Minnesota Hires New Head Coaches

The University of Minnesota has found its new hockey head coaches. 

On the men's side, the Golden Gophers have hired Brett Larson, a Minnesota-Duluth alumnus who had helmed St. Cloud State since 2018-19. In eight seasons, he went 153-116-23 overall and led the Huskies to two NCHC titles and four NCAA tournament berths, including a national-runner-up finish in 2021. He began his coaching career as a player-coach with San Diego (WCHL) in 1999-2000, and later served as an assistant coach at his alma mater and as associate head coach at Ohio State before returning to UMD for three years prior to taking the reins at SCSU. Larson, 53, who hails from Duluth, and who has also worked as GM/head coach with Sioux City (USHL), is the 15th men's head coach ever at Minnesota, which finished 11-22-3 overall this past season.

Greg May has been tabbed as the third-ever head coach of the Golden Gophers women's program. An Augsburg College alumnus, May served as associate head coach at Minnesota the past three seasons, with the Gophers finishing 18-9-1 and skating in the NCAA tournament this past season. Prior to that, the Burnsville, Minn. native had served as men's head coach at his alma mater, going 41-15-2 overall in two seasons and making two NCAA Division III tournaments with the Auggies after a stint as director of hockey operations with the Gophers. May, 40, began his career as an assistant coach at Burnsville High School, before serving as head coach at both Farmington High School and the Blake School.

NCAA Undergraduates Jumping to NHL

A number of NCAA hockey underclassmen, with their team's 2024-25 seasons having recently coming to an end, have signed professional contracts with NHL organizations. Some of the more notable recent signings, as listed by player's last name:

Player, Class, Position (School)           NHL Team

Damien Carfagna, Jr., D, (Ohio State) #    Edmonton

Trevor Connelly, Fr., F (Providence)       Vegas

Karsen Dorwart, Jr., F (Michigan State) #  Philadelphia

Connor Kurth, Jr., F (Minnesota)           Tampa Bay

Joey Larson, Jr., F (Michigan State) #     NY Islanders

Ryan Leonard, So., F (Boston College) *    Washington

Dans Locmelis, So., F (Massachusetts)      Boston

Gabe Perreault, So., F (Boston College)    NY Rangers

Chase Pietila, So., D (Michigan Tech) #    Pittsburgh

Isak Posch, So., G (St. Cloud State) #     Colorado

Jimmy Snuggerud, Jr., F (Minnesota) *      St. Louis

Trey Taylor, Jr., F (Clarkson) #           Dallas

Callum Tung, Fr., G (Connecticut) #        NY Rangers

Matthew Wood, Jr. F (Minnesota)            Nashville

More signings can be found here. 

# Signed as free agent

* 2025 Hobey Baker Award top 10 finalist

Michigan State Wins 2024 GLI

For the first time in 15 years, Michigan State is the Great Lakes Invitational champion. The Spartans defeated Western Michigan, 3-1, on Monday night at Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids, Mich. in the 2024 title game.

Joey Larson scored the game-winning goal, then set up an insurance marker by Isaac Howard in the third period, to lift top-ranked MSU to its first GLI crown since 2009 at the now-demolished Joe Louis Arena in Detroit. GLI MVP Luca Di Pasquo stopped 29 shots for the Spartans, one night after making 16 saves in a 2-0 opening-round victory over Northern Michigan. 

WMU had advanced to this year's championship contest by besting Michigan Tech, 4-3, in overtime on Sunday. MTU then won the consolation game, 4-3 in OT, over NMU yesterday.

MSU has now won 13 GLI titles all-time dating back to the tournament's start in 1965, second behind only former participant Michigan's 17 crowns. Next year's GLI field, the fourth straight that will be played at the VAA in West Michigan, will again feature co-hosts MSU and MTU, plus Ferris State and Miami (Ohio).

Spartans Sweep Penn State

Michigan State hockey has continued its winning ways in the new calendar year. 

A week after besting the U.S. National Team Development Program in an exhibition contest, the eighth-ranked Spartans maintained their hold on first place in the Big Ten conference with 5-0 and 7-3 victories at Penn State this weekend.

Fresh off winning a gold medal with Team USA at the 2024 IIHF World Junior Championship, MSU goaltender Trey Augustine made 31 saves in the opener at Penn State on Friday for the shutout, the second of his freshman campaign. Joey Larson led all Spartan scorers with two goals and an assist. In the rematch on Saturday, Augustine made 27 stops while seven different skaters scored goals for the Spartans, with Reed Lebster, Red Savage and Gavin O'Connell contributing a goal and an assist apiece.

MSU (15-4-3 overall, 9-1-2-1 Big Ten), which is one point ahead of second-place Wisconsin in the Big Ten standings and is also on six-game unbeaten string in NCAA action, will next play a home-and-home series with archrival Michigan on Jan. 19-20.