ST. CLOUD, Minn. — John Mariucci and Herb Brooks, considered the godfathers of modern college hockey in Minnesota, never could have envisioned this in their lifetimes. But when Coach Bob Motzko left St. Cloud State after last season to succeed the retiring Don Lucia at the University of Minnesota, he arguably made a lateral move, not a step up.

Such a notion would have been hockey heresy in the 1950s and ’60s, when Mariucci coached the Golden Gophers to national prominence, or the 1970s, when Brooks led Minnesota to three N.C.A.A. titles before coaching the 1980 United States Olympic team to the Miracle on Ice.

The Gophers used to be the premier program in the state, but that has changed.

Last season St. Cloud State, Minnesota Duluth and Minnesota State qualified for the N.C.A.A. tournament, with St. Cloud claiming the overall No. 1 seed and Minnesota Duluth winning its second national title this decade. Minnesota, a five-time national champion, missed the 16-team tournament for the second time in three seasons.

And the balance of power continues to shift. St. Cloud State (27-4-3) remained atop both national polls this week, with Minnesota Duluth (21-11-2) fourth. Minnesota State (29-7-2) is second in one poll and third in the other. As the teams begin their conference tournaments this weekend, St. Cloud, Minnesota State and Minnesota Duluth are all in line for No. 1 seeds in the N.C.A.A. tournament.