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Photo by: Matt Krohn
Eighteen Former Gophers on NHL Opening Night Rosters
10/7/2025 12:00:00 PM | Men's Hockey
NHL season begins today
MINNEAPOLIS -Thirty-six former members of the University of Minnesota men's hockey program took part in National Hockey League training camps this fall, and 18 of them earned spots on opening night rosters across 14 different organizations. The 2025-26 NHL season officially begins Tuesday afternoon when the Florida Panthers host Sam Rinzel and the Chicago Blackhawks.
Last season, 25 Gopher alumni appeared in NHL action, bringing Minnesota's all-time total to 130, the highest mark of any NCAA hockey program. The Maroon and Gold also extended its remarkable streak of Stanley Cup champions to four consecutive years after Nate Schmidt captured the title in June. He joined recent Gopher winners Kyle Okposo (Florida Panthers-2024), Phil Kessel (Vegas Golden Knights-2023), and Erik Johnson (Colorado Avalanche-2022), continuing the program's proud professional legacy.
NHL Opening Night Rosters
Nick Bjugstad | St. Louis Blues
Logan Cooley | Utah Mammoth
Brock Faber | Minnesota Wild
Erik Haula | Nashville Predators
Ryan Johnson | Buffalo Sabres
Matthew Knies | Toronto Maple Leafs
Jackson LaCombe | Anaheim Ducks
Nick Leddy | San Jose Sharks
Ryan Lindgren | Seattle Kraken
Casey Mittelstadt | Boston Bruins
Tommy Novak | Pittsburgh Penguins
Mike Reilly | Carolina Hurricanes
Sam Rinzel | Chicago Blackhawks
Nate Schmidt | Utah Mammoth
Nick Seeler | Philadelphia Flyers
Brady Skjei | Nashville Predators
Jimmy Snuggerud | St. Louis Blues
Matthew Wood | Nashville Predators (Injured Reserve)
Last season, 25 Gopher alumni appeared in NHL action, bringing Minnesota's all-time total to 130, the highest mark of any NCAA hockey program. The Maroon and Gold also extended its remarkable streak of Stanley Cup champions to four consecutive years after Nate Schmidt captured the title in June. He joined recent Gopher winners Kyle Okposo (Florida Panthers-2024), Phil Kessel (Vegas Golden Knights-2023), and Erik Johnson (Colorado Avalanche-2022), continuing the program's proud professional legacy.
NHL Opening Night Rosters
Nick Bjugstad | St. Louis Blues
Logan Cooley | Utah Mammoth
Brock Faber | Minnesota Wild
Erik Haula | Nashville Predators
Ryan Johnson | Buffalo Sabres
Matthew Knies | Toronto Maple Leafs
Jackson LaCombe | Anaheim Ducks
Nick Leddy | San Jose Sharks
Ryan Lindgren | Seattle Kraken
Casey Mittelstadt | Boston Bruins
Tommy Novak | Pittsburgh Penguins
Mike Reilly | Carolina Hurricanes
Sam Rinzel | Chicago Blackhawks
Nate Schmidt | Utah Mammoth
Nick Seeler | Philadelphia Flyers
Brady Skjei | Nashville Predators
Jimmy Snuggerud | St. Louis Blues
Matthew Wood | Nashville Predators (Injured Reserve)
Highlights: Gophers 2, Boston College 2
Friday, October 10
Highlights: Gophers 1, Boston College 3
Thursday, October 09
Highlights: Gophers 3, Michigan Tech 5
Saturday, October 04
Highlights: Gophers 6, Michigan Tech 3
Friday, October 03