Gophers, Minnesota Duluth each have four recruits in NHL draft scouting rankings

The Gophers and Minnesota Duluth each have four committed recruits in the NHL Central Scouting final rankings of North American skaters for the 2020 NHL draft, while St. Cloud State has two and Minnesota State Mankato one.

For the Gophers, defenseman Brock Faber of Maple Grove and the U.S. National Team Development Program is ranked No. 44, followed by Rosemount defenseman Jake Ratzlaff (90^th), Edina defenseman Jack Boltmann (113^th) and Blake center Joe Miller (180^th).

Minnesota Duluth's ranked recruits are Andover defenseman Wyatt Kaiser (37^th), Hermantown center Blake Biondi (64^th), center Carter Loney of Steinbach of the Manitoba Junior Hockey League (167^th) and St. Cloud Cathedral center Jack Smith (169^th).

St. Cloud State's ranked recruits among North American skaters are Thief River Falls defenseman Evan Bushy (156^th) and Greenway defenseman Christian Miller (205^th). In addition, Huskies recruit Veeti Miettinen, a right winger from K-Espoo Jr. in Finland, is 72^nd among European skaters.

Minnesota State defenseman recruit Dylan Abbott of Fairbanks of the NAHL is 181^st among North American skaters.

Among those committed to college hockey programs, North Dakota had the highest-ranked player in U.S. National Team Development Program defenseman Jake Sanders, fourth among North American skaters.

Other players ranked from Minnesota high schools or Shattuck-St. Mary's in Faribault, with college commitment, include:

75. Carsen Richels, LW, Blaine H.S., New Hampshire;

81. Nathan Schweitzer, D, Benilde-St. Margaret's H.S., Colorado College;

112. Artem Shlaine, C, Shattuck-St. Mary's, Boston University;

113. Jackson Kunz, LW, Shattuck-St. Mary's, North Dakota;

128. David Ma, D, Shattuck-St. Mary's, Princeton;

131. Mason Langenbrunner, D, Eden Prairie H.S., Harvard;

152. Grant Slukynsky, C, Warroad H.S., Northern Michigan;

187. Matthew Gleason, C, Cretin-Derham Hall H.S., Colorado College;

203. Zachary Michaelis, C, Elk River H.S., Nebraska Omaha.