Le Journal

This list was so hard to cut down to just 25 We kick off our Top 25 of the last 25 years of Minnesota Golden Gophers athletics with The Top 25 Gopher Hockey Players from 2000-2025. Cutting down this list to just 25 players was insanely hard. You have All-Americans who did not make the final list. You have school record holders who did not make the final list. You have some of the players who had some of the best statistical seasons in Gopher hockey history not make the list. It was incredibly competitive. I’m sure many of you will disagree on both the order of this list, and think some that were left off deserve spots over those that were placed on it. Let us know in the comments how you feel. A reminder that this list only takes into consideration their Gopher hockey career. No national team or professional results were considered. Additionally if a player played for a different collegiate squad prior or after the Gophers, that was also not considered. Just because the list was so long, here are few honorable mentions that did not quite make the final 25 for one reason or another. Honorable Mention: Sammy Walker- C 2018-2022 Walker was great for the Gophers playing in 144 total career games and scoring 48 goals and adding 62 assists in the maroon and gold. He was consistent recording between 26 and 30 points all four seasons, but never had that huge breakout year fans clamored for. Kellen Briggs- G 2003-2007 Briggs played in the second most games in Gopher history at 132, is the all-time career wins leader with 84, ranks #5 all-time with a 2.45 GAA and is tied for the most shutouts in program history with 13. How did he not make the Top 25 over a few other goalies who did? His save percentage lacked behind some of the others ahead on this list at just .906, and while it may not necessarily be his fault, the furthest Briggs ever took the Gophers was to the Frozen Four semifinals. He was consistently good for four years, but it just wasn;t enough to sneak into the Top 25. Phil Kessel- F 2005-06 Jordan Schroeder- F 2008-2010 Both Kessel and Schroeder did great things for the Gophers in limited time. But the key here is limited time. Kessel scored 18 goals and recorded 51 points in his lone season with Minnesota while Schroeder averaged a point per game with 73 points in 72 career games as a Gopher. Has they each played one more year at Minnesota, they were on this list, but because the Gophers have so many three and four year players with amazing careers wearing the M, they just won’t quite get into the Top 25. There will be one exception to this as you will see. Blake Wheeler- F 2005-2008 Nate Schmidt- D 2010-2013 These two would go on to even greater things in the NHL once leaving Minnesota, but both had good Minnesota careers. Both have memorable goals as a Gopher—which is a different list yet to come. Wheeler played 127 games, scored 42 goals, added 54 asists and averaged .75 points per game. Schmidt played just 13 games in freshman season before breaking out with great sophomore and junior years. Again, great Gopher careers, but this list is that stacked that they don’t make the Top 25. Jackson LaCombe- D 2019-2023 The final cut. LaCombe was #26 on my list and was a painful cut. In four seasons with Minnesota he played 140 games and recorded 99 career points. A second team All-American in 2021 he nearly helped the Gophers to a NCAA title in 2024. Both a decent offensive defenseman and a great defensive defenseman. He’s now showing off in the NHL as well. The Top 25: #25 Adam Hauser- G 2000-2002 Hauser was a goalie that was both maligned and loved in Minnesota history. He played four seasons for the Gophers and is their all-time goalie games played leader at 151, but only his junior and senior seasons count for this list. Luckily for him and for Minnesota fans he got better every single season. He won 49 games his final two years with a 2.41 goals against average which would be 4th best in Gopher history if that was just…

100% committed The Minnesota Golden Gophers saw another recruit climb into the boat over the weekend, drawing a commitment from Texas safety Trason Richardson on Sunday. 100% committed.@CoachJackACHS @Coach_DCollins @CoachTCRandle @coachHUFFFFF @TNateDaGreat @Coach_Fleck pic.twitter.com/jENtXAN8dA— 3⭐️Trason.Richardson (@TrasonRichards2) June 22, 2025 Get to know Trason Richardson Height: 6’0”Weight: 180 Power 4 Scholarship Offers: None 247 Sports Composite Rating: N/A Scouting Report Richardson recorded 55 total tackles, one tackle for loss, six pass break-ups, one forced fumble, and three fumble recoveries last season. As evidenced by the lack of Power 4 programs on his offer list, the Gophers seem to believe they’ve found a diamond in the rough here. He has an ideal frame for a safety, standing at 6’0” with good length and a lean, athletic build. Richardson is also a track athlete who reportedly ran a 4.5 40-yard dash time at a camp earlier this summer, with the Minnesota coaching staff in attendance. He is not afraid to be physical at the point of attack, but the lack of interceptions to his name calls into question his play-making ability. Hudl Highlights