Ben Brinkman

Photo by: Brace Hemmelgarn

Photo by: Brad Rempel

Position:
Defense
Ht./Wt.:
6-1 / 220
Class:
Senior
Hometown:
Edina, Minn.
High School:
Edina High School
NHL Rights:
Dallas (2019)

PRONUNCIATION

CAREER NOTES & HONORS
Spent four seasons with the Maroon & Gold • skated in 140 career games with 23 points (two goals, 21 assists) • Big Ten Regular-Season Champion (2021-22) • Big Ten Tournament Champion (2020-21) • NCAA tournament participant (2021, 2022) and NCAA Frozen Four participant (2022) • three-time Academic All-Big Ten • four-year letter winner • team was 15-3-0 when he tallied a point and 12-1-0 over his final three seasons.

2021-22 | SENIOR SEASON
Skated in 37 games as a senior for the Gophers in 2021-22 • tallied a career-high eight points (one goal, seven assists) over the campaign • 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 • tied his career-high with three assists (and three points) in a 4-1 win over Alaska on Jan. 14 • snapped a 123-game goal drought dating back to his freshman season in a 3-1 win over Michigan State on Feb. 5 • added two assists in a 6-4 win at Penn State on Feb. 19 • team was 4-1-0 when he tallied a point • Academic All-Big Ten • earned fourth letter.

2020-21 | JUNIOR SEASON
Skated in 29 games as a junior for the Gophers • recorded five assists on the year and Minnesota was 5-0-0 when he tallied a point • factored into two game-winning goals -- both against Michigan -- including an assist on the overtime winner of the Big Ten tournament semifinal • Academic All-Big Ten • earned third letter.

2019-20 | SOPHOMORE SEASON
Skated in 36 games as a sophomore for the Gophers • recorded three assists on the season along with a career-high 51 blocked shots • team was 3-0-0 when he notched a point • 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 • recognized with the team’s Donald M. Clark Community Service Award • earned second letter.

2018-19 | FRESHMAN SEASON
Skated in all 38 games as the youngest freshman in college hockey for the Maroon & Gold during the 2018-19 campaign • recorded seven points (one goal, six assists) as a rookie • led the Maroon & Gold with a plus/minus rating of +11 • made his collegiate debut on Oct. 6 at Minnesota Duluth • notched his first collegiate point with a goal in a 3-2 win at Wisconsin on Nov. 9 • picked up three assists for his first career multi-point performance in a 7-2 win over Michigan State on Nov. 23 • earned first letter.

HIGH SCHOOL
Joined the Gophers after skating for Edina High School for three seasons • two-year captain for the Hornets • closed out his prep career by leading Edina to a third-place finish in the 2018 MSHSL Class AA State Tournament • a 2018 first team all-state selection and a 2018 All-USA Boys Hockey Team honoree • recorded 82 career points (29 goals, 53 assists) in 68 high school games with the Hornets • totaled 50 points (12 goals, 38 assists) in 31 games during his final prep season including six points in three state tournament games • played at Edina with Gophers teammate Sammy Walker.

PERSONAL
Native of Edina, Minn. • son of Mark and Megan Brinkman • has one sister, Quinn, and one brother, Charlie • competed in the 2018 USA Hockey All-America Prospects Game at Xcel Energy Center where he was coached by Gopher Hockey alum Jordan Leopold • selected in the sixth round (173rd overall) of the 2019 NHL Entry Draft by the Dallas Stars.