University of Minnesota Athletics
2020-21 Men's Hockey Roster
Jersey Number 9
Sammy Walker
- Position:
- Forward
- Ht./Wt.:
- 5-11 / 165
- Class:
- Junior
- Hometown:
- Edina, Minn.
- High School:
- Edina High School
- Previous Team:
- Sioux City Musketeers (USHL)
- NHL Rights:
- Tampa Bay Lightning (2017)
Bio
| PRONUNCIATION |
• Signed two-year, entry-level NHL contract with the Minnesota Wild on August 17, 2022
• Made NHL debut December 10, 2022
2021-22 | SENIOR SEASON
Team captain (the first three-year team captain in Minnesota history) • All-Big Ten Honorable Mention • skated in all 39 games as a senior for the Gophers during the 2021-22 season • recorded a new career high with 14 goals while tallying 27 points and 13 assists • helped the Gophers win the 2021-22 Big Ten Regular-Season Championship and advance to the NCAA Frozen Four for the first time since 2014 • team was 10-1-0 when he scored a goal and 16-3-0 when he tallied a point • led Minnesota's forward group with a career-high 25 blocked shots • posted a career-best four game-winning goals • notched eight multi-point games • opened the season with a two-point game and the deciding tally in a 7-4 win over Alaska on Oct. 8 • scored twice including the overtime winner in a 4-3 win at St. Cloud State on Oct. 16 • scored two goals including the game winner in a 3-1 victory over Michigan State on Feb. 5 • found the net for the deciding goal in Minnesota's 3-2 win over Penn State in the Big Ten tournament semifinals on March 12 • the 85th Gopher to record 100 career points • Academic All-Big Ten • earned fourth letter.
2020-21 | JUNIOR SEASON
Team captain • Honorable Mention All-Big Ten • Big Ten All-Tournament Team selection • skated in all 31 games as a junior during the 2020-21 season • recorded 29 points (13 goals, 16 assists), finishing second on the team in points and goals and posting a new career high for goals • team was 10-1-0 when he scored a goal and 16-2-0 when he tallied a point • recorded nine multi-point games including a stretch of four-straight games with multiple points • started the streak with his first career hat trick in a 10-0 win over Arizona State on Jan. 21, 2021 • factored in seven deciding goals including scoring three game winners • notched the overtime winner against Michigan in the Big Ten tournament semifinal • AHCA All-American Scholar • Big Ten Distinguished Scholar and Academic All-Big Ten • named the team's Elwin "Doc" Romnes Leadership & Sportsmanship Award and Donald M. Clark Community Service Award recipient • earned third letter.
2019-20 | SOPHOMORE SEASON
Team captain • All-Big Ten Honorable Mention • skated in all 37 games as a sophomore during the 2019-20 season • led Minnesota in scoring and recorded new career highs with 30 points, 11 goals and 19 assists • scored a goal in a career-high four-straight games from Oct. 12-Oct. 25 • posted points in six-straight games twice during the season from Nov. 29-Jan. 10 and Jan. 31-Feb. 15 for a career-best streak • his final six-game point streak included four-straight multi-point games including a three-point night (one goal, two assists) at Notre Dame to tie a single-game career high on Feb. 14, 2020 • team was 8-2-1 when he scored a goal • named to the Mariucci Classic All-Tournament team after leading Minnesota to a tournament title • factored into the deciding goal five times during the season and tied for the team lead with three game-winning goals • scored the overtime winner against Niagara on Oct. 18, 2019 and assisted on the game winner the following night to complete the sweep • scored both game winners in a road sweep at Wisconsin on Jan. 31 and Feb. 2 • the 2019-20 season ended on March 12, 2020, when the Big Ten and NCAA announced they were ceasing competitions and championships because of COVID-19 public health concerns as Minnesota prepared for the Big Ten tournament semifinals • recipient of Minnesota's John Mariucci Most Valuable Player Award • Academic All-Big Ten • earned second letter.
2018-19 | FRESHMAN SEASON
Big Ten Freshman of the Year • Big Ten All-Freshman Team selection • skated in 37 games as a freshman during the 2018-19 season • led all Big Ten freshmen with 26 points (10 goals, 16 assists) in his first campaign with Minnesota • the first Gopher Hockey player to earn Big Ten Freshman of the Year • the lone unanimous pick on the 2018-19 Big Ten All-Freshman Team • made his collegiate debut at Minnesota Duluth on Oct. 6 • scored his first collegiate goal in a 7-4 win over Minnesota Duluth on Oct. 7 • recorded five multi-point performances (all Minnesota wins) including a pair of three-point showings • notched a goal and an assist in a 3-0 win over St. Lawrence on Nov. 17 • posted a three-point game (one goal, two assists) in a 7-2 win over Michigan State on Nov. 23 • picked up a goal and an assist in a 5-1 win over Notre Dame on Jan. 11 • registered his first multi-goal game with a pair of tallies and an assist in a 9-4 win over Wisconsin on Jan. 25 • added a goal and an assist on the game winner in a 5-1 win over Arizona State on March 1 • earned Minnesota's Frank Pond Rookie of the Year Award • earned first letter.
HIGH SCHOOL/JUNIORS
Joined the Gophers after four years on the ice with Edina High School • capped his prep career by leading the Hornets to a third-place finish in the 2018 MSHSL Class AA State Tournament and earning all-tournament honors • the 2018 recipient of the Mr. Hockey Award, presented to the most outstanding boy’s senior high school player in the state of Minnesota • the first Edina High School product to earn the Mr. Hockey Award • the 2018 Star Tribune Metro Player of the Year, a first team all-state selection and a 2018 All-USA Boys Hockey Team honoree • recorded 178 career points (83 goals, 95 assists) in 116 high school games including 79 points (35 goals, 44 assists) in 31 games as a senior • served as team captain as a senior • high school teammate of fellow Gophers Ben Brinkman and Garrett Wait • also skated in 21 USHL games with nine points (two goals, seven assists) for the Sioux City Musketeers (2017-18) and the Lincoln Stars (2016-17) • skated with fellow Gopher Sampo Ranta with Sioux City.
PERSONAL
Native of Edina, Minn. • son of Ron and Amy Walker • has two sisters, Bailey and Izzie, and two brothers, Ben and Jack • father played soccer at UNLV • sister, Bailey, competed in gymnastics at Southeast Missouri State • brothers both played professional hockey • selected in the seventh round (200th overall) of the 2017 NHL Entry Draft by the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Gophers Win Season Opener 2-1
Thursday, August 15
