University of Minnesota Athletics
Gophers Represent in Stanley Cup Conference Finals
9/6/2020 10:02:00 AM | Men's Hockey
MINNEAPOLIS – Three of the remaining four teams in the Stanley Cup playoffs feature Gopher Hockey alums including a pair of Maroon & Gold defensive products on the ice as the conference final series begin on Sunday night.Â
Nate Schmidt and Nick Leddy both helped their organizations claim second round Game 7 wins earlier this weekend to advance before the conference finals begin at Rogers Place in Edmonton.Â
Schmidt and the Vegas Golden Knights will open up the Western Conference Final on Sunday, Sept. 6 against the Dallas Stars (TV: NBC, Time: 7:00 p.m. CT) while Leddy and the New York Islanders kick off the Eastern Conference Final on Monday, Sept. 7 (TV: NBC Sports, Time: 7:00 p.m. CT).
Now in his seventh NHL season, Schmidt is in the middle of his fifth-straight Stanley Cup playoff appearance and has now reached the Western Conference Final for the second time in three years with Vegas. A native of St. Cloud, Minn., the former All-American defenseman at Minnesota has a career-high eight points (two goals, six assists) in 15 playoff games this season. In 63 career playoff games, the Golden Knights alternate captain has 24 points (six goals, 18 assists).Â
Likewise, Leddy has reached the Stanley Cup playoffs eight times in his 10-year NHL career and is trying to become the first Gopher Hockey alum to capture a Stanley Cup with two different teams after helping Chicago win in 2013. A native of Eden Prairie, Minn., Leddy has already helped the Islanders reach the Eastern Conference Final for the first time in 27 years. In 15 playoff games this season, his two goals are a career-high while his four points this year are one short of his career best (2014 and 2015). Leddy has 24 points (six goals, 18 assists) in 95 career playoff games.Â
The University of Minnesota also has a trio of alums working in front office capacities for two Stanley Cup conference finals teams. Todd Richards serves as an assistant coach for the Tampa Bay Lightning while Trent Klatt (Director of Amateur Scouting) and Ken Gernander (Scout) work for the New York Islanders. Gernander played alongside Richards in his first year with the Gophers while skating with Klatt in his final two collegiate campaigns.Â
The group is looking to join a group of 10 Gopher Hockey alums to have their names inscribed on the Stanley Cup – Mike Polich (1977), Frank Pietrangelo (1991), Bob Johnson (1991, posthumously in 1992), Tom Chorske (1995), Neal Broten (1995), Chris McAlpine (1995), Ben Clymer (2004), Alex Goligoski (2009), Nick Leddy (2013) and Phil Kessel (2016, 2017).Â
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Nate Schmidt and Nick Leddy both helped their organizations claim second round Game 7 wins earlier this weekend to advance before the conference finals begin at Rogers Place in Edmonton.Â
Schmidt and the Vegas Golden Knights will open up the Western Conference Final on Sunday, Sept. 6 against the Dallas Stars (TV: NBC, Time: 7:00 p.m. CT) while Leddy and the New York Islanders kick off the Eastern Conference Final on Monday, Sept. 7 (TV: NBC Sports, Time: 7:00 p.m. CT).
Now in his seventh NHL season, Schmidt is in the middle of his fifth-straight Stanley Cup playoff appearance and has now reached the Western Conference Final for the second time in three years with Vegas. A native of St. Cloud, Minn., the former All-American defenseman at Minnesota has a career-high eight points (two goals, six assists) in 15 playoff games this season. In 63 career playoff games, the Golden Knights alternate captain has 24 points (six goals, 18 assists).Â
Likewise, Leddy has reached the Stanley Cup playoffs eight times in his 10-year NHL career and is trying to become the first Gopher Hockey alum to capture a Stanley Cup with two different teams after helping Chicago win in 2013. A native of Eden Prairie, Minn., Leddy has already helped the Islanders reach the Eastern Conference Final for the first time in 27 years. In 15 playoff games this season, his two goals are a career-high while his four points this year are one short of his career best (2014 and 2015). Leddy has 24 points (six goals, 18 assists) in 95 career playoff games.Â
The University of Minnesota also has a trio of alums working in front office capacities for two Stanley Cup conference finals teams. Todd Richards serves as an assistant coach for the Tampa Bay Lightning while Trent Klatt (Director of Amateur Scouting) and Ken Gernander (Scout) work for the New York Islanders. Gernander played alongside Richards in his first year with the Gophers while skating with Klatt in his final two collegiate campaigns.Â
The group is looking to join a group of 10 Gopher Hockey alums to have their names inscribed on the Stanley Cup – Mike Polich (1977), Frank Pietrangelo (1991), Bob Johnson (1991, posthumously in 1992), Tom Chorske (1995), Neal Broten (1995), Chris McAlpine (1995), Ben Clymer (2004), Alex Goligoski (2009), Nick Leddy (2013) and Phil Kessel (2016, 2017).Â
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