University of Minnesota Athletics
Photo by: Brad Rempel
Eight 'U' Skaters Prepped for 2026 Stanley Cup Run
4/17/2026 10:00:00 AM | Men's Hockey
NHL playoffs begin Saturday
MINNEAPOLIS - The University of Minnesota men's hockey team has eight former players ready to compete in the 2026 National Hockey League's Stanley Cup Playoffs starting April 18.
A year ago, a former skater representing the Golden Gophers hoisted the prestigious trophy for a fourth-consecutive season when Nate Schmidt put up 12 points in 23 games as his Florida Panthers won the title in 2025. He continued the winning trend set by Kyle Okposo (Florida Panthers - 2024), Phil Kessel (Vegas Golden Knights - 2023), and Erik Johnson (Colorado Avalanche - 2022) as Stanley Cup winners over the last four seasons.
Schmidt returns to the playoffs looking for a second-straight championship, this time with the Utah Mammoth, a team making its NHL playoff debut. He has already played 99 career playoff games, and is joined in Utah by Logan Cooley, who is getting his first taste of postseason hockey in his third professional season. Also getting his first chance to battle for the Stanley Cup is Jackson LaCombe as the Anaheim Ducks return to the playoffs for the first time since 2018.
Kessel remains the only player in program history to have his name engraved on the cup three times, while a total of 14 former Minnesota players or coaches hold the distinction of being a Stanley Cup champion.
Golden Gophers in the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs
Logan Cooley, Utah Mammoth
Brock Faber, Minnesota Wild
Jackson LaCombe, Anaheim Ducks
Casey Mittelstadt, Boston Bruins
Tommy Novak, Pittsburgh Penguins
Mike Reilly, Carolina Hurricanes
Nate Schmidt, Utah Mammoth
Nick Seeler, Philadelphia Flyers
Golden Gophers on the Stanley Cup
Year Name, Team
1977 Mike Polich, Montreal Canadiens
1991 Frank Pietrangelo, Pittsburgh Penguins
1991 Bob Johnson (Coach), Pittsburgh Penguins
1992 Bob Johnson (Coach), Pittsburgh Penguins
1995 Tom Chorske, New Jersey Devils
1995 Neal Broten, New Jersey Devils
1995 Chris McAlpine, New Jersey Devils
2004 Ben Clymer, Tampa Bay Lightning
2009 Alex Goligoski, Pittsburgh Penguins
2013 Nick Leddy, Chicago Blackhawks
2016 Phil Kessel, Pittsburgh Penguins
2017 Phil Kessel, Pittsburgh Penguins
2020 Todd Richards (Coach), Tampa Bay Lightning
2022 Erik Johnson, Colorado Avalanche
2023 Phil Kessel, Vegas Golden Knights
2024 Kyle Okposo, Florida Panthers
2025 Nate Schmidt, Florida Panthers
A year ago, a former skater representing the Golden Gophers hoisted the prestigious trophy for a fourth-consecutive season when Nate Schmidt put up 12 points in 23 games as his Florida Panthers won the title in 2025. He continued the winning trend set by Kyle Okposo (Florida Panthers - 2024), Phil Kessel (Vegas Golden Knights - 2023), and Erik Johnson (Colorado Avalanche - 2022) as Stanley Cup winners over the last four seasons.
Schmidt returns to the playoffs looking for a second-straight championship, this time with the Utah Mammoth, a team making its NHL playoff debut. He has already played 99 career playoff games, and is joined in Utah by Logan Cooley, who is getting his first taste of postseason hockey in his third professional season. Also getting his first chance to battle for the Stanley Cup is Jackson LaCombe as the Anaheim Ducks return to the playoffs for the first time since 2018.
Kessel remains the only player in program history to have his name engraved on the cup three times, while a total of 14 former Minnesota players or coaches hold the distinction of being a Stanley Cup champion.
Golden Gophers in the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs
Logan Cooley, Utah Mammoth
Brock Faber, Minnesota Wild
Jackson LaCombe, Anaheim Ducks
Casey Mittelstadt, Boston Bruins
Tommy Novak, Pittsburgh Penguins
Mike Reilly, Carolina Hurricanes
Nate Schmidt, Utah Mammoth
Nick Seeler, Philadelphia Flyers
Golden Gophers on the Stanley Cup
Year Name, Team
1977 Mike Polich, Montreal Canadiens
1991 Frank Pietrangelo, Pittsburgh Penguins
1991 Bob Johnson (Coach), Pittsburgh Penguins
1992 Bob Johnson (Coach), Pittsburgh Penguins
1995 Tom Chorske, New Jersey Devils
1995 Neal Broten, New Jersey Devils
1995 Chris McAlpine, New Jersey Devils
2004 Ben Clymer, Tampa Bay Lightning
2009 Alex Goligoski, Pittsburgh Penguins
2013 Nick Leddy, Chicago Blackhawks
2016 Phil Kessel, Pittsburgh Penguins
2017 Phil Kessel, Pittsburgh Penguins
2020 Todd Richards (Coach), Tampa Bay Lightning
2022 Erik Johnson, Colorado Avalanche
2023 Phil Kessel, Vegas Golden Knights
2024 Kyle Okposo, Florida Panthers
2025 Nate Schmidt, Florida Panthers
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