Gophers Hockey Stars Skate Into the NHL with a Bang

Following a lackluster conclusion to the Minnesota men’s hockey season in the NCAA Tournament’s opening round in late March, a number of standout Gophers players promptly inked entry-level deals with NHL teams. Some of these athletes wasted no time joining their drafting franchises and have already made a strong start in the world’s premier hockey league.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jimmy Snuggerud, RW, St. Louis Blues

The Blues have swiftly integrated their 2022 first-round draft pick, 20-year-old Snuggerud, into their top line alongside Robert Thomas and Pavel Buchnevich. He’s also secured a spot on the primary power-play unit for a St. Louis squad that’s playoff-bound. Snuggerud, who amassed 66 goals and 135 points during his three-year tenure with the Gophers, notched assists in two of his initial three NHL appearances.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Oliver Moore, C, Chicago Blackhawks

Moore has been anchoring the third line for the struggling Blackhawks, a team that’s been focused on rebuilding for some time. He earned his first two career assists during a defeat to the Capitals on Friday night. Selected by Chicago in the first round of the 2023 draft, Moore tallied 66 points over two seasons with the Gophers.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sam Rinzel, D, Chicago Blackhawks

Rinzel, a 2022 first-round pick by the Blackhawks, joined the NHL roster alongside Moore just over a week ago, likely easing their transition to the pros. In four games, Rinzel has recorded 11 shots on goal, seven hits, and three blocked shots. He picked up his first career point with a secondary assist in Sunday’s game against the Penguins, while averaging close to 22 minutes per game on Chicago’s top defensive pairing with Alex Vlasic.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

From this season’s Gophers roster, Matthew Wood logged over 13 minutes of ice time in his NHL debut with the Nashville Predators on Sunday. Connor Kurth inked a deal with the Tampa Bay Lightning but will wait until next season to make his debut. Meanwhile, Aaron Huglen, Mike Koster, Ryan Chesley, and Mason Nevers have signed contracts with lower-tier professional teams.

 

 

 

 

 

Here’s a list of former Gophers who’ve played in the NHL this season, ordered by career games played:

• Nick Leddy
• Erik Johnson
• Nick Bjugstad
• Erik Haula
• Nate Schmidt
• Brady Skjei
• Casey Mittelstadt
• Mike Reilly
• Ryan Lindgren
• Justin Holl
• Nick Seeler
• Travis Boyd
• Thomas Novak
• Hudson Fasching
• Brock Faber
• Matthew Knies
• Vinni Lettieri
• Jackson LaCombe
• Ben Meyers
• Oliver Moore
• Sam Rinzel
• Jimmy Snuggerud