University of Minnesota Athletics
Nineteen Gophers on NHL Opening Night Rosters
9/29/2026 3:30:00 PM | Men's Hockey
MINNEAPOLIS - Nineteen former players representing the University of Minnesota men's hockey team were named to opening night rosters as the 2026-27 National Hockey League season gets underway Tuesday.
A total of 30 former Golden Gophers recently entered NHL training camps for 20 different organizations with 19 earning coveted spots. There are 248 former college hockey players officially listed on initial NHL rosters, tying last season for the largest number on record since College Hockey Inc. began tracking the data in 2017-18.
The newly-expanded, 84-game NHL campaign begins tonight with a trio of games, starting when Mike Reilly and the defending Stanley Cup champion Carolina Hurricanes host the Florida Panthers. Reilly was one of 22 Gopher alumni that took to the ice during the 2025-26 season, bringing Minnesota's all-time total to 131, the highest mark of any NCAA hockey program.
When Reilly hoisted the Stanley Cup at the end of last season, it extended the Maroon and Gold's remarkable streak of champions to five-consecutive years, joining recent Gopher winners Nate Schmidt (Florida Panthers-2025), Kyle Okposo (Florida Panthers-2024), Phil Kessel (Vegas Golden Knights-2023), and Erik Johnson (Colorado Avalanche-2022).
NHL Opening Night Rosters
Nick Bjugstad | New Jersey Devils (Injured Non-Roster)
Tristan Broz | Pittsburgh Penguins (Injured Non-Roster)
Logan Cooley | Utah Mammoth
Brock Faber | Minnesota Wild (Injured Reserve)
Erik Haula | Los Angeles Kings
Matthew Knies | Columbus Blue Jackets
Jackson LaCombe | Anaheim Ducks
Ryan Lindgren | Seattle Kraken
Ben Meyers | Seattle Kraken
Casey Mittelstadt | Boston Bruins
Oliver Moore | Chicago Blackhawks
Tommy Novak | Pittsburgh Penguins
Mike Reilly | Carolina Hurricanes
Sam Rinzel | Chicago Blackhawks
Nate Schmidt | Utah Mammoth
Nick Seeler | Philadelphia Flyers
Brady Skjei | Nashville Predators
Jimmy Snuggerud | St. Louis Blues
Matthew Wood | Nashville Predators
A total of 30 former Golden Gophers recently entered NHL training camps for 20 different organizations with 19 earning coveted spots. There are 248 former college hockey players officially listed on initial NHL rosters, tying last season for the largest number on record since College Hockey Inc. began tracking the data in 2017-18.
The newly-expanded, 84-game NHL campaign begins tonight with a trio of games, starting when Mike Reilly and the defending Stanley Cup champion Carolina Hurricanes host the Florida Panthers. Reilly was one of 22 Gopher alumni that took to the ice during the 2025-26 season, bringing Minnesota's all-time total to 131, the highest mark of any NCAA hockey program.
When Reilly hoisted the Stanley Cup at the end of last season, it extended the Maroon and Gold's remarkable streak of champions to five-consecutive years, joining recent Gopher winners Nate Schmidt (Florida Panthers-2025), Kyle Okposo (Florida Panthers-2024), Phil Kessel (Vegas Golden Knights-2023), and Erik Johnson (Colorado Avalanche-2022).
NHL Opening Night Rosters
Nick Bjugstad | New Jersey Devils (Injured Non-Roster)
Tristan Broz | Pittsburgh Penguins (Injured Non-Roster)
Logan Cooley | Utah Mammoth
Brock Faber | Minnesota Wild (Injured Reserve)
Erik Haula | Los Angeles Kings
Matthew Knies | Columbus Blue Jackets
Jackson LaCombe | Anaheim Ducks
Ryan Lindgren | Seattle Kraken
Ben Meyers | Seattle Kraken
Casey Mittelstadt | Boston Bruins
Oliver Moore | Chicago Blackhawks
Tommy Novak | Pittsburgh Penguins
Mike Reilly | Carolina Hurricanes
Sam Rinzel | Chicago Blackhawks
Nate Schmidt | Utah Mammoth
Nick Seeler | Philadelphia Flyers
Brady Skjei | Nashville Predators
Jimmy Snuggerud | St. Louis Blues
Matthew Wood | Nashville Predators
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