University of Minnesota Athletics
Men's Hockey Signs Six in Recruiting Class
11/19/2008 12:00:00 AM | Men's Hockey
The University of Minnesota men's hockey team has announced six National Letter of Intent signees during last week’s early signing period. Five of the incoming players are from Minnesota and four are currently playing in the United States Hockey League.
Josh Birkholz, Zach Budish, Nate Condon, Seth Helgeson, Nick Leddy and Jake Youso all signed with the Gophers during the early signing period.
Birkholz, a 6-1, 185-pound forward from Maple Grove, is playing with the expansion Fargo Force of the USHL and has four goals and four assists in 11 games. Birkholz totaled 34 goals and 25 assists for 59 points last season as a high school junior in leading The Blake School to the Minnesota state hockey tournament. He was an Associated Press honorable mention all-state selection and was a member of the gold-medal winning U.S. team at the World Junior A challenge earlier this month in Camrose, Alberta. Birkholz also played with the U.S. under-17 select team last year in the Five Nations tournament in the Czech Republic.
Budish, a 6-2, 210-pound forward from Edina, led his Edina High School team to a 26-2 record and a Minnesota Class AA state runner-up finish last season as a junior. Budish totaled 26 goals and 37 assists for 63 points in 2007-08 and earned Associated Press first-team all-state honors. He is also a standout football player and suffered a knee injury this fall that will cause him to miss his senior year of hockey. Budish played for the U.S squad in both the under-17 and under-18 Five Nations tournaments in the Czech Republic.
Condon, a 6-0, 185-pound forward from Wausau, Wis., was selected in the seventh round of the 2008 NHL draft by the Colorado Avalanche. He is playing this season with Fargo of the USHL and has five goals and two assists for seven points in 12 games. Condon totaled 33 goals and 26 assists for 59 points last season as a junior for his Wausau West High School team.
Helgeson, a 6-3, 220-pound defenseman from Fairbault, is in his second year with Sioux City of the USHL. He currently has two goals and three assists for five points in 11 games after totaling three goals and eight assists for 11 points in 58 games in 2007-08. Helgeson played in the World Junior A challenge in Canada earlier this month for the second straight year.
Leddy, a 5-11, 180-pound defenseman from Eden Prairie, notched five goals and 22 assists for his Eden Prairie High School team last year as a junior and will play for the Eagles again this winter. He was a Minneapolis Star-Tribune second-team all-metro selection and an Associated Press honorable mention all-state pick. Leddy was selected to the U.S. squad for both the under-17 and under-18 Five Nations tournaments.
Youso, a 6-0, 185-pound forward from International Falls, was a second-team all-state selection and Mr. Hockey award finalist while totaling 33 goals and 36 assists for 69 points as a senior last season at International Falls High School. He joined Green Bay of the USHL for the final 15 games last season and had a goal and an assist. Youso is playing this season with Des Moines of the USHL and has one assist through the first 13 games.