the Tornadoes, finishing with a record of 92-63-2. He led Anoka to a fourth-place finish at the state tournament and a conference championship in 1990. Among the standout players at AHS were NHL draft picks Reggie Berg, Dan Reimann and Steve Magnusson.

He also served as an assistant coach with the AHS girls hockey team that finished as runner-up in the 2020 state tournament. After AHS, Rajanen spent time with the Minnesota Moose and at the University of Illinois-Chicago before retiring from coaching. Rajanen then began a career as a NHL scout, first for the Calgary Flames and later in a full-time role for NHL Central Scouting.

Rajanen was inducted into the University of Wisconsin-Superior Hall of Fame in 2015. Rajanen joins former AHS coach Todd Manthey, who was inducted in 2022, in the MHCA Hall of Fame.