The NCAA Frozen Four is almost three weeks in our rear-view mirror, and college hockey has turned to its offseason business. With that comes some high-end players leaving early for professional hockey.
For the five Minnesota teams, the early departures so far have hit some teams hard, some not at all. Here's where they stand:
Minnesota Duluth
Shortly after winning their second consecutive national championship with a lineup heavy with non-seniors, the Bulldogs lost junior forward Riley Tufte (nine goals, 10 assists, 19 points), a first-round draft pick, to the Dallas Stars and sophomore defenseman Mikey Anderson (6-21-27), a fourth-round pick, to the Los Angeles Kings.
The good news for coach Scott Sandelin and UMD as they try to become the first team to win three NCAA titles in a row since Michigan from 1951-53: That might be it for early departures.
Last week, All-America goalie Hunter Shepard, who has backstopped the Bulldogs to the back-to-back NCAA titles, announced he will return for his senior season. Junior defenseman Nick Wolff (5-13-18) also said he's staying. And on Monday, sophomore defenseman and Winnipeg Jets second-round pick Dylan Samberg (7-12-19) told the Duluth News-Tribune that he will return to the team next season. Sophomore defenseman Scott Perunovich (3-26-29), a St. Louis second-round pick, hasn't announced his intentions.
Minnesota
The Gophers suffered two big early departures shortly following their Big Ten semifinal ouster against Notre Dame. Junior forward Rem Pitlick, who led the team with 45 points on 21 goals and 24 assists, signed with the Nashville, which picked him in the third round in 2016. Junior goalie Mat Robson (14-12-4, 2.78 goals-against average, .921 save percentage) signed a free-agent contract with the Wild.
