The University of Minnesota men’s hockey team enters the 2025–26 season in a state of transition, retooling its roster after a wave of NHL signings and key graduations. Despite the turnover, the Gophers remain a top-10 team nationally, ranked No. 8 in the USCHO poll and No. 7 by USA Hockey.

Head coach Bob Motzko, now in his eighth season behind the bench, will lean on a mix of veteran leadership, high-profile transfers and a promising freshman class as Minnesota looks to stay competitive in the Big Ten and return to the NCAA tournament.

***Click the video box above to hear comments from Bob Motzko, Leo Gruba and John Mittelstadt***

Senior forward Brody Lamb returns as team captain and the Gophers’ top returning scorer after netting 17 goals last season. He’s joined by senior brothers John and Luke Mittelstadt, who bring experience and stability to the forward and defensive groups, respectively.

On the blue line, senior Cal Thomas and sophomore Leo Gruba are expected to log heavy minutes. In goal, junior Nathan Airey is projected to start after posting a 2.47 goals-against average and a .900 save percentage last season.

Minnesota’s offseason saw the departure of its top five point producers, including Jimmy Snuggerud, Oliver Moore, and Sam Rinzel, all of whom signed NHL contracts. The Gophers also lost key veterans like Mike Koster, Mason Nevers and Aaron Huglen to graduation.

To fill the gaps, Motzko brought in several key additions. Junior forward Tanner Ludtke, a transfer from Omaha, is expected to play on the top line. Michigan State transfer Luca Di Pasquo will compete with Airey for the starting goalie job.

Freshman forward LJ Mooney, a projected 2025 NHL Draft pick, headlines a talented rookie class that includes 6-foot-6 defenseman Jacob Rombach and forwards Javon Moore, Teddy Townsend and Mason Moe.

The Gophers host Michigan Tech to open their season for a series starting Friday night at 7 p.m. This will be the first series against their former conference rival since the dawn of Big Ten hockey broke up the old WCHA.

(Gophers athletics contributed information to this article.)

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