Ben Meyers

Photo by: Brace Hemmelgarn

Photo by: Brad Rempel

Photo by: Kristin Ostrowski

Position:
Forward
Ht./Wt.:
5-11 / 195
Class:
Sophomore
Hometown:
Delano, Minn.
High School:
Delano High School
Previous Team:
Fargo Force (USHL)

PRONUNCIATION

CAREER NOTES & HONORS
Two-year captain (alternate captain in 2020-21, co-captain in 2021-22) • Hobey Baker Award Hat Trick Finalist (2022, Minnesota's first since 2002) • Second Team All-America (2021-22) • Big Ten Player of the Year (2021-22) • First Team All-Big Ten (2021-22), Honorable Mention All-Big Ten (2020-21), Big Ten All-Freshman Team (2019-20) • Big Ten Regular-Season Champion (2021-22) • Big Ten Tournament Champion (2020-21) • NCAA tournament participant (2021, 2022) and NCAA Frozen Four participant (2022) • skated in 102 career games with 95 points (39 goals, 56 assists) • two-time Academic All-Big Ten (earning the accolade every year eligible) • three-year letter winner • signed a two-year, entry-level contract with the Colorado Avalanche following the season, foregoing his final year of college eligibility • scored a goal in his NHL debut with Colorado in a 7-4 win over Carolina on April 16, 2022.

2021-22 | JUNIOR SEASON
Team captain • Minnesota's first Hobey Baker Award Hat Trick finalist since 2002 • Second Team All-America selection • 2021-22 Big Ten Player of the Year • a unanimous First Team All-Big Ten selection • NCAA All-Regional Team pick • 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 • skated in 34 games as a junior for the Gophers during the 2021-22 season • led Minnesota with 17 goals and 41 points -- both career highs • tallied 13 multi-point games including four performances with three points • recorded his first career hat trick in a 5-0 win over Wisconsin on Feb. 25 • scored the overtime winner and added an assist in the NCAA opener against UMass on March 25 and then assisted on two goals in the regional final as the Gophers topped Western Michigan 3-0 on March 27 • carried an eight-game point streak into the Frozen Four • Academic All-Big Ten • Academic All-District • earned third letter • signed a two-year, entry-level contract with the Colorado Avalanche following the season, foregoing his final year of college eligibility • scored a goal in his NHL debut with Colorado in a 7-4 win over Carolina on April 16, 2022.

2020-21 | SOPHOMORE SEASON
Alternate captain • Honorable Mention All-Big Ten • skated in all 31 games as a sophomore during the 2020-21 season • recorded 28 points (12 goals, 16 assists) -- setting new career highs for points and goals and matching his rookie total for assists • tied for third on the team in points, assists and goals • team was 11-1-0 when he scored a goal and 17-3-0 when he tallied a point • set a new career best with points in seven-straight games and matched his career best with goals in three-straight games on two occasions • notched six multi-point games during the season • shared the team's Mike Crupi Most Determined Player Award • Academic All-Big Ten • earned second letter.

2019-20 | FRESHMAN SEASON
Big Ten All-Freshman Team and a finalist for the Big Ten Freshman of the Year • skated in all 37 games as a freshman for the Gophers during the 2019-20 season • recorded 26 points (10 goals, 16 assists) in his first collegiate campaign -- finishing third on the team in scoring • tied for second among Big Ten freshmen in scoring and tied for 11th among NCAA freshmen in points • Minnesota's best man on the draw with a .524 winning percentage (301 wins on 574 faceoffs) • made his collegiate debut on Oct. 11, 2019 at Colorado College • notched his first career point with an assist the following night at Colorado College on Oct. 12, 2019 • scored his first career goal vs. Minnesota Duluth on Oct. 25, 2019 while also recording his first career multi-point game • notched five multi-point games including a season-best three-point night (one goal, two assists) at Ohio State on Jan. 25, 2020 • the three-point night was part of a season-long five-game point streak from Jan. 24-Feb. 7 • scored in back-to-back games three times • notched his first career multi-goal game, including his first career game winner, in Minnesota's final game of the year on March 8, 2020 as the Gophers won the best-of-three Big Ten quarterfinal series with Notre Dame • 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 Gopher Hockey's Frank Pond Rookie of the Year Award and the athletic department's Men's Rookie of the Year • earned first letter.

INTERNATIONAL
Made his international debut with USA Hockey as one of four Gophers on the 2022 Olympic Men's Ice Hockey Team • finished second among U.S. scorers in Beijing with four points (two goals, two assists) in four games.

JUNIORS/HIGH SCHOOL
Spent two full seasons in the USHL with the Fargo Force before joining the Gophers • served as an alternate captain for Fargo in 2018-19, earning All-USHL Second Team honors • led the Force in 2018-19 with 65 points and 33 goals – figures that ranked tied for fifth and third in the USHL, respectively • helped Fargo capture the organization's first USHL Clark Cup in 2018 • his 58 career regular-season goals set a new organization record • skated with fellow Gophers Tristan Broz and Aaron Huglen with the Force • previously skated at Delano High School and captained the team to its first state tournament appearance in 2017 as a senior while earning all-tournament honors • a 2016-17 All-USA Boys Hockey Second Team selection • a 2017 Mr. Hockey Award finalist • ranks eighth in Minnesota state high school history with 278 career points while his 68 assists in 2016-17 are the fifth most in state history • also played football and baseball for Delano • a five-time all-conference selection (three in hockey, two in baseball).

PERSONAL
Native of Delano, Minn. • son of Steve and Traci Meyers • has one brother (Nate) • father played hockey at UW-River Falls • brother played baseball at Minnesota State • the first player in Gopher Hockey history to wear No. 39 • earned a Bachelor of Science in Business from the Carlson School of Management in the summer of 2022.